Civil Vs Mechanical Engineering - How to Pick the Right Major

The video compares civil and mechanical engineering, highlighting their similarities in early college years and differences in later years and careers. Mechanical engineering focuses on heat transfer, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, mechatronics, and manufacturing. Civil engineering includes subfields like structural, geotechnical, water resources, and transportation engineering. Both fields share structural engineering, but with different focuses. The curriculum for both majors is math-intensive, with mechanical engineering requiring more calculus.

Which area is a primary focus for mechanical engineers but not for civil engineers?

• Transportation systems

• Concrete design

• Heat transfer and thermodynamics

• Geotechnical analysis

What is a key focus of geotechnical engineering?

• Designing aircraft structures

• Analyzing soil and rock behavior

• Creating HVAC systems

• Developing self-driving cars

In civil engineering, fluid mechanics is primarily applied to which of the following?

• Robotics

• Water management systems

• Wind turbines

• Engine components

What is a common area of work for both civil and mechanical engineers?

• HVAC systems

• Structural engineering

• Mechatronics

• Water resources

Which material is more commonly studied by civil engineers than mechanical engineers?

• Concrete

• Plastic

• Copper

• Aluminum

Which engineering major is more math and calculus intensive?

• Civil engineering

• Neither

• Mechanical engineering

• Both are equal

After the initial years, civil engineers typically move on to specialize in which area?

• Heat transfer

• Structural analysis

• Fluid dynamics

• Mechatronics