Preparation
Petroleum engineers must have a bachelor's degree in engineering, preferably petroleum engineering. However, a bachelor's degree in mechanical, civil, or chemical engineering may meet employer requirements. Employers also value work experience, so college cooperative-education programs, in which students earn academic credit and job experience, are valuable as well.
 Admission
Requirements
Admissions
requirements for undergraduate engineering schools include a solid
background in mathematics (algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and
calculus) and science (biology, chemistry, and physics), and courses in
English, social studies, humanities, and computer and information
technology.
Co-ops
Internships and Coops
provide students with a great opportunity to gain real-world experience
while still in school. Many universities offer co-op and internship
programs for students studying Petroleum Engineering. This provides
students with first hand experience in the industry and the opportunity
to contribute to a real-world program or project.
Click here for more
information.
Courses
of Study
Bachelor's
degree programs in engineering typically are designed to last 4 years,
but many students find that it takes between 4 and 5 years to complete
their studies. In a typical 4-year college curriculum, the first 2 years
are spent studying mathematics, basic sciences, introductory
engineering, humanities, and social sciences. Petroleum engineering
students may also take courses such as Reservoir Petrophysics, Petroleum
Engineering Systems, and Physical
Geology during these years. In
the last 2 years, a petroleum engineering program might include courses in
Drilling and Production Systems, Geostatistics, Well Performance,
Reservoir Fluids, Petroleum Project Evaluation, Engineering Ethics, and
Well Completion and Stimulation.
Some colleges and universities offer 5-year programs in chemical or mechanical engineering that lead to both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. Some employers prefer applicants who have earned a graduate degree. A graduate degree also allows an engineer to work as an instructor at some universities or in research and development.
Accredited
Programs
Those interested in a
career in petroleum engineering should consider reviewing engineering programs that are
accredited by
ABET, Inc.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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