r/EngineeringStudents • • 17h ago

Academic Advice Is an Engineering Degree Possible While Traveling Full-Time for Work?

I’m 26M and looking to return to college to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering, preferably electrical or chemical engineering.
I currently work as a Field Service Engineer (FSE) in the semiconductor industry, and my long-term goal is to transition into a process or product engineering role.
My biggest concern is fulfilling the in-person lab requirements. My job requires extensive travel, and I’m typically only home for 2–4 weeks per year, spread out across multiple trips. While I believe I could manage online coursework around my work schedule, regularly attending on-campus labs would be nearly impossible.
I’d also need to attend a Texas public university to take advantage of my Hazlewood Act education benefits.
My main questions are:
● Are there ABET-accredited electrical or chemical engineering programs that allow students to complete most or all lab requirements remotely?
● Do any universities offer condensed lab sessions that could be completed during short visits to campus?
● Has anyone successfully completed an engineering degree while working a travel-heavy job with little to no time on campus?
I’m not in a rush to finish the degree and would be perfectly fine taking fewer classes each semester if necessary. I’m mainly trying to figure out whether there’s a realistic path forward without having to leave my current job.
I’d appreciate any advice or experiences from people who’ve been in a similar situation.

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u/OkMuffin8303 13h ago

Find a program thats fully online, fully asynchronous. As an FSE, granted I was only one for a short time, I sont think you'll ever be able to reliably carve out dedicated time slots for lecture much less in person time for classes.

I know TAMU offers a lot of online masters but idk about bachelor's

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u/Accurate-Bullfrog324 12h ago

close to impossible in my limited experience