Engineering-Related Fields, Other.

Degree Overview

Engineering-Related Fields, Other (CIP 15.1599) is a flexible and innovative category for hybrid technical careers that merge engineering principles with non-engineering disciplines. While a traditional engineer might focus solely on the design of a product, professionals in this "Other" category focus on the human, legal, financial, or ecological systems that surround technology. It is a path for "technical strategists" who want to master the interface between engineering and the broader world, such as Patent Law, Technical Sales, Engineering Ethics, or Urban Technology Policy.

This field is ideal for "interdisciplinary leaders"—individuals who have a strong technical brain but want to apply it to business, law, or society rather than spending all day in a design lab.

What Is an "Other" Engineering-Related Fields Degree?

A degree in this category is a versatile STEM-adjacent path that emphasizes systems thinking, technical communication, and professional integration. You will study the "Engineering Core"—learning the logic of math and physics—but your upper-level coursework will be tailored to a specialized professional application. It is the home for "customized majors" like Engineering Management, Technical Writing, or Forensic Engineering Support. It prepares you to be the "translator" who can explain complex technology to investors, judges, or the general public.

Schools offer this degree to:

• Train "Technical Liaisons" who bridge the gap between engineering departments and the rest of the corporation
• Develop experts in Intellectual Property, helping inventors protect their new technologies
• Prepare professionals for Technical Sales and Marketing, where a deep understanding of the "guts" of a machine is required to sell it
• Study Human Factors and Usability, ensuring that machines are designed to match human psychology and physical limits

What Will You Learn?

Students learn that technology does not exist in a vacuum; it is influenced by laws, money, and human behavior. You focus on the "Context of Technology."

Core Skills You’ll Build

Most students learn to:

• Master Technical Translation—taking complex engineering data and making it understandable for non-technical audiences
• Use "Systems Mapping" to see how a technical change affects a whole business or city
• Design Compliance and Regulatory Frameworks to ensure new inventions meet safety laws
• Perform Financial Analysis on engineering projects to determine if they are worth the investment
• Utilize Conflict Resolution to manage teams of diverse specialists (engineers, lawyers, and accountants)
• Understand Ethics in Technology—analyzing the long-term impact of things like AI or genetic engineering

Topics You May Explore

Coursework is highly customizable and often includes a blend of technical and professional subjects:

• Applied Engineering Logic: The fundamental way engineers solve problems and design systems.
• Technical Writing and Documentation: The art of creating clear, legally sound manuals and proposals.
• Patent and Trademark Law: Learning how to navigate the legal world of inventions and innovations.
• Industrial Psychology: Understanding how humans interact with machines and work environments.
• Engineering Economics: The study of time-value-of-money and cost-benefit analysis in tech projects.
• Public Policy for Technology: How governments regulate emerging fields like drones or green energy.

What Jobs Can You Get With This Degree?

Graduates find roles as specialists, consultants, and managers who oversee the "business side" of engineering.

Common job roles include:

• Technical Project Manager: Leading the timeline and budget for complex engineering builds.
• Patent Agent: Helping engineers and companies file for patents on new inventions.
• Technical Sales Engineer: Selling high-tech equipment by explaining its technical superiority to clients.
• Regulatory Affairs Specialist: Ensuring a company's new products meet all government and safety codes.
• Supply Chain Analyst: Managing the global flow of technical components and materials.
• Contract Administrator: Managing the complex legal agreements between engineering firms and their clients.

Where Can You Work?

These specialists are the "connectors" in every high-tech industry:

• Major Tech Corporations: Working in the "Business Operations" or "Legal" wings of firms like Apple or Boeing.
• Law Firms: Providing the technical expertise needed for patent and intellectual property cases.
• Government Agencies: Helping the GAO or NIST set standards and policies for new technologies.
• Consulting Firms: Advising companies on how to implement new engineering systems effectively.
• Non-Profits and Think Tanks: Studying the societal impact of technology on urban planning or the environment.

How Much Can You Earn?

Because these roles require both "Technical Brain" and "Business Brain," they often command very high salaries, especially in leadership or sales.

• Technical Sales Engineers: Median annual salary of approximately $95,000–$140,000 (often including commission).
• Patent Specialists/Agents: Salaries typically range from $100,000 to $160,000+.
• Engineering Project Managers: Median annual salary of around $90,000–$135,000.
• Entry-Level Analysts: Often start between $65,000 and $85,000.

Is This Degree Hard?

The difficulty is in the mental code-switching. You must be comfortable with the math and physics of engineering, but you must also be excellent at writing, speaking, and social analysis. It requires a highly adaptable and strategic mindset—you must be the person who can sit in a room with engineers and understand the specs, then walk into a boardroom and explain the profit margins. It is a major that rewards those who are "bilingual" in both technology and business.

Who Should Consider This Degree?

This degree may be a good fit if you:

• Love science and tech but don't want to be a "full-time designer" or lab researcher
• Are a strong communicator who enjoys writing and debating as much as solving math problems
• Are interested in the "Big Picture"—how technology changes the world and the law
• Want a career that allows you to move into executive leadership or entrepreneurship
• Enjoy working with people as much as you enjoy working with machines

How to Prepare in High School

• Take Physics and Algebra; you need a solid technical foundation to be respected in this field
• Join a Speech or Debate team; the ability to argue a technical point is a core professional skill
• Take an Economics or Business class to understand how markets and money work
• Practice Technical Writing—learn how to explain a complex hobby or machine to a beginner
• Read about Tech Policy in magazines like The Economist or Wired to see how tech and law collide

The ability to apply technical logic to the complex legal, financial, and human systems that govern our world is the hallmark of a successful professional in this engineering-related field.