UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

 

Overview

 

The School of Engineering offers programs leading to the degrees Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering, Bachelor of Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Engineering, and Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. The general requirements are presented below and are to be interpreted as minimum requirements. Additional details are found under each department. The undergraduate professional programs in biomedical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

 

In the first semester in residence, each student will be assigned to a faculty adviser with whom the student will be required to consult at least once each semester. Ordinarily, at the end of the first year in residence, engineering students will be asked to designate the department in which they wish to take their degree, if they have not already chosen. The student will consult with the department chair and, when accepted, will be assigned to an adviser who will be a faculty member of the designated department. Changes in a student’s program must be made in consultation with the adviser. Advanced placement is possible for high school students with the proper background and achievement.

 

TRANSFER STUDENTS

Many junior and senior engineering students have transferred from community colleges and liberal arts colleges. Experience with these students indicates that they have no difficulty in maintaining an academic performance similar to that in the community colleges. Students who have completed pre-engineering programs may normally begin their junior year studies in their first semester. Students who may wish to transfer into the School of Engineering are advised to contact the appropriate department to determine which courses offered by their institutions are transferable. The school has policies for the acceptance of transfer students and for the validation of credit courses taken elsewhere and the dean of the school must approve all transfer credits.

 

INTERNSHIPS

The school believes that all students can benefit by academic year and summer internships that provide opportunities for students to learn while doing actual engineering work. The Career Services Office and the school will assist all students who desire internships to obtain one. The construction concentration in civil engineering has an internship as an integral part of its program. The biomedical engineering program has a long history of placing students in internships with hospitals and research laboratories in the Washington, D.C., area and is expanding its industrial internship opportunities.

 

INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

Students may elect to pursue an interdisciplinary course of studies leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Engineering. This option allows qualified students to fulfill their specialized engineering course requirements in more than one department, including departments in the School of Arts and Sciences.

A dual degree program leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Architecture, offered by the School of Architecture and Planning, and Bachelor of Civil Engineering is available to students who want to combine the practice of architecture and engineering. Interested students should contact either the School of Architecture and Planning or the Department of Civil Engineering for specific information.

 

ENGLISH REQUIREMENT

All students are required to take at least one English writing course. The particular course depends on the criteria of placement at the time of matriculation. Transfer credit from other colleges will be evaluated individually.

 

GPA REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION

Students must have a minimum cumulative average of 2.0 in the course of studies required for the degree program to graduate.

 

MINOR IN THE HUMANITIES OR SOCIAL SCIENCES

A minor, or subconcentration, in the humanities or social sciences is available to students who complete the same requirement for a subconcentration as stipulated by the School of Arts and Sciences. Normally, it consists of six or seven courses in one area of subconcentration. Applications for the minor are available in the School of Engineering Student Records Office. Students should check with the department for specific requirements for the minor. Completed applications must be submitted to the Student Records and Admissions Office at the School of Engineering.