Engineering Curriculum
Offering rigorous analysis of theoretical principles and intensive hands-on experience, the engineering curriculum is divided into three branches鈥攅ngineering science, systems, and design and professional practice.
The engineering sciences courses (E82, E83, E84, E85 and E86) establish a broad base of fundamental knowledge needed by an engineer practicing in the field.
The sequence of systems courses (E79 and E101-102) provide analysis and design tools to model and interpret the behavior of general engineering systems. These courses are multidisciplinary in approach, enabling students to gain a unified view of the entire spectrum of engineering disciplines.
The design and professional practice courses focus on working in teams on open-ended, externally-driven design projects. Hands-on exposure to professional practice begins with students working in small teams on open-ended design problems posed by not-for-profit clients in the first year (E4), continues with a laboratory course in which students gain skills in designing and running experiments to solve design problems and characterize engineered systems (E80) and culminates with three semesters of Engineering Clinic (贰111鈥�113).
To keep the option open for majoring in engineering, a student should have taken E4 and E79 before the fourth semester. Any proposed variation from this program must be discussed in advance with an engineering adviser.