Basic Structure of the Department
- The Engineering Sciences major is taught by faculty in the Thayer School of
Engineering. However, Engineering students are not differentiated at the
College from non-Engineering students, and all students are working towards the
Bachelor of Arts degree.
- The department offers a major and a minor in Engineering Sciences, a major
in Engineering Physics (with the department of Physics and Astronomy), modified
majors with Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Computer Science,
Economics, and Studio Art, and a minor in Materials Science (with Chemistry and
Physics).
- An AB in Engineering Sciences is a four year liberal arts degree. To enter
the engineering profession requires the BE (Bachelor of Engineering) degree,
which takes an additional year of study beyond the Engineering Sciences major.
However, that time can be shortened with careful choice of electives, and
some students satisfy the requirements for both the AB and BE degrees in four
years.
- The department encourages non-Engineering students to take Engineering
classes. Most Engineering courses satisfy the TAS distributive
requirement.
- All courses in Engineering Sciences below 20 are designed for non-majors.
Courses 20, 21, 31, 37 and 51 also have few or no prerequisites and have been
deemed appropriate for non-majors. That said, a first-year student should not
take ENGS 21 in the fall term, but should wait for the spring term offering.
ENGS 37 being a fall term course, is normally not recommended for first-year
students, but may be taken by those who are well-prepared in the prerequisite
material and sufficiently mature to handle the workload in their first
term.
Fall courses for the interested first-year student
- ENGS 11: Technologies in Homeland Security
- ENGS 12: Design Thinking
- ENGS 13: Virtual Medicine and Cybercare
- ENGS 20: Introduction to Scientific Computing (MATH 3 and credit for or
concurrent enrollment in MATH 8 are prerequisite)
Winter courses for the interested first-year student
- ENGS 1: Everyday Technology
- ENGS 10: Biomedical Informatics (MATH 3 and permission of the instructor
are prerequisite)
Spring courses for the interested first-year student
- ENGS 5: Healthcare and Biotechnology in the 21st Century
- ENGS 6: Technology and Biosecurity
- ENGS 20: Introduction to Scientific Computing (MATH 3 and prior or
concurrent enrollment in MATH 8 are prerequisite)
- ENGS 21: Introduction to Engineering (MATH 3 is prerequisite)
- ENGS 31: Digital Electronics (=COSC 47)
- ENGS 51: Principles of System Dynamics (MATH 3 is prerequisite)
Information for the first-year student who plans on pursuing
Engineering
- Common to all majors are prerequisites in Math (MATH 3, 8, 13), Physics
(PHYS 13, 14), Chemistry (CHEM 5), and Computer Science (ENGS 20 or COSC
5).
- Prospective students should complete the Math and Physics prerequisites in
the first year. It is recommended that students with AP credit for MATH 3 take
PHYS 13-14 and MATH 8 or 11/12 in the fall and winter terms. However, if
planning a modified major with Chemistry or Biology, Physics may be postponed
to the second year so that CHEM 5 and 6 may be taken in the first year.
- It is not necessary to complete all the prerequisite courses before
beginning the major courses. Some students may be able to take a major course
in the spring of the first year.
Answers to other questions about courses and other considerations
- Many students complete an Engineering major along with a second major or
minor. Students also participate in one of the many Off-Campus Programs. The
major itself has a core of required Engineering courses designed to build broad
competence in engineering problem solving, followed by courses in particular
engineering disciplines. Any student thinking of majoring in Engineering
Sciences is encouraged to plan a course schedule in consultation with a member
of the Engineering faculty. Questions about the major and its requirements may
be directed to Professor Erland Schulson, chair of the department.
Current
Enrollments, Class Size, and Distributives
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