HMC's engineering majors earn a bachelorof science in engineering degree. They may choose to emphasize a particular engineering specialty by appropriate choice of elective courses and Engineering Clinic projects. Specific programs tailored to individual needs are developed in consultation with an engineering faculty adviser.

Core

Students entering the engineering major have successfully completed the Common Core, a series of courses deisgned to provide foundational learning experiences. This accounts for 47 credit untis (cu) in Math, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Engineering, and Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts.

Engineering Core

The engineering curriculum consists of three main areas, or stems, in engineering design, engineering systems, and engineering science. Each area contributes to an interdisciplinary based approach to teaching and learning with design as the distinguishing feature, with systems providing unifying concepts and tools to build the general framework for problem solving across disciplines, and with science to provide needed fundamentals in the context of a broad-based program. This accounts for 45 cu*.

The engineering design courses focus on working in teams on open-ended, externally-driven design projects. Hands-on exposure to professional practice begins with students undertaking challenging design problems in the first year with an introduction to conceptual design, engineering drawings, and manufacturing techniques (E4), continues with a laboratory course in experimental engineering (E80) and a three-semester Clinic experience (E111-E113).

The sequence of systems courses (E59 and E101-1E02) provides 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 engineering science courses (E82, E83, E84, E85 and E106) establish a broad base of fundamental knowledge needed by an engineer practicing in the field.

Integrative Experience

An integrative course/experience that involves exploration of the interaction between science, technology, and society, the Integrative Experience (IE) may be (1) a faculty-initiated course/experience or (2) a student-initiated experience. Included in category (1) are: (a) courses that include consideration of one or more issues involving the relationship of science or technology with contemporary society; (b) courses offered in parallel with Clinic or research involving groups of students in critical reflection on the ethical and social issues involved in their projects and/or prior projects; and (c) project-based courses that specifically address a societal need, in the performance of which students substantively consider the wider set of societal issues that create the context and need for their actions. In category (2), a student-initiated experience is an independent project/experience designed by a student or a group of students that includes treatment of specific interactions between science/technology and contemporary society. In all IE courses/experiences, there should be a final paper or project with demonstrable evidence of significant self-reflection and critical analysis, and an oral presentation of the work in a forum that allow open discussion of the work in a community setting. The Curriculum Committee will be responsible for determining whether a course or experience meets the IE guidelines.

Courses/experiences to be taken for IE credit must be approved by the Curriculum Committee prior to the pre-registration period for the semester in which the course is to be offered or the project/experience is to be undertaken. (3 cu)

Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts

Thirty-three cu are required in the Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts to complete the requirement of 128 cu for graduation from the college.

Enginering Advising Handbook - 2009/2010

*E59 cu is counted in the HMC Core.