Bachelor of Science: Division of Engineering
Academic Programs
Admission
Basic Science Requirement
Bridge Program, Engineering
Chemistry (Qualification Exam)
Cooperative Education Program
Critical and Analytic Thinking Requirement
Degree Requirements
English Competency and Proficiency
English (Placement Exam)
General Education Requirements
High School Preparation, Recommended
Honors Options
Humanities and Social Science Requirement
Life Science Requirement
Mathematics (Qualification Exam)
Mathematics Requirement
Matriculation
Placement and Qualifying Examinations
Preprofessional Engineering Programs
Professional Engineering Programs
Technical Electives
Undergraduate Program Goals
Undergraduate Program Goals
The overall goal of the undergraduate engineering degree programs at Wayne State University is to prepare students for success in their immediate and long-term professional careers as engineering practitioners as well as for pursuing graduate and professional studies and lifelong learning. Therefore the programs seek to ensure that all Wayne State engineering students:
1) Possess a fundamental understanding of mathematics, basic sciences, discipline-specific engineering sciences, and engineering design, and that they will have the ability to apply this knowledge to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems.
2) Have practical engineering laboratory experiences in which they will design and conduct experiments.
3) Are able to use computers as communications, computational, and design tools.
4) Have an understanding of the uncertainties involved in engineering systems and the role of the probabilistic and statistical techniques in dealing with uncertainty.
5) Possess strong skills in written and oral communication.
6) Have a strong design experience throughout the curriculum that includes identification, formulation and solution of open-ended problems. This design experience will also enable them to work in a multidisciplinary team environment.
7) Have an understanding of ethics and professionalism as well as of the professional issues germane to engineering practice.
8) Be educated in a variety of social sciences, arts, and humanities in order to broaden their horizons, to sensitize them to contemporary issues, to enable them to better understand the global and societal context of technical issues, and to prepare them for effective interaction with others.
Undergraduate programs in the Division of Engineering are divided into three phases. All students must complete the professional program in order to earn their Bachelor of Science degree. The majority of students begin their engineering curriculum through the preprofessional program, which allows them to complete a limited number of courses while demonstrating their academic preparedness for the professional program. Students who require additional background in math and science before entering the preprofessional program enter the College through the Engineering Bridge Program and progress to the preprofessional program upon successful completion of a defined set of foundational courses. Complete descriptions of these programs and the academic regulations pertaining to them are provided below.
High School Preparation, Recommended
In order to place sufficient emphasis on the English, mathematics, physics, and chemistry required for normal progress in engineering, restrictions are placed on the fifteen acceptable units of high school credit. The recommended high school preparation for admission to the College of Engineering is:
English: 4 units
Algebra: 2 units
Plane and Solid Geometry: 1.5 units
Trigonometry: 0.5 unit
Physics: 1 unit
Chemistry: 1 unit
Social Science or Foreign Language: 2 units
Electives: 3 units
An incoming freshman with this background enters the preprofessional program if he or she earns satisfactory scores on the placement examinations in mathematics, chemistry and English (see below).
Students who are interested in pursuing a degree in engineering but who may not have the requisite background in science and mathematics, as demonstrated by their high school record, ACT or SAT scores, or placement exam results, will be admitted to the Engineering Bridge Program (see below). This program is designed to provide students with the necessary background to proceed into and succeed in the preprofessional and professional programs in the engineering major of their choice.
Admission
Admission to the undergraduate programs in the Division of Engineering, College of Engineering, is dependent upon high school grade point average (g.p.a.) and ACT or SAT scores for those students entering directly from high school, and upon grade point average and level of curriculum completion for transfer students from community colleges or other universities. The following admissions criteria are used to place students in the professional, preprofessional, and Engineering Bridge programs.
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM ADMISSION
Freshmen with a 3.5 or above high school g.p.a., both cumulative and in math and science, along with a Math ACT score of at least twenty-six or a Math SAT score of at least 650, are eligible for admission to the professional engineering program of their choice. The final requirement for direct admission to the professional program is placement into at least MAT 2010, CHM 1225, and ENG 1020 on the required placement examinations (see below).
Students who have completed at least the equivalent of the following set of courses may apply to transfer into the professional program of their choice: MAT 2010, 2020, 2030; CHM 1225/1230; PHY 2175, 2185; and ENG 1020. For direct admission to the professional program as a transfer student, a minimum 3.0 grade point average in college-level courses (overall as well as in math and science) is required, and the listed courses must each have been completed with grades no lower than a 'C.'
Students who do not meet the minimum requirements for admission to the professional program may be admitted to the preprofessional program as follows.
PREPROFESSIONAL PROGRAM ADMISSION
Students entering the College directly from high school will be admitted to the preprofessional program if they have earned at least a 2.5 overall g.p.a., a 3.0 in their science and math courses, and a minimum score of twenty-two on the Math ACT or 550 on the Math SAT. In addition, placement into the preprofessional program requires placement into at least MAT 1800, CHM 1225, and ENG 1020 on the required placement exams (see below).
Students who have completed at least twelve credits of college-level coursework may be admitted to the preprofessional program if they have a minimum of a 2.5 overall g.p.a. and a 3.0 in math and science courses. Students must also have placed into, or transferred the equivalent of, MAT 1800, CHM 1225, and ENG 1020 (see below for descriptions of placement exam requirements). If fewer than twelve credits of college-level work have been completed, students must also submit their high school transcripts and ACT or SAT results.
The purpose of the preprofessional program is to provide students with the first 1.5 to 2 years of engineering instruction, including math and science, and prepare them for the professional program. Permission to transfer to a professional program will be granted to students who successfully complete this set of courses in accordance with the rules governing such matriculation, as described below.
ENGINEERING BRIDGE PROGRAM ADMISSION
Students who meet the requirements for University admission but do not meet the academic record or placement requirements of the preprofessional or professional programs will be admitted to the Engineering Bridge Program, as described below under 'Academic Programs.'
Matriculation
Entering Freshmen: Upon the receipt of notification of admission by the University Admissions Office, entering freshmen should contact the Office of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs regarding obligations and activities prior to the beginning of classes. All new students must meet with an academic advisor before registering for their first semester of classes in order to review the engineering program requirements and develop a suitable plan of study. Students should plan on attending an Engineering Orientation session, scheduled in concordance with University Orientation, as early as possible to allow maximum flexibility in course scheduling. Students must take their placement exams and receive their results before attending an orientation session - allow at least seven days for the test results to post following the exam.
Transfer Students: For the student who has attended another institution and who has been admitted to the Division of Engineering, the amount of advanced standing will be determined by the College and will depend upon the quantity and quality of the degree work completed prior to enrollment in this institution. Whether all, or only in part, such transferred credit may be applied toward a degree at Wayne State depending on the requirements of the curriculum chosen. No grade below a 'C' may be transferred into the College to satisfy a degree requirement. The student should consult the department undergraduate program director or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs if he or she has any questions on their transfer status.
Course equivalency tables, designed to provide initial guidance, are available at http://www.transfercredit.wayne.edu. The decision of the Department and the College regarding the acceptance of transfer credit to be applied to the undergraduate degree in engineering is final and supersedes the published transfer tables. Any request for reconsideration of the evaluation of transfer credits accepted by the College of Engineering should be made in writing within one year of the date of the student's first enrollment in the College of Engineering, or within one year of the date of the evaluation if the latter is made subsequent to the student's enrollment in the College of Engineering.
WayneDirect Program
The College of Engineering encourages students who are considering beginning or have begun their post-secondary education at a community college to participate in the WayneDirect program. Through this program, students may obtain early admission to Wayne State, receive advising from WSU Engineering academic advisors, utilize WSU services, and ease their transition to the University.
WayneDirect students are encouraged to register for WSU courses that support their engineering curriculum but are not offered at their community college. Each undergraduate program has developed a recommended course sequence for WayneDirect community colleges that includes the appropriate scheduling for these dual enrollment courses. These sequences are available on the College website: http://www.eng.wayne.edu/
WayneDirect students are required to complete all math and science courses in a sequence at a single institution (either the community college or WSU). This policy results from the slight differences in course organization between schools and will insure that WayneDirect students cover all of the anticipated learning objectives. The course sequences (with WSU course numbers) are:
Mathematics: MAT 2010, 2020, 2030, and 2150 (or MAT 2250 and 2350).
Physics: PHY 2170 or 2175 (with PHY 2171 for students planning on majoring in electrical engineering), and PHY 2180 or 2185.
Chemistry (for students planning on majoring in chemical engineering): CHM 1225/CHM 1230 (or former CHM 1070 and CHM 1080 with labs), CHM 1240/1250, and CHM 2220/2230. NOTE: Students majoring in programs other than Chemical Engineering may transfer the equivalent of CHM 1070 to satisfy their chemistry requirement.
WayneDirect students must comply with the entrance requirements established between the institutions, including completion of at least fifty credits of course work or an associate's degree at the community college before full transfer to Wayne State, and maintaining an overall g.p.a. of at least 2.0. WayneDirect students must also comply with University and College policies regarding placement examinations (or allowed transfer credit for placement) and minimum grades. Academic policies that are specific to Wayne Direct students are described below, as appropriate.
WayneDirect students are encouraged to meet with advisors at both their community college and in the College of Engineering at Wayne State on a regular basis to ensure that they remain on track.
Transfer of Credit after Matriculation
After enrolling at Wayne State University, all technical courses and prerequisites to technical courses must be taken at the University. Other selected courses may qualify for transfer credit; advance approval via a Michigan Uniform Guest Permit is required. This Guest Permit must be endorsed by the student's home department or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in order for the credit to apply towards the degree. Students should consult their advisor for specific departmental rules for transfer of credit. Students enrolled through the WayneDirect program may take courses at both their community college and Wayne State, as described above, following discussion with their academic advisors.
Transfer of College within the University
A student in another college of Wayne State University who wishes to transfer to the College of Engineering makes application directly to the Division of Engineering. The application is best made in person to the academic advisor of the planned major. This application for transfer should be made as soon as the student decides to work toward an engineering degree and as soon as all admission requirements are met, since delay may cause serious prerequisite problems and loss of credit. Students must be in good academic standing in order to be eligible for this transfer.
Academic Programs
The College of Engineering has developed a series of programs to meet the needs of all students who are interested in pursuing a degree in engineering. Students are admitted into the program appropriate to their academic preparation, as described above.
Bridge Program, Engineering
The Bridge Program is designed for those students who are interested in pursuing a degree in engineering but who may need some additional foundational work in mathematics and science in order to obtain the requisite background to succeed. (See ENGINEERING BRIDGE PROGRAM ADMISSION.) Bridge students participate in the following two-semester sequence of courses with a cohort of students:
Fall Semester
B E 1001 -- Engineering Bridge Mentorship: Cr. 0
B E 1050 -- Introduction to the Engineering Profession: Cr. 2
MAT 1050 -- Algebra with Trigonometry PREP: Cr. 7
PHY 1020 -- (PS) Conceptual Physics: Cr. 4
Winter Semester
B E 1002 -- Engineering Bridge Mentorship: Cr. 0
B E 1060 -- Introduction to Engineering Practice and Design: Cr. 1
CHM 1040 -- Chemistry Skills and Reasoning: Cr. 4
ENG 1010 -- Basic Writing: Cr. 4
MAT 1800 -- Elementary Functions: Cr. 4
MAT 1990 -- Precalculus Workshop: Cr. 2
In order to progress from the Bridge Program to the preprofessional program, a student must complete each of the required courses with a grade of 'C-minus' or higher and an overall grade point average of at least 3.0. Only two substandard grades (see Substandard Performance) are permitted within the Bridge requirements if a student wishes to remain in the College. Students receive close attention from the engineering advisors so that early intervention may be arranged for students who face academic difficulties. As part of this course work, each Bridge student meets on a weekly basis with an engineering mentorship group to provide an opportunity for discussion and peer support.
Students who place into MAT 0993 must complete this course in addition to those listed above. This requirement will delay completion of the Bridge Program until the end of the spring/summer semester. Students who place into MAT 0993 should work closely with their academic advisor to develop a three-semester plan of courses to satisfy the Bridge requirements.
Preprofessional Engineering Programs
Students in the preprofessional programs complete thirty-five to forty-five credits of their engineering curriculum, depending on their intended major. This program consists of the following courses that are required of all Division of Engineering students:
B E 1200 -- (CL) Basic Engineering I: Design in Engineering. Cr. 3
B E 1300 -- Basic Engineering II: Materials Science for Engineering Applications Cr. 3
B E 1310 -- Materials Science for Engineering: Laboratory. Cr. 1
CHM 1225 -- (PS) General Chemistry I. Cr. 3
CHM 1230 -- General Chemistry I Laboratory. Cr. 1
ENG 1020 -- (BC) Introductory Collge Writing. Cr. 4
MAT 2010 -- Calculus I. Cr. 4
MAT 2020 -- Calculus II. Cr. 4
MAT 2030 -- Calculus III. Cr. 4
and
PHY 2175 -- (PS) General Physics. Cr. 4
PHY 2185 --General Physics. Cr. 4
or (for ECE majors)
PHY 2170 -- (PS) General Physics. Cr. 4
PHY 2171-- General Physics Laboratory. Cr. 1
Most departments also require that students complete one or more 2000-level courses within their department (contact the program advisor for more information).
An inspection of the various engineering curricula (available at http://www.eng.wayne.edu or from the departmental advisors) will reveal that the first three semesters in all of the programs are quite similar, thus affording students some opportunity to postpone commitment to a specific degree program without subsequent loss of credit, although variations do begin to appear in the sophomore year. In general, students entering the preprofessional program are encouraged to register in one of the degree granting departments. However, if still uncommitted as to a particular curriculum, the student may register as an 'undecided student'. If the undecided status is elected, the student is encouraged to pursue career counseling during the first year in the preprofessional program. When a decision is reached, the student is assigned to the appropriate department. The planning of a program of study is carried out in conference with a departmental advisor. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisor whenever there may be a need to do so. This contact should be sought at least once each term for registration purposes.
In order to be admitted to the professional program of their choice, a student must complete the preprofessional courses with no grade lower than a 'C-minus' and a College grade point average for these courses of at least 2.5. Calculation of this preprofessional g.p.a. will include the grades earned in all courses listed above in addition to departmental pre-professional requirements. The required courses may have been completed at Wayne State or transferred from another institution. If a course was completed at Wayne State, the highest WSU grade will be included in this g.p.a. calculation. For courses taken only outside of WSU, the highest grade earned at another institution will be factored into the College's calculation of the preprofessional g.p.a. However, transfer grades are not included in the calculation of the official University g.p.a. In addition, each student must satisfy the University's General Education Critical Thinking requirement, either through examination or identified classes, see General Education Program, prior to being accepted into the professional program. Students in the preprofessional program may opt to complete MAT 2150, B E 2100, and B E 2550 or defer them until after acceptance into the professional program; however, they will not be included in the calculation of the preprofessional grade point average. The specific preprofessional requirements, and information on calculating the preprofessional g.p.a., are provided in the Engineering Preprofessional Handbook, available at www.eng.wayne.edu.
Students who do not satisfy these preprofessional requirements will become ineligible to enter the professional program and are prohibited from enrolling in professional level (3000- and 4000-level) engineering courses. Students enrolled in the preprofessional program who fail to meet the 2.5 g.p.a. requirement after completion of the preprofessional courses will be required to meet with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and their academic advisor to develop a contract of study. Students will be required to repeat courses, in compliance with Division rules, to demonstrate greater academic mastery and thereby elevate their g.p.a. These courses must be taken at Wayne State University. Such students may be required to repeat certain courses and/or may be required to complete additional courses that may NOT count for credit toward an engineering degree. These additional requirements are designed to improve the student's mathematics, science, engineering science, and English abilities. If, after completion of the agreed-upon contract of study, the student's cumulative College grade point average has not increased to at least 2.5, he or she will be excluded from the College of Engineering.
Professional Engineering Programs
Students must qualify for the professional program in order to complete their advanced engineering courses and apply for their bachelor's degrees. Only students in the professional program in Engineering may register for 3000- and 4000-level engineering courses and, as an undergraduate, 5000-level technical electives. Exceptional students may be granted direct admission to the professional program - the majority of students will progress through the preprofessional program first.
Students directly admitted to a professional engineering program must maintain a g.p.a. of 2.5 or above and must earn a grade of 'C-minus' or better in all course work included in the freshman and sophomore years of their program. Transfer students who qualify for direct admission to the professional program must complete their remaining preprofessional requirements (including Critical Thinking) within two semesters of enrolling at Wayne State. Students who do not meet these requirements will be transferred to the preprofessional program. Such students are eligible to return to a professional program under the conditions described above under 'Preprofessional Engineering Programs.' Students admitted to the College of Engineering prior to the Winter 2004 semester must maintain an overall as well as a College g.p.a. (as calculated by Division of Engineering rules) of at least 2.3 in these first two years of their program to retain their professional program status.
Honors Options
Students who qualify, either as incoming freshmen or continuing students, may opt to pursue Engineering Honors and/or University Honors as they complete their Bachelor of Science degree. Students interested in pursuing University Honors will be enrolled in both the College of Engineering (primary College) and the Irvin D. Reid Honors College (secondary College). Students should work closely with both their Engineering and Honors advisor to select courses, as some special arrangements have been made for Engineering students. In order to graduate with University Honors, students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 and must complete at least thirty-six credits of honors designated courses (please refer to the University Honors College requirements). To qualify for Engineering Honors in addition to University Honors, twenty-four credits of this coursework must include the following:
B E 2550 -- Basic Engineering IV: Numerical and Computer Programming
in Engineering: Honors section: Cr. 3
B E 5998 -- Engineering Honors Thesis: Cr. 4
HON 42XX -- Honors Seminar that will satisfy AI, FC, HS, or VP
General Education Requirements: Cr. 3-4
Eight credits of honors designated courses within the major department.
Students should consult their department advisor for more information.
The additional credits of honors courses can be taken in any department, either as honors designated or honors option sections. Students can obtain a list of courses that will also satisfy College requirements (such as MAT 2010 or ECO 2010) from their advisor. Students may elect to pursue only Engineering Honors through the listed twenty-four credits of requirements without completing the requirements for University Honors.
Placement and Qualifying Examinations
All entering freshmen must take the placement examinations in mathematics, chemistry and English. Transfer students who do not have transfer credit equivalent to MAT 2010, CHM 1225/1230, and ENG 1020 (with a grade of 'C' or higher) must take the appropriate placement examination. Consult the Office of Testing, Evaluation, and Student Life Research Services for information regarding the schedule for the examinations (http://www.testing.wayne.edu; 698 Student Center; 313-577-3400).
Chemistry (Qualification Exam)
The sequence of chemistry courses for the engineering student normally begins with CHM 1225 and 1230. Qualification for CHM 1225 and 1230 requires a satisfactory score on the Chemistry Placement Examination. If a student is not properly prepared to consider placement in CHM 1225 and 1230, direct entry into CHM 1040 is permissible.
English (Placement Exam)
All entering freshmen and transfer students shall determine their aptitude in English composition by taking the English Placement Examination unless they have earned credit equivalent to ENG 1020 through transferred courses, AP examinations, or the CLEP program. Students whose score on the English Placement Examination indicates a need for additional instruction and practice in writing must elect and pass ENG 1010 before they can enroll in ENG 1020.
Mathematics (Qualification Exam)
The sequence of mathematics courses for the engineering student normally begins with MAT 2010. For admission to MAT 2010, a qualifying examination must be passed. The placement examination must be taken by all students who have not transferred in the equivalent of MAT 2010, completed with at least a grade of 'C', or through AP credit. Students may apply to take the placement examination for either MAT 1800 or MAT 2010 depending upon their preparation in mathematics. The MAT 1800 Placement Examination is based upon one and one-half years of high school algebra and one year of high school geometry. The MAT 2010 Placement Examination is based upon a total of three and one-half to four years of college preparatory mathematics covering algebra, plane and solid geometry and trigonometry.
Failure to qualify for MAT 2010 may result in the student being placed in a lower level course such as MAT 0993, 1050, or 1800, depending upon the student's performance. Engineering students who qualify at the MAT 0995/1050 level are required to take MAT 1050 instead of MAT 0995. In addition, students are required to take the seven-credit, PREP version of MAT 1050 in order to obtain a stronger foundation in mathematical problem solving. Requests for exceptions to this requirement (allowing students to complete the five-credit version of MAT 1050) must be made to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Engineering students who do not take the Mathematics Placement Examination prior to registration for the first semester of the freshman year must enroll in MAT 0993
Emerging Scholars and Rising Scholars Programs: All engineering students who place into MAT 1800 or MAT 2010 are required to apply to the Emerging Scholars Program. Students who place into MAT 0993 are required to apply to the Rising Scholars Program. These are enhanced mathematics programs that provide additional experience in mathematical applications and problem solving, better preparing students for engineering problem solving. Details on these programs can be found in the Department of Mathematics section, Emerging Scholars Program.
Degree Requirements
The normal program of study for each of the degrees awarded in the Division of Engineering requires from 125 to 136 credits. Of the total credits for the degree, at least thirty-four credits must be completed as resident credits in the degree program of the College. Departments may impose additional requirements.
Although the curriculum plans of the departmental sections shown in the following pages indicate a four-year program, many students will require additional time to complete all degree requirements. The national average time required for students to complete an engineering degree is approximately 4.5 years after beginning the calculus sequence (MAT 2010). Completion of the degree requirements in four years requires the election of an average of seventeen credits each term during the academic year. A student who enters the Cooperative Education Program will require longer. Students may attend the University on either a full-time or part-time basis (twelve credits are considered by the University as a minimum full-time load).
Since Wayne State University students frequently pursue degrees on a part-time basis, many require much more than 4.5 years to complete all degree requirements. The actual amount of time required will depend upon the student's academic preparedness and the amount of time available for academic activities. The maximum load that a student carries should be consistent with the student's ability and available time. However, since a credit (credit hour) is defined as one class hour requiring about two hours of preparation per week carried through a semester, the fifteen to twenty-one credit programs shown in the curricular plans represent a full forty-hour academic work week. A three-hour laboratory period is generally regarded as the equivalent of one credit. Students who wish to graduate in four calendar years but who wish to schedule sixteen or fewer credits per semester may accomplish this by deferring certain courses until the spring or summer term. Students should check with their advisors regarding the courses that can best be taken in Spring/Summer term. Students who do not follow the sequence as outlined by their department must make sure that all course prerequisites are satisfied.
Specific requirements for these bachelors degrees may be found in the departmental sections for this College. These requirements are in effect as of the publication date of this bulletin; however, students should consult an academic advisor for verification of current requirements. Interim updates will be provided in the College's Preprofessional Handbook and departmental Undergraduate Handbooks. The following discussion concerns generic aspects common to all Bachelor of Science engineering programs.
General Education Requirements
All students must satisfy the General Education Requirements of the University, see General Education Program. In some cases, the College prescribes a more limited set of alternatives than permitted by the University in order to meet accreditation requirements. Students are cautioned to observe College restrictions when selecting courses to satisfy General Education Requirements as follows (the two-letter codes at the margin indicate General Education categories, for definitions, see Course Prefixes, General Education Program):
COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS
AI: Any AI course (Only 3 credits count towards degree requirements)
BC: ENG 1020 or 1050
CL: B E 1200
CD: Any CD course, but recommended to correspond to the FC or VP course elected
CT: Competency exam (or pass PHI 1050)
EI: PHI 1120
FC: Any (FC) course (Only 3 credits count towards degree requirements)
HS: Any HS course (Only 3 credits count towards degree requirements)
IC: ENG 3050
LS: BIO 1510 (I E students may also select PSY 1010)
MC: Completion of math sequence
OC: ENG 3060
PL: PHI 1120
PS: CHM 1225/1230 (plus lab) (also meets laboratory science requirements)
SS: ECO 2010 or 2020 (Only 3 credits count towards degree requirements;
I E students may select any SS course)
ST: Program-specific capstone course (See program requirements)
VP: Any VP course (Only 3 credits count towards degree requirements)
WI: Program-specific capstone course (See program requirements)
Basic Science Requirement
In order to meet accreditation requirements, all undergraduate engineering students are required to complete at least fifteen credits of basic science courses, including Chemistry 1225 and 1230, Physics 2170/2175 and 2185. These courses are required in all of the engineering curricula, and it should be noted that certain curricula require the completion of prescribed science laboratories and/or additional chemistry and physics courses.
In addition, each student must elect a basic or advanced science course. Students should consult with their advisor for the current list of acceptable courses. Selection of BIO 1510 will satisfy this requirement concurrently with the Life Science requirement described below.
Critical and Analytic Thinking Requirement
All undergraduates must satisfy the General Education Critical and Analytic Thinking requirement. Engineering students are encouraged to satisfy this requirement by taking the Critical and Analytic Thinking Competency Examination. Students who fail this examination are required to pass PHI 1050; however, credit earned by successful completion of this course will not count toward the total credits required for an engineering degree. This requirement must be satisfied before a student is admitted to the professional program of their major.
English Competency and Proficiency
See General Education Program regarding University proficiency and competency requirements.
Communication Skills
In addition to the basic composition course ENG 1020, six credits in communication skills (ENG 3050 and 3060 - Technical Communication I and II) are required of all Engineering students, and these satisfy the Intermediate Composition (IC) and Oral Communication (OC) requirements of the University.
Humanities and Social Science Requirement
Engineering today extends far beyond technical decisions. Far-reaching effects of man-made technology require the engineer to be aware of and sensitive to his or her social responsibilities. Courses involving the engineer in sociological, economic, and aesthetic study are incorporated into the engineering program in order to insure an understanding beyond technical problems, which will enable the complete engineer to make value judgments concerning the impact of this technology upon society.
The College has, therefore, included a program in the social sciences and the humanities as a part of all engineering curricula. This program is integrated with the non-science portion of the University's General Education Program, which requires a student to elect one course from each of six categories. See General Education Program for a complete description of the General Education Requirements. The Engineering Division imposes requirements in addition to the University-wide restrictions on some of the courses that satisfy General Education Requirements. These restrictions are described above and are shown in the degree requirements for each engineering program.
Life Science Requirement
All undergraduate students are required to satisfy the General Education Life Science Requirement. Students who wish to satisfy this requirement simultaneously with the basic or advanced science requirement described above must take BIO 1510. Industrial engineering students may also elect PSY 1010 to satisfy both the life science and basic science requirement simultaneously. Students may satisfy the Life Science requirement with any LS-designated course if they elect an additional basic or advanced science course as described above.
Mathematics Requirement
Engineering students use mathematics as a tool in all engineering and science courses in their college curricula, as well as later upon entry into the engineering profession. All prospective engineering students are encouraged to complete the number of units of mathematics stipulated in the section: High School Preparation, Recommended. Ideally, engineering students elect the first course in calculus (MAT 2010) in their first freshman term; however, many incoming students are not prepared to begin the mathematics program with calculus, and additional foundational coursework is necessary to strengthen the student's background. This foundational coursework is not included in the total credits required for an engineering degree. All students entering the Division of Engineering with no transfer credit in calculus must take the Mathematics Placement Examination (see above).
Technical Electives
Technical electives may be chosen from a selection of course offerings of the College of Engineering and the advanced science and mathematics courses of the College of Science. Other courses, such as advanced courses in the School of Business Administration, may be elected with the prior approval of the undergraduate program director. The purpose of the technical elective is to increase the depth or breadth of one's professional knowledge. Courses should be selected so as to meet this objective. Engineering courses elected as technical electives are normally selected at the 5000-level. These courses are open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Technical electives require the approval of a student's department and should be discussed with his or her academic advisor.
Cooperative Education Program
Students who wish to enrich their education with on-the-job engineering experience may enroll in the Cooperative Education Program. In this program, full-time study terms are alternated with full-time work assignments in cooperating industries. The program may be entered at the beginning of the junior year. Special cooperative programs are available on a limited basis and provide special arrangements in the definition of the work-study period. For further information, consult the Co-op Coordinator at the Career Planning and Placement Office.
Most of the work assignments are in the Metropolitan Detroit area on a commuting basis; however, job opportunities are available in other cities and states. The Co-op program is available in all undergraduate engineering curricula.
Each Co-op student may enroll for one academic course while on work assignment. This must be done with the approval of the student's advisor and Co-op supervisor. Following each work assignment, the student may elect to enroll in B E 3510 or CHE 3510 for one credit. Election of the course requires the completion of a report on the work experience to the department advisor and to the Co-op Coordinator. This credit for work will not be counted toward graduation unless permission is specifically recommended by the department chairperson. Students are automatically enrolled for a zero credit course (B E 3500) each term that they are on a Co-op assignment to insure that the experience appears on their transcript.
A brief evaluation report covering each work assignment is to be submitted to the Co-op Coordinator, whether there has been enrollment in the above one credit courses or not. The student's performance on the job is rated by his/her industrial supervisor. Salaries and other benefits are paid for the time spent on each work assignment. For details and enrollment procedures, contact the Co-op Coordinator in the Career Planning and Placement Office.