Department of Engineering

O. Hayden Griffin, Jr., Chair, 214 Slay Building

The Department of Engineering offers a BS in engineering with six concentration areas: biomedical engineering, bioprocess engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, industrial and systems engineering, and mechanical engineering. The BS in engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012, telephone: 410-347-7700.

The mission of the department is to provide a theory-based, application-oriented general engineering education that serves as a basis for career success and lifelong learning. Our graduates demonstrate the engineering and scientific knowledge to analyze, design, improve and evaluate integrated technology-based systems. Our program welcomes a diverse student body and provides the support to foster its success.

Graduates of the BS in engineering program will:

Use their education to be successful in a technical career or graduate studies, demonstrating competence in applying classical methods and modern engineering tools;
Analyze technical, environmental, and societal issues related to engineering designs and technology systems;
Be productive team members and leaders, using skills in human relations and communication;
Practice a lifelong commitment to learning and professional development; and
Demonstrate commitment to the professional and ethical standards of engineering and recognize the importance of community and professional service.

Graduates of the BS program have: (a) an ability to apply knowledge of math, science and engineering; (b) an ability to design and conduct experiments/analyze and interpret data; (c) an ability to design a system, component, or process; (d) an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams; (e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems; (f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility; (g) an ability to communicate effectively; (h) an ability to evaluate the impact of technology in a global/societal context; (i) an appreciation for lifelong learning; (j) knowledge of contemporary issues; (k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern tools for engineering practice; and (l) an ability to apply engineering concepts to an area of concentrated study, chosen from biomedical engineering, bioprocess engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, industrial and systems engineering, or mechanical engineering.

The BS program is distinctive from many other engineering programs in that it: 1) focuses on hands-on project applications of engineering, beginning with the freshman year and continuing throughout the program; 2) promotes a team-based learning approach where students work closely with each other and the faculty; and 3) integrates science, math and engineering content to assure a coordinated presentation of concepts that flow from theory to advanced practice and application.

Engineering students are encouraged to pursue registration as a Professional Engineer (PE). The first step in this process is completion of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam. Students are encouraged to take the FE exam during their senior year. Subsequent to graduation, professional licensure requires at least four years of progressive engineering experience and successful completion of the FE Examination.

Admission

Admission to engineering is competitive, and admission to the university or college does not guarantee admission to the engineering program. Students with an interest in engineering should indicate engineering as the desired major when they apply to the university. Students should also complete a separate application which includes an essay on their motivation to study engineering. The engineering application can be found on the Department of Engineering website. Once students have been accepted into the university, the Department of Engineering Admissions and Retention Committee evaluates program applicants based on a number of success indicators, including SAT/ACT scores (both mathematics and verbal), performance in math and science courses, high school GPA, and rank in class. The essay is an important element of the admissions decision. Some students will be offered admission to the BS in engineering program. Information on the average indicators for students admitted over the last three years is available on the departmental website. Prior to enrolling in classes, engineering students also take an engineering mathematics placement test focused on calculus readiness. Information on this test is included in the engineering acceptance letter. Some students will be offered admission to Engineering Intended, which is described below.

Transfer admission: Students transferring to the engineering program must first meet university transfer requirements. Once transfer students have been admitted to the university, they may apply to the engineering program and will be evaluated by the department admissions committee on their potential to succeed with particular emphasis on performance in math and science classes. Students who have completed an associate’s degree from an approved pre-engineering program, including the associate in engineering degree, will be considered for admission to the BS program.

Repeating Engineering Courses

Engineering students are allowed to repeat courses offered by the department (course prefixes ENGR, BIOE, BIME, EENG, ENVE, ISE/ISYS, MENG) one time without question. If a student fails to achieve the minimum required grade in the second attempt, the student must petition the Department of Engineering Admissions and Retention Committee to be allowed to enroll in the course for the third time. As part of the petition process, the student must present a plan for success. Description of the petition process, including forms, can be found on the departmental website.

Special Department Programs

Cooperative Education. Students in the industrial and systems and mechanical engineering concentrations may request to participate in the cooperative education (co-op) program that alternates semesters of engineering work and academic enrollment. Co-op students earn money during their periods of employment and also learn how their coursework relates to engineering activities. Furthermore, they have an opportunity to experience different areas of engineering during their co-op work periods. To be eligible for the engineering co-op program, students must have declared a major in engineering, completed a minimum of 24 s.h. including ENGR 1000 , ENGR 1012 , ENGR 1014 or ENGR 1016 , ENGR 2050 , and MATH 2152 , and have earned a minimum major and overall cumulative GPA of 2.5. Additional eligibility requirements and availability of co-op placements can be obtained from the academic advisor. Interested students should apply for a co-op through the Career Center.

Internships. All engineering students are encouraged to complete internships, service learning projects, and professional practice activities prior to graduation. The department maintains a number of internship relationships at local and regional employers.

Engineering Intended. The Engineering Intended (EI) classification, which is not a degree program, has been set up to ensure quality academic advising of students who have not been accepted into the engineering program, but have good academic potential and continue to have engineering as a goal. Academic advising is provided by the staff of the College of Engineering and Technology Advising Center. EI students are not allowed to take any engineering courses except those previously taken at ECU that can be grade replaced. Admission into Engineering Intended is competitive. Specific requirements include eligibility to enroll in MATH 1083 or higher and an overall GPA requirement. Complete requirements can be found on the Department of Engineering website. A student may be enrolled as EI for a maximum of two semesters. If not accepted into the engineering program at the end of the second semester, the student must change their major. Information on related majors, some of which have historically been good choices for former engineering students, will be provided by the Advising Center. Engineering students who have been suspended from ECU will be readmitted as EI students. Second degree students and students with associate degrees are not eligible for EI.

Engineering Learning Community. Incoming freshmen are encouraged to live in the engineering learning community dormitory on campus. This program builds teamwork and collaboration skills and facilitates the transition to university life.

Undergraduate Research. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue undergraduate research with a faculty member. Up to 6 s.h. of undergraduate research may be applied toward degree requirements as a technical elective. Information regarding undergraduate research may be obtained from the concentration coordinator.

Transfer Program. The engineering department evaluates transfer credits on a course-by-course basis. Transfer students who have received credit for courses equivalent to ENGR 1000 and ENGR 1012 may be placed in ENGR 1014 in lieu of taking the traditional pathway through ENGR 1016 and ENGR 2000 . Students may not receive credit for both ENGR 1014 and either ENGR 1016 or ENGR 2000 .

Faculty

Department of Engineering Faculty

Programs

Bachelor’s

Engineering, BS

Courses

Biomedical Engineering

Bioprocess Engineering

Bioprocess Engineering Banked Courses

BIOE 3016 - Engineering Applications in Microbial Systems

Electrical Engineering

Engineering Core

Environmental Engineering

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Mechanical Engineering