• Since prehistoric times when the caveman invented the wheel, engineers have played a vital role in society. Using theories and applications of science and mathematics, engineers work to design, create and improve things to solve problems and benefit the world at large. Their work ranges from designing and building bridges to making business deals, researching new methods of production, and testing manufactured products for quality and safety assurance.
  • Offering a rigorous analysis of theoretical principles and intensive hands-on experience, the engineering curriculum is divided into three branches—engineering 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) 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 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 (E111–113).