Academics

Introduction

Engineering is a many-faceted profession. Graduate engineers can apply their training to improve the standard of living in an undeveloped area of the world or sit in front of a computer terminal in a high-rise building in a highly-developed city. The common threads connecting those who aspire to be engineers are a curiosity about the physical world, a natural ability in mathematics and science, and a desire to produce or design systems and products that promote human well-being.

Potential engineers must first become very familiar with the language of mathematics and science. Without this competency, communication between technologically oriented people is limited. Once mathematics is understood, the foundation of why things happen in the physical world must be mastered in science courses. Students then begin to blend their basic knowledge and their communication and teamwork skills with practical experience to systematically attack a problem and develop possible solutions.

The modern engineer must have some understanding of people and their values. They are asked frequently to make decisions affecting the development of society and the direction it will take. They must understand basic economic principles, both national and international, of the problems they are solving. Today's engineers and information scientists are citizens of the world, a fact reflected in the broad scope of their education.