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AEROSPACE ENGINEERING*
Aerospace engineers develop leading-edge technology and integrate it into aerospace vehicle systems for exploration, infrastructure, and defense applications. Many kinds of engineers work in the aerospace industry; however, aerospace engineers have the broad, multi-disciplinary understanding needed to play an important role as architects and integrators of increasingly sophisticated systems. The study of aerospace engineering prepares students for the design, analysis, and testing of aeronautical and astronautical vehicles and their components, including airplanes, helicopters, launch vehicles, satellites, and other spacecraft, as well as jet- and rocket-propulsion systems.
Aerospace engineers are often motivated by a strong interest in things that fly. They are typically analytical and innovative, with some mechanical aptitude. The curriculum emphasizes fundamental core knowledge, practices, and technologies and their integration in flight vehicles. Aerospace engineering builds on the technical pillars of aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, and controls, with computing and information taking an increasingly important role. Students choose from electives in subjects such as airplane performance, flight testing, space propulsion, composite structures, automatic controls, orbital mechanics, and computational methods. Many students emphasize either aircraft or spacecraft applications. Hands-on elective projects serve as capstones to the vehicle design experience. To prepare graduates to compete successfully in a truly global economy, the faculty has set high standards.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the aerospace engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Aerospace Engineering Department website.
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ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING*
Architectural engineers apply scientific and engineering principles to the design and construction of buildings and building systems. Architectural engineering encompasses topics from various disciplines that apply to buildings and building systems, including architecture, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. At Penn State, architectural engineering is a five-year program leading to a professional bachelor of architectural engineering degree.
Prospective students frequently ask about the difference between architecture and architectural engineering. An architectural engineering program emphasizes the engineering aspects of the building design and construction process, while an architecture program concentrates on the aesthetics and functional layout of buildings.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the architectural engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Architectural Engineering Department website.
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BIOENGINEERING*
Bioengineering is the application of engineering techniques and methods to the solution of problems in medicine and biology. Graduates of the major assume positions in the health care industry, pursue further studies of the biomedical and engineering sciences in graduate school, or enter medical school. Industrial employment in the design, production, product research and development, technical service, and sales is available at the entry level for graduates with a bachelor's degree.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the bioengineering major.
Additional information is available on the Bioengineering Department website.
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BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING*
Biological engineering prepares students for many exciting career opportunities in the diverse areas of biological and food processing systems, bio-energy, off-road machinery development, protection of land and water resources, and structural design. Employment opportunities for biological engineers will continue to increase as the world shifts towards biology-based production. Additionally, demand is increasing for more abundant supplies of nutritious, high-quality food at affordable prices, while the environmental impact of materials production and processing needs to be considered. Biological engineering graduates are uniquely qualified to design solutions to these challenges. Biological engineering students select the Biological and Food Engineering Option or the Agricultural Engineering Option.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the biological engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Agricultural & Biological Engineering Department website.
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CHEMICAL ENGINEERING*
Chemical engineering is a very versatile profession—you'll find chemical engineers employed in a broad array of industries ranging from pharmaceutical and biotechnical companies to semiconductor manufacturing to start-up companies converting the latest laboratory discoveries to large-scale commercial production.
Chemical engineers work with catalysts to develop new ways to manufacture medicines and plastics; they develop control systems that enable the safe production of products from semiconductors to household soap; they design chemical and petroleum plants; they research the effects of artificial organs on blood flow; and they develop the equipment and processes necessary for advances in biotechnology.
The breadth and variety reflects the unique emphasis of chemical engineering on understanding and manipulating the molecular properties of matter. While chemistry emphasizes the facts and principles of science, chemical engineering emphasizes its practical application for the development of new products and processes.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the chemical engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Chemical Engineering Department website.
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CIVIL ENGINEERING*
Civil engineers plan, design, construct, and operate, and maintain the physical
works and facilities essential to modern life: highways, streets, bridges,
dams and levees, and water distribution and wastewater collection and treatment
systems. Civil engineers work with architects and other engineers in the design
and construction of buildings and industrial structures and facilities. They
also have a major responsibility in remediating environmental hazards.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the civil engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Civil & Environmental Engineering Department website.
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COMPUTER ENGINEERING
Computer engineering deals with the practical aspects of the design and use of computer systems for information processing. Computer engineers research and develop new computer systems, study their reliability and fault tolerance, evaluate their performance, investigate computer communication requirements, or work on artificial intelligence and robotics. In this major, students can learn about hardware design and software systems, as well as theory and applications of computers.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the computer engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Computer Science & Engineering Department website.
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COMPUTER SCIENCE
The computer science undergraduate major at Penn State has two phases. The first phase includes structured programming languages; the concepts of modern computer science; and efficient, productive programming. The second phase then moves to data structures, programming languages, and computer systems in detail. Course work involves computer applications and the polishing of programming skills.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the computer science major.
Additional information is available on the Computer Science & Engineering Department website.
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ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING*
Electrical engineering, one of the broadest of all engineering majors, is much more than just building electrical circuits. An electrical engineer is responsible for integrating electronic devices into all facets of our daily lives. Applications of electrical engineering encompass such diverse fields as analog and digital electronics, electro-magnetism, control systems, digital signal processing, communications, eletro-optics, electronic materials and device fabrication, power, image processing space sciences, and computer engineering.
Students can find an area of specialization within electrical engineering that builds on their interests, whether they enjoy math, computers, physics, or chemistry. Although students will need a certain level of competence in each of these areas, the diversity of electrical engineering allows students in this major to tailor their course work toward their strengths and interests.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the electrical engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Electrical Engineering Department website.
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ELECTRO-MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY**
The electro-mechanical engineering technology degree program provides the basic undergraduate education required for a career as an electro-mechanical engineering technologist. The program emphasizes a breadth of knowledge in all fields of engineering technology related to typical manufacturing, production, or assembly plant processes. Basic coverage is provided in all major areas of technology involved in the operation and control of manufacturing and production processes, including instrumentation and monitoring methods, principles of machine design, automated control techniques, thermal and fluid sciences, computerized manufacturing systems, principles of electrical and electronic circuit operation, computer-aided drafting and design, economics of production, and statistical analysis and quality control.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the electrical-mechanical engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology website.
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ENGINEERING SCIENCE*
The engineering science major combines the understanding of basic engineering practices with in-depth knowledge of the fundamentals of the engineering sciences: electricity and magnetism, fluid and solid mechanics, mathematics, computer applications, materials, and thermodynamics and heat transfer. With this broad training, engineering science graduates are prepared for multidisciplinary engineering careers and a wide range of employment options.
Because the engineering science major is the honors program for the College of Engineering, a minimum of a 3.0 grade-point average is required for admission. Students who successfully complete the engineering science program graduate with honors in engineering science. In addition, qualified students may participate in the University Scholars Program. Seniors write a thesis as part of the capstone design project, and take a comprehensive examination based primarily on this project. Since enrollment is limited, there is ample opportunity for close student-faculty interaction.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the engineering science major.
Additional information is available on the Engineering Science & Mechanics Department website.
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INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING*
Industrial engineers are involved in manufacturing systems, developing the best way to make a particular product; management systems, developing quantitative techniques to enable managers to make more effective decisions in areas like scheduling, inventory, or quality control; and human factors engineering, considering the physical and mental capabilities of people in designing processes so that work can be performed more safely, comfortably, and efficiently.
Industrial engineers apply basic science, engineering science, and engineering design and systems techniques to problems in which one of the main considerations is the people involved. Accordingly, students in this major should enjoy working with people and should be able to communicate effectively. Students should also be interested in problem solving and should have a strong high school background in math and science.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the industrial engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering Department website.
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MECHANICAL ENGINEERING*
Mechanical engineering is the broadest engineering discipline. In fact, almost all other engineering disciplines have their roots in mechanical engineering. This breadth of mechanical engineering can be seen in the wide spectrum of problems that mechanical engineers solve. From creating surgical instruments to designing theme park rides to developing airport security devices, mechanical engineers help provide for our health, happiness, and safety. Mechanical engineers are making a difference in the world. For instance, one core idea of mechanical engineering is the conversion of energy from one form to another. For that reason, mechanical engineers are leaders in conventional forms of energy, such as combustion of fossil fuels, as well as alternative energy forms such as fuel cells.
Is Mechanical Engineering for You?
If you are interested in creating things that help improve our health, happiness, and safety, then mechanical engineering may be for you. As a mechanical engineering major, you will take part in a dynamic course of study involving teamwork and design projects that apply to current world problems. A degree in mechanical engineering will prepare you for a secure career in rapidly developing technological fields.
Mechanical engineering is divided into two broad areas: mechanical systems and thermal systems. Mechanical systems include the design of mechanisms and the analysis of strength and wear of materials. These topics are studied in courses such as Dynamics, Material Science, Engineering Mechanics, Vibrations, and Machine Design. Thermal systems include methods of energy conversions, heat transfer, and fluid flow. Thermal systems are covered in Thermodynamics, Fluid Flow, and Heat Transfer. Today's mechanical engineering majors use computers in nearly every aspect of their study. From sophisticated computer simulations of motion and deformation, to three-dimensional "virtual" prototyping, to computer aided design, mechanical engineers become proficient users of the latest technology. Typical class assignments might include the use of design software to create virtual prototypes, stress analysis software to quickly evaluate alternative designs, or lab experiments to observe the behavior of a system under varying external influences.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the mechanical engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering Department website.
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NUCLEAR ENGINEERING*
Nuclear engineering is the practical application of the principles of nuclear science for the benefit of humankind, and provides the engineer or scientist an opportunity to work on challenging problems that are vitally important to the modern world. Nuclear engineers develop clean and safe energy systems; design and build nuclear power plants and manufacture nuclear reactor systems; engineer medical imaging devices and medical diagnostics techniques and equipment; set standards and develop radiation detection and measurement methods; operate nuclear reactors; and design equipment and facilities to store, monitor, and dispose of radioactive waste.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the nuclear engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering Department website.
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SURVEYING ENGINEERING*
The surveying engineering major provides a basic introduction to the main subdivisions in the field of surveying. Students receive experience ranging from various data collection techniques (traditional surveying methods, photogrammetry, and satellite) to legal principles in land law. Students will study the uses for Geographic Information Systems, their subsystems, and use computer analysis to develop strategies for solving land-based issues and problems.
Go to the 2009-10 Programs Guide to view a semester-by-semester example plan for the surveying engineering major.
Additional information is available on the Surveying Engineering website.
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