Curriculum

The Wake Forest Academic Bulletin

As stated in the Wake Forest Academic Bulletin, “A student graduates under the requirements of the bulletin of the year in which he or she enters. However, when a student declares a major or a minor, the requirements for the major or minor that are in effect at the time of declaration will apply. Such requirements might not be congruent with those stated in a given bulletin.” If you have questions regarding which edition of the Academic Bulletin applies to you, please contact the Department of Engineering.

B.S. Engineering Major

The program for each student majoring in engineering is developed individually through consultation with the student’s major adviser and leads to a bachelor of science in engineering. The degree is designed to meet ABET accreditation requirements:

1. A minimum of 30 semester credit hours of a combination of college-level mathematics and basic sciences with experimental experience,
2. a minimum of 47 semester credit hours of engineering topics consisting of engineering sciences and engineering design and utilizing modern engineering tools §
3. a broad education component that complements the technical content of the curriculum, and
4. a culminating design experience within the major.

In meeting the minimum of 30 hours of basic science and mathematics, students must complete MST 111, MST 112, MST 113, MST 205, PHY 113/113L, and one of CHM 111/111L, BIO 150/150L, CHM 120/120L, or PHY 114/114L. Basic sciences, according to ABET, consist of disciplines focused on knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of natural phenomena such as chemistry, physics, and the life, earth, and space sciences. For the remainder of the minimum 30 credit hours of basic science and mathematics topics, students have the flexibility to select mathematics and basic science elective credits that promote the student’s progress toward the completion of a minor or other relevant interests. Students must consult with Engineering Department faculty to ensure that the elective mathematics and basic science credits of interest will count toward the basic science and mathematics requirement.

In meeting the minimum of 47 hours of engineering topics, students must complete EGR 111, EGR 112, EGR 211, EGR 212, EGR 311, EGR 312, EGR 313, EGR 314, and EGR 315, which sum to 33 credit hours. A minimum of 14 additional credit hours in engineering topics must be satisfied through engineering technical electives and courses designated as engineering topics. §

To be well positioned for junior-level EGR coursework and to complete the degree in four years, students should complete the following courses during the first two years and should earn a minimum overall GPA of 2.0: EGR 111, EGR 112, EGR 211, EGR 212 or 311, MTH 111, MTH 112, MTH 113, MTH 205, PHY 113/113L, and one of CHM 111/111L, BIO 150/150L, CHM 120/120L, or PHY 114/114L. Note that EGR 111 is not a pre-requisite for EGR 112, so either EGR 111 or EGR 112 can be taken first.

§ Approved computer science (CSC) topics may count as part of the minimum of 47 semester credit hours of engineering topics. The list of approved topics can be found on the bulletin.

Study Abroad

The WFU Engineering curriculum supports studying abroad for a semester if students wish to do so, and we continue to strongly encourage students to pursue study abroad opportunities. International experiences offer tremendous personal, cultural, and academic value, and we remain committed to supporting students who choose to broaden their education in this way. However at this time no courses taken abroad will be considered for the EGR course designation and no engineering courses taken abroad can count towards the Engineering major or minor requirements.

Global Programs and Studies

Your primary resource for planning any study abroad experience is the Global Programs and Studies (GPS) Office. You must follow all of their instructions and deadlines for requesting course approval for affiliate/non-WFU programs.

Recommended Timing

For B.S. Engineering students, either semester of the second or third year are the most flexible times to study abroad without impacting your course sequence.

Honors

Qualified majors are considered for honors in engineering. Students should consult with Engineering Department faculty or the major adviser for additional details.

Honors in Engineering is designed to recognize the achievements of students that go above and beyond the required course work. This can be accomplished through research projects, design projects, or other independent study experiences. Importantly, these must be distinctly different from their classroom work. Students interested in pursuing an honors degree must obtain pre- approval of their project from the Engineering curriculum committee no later than the Spring of their junior year.

To graduate with the distinction “Honors in Engineering,” a student must:

• Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all courses and a 3.4 in engineering courses;
• Submit an honors paper describing the project which is approved by an advisory committee;
• Prepare a presentation derived from their honors paper to be delivered the semester of graduation.

If the paper is approved, the minimum GPA requirements are met, and the student has presented their work to the department, the student will graduate with Honors in Engineering.

Curriculum Committee

The Department of Engineering Curriculum Committee is responsible for maintaining department processes including annual Bulletin updates, Honors approval, and ensuring that courses meet the requirements and standards of our ABET accreditation. The bulk of the committee’s work is in reviewing courses currently not included in the Bulletin for Engineering Technical Elective credit, Basic Math and Science credit, and experiential learning for credit (such as research or internships).

Students interested in pursuing courses or learning experiences they wish to have considered for their Engineering Technical Elective credit requirement or their Basic Math or Science requirement can submit this form, which applies to:

• Transfer credit (for Engineering Technical Elective credit, Basic Math or Science should be sent to the appropriate department)
• WFU courses currently not on pre-approved lists (including Engineering Technical Elective credit, Basic Math or Science, or credit towards a concentration)
• Research/Internship/other for Engineering Technical Elective credit. See “Engineering research projects” under Info for current students for more information.

Additional curriculum questions can be sent to the committee at egrcurriculum@wfu.edu.