College of Engineering Policy for Engineering Concentrations
A concentration within a program allows students in that program to gain recognition for choosing a set of electives that make up a coherent area of study within their program. This takes advantage of the flexibility of elective choices to allow students to focus their educational experience in a way that prospective employers can more easily recognize.
Policies involving Concentrations include:
- The term “Concentration in <identifier>” will appear in the student’s transcript, but not the diploma.
- It consists of an approved sequence of courses that are a minimum of 12 credit hours. Courses taken as elective requirements of a program, including general electives may be included in the 12 credit minimum. The 12 credit hours must include at least one course at the 300 or 400 level.
- A student must earn an overall GPA of at least 2.0 in courses taken to meet the requirements of a concentration.
- The administrative responsibility for a concentration rests solely with the program advisor for the degree. The program advisor for the degree is responsible for advising and auditing the degree and concentration requirements.
- The creation of a concentration is a program change, which requires the approval of the faculty.
- It is recommended that the number of credit hours to obtain a concentration be contained within a usual degree. A concentration that requires additional coursework requires justification.
- In keeping with the College’s double-counting policy, a course can count toward a concentration regardless of how many majors or minors it is already counting towards.
Supplemental Studies Policy
An engineering supplemental studies program is a coherent program of study, but with requirements far less comprehensive than those of a BS/BSE degree or minor. Supplemental studies can be sponsored by CoE departments, programs, or, for the purpose of supporting cross-departmental programs, sponsored by the Office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education.
Undergraduate supplemental studies can provide opportunities for Engineering students to develop additional experience and skills to complement their major(s) or minor(s).
Engineering undergraduate students may complete one or more supplemental studies programs approved by the College. Electing to earn supplemental studies is optional, and there is no limit to the number of supplemental studies a student may elect.
Supplemental studies must require no fewer than nine credits of coursework, show structure and coherence, and contain some upper-level courses. Students who declare and complete approved supplemental studies will receive a notation on their student transcript but not on their diploma.
Policies for Supplemental Studies:
- An Engineering student may complete one or more supplemental studies programs.
- Each student who wishes to complete a supplemental studies program must develop a plan in consultation with a program advisor.
- After developing a plan with the student, the program or department advisor has the supplemental studies program entered into the student’s record.
- Students may not elect courses included in a supplemental studies program using the pass/fail grading option.
- A department or program may include experiential or directed reading/independent study courses that are graded on a credit/no credit basis in a supplemental studies program, but all other courses in the supplemental studies program must be taken for a grade.
- No course may be shared between the requirements of two supplemental studies programs, or between a minor and a supplemental studies program.
- One course may be shared between the departmental course requirement and the supplemental studies program.
- Advanced Placement (AP) credits may not be used to meet the requirements of a supplemental studies program.
- A student must earn an overall GPA of at least 2.0 in the required courses in the supplemental studies program.
- Courses elected to meet the requirements of a supplemental studies program may count toward Intellectual Breadth and General Electives.
- Students may not complete a supplemental studies program after graduation, and a supplemental studies program may not be converted to an academic minor after graduation.
Program in Sustainable Engineering (PISE)
Administered through the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Program in Sustainable Engineering (PISE) provides students an opportunity to develop their understanding of the challenges associated with sustainable design of technology systems, exploring economic, environmental, and social challenges of sustainable development across disciplines. Upon completing the program, students should be able to:
- Quantify the environmental and economic impacts of design decisions
- Understand the difference between life cycle design and environmentally sustainable design
- List key sustainability considerations in the design of an engineering system
- Identify tradeoffs among social, economic, and environmental drivers in engineering decision making
- Identify more sustainable choices among engineering options
The program consists of the following requirements:
- 3-credit foundation course Sustainable Engineering Principles (CEE 265) or Sustainable Engineering and Design (ME 499)
- 3 credits of coursework from a selection of courses identified within the College of Engineering that feature significant content in sustainable engineering.
- 3 credits of coursework from a selection of courses identified outside the College of Engineering that feature significant content in sustainability, specifically considering non-engineering issues at the intersection of technology and society.
If planned well in advance of the senior year, the program should not add to the 128 credits required for a B.S.E. For complete information, visit the Program in Sustainable Engineering website.
Program in Global Health Design (PGHD)
The Specialized Study Program in Global Health Design (PGHD) allows undergraduate students to focus their elective courses and upper-level design coursework on the topic of global health.
To complete the program and earn the “Specialized Study in Global Health Design” notation on their transcript, students must complete the following three requirements:
- Project-based Design Foundations Course with Global Health Themed Project (3 credits)
- Students must complete a design course at the 300 or higher level in which they work on a project that falls within the theme of global health. The course should expose students to problem definition, concept generation, analysis, prototyping, and/or evaluation.
- Global Health Foundations Course (3 credits)
- Students must complete one course from the list of approved global health courses. The global health foundations course is meant to broaden the student’s knowledge of global health outside of a design context. This requirement must be fulfilled by completing a course outside of the College of Engineering.
- Depth Course (3 credits)
- The depth course is meant to deepen the student’s understanding of the thematic area of their Design Foundations Course project and/or to strengthen their global health design skillset. This requirement can be fulfilled with courses both within and outside of the College of Engineering.
The specialized study program can be completed without exceeding the 128 credits required for a BS/BSE/BA. Students from all disciplines are invited to complete the program.
For more information, visit the Program in Global Health Design website.
Fundamentals of Public Health Supplemental Studies
The Fundamentals of Public Health Supplemental Studies (FPHSS) program is a 10-credit course sequence that provides students a formal academic structure to gain an understanding of public health, including the mission and evolution of the field as well as an appreciation of its key methods and applications. FPHSS courses will focus on the basic knowledge and skills used to address complex public health issues related to the prevention and management of chronic and infectious diseases; and will introduce students to concepts specific to the social and environmental determinants of health, promotion of healthy behaviors, and public policies influencing population health status.
Student must have:
- Obtained sophomore status (+25 credits)
- Attained a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Completed PUBHLTH 200 with 3.0 (B) or better
Requirements:
- PUBHLTH 200: Health and Society: Introduction to Public Health (4 credits)
- Public Health Sciences elective (minimum of 3 credits)
- Community and Global Public Health elective (minimum of 3 credits)
Students will be able to petition the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education for consideration in counting courses not on the approved lists for inclusion in B and C above if they believe that these courses offer an opportunity to pair their disciplinary mindset with the learning outcomes of the program. At least one of the courses must be 300-level or above for consideration. Students who declare their intent to participate in FPHSS must fulfill 7 of the 10 credits with courses from the School of Public Health classes. Three (3) credits can be taken outside the School of Public Health, as listed in the Approved Course List.
Approved Course List
Public Health Sciences
| Data-Driven Solutions in Public Health | Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ANTHRBIO 363 |
Genes, Disease, Culture |
4 |
Fall |
|
BIOSTAT 449 |
Topics in Biostatistics |
3 |
Winter |
|
ENVIRON 310 |
Environmental Chemicals and Disease |
3 |
Winter |
|
HISTORY 285/ RCSCI 275 |
Science, Technology, Medicine and Society |
4 |
Winter |
|
MOVESCI 471 |
Physical Activity Epidemiology |
3 |
Fall & Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 305 |
The Environment and Human Health |
3 |
Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 310 |
Nutrition in the Life Cycle |
3 |
Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 311 |
Introduction to Public Health Genetics |
3 |
Fall |
|
PUBHLTH 370 |
Public Health Biology and Pathophysiology |
3 |
Fall |
|
PUBHLTH 383 |
Data Driven Solutions in Public Health |
4 |
Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 401 |
Exploring the Public Health Spectrum of Cancer: From Prevention to Survivorship |
3 |
Fall |
|
PUBHLTH 403 |
Obesity: From Cells to Society |
3 |
Fall |
|
PUBHLTH 413 |
Vaccines in Public Health |
3 |
Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 460 |
Introduction to Bacterial Pathogenesis |
3 |
Winter |
Community and Global Public Health
| Number | Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ANTHRCUL 344 |
Medical Anthropology |
4 |
Winter |
|
ANTHRCUL 356/DAAS 358 |
Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology – section specific |
3 |
Fall & Winter |
|
ANTHRCUL 458 |
Topics in Sociocultural and Linguistic Anthropology – section specific |
3 |
Fall & Winter |
|
PSYCH 211.004 |
Project Outreach – section specific, only Health, Illness and Society section counts |
3 |
Fall & Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 300 |
Behavioral and Social Science Foundations for the Health Professions |
4 |
Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 308 |
Black American Health: A Focus on Children, Youth, and Families |
3 |
Winter |
| PUBHLTH 313 | LGBTQ+ Health Promotion: Local and Global Strategies | 3 | Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 350 |
Global Public Health: Challenges and Transformations |
4 |
Fall |
|
PUBHLTH 360 |
Community, Culture, and Social Justice in Public Health |
3 |
Fall |
|
PUBHLTH 382 |
Population Health Determinants and Disparities |
3 |
Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 400 |
Race and Racism in Public Health |
4 |
Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 402 |
Changing Health Behaviors: What Works |
3 |
Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 405 |
Social History of Infectious Disease |
3 |
Fall |
|
PUBHLTH 410 |
Making Change: public health policy advocacy in principle and practice |
3 |
Winter |
|
PUBHLTH 414 |
Mental Health |
3 |
Fall |
PUBHLTH 450 | Critical Reflections on Global Public Health | 3 | Fall |
|
PUBPOL 475.005 |
Improving Public Health |
3 |
Fall |
SOC 295.002 | Topics in Sociology – Epidemics of Inequality: Sociological Dimensions of HIV/AIDS and Covid-19 | 3 | Winter |
|
SOC 475 |
Introduction to Medical Sociology |
3 |
Fall & Winter |
| WGS 319 |
Race, Class and Reproductive Health |
3 |
Winter |
|
WGS 365 |
Global Perspectives on Gender, Health, and Reproduction |
3 |
Fall |
| WGS 400 |
Women’s Reproductive Health |
3 |
Winter |
For more information please visit the School of Public Health website on the Fundamentals of Public Health Supplemental Studies program.