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Dual-Degree Option
The dual-degree program is intended for superior students. Students in the program can earn both Bachelor of Science and either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in about five years. Students registered in the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Sciences, or the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning may apply and, after acceptance of their application, begin the dual-degree program in their second or third year. Contact the appropriate coordinators of dual-degree programs at the following locations for more information: 55 Goldwin Smith Hall (for Arts and Sciences) or B1 Sibley (for Architecture, Art, and Planning); and Engineering Advising, 167 Olin Hall.
Ordinarily, students need at least ten semesters to complete a dual-degree program, although exceptional students may be able to arrange an accelerated program and have it approved by petition. Such a program may not rely on summer work or credits earned at community colleges. Students who run into trouble are not required to finish the work for both degrees, but it may be difficult to complete the requirements for either degree in four years because of the way their curriculum has been structured.
Double Majors
The double-Major option makes it possible to develop expertise in two allied engineering disciplines. Students must complete all the requirements of two different Majors, which generally requires at least one semester beyond the usual four years. (Students dependent on financial aid who spend more than eight semesters as an undergraduate will need to change their financial-aid package.)
A student who wants to embark on a double Major must complete the prerequisites for entry into both Major programs and have a cumulative GPA ≥3.0 after the first four semesters. Affiliation with the first Major proceeds in the usual manner. Before the end of the third year, the student presents a Petition for Double Major form to enter the second Major. The Petition for Double Major form must include a plan of study, and it requires the formal approval of the faculty in both Majors and the Committee on Academic Standards, Petitions, and Credit (ASPAC). The second Major may set its own requirements, and admission is not guaranteed. (Petition for Double Major forms are available from Engineering Advising and should be returned to the Engineering Registrar, 158 Olin Hall when completed.)
Double-Major students have a faculty advisor in each Major. Both Majors maintain records, approve course changes, and eventually certify to the registrar that all requirements for the B.S. degree have been met.
Double-Major students must meet the standards for academic performance set by both Majors, although the consequences for failing to do so for one or the other are somewhat different. A required leave of absence from the primary Major results in a required leave of absence from the college, while deficient performance in the secondary Major simply terminates the double Major. Similarly, a student withdrawn from the primary Major is withdrawn from the college, while a student withdrawn from the secondary Major may be allowed to continue, with the permission of the primary Major.
Further information is available from Engineering Advising, 167 Olin Hall, and the individual Major consultant offices.
The Independent Major
The Independent Major is a special opportunity for students whose educational objectives cannot be met by any of the regular Majors. This option allows students to create a specially tailored, interdisciplinary course of study. The program is developed by the student in consultation with faculty advisors and must be approved by the Independent Major Committee, which is responsible for supervising the student’s work.
Every curriculum developed under the Independent Major, with the exception of certain faculty-sponsored programs, must include a primary engineering area and an educationally related secondary area. The primary engineering area may be any subject area offered by the schools or departments of the college; the secondary area may be in a logically connected area taught anywhere in the university. Total credits for courses must be at least 48, of which 32 must be in the primary engineering area. The overall program must clearly constitute an engineering education in scope and in substance, and all requirements of the Common Curriculum must be met.
Students who wish to enter the Independent Major must apply by the end of the first semester of the second year and must be in good academic standing. They should seek assistance in developing a coherent program from professors in the proposed primary and secondary subject areas. If approved, the program becomes a curricular contract to which the student must adhere. For more information on the Independent Major, contact Engineering Advising, 167 Olin Hall.
Note: Because no single standardized curriculum exists, the Independent Major is not accredited. Independent Major students who intend to seek legal licensing as a Professional Engineer should be aware that this non-accredited degree program will require additional education, work, and/or experience to qualify for eligibility to take the Fundamentals of Engineering examination.
Minor in Business for Engineering Students
The Department of Applied Economics and Management in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences offers a Minor in Business for Engineering students on a selective basis. Engineering students may apply to the Minor at any point during their academic career, beginning in the first semester of their second year. At that time, Engineering students will be in the process of applying to affiliate with an Engineering Major and will need to begin taking the courses required for the Minor. Detailed information can be found under “Minor in Business for Engineering Students” on page 133.
International Engineering Programs
An international perspective, sensitivity to other cultures, and the ability to speak a second language are increasingly important to today’s engineer. The College of Engineering encourages students to study or work abroad during their undergraduate years to prepare for participation in the global marketplace.
Because most engineering curricula are highly structured with many sequential courses, students who wish to pursue this option must decide early and plan carefully. Advisors and faculty members in the college can suggest a variety of ways for students to study abroad and still meet graduation requirements for Cornell. Students interested in studying or working abroad should begin gathering information early in the first year.
• The College of Engineering has two study-abroad programs with Ecole Central Paris: a junior-year abroad program and a “2-2-1” program. In the 2-2-1 program, students spend their first two years at Cornell, the second two years in Paris, and come back to Cornell for a year in the M.Eng. program. See Engineering Advising, 167 Olin Hall, for details.
• Students in several Majors may spend a semester at IIT Kanpur, India.
• Students may spend the fourth semester in Dresden, Germany, or Guadalajara, Mexico, through a program of Boston University.
• Second- and third-year students may spend a semester or two at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
• CE Majors may spend a year at Cantabria, Spain.
On campus, there are several sources of specific information on study abroad:
• Cornell Abroad office, 300 Caldwell Hall
• Engineering Advising, 167 Olin Hall
• the associate director of undergraduate studies in the student’s Major
Engineering Communications Program
The Engineering Communications Program (ECP) provides instruction in technical writing, oral presentation, and the use of graphics in both.
Information about ECP members, courses, annual student awards, and the college’s technical-writing requirement is available at www.engineering.cornell.edu/programs/undergraduate-education/engineering-communications/.
The ECP’s courses give students experience with the task of explaining technical information to audiences having various levels of technical expertise. Students improve their writing style, become more comfortable with and effective at oral presentation, use standard forms and formats for presenting technical information, do library and Internet research on engineering topics, and study engineering ethics.
ECP courses have up to 20 students per section; like writing seminars elsewhere at Cornell, they are discussion classes. Students’ work receives abundant written comments, and conferences are frequent.
The ECP oversees the communications component of the Writing-Intensive Co-op and sits on the College Curriculum Governing Board’s Subcommittee on Technical Writing. Members of the ECP are available to help engineering faculty members develop materials for their own writing and oral-presentation assignments.
Feel free to call 255.8558, visit the ECP’s office at 465 Hollister Hall, or stop at any ECP member’s office elsewhere on the fourth floor of Hollister Hall.
Engineering Cooperative Education Program (Co-op)
Engineering undergraduates can participate in the Engineering Cooperative Education Program (Co-op), which provides an opportunity for undergraduates to gain 28 weeks of practical experience in industry and other enterprises before they graduate. By supplementing course work with carefully monitored, paid jobs, co-op students are able to explore their own interests and acquire a better understanding of engineering as a profession.
To be eligible, a student must have been enrolled at Cornell for four semesters before working, and in most cases, maintain a 2.7+ cumulative GPA. (Students majoring in computer science and biological and environmental engineering outside of the college are eligible, even if they are not registered in the College of Engineering.) Applicants interview with participating employer representatives and select their work assignments from any offers they receive. Co-op employers and work locations may be local, national, or international, and with advanced planning, the co-op experience may be combined with Study Abroad opportunities. Students who are offered assignments and elect to join the program usually take their fifth-term courses at Cornell during the summer following their second year and begin their first co-op work assignment that fall. They return to Cornell to complete term six with their classmates and then undertake a second work assignment with the same employer the following summer. Alternatively, should a student’s schedule allow, co-op positions may run spring/summer (January through August) or summer/fall (June through December) of the third year. Co-op students return to campus for their fourth year and graduate with their class.
Further information may be obtained at www.engineering.cornell.edu/student-services/engineering-coop-career-services/co-op/index.cfm/ or at the Engineering Cooperative Education and Career Services office, 201 Carpenter Hall.
Undergraduate Research
Engineering Learning Initiatives (ELI) is committed to facilitating connections and providing funding support for undergraduate students who are motivated to pursue research opportunities during their time at Cornell. Research enhances the undergraduate experience by allowing students to apply the skills and knowledge learned in the classroom to real engineering problems and to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their field. Research gives students the opportunity to interact closely with faculty mentors and, in many instances, to develop valuable industry connections. Engineering students and faculty members may apply for funding awards to support undergraduate research projects for the fall, spring, and summer terms. Funds may be used to provide a student stipend or to cover project expenses. Projects usually involve one student and one professor, although some projects may involve student teams. Student researchers submit a report and present their work in a public poster session at the end of the term. For more information on tips for locating a faculty mentor, suggested research topics, application information, selection criteria, and funding sources, visit Engineering Learning Initiatives on the web at www.engineering.cornell.edu/student-services/learning/index.cfm/.
Leadership and Teamwork Opportunities
Numerous opportunities exist for engineering undergraduate students to participate in co-curricular and classroom activities that can develop leadership and team-building skills. There are more than 30 engineering student organizations, including engineering honor societies, Major-specific organizations, and active chapters of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES).
Other opportunities for developing teamwork and leadership skills include peer-educator experiences such as peer advisors, undergraduate teaching assistants, Academic Excellence Workshop facilitators, tutoring, Encourage Youth, Educate Society (EYES), and program assistants for pre-freshman programs offered through Engineering Student Services.
Cooperative Programs with the Johnson Graduate School of Management
Two programs make it possible for students to earn degrees from both the College of Engineering and the Johnson Graduate School of Management (JGSM).
The Knight Scholarship Program allows a student to complete an M.Eng. degree while deferring admission to the JGSM for three to five years. The Knight Program is a scholarship opportunity for admitted students to receive financial assistance toward the completion of both an M.Eng. and an M.B.A. degree. Undergraduates should begin the application process for the Knight program in the fall semester of their fourth year.
The Five-Year Program leads to a B.S. degree in engineering and an M.B.A. (master of business administration) degree. The six-year program leads to three degrees: the B.S. in engineering, the M.Eng. (master of engineering), and the M.B.A. Both the five- and six-year programs are highly selective, and opportunities are limited. The programs require students to take a specific set of courses at the undergraduate level; these curricula allow for a shortening of the combined programs by one academic year. Information about the specific requirements for each Major is available from the appropriate undergraduate Major consultant and graduate faculty representative. The curriculum must include eight core courses required for the M.B.A. or allowed substitutes. (The chart on the following page may be helpful in planning how to meet this requirement.) Undergraduates should consider selecting these courses for the fall term of their second year.
Students who decide to pursue any of these programs must apply separately to the College of Engineering and the Johnson Graduate School of Management. Students are also required to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). For more information on any of the Knight Scholarship Programs, stop by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, 222 Carpenter Hall, or the admissions office of the Johnson Graduate School of Management.
M.B.A. Course Requirement Substitutes and Possible Classifications for Business Courses or Substitutes for Five- and Six-Year Joint Programs
M.B.A. Core Requirement
| Substituions Allowed | Engineering Distribution | Social Science | Approved Elective | Field-Approved Elective |
NCC 500: Financial Accounting
(3 cr)
| none | - | - | - | - |
NCC 501: Statistics for Management (3 cr)
| ENGRD 270: Basic Engineering Probability and Statistics (3 cr)
| +
| -
| +
| +
|
NCC 502: Microeconomics for Management (3 cr)
| Econ 313: Itermediate Microeconomic Theory | - | +
| + | - |
NCC 503: Marketing Management (3 cr)
| none | - | - | + | - |
NCC 504: Management and Leading in Organizations (3 cr)
| none | - | - | + | - |
NCC 506: Managerial Finance (3 cr)
| none | - | - | + | - |
NCC 508: Managing Operations (3 cr)
| OR&IE 320: Optimization I and OR&IE 416: Design of Manufacturing Systems (8 cr)
| - | - | + | + |
NBA XXX: (4th, 5th, or 6th year) The Strategy Requirement (1.5 cr)
| none
| - | - | - | - |
Notes
a. Must be completed before the start of the sixth year.
b. Students who have already taken OR&IE 350: Financial and Managerial Accounting might want to take the NCC 500 exemption exam.
c. NCC 508 may be taken in the fifth (M.Eng.) year with permission of the M.Eng. representative.
If ECON 101: Introductory Microeconomics and ECON 102: Introductory Macroeconomics are not taken before acceptance into the five- or six-year programs, a student may petition (through Engineering Advising) to use NCC 502 as a social science course to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements.
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