Self-Designed Option

A person points to a digital square on a screen

The self-designed option in engineering science is for students whose interests do not align well with one of the other available options. Recent examples of self-designed options include:

  • the application of machine learning to problems in architectural engineering,
  • the study of computational quantum and molecular physical chemistry at the interface between engineering, chemistry, physics, and materials science.

Working with their academic advisor, students who pursue this option will design a program of study that includes classes and a capstone project that allows them to achieve their goals.

Foundational Electives (15 credits)

All engineering science students must take 15 credits of foundational electives, which is typically five classes. All students must take at least three credits of design electives, which are chosen from a departmental list. Courses outside the departmental list may fulfill the design requirement by petition.

The remaining 12 credits of foundational electives are typically 200- or 300-level courses foundational to your chosen area of study and are prerequisites for more advanced courses of interest. These courses may be chosen from the College of Engineering, the College of Science, and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

The intent of the foundational electives courses is to provide flexibility in the third-year courses while maintaining a high level of technical content, providing breadth of topics covered, and supporting potential deeper study in the fourth year of studies.

A total of fivefoundational electives courses are required for graduation. Some courses on the lists shown below are suitable as Technical Electives, but each course can only be used to fulfill one degree requirement, either a foundational elective or technical elective.

Students must complete courses selected from the following lists for a total of 15 to 17 credits. No more than one 100-level course may be selected. All engineering science students are to take one design elective, which is considered to be one of the five foundational electives required of all students.

Select 3–5 courses:

Course Substitutions:

Select 0–2 courses:

Technical Electives (12 credits)

All engineering science students are required to take 12 credits of technical electives. These courses are typically 400-level, though they can be graduate or 300-level in some circumstances. As with the foundational electives, these courses are chosen with the help of an academic advisor as part of an integrated program of study and can be chosen from the College of Engineering, the College of Science, and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. The one additional requirement is that at least two of these courses must be engineering classes (e.g., 12 credits of physics and math classes may not be used to fulfill this requirement).

The purpose of the technical elective courses is to enable students to pursue broader studies in selected subjects related to their chosen field. These courses are selected by each student from the list shown below, but other courses may be permitted by petition.

A total of four technical elective courses are required. At least two of the four technical electives must be from the Engineering Courses list.

Engineering Courses (select 2–4 courses):

Courses in boldface type can be used as either a Technical Elective or a Foundational Elective.

Other Courses (select 0–2 courses):

Only one of the following may be used to fulfill a technical elective requirement:

  • ENGR 295+395+495 – student must complete all three co­‐op rotations
  • 3 credits of coursework required for a minor – student must complete the minor
  • EDSGN 4xx (Solid Works/Advanced CAD)

Exceptions for technical electives not included on this list will be considered by department petition.

Please note: Some of these courses may be enrollment-controlled for students in the major. In these cases, please check with the specific department to determine its policy on letting students from other majors enroll in its courses.

Capstone Project (6 credits)

All engineering science students complete a capstone project by taking ESC 409, 410, and 411. For this project, students work closely with a faculty member to complete a research or design project. The faculty member and the project are typically chosen during the spring semester of the third year, and it is completed during the spring semester of the fourth year. Students typically work with faculty in the engineering science and mechanics department, but they may work with faculty in other departments in the College of Engineering, the College of Science, or the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

 
 

About

The Penn State Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM) is an internationally distinguished department that is recognized for its globally competitive excellence in engineering and scientific accomplishments, research, and educational leadership.

Our Engineering Science program is the official undergraduate honors program of the College of Engineering, attracting the University’s brightest engineering students. We also offer graduate degrees in ESM, engineering mechanics, engineering at the nano-scale, and an integrated undergraduate/graduate program.

Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics

212 Earth and Engineering Sciences Building

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802

Phone: 814-865-4523