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2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalogue

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, B.S.E.

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Kara Beauchamp, Danielle Grimes, Niloofar Kamran, Derin Sherman

 

The Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering (First year and Transfer students who entered Fall 2023 or later):

 

  1. Admission Requirements: A student may become a candidate for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering once the student has:
    1. completed 7 courses with a GPA of at least 2.0
    2. been granted course credit with a grade of at least C- (or been granted exemption or credit by exam) in EGR 131, PHY 161 or 162, MAT 120, 121, or 122, and one other EGR course that counts towards the Engineering major.
    3. passed a math qualifying exam. Students who enter the college as first-years can take the qualifying exam as early as block 5 of their first year, and attempt the exam once per semester until the end of the spring semester of their sophomore year. Students who enter the college as second-years must pass the exam by the end of the fall semester of their junior year. Students who enter the college as third-years must pass the exam by the end of the spring semester of their junior year.
  2. Degree Requirements
    1. A minimum of 31 course credits. No more than four Independent Credit Bearing courses (280/380, 290/390/490, 296/396/496) may be counted toward satisfying the minimum credit requirement for this degree. No more than two full credits in 500-level adjunct courses may be counted toward satisfying the minimum 31 credits.
    2. A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
    3. Foundations: All-College Seminars- (First-Year Seminar cannot be double-counted with other requirements; Second-Year Seminar can also count toward an elective in the Engineering major/minor. First-Year Writing Seminar and Second Year SEminar can also count as an Explorations requirement)
      1. First-Year Seminar: How Do We Know What We Know? (Block 1 and Student Success Component in Blocks 103. 1 credit): All first-year, first-time college students will enroll in a First-Year Seminar (including those who have earned an AA degree while in high school). All transfer studenst with less than 7 credits will enroll in a First-Year Seminar. Credits granted to students from examinations cannot be counted towards the total credits needed to exempt a student from a First-Year Seminar.
      2. First-Year Writing Seminar (1 credit): Topically based courses, with some common elements, taken in a students’ first year, and focused on the further development of academic writing skills. Through both informal and formal writing, students will focus on the process of writing, explore writing techniques and strategies, reflect on their work, and use the revision process to develop and communicate their ideas more effectively. Students are only allowed to earn credit for one first-year writing seminar.
      3. Sophomore Year Seminar: Citizenship in Practice (Block 1, 1 credit): Topically based courses encouraging citizenship in practice by focusing on informed, creative problem-solving of real-world issues through disciplinary or multidisciplinary approaches. These courses may include community engagement and/or hands-on experiences such as field trips, off-campus study, service learning, simulations, performances, installations, exhibits, or lab work. SYS courses do not have prerequisites. All students who will have less than 14 credits at the end of the spring semester will enroll in a Second-Year seminar. Credits granted to students from examinations cannot be counted towards the total credits needed to exempt a student from a Second-Year Seminar. Students who will have 14 or more credits at the end of the spring semester are not required to take the SYS, but may choose to take an SYS if they have not already earned credit for one. Students are only allowed to earn credit for one SYS during their time at Cornell.
    4. Explorations: All students will complete five courses within the following designations (Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences), including at least 1 course from each of the designations.
    5. Essential Abilities
      1. Writing - 1 credit Intensive course and 1 credit Encounter course; or 3 credits Encounter courses. At least one course must be within the Engineering major. In addition to the All-College Seminars that emphasize writing, students must also either take one Writing Intensive and one Writing Encounter course or take three Writing Encounter Courses. Students must take one of these designated Writing courses (either as intensive or encounter) within the Engineering major.
      2. Foreign Language - Demonstration of foreign language competency at the 102 level or above. (Students who take the language placement test and place into the 103 level or above have demonstrated competency at the 102 level and are considered done with the foreign language requirement). International students whose native language is other than English satisfy this requirement through meeting the admissions requirements.
      3. Intercultural Literacy - 1 credit Intensive Course or 2 credits Encounter Courses. Intercultural literacy is the possession of knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to appropriately and effectively include, communicate, cooperate, and collaborate with diverse individuals in a variety of settings. In Intercultural Literacy-designated classes, students focus on developing intercultural literacy, communication and critical thinking abilities, and understanding power structures, in order to prepare them for local and global citizenship. Courses focus on identifying and comparing cultural patterns and the realtionship between experiences, ideologies, and culture; focusing on cultural self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and intercultural communication.
      4. The Essential Abilities requirements are slightly adjusted for students who enter Cornell College with more than 7 transfer credits (not counting credit by examination). These requirements are listed below. Transfer credits can be used to fulfill all or part of these requirements.
  Writing Intercultural Literacy Foreign Language
0 - 6.75 transfer credits 1 Intensive and 1 Encounter, or 3 Encounters (1 within the major) 1 Intensive or 2 Encounters Competency at 102 level or above
7 - 13.75 transfer credits 1 Intensive, or 2 Encounters (1 within the major) 1 Intensive or 2 Encounters Competency at 102 level or above
14+ transfer credits 1 Intensive or 1 Encounter within the major 1 Intensive or Encounter Competency at 102 level or above
    1. Ingenuity in Action - 2 Experiences among 6 Categories
      1. The Ingenuity in Action program encourages students to apply their knowledge and understanding, to expand their education beyond the classroom walls, and to find connections among the many activities they engage in. Students must complete two experiences selected from different categories (Civic Engagement, Creative Expression, Global Connections, Leadership, Professional Exploration, and Research). The Ingenuity in Action program requires a reflective component to encourage students to be intentional and form connections among their educational experiences.
      2. Students transferring in at least 14 credits are required to complete one Ingenuity in Action experience.
    2. Ingenuity ePortfolio
      1. All students will develop an ePortfolio to curate and reflect on their Cornell experiences. Development of the portfolio is an ongoing process and embedded in curricular and co-curricular work. Metacognitive reflection on learning encourages students to take ownership over their education and to embrace opportunities for improvement in an ongoing, developmental way. The expectations for the portfolio aim to reinforce the College’s educational priorities, as well as students’ ongoing progress throughout their Cornell education.
  2. Transfer policy for Students from selected community colleges with an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science Degree
    1. First-time, first year students admitted to the college who have earned an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from the selected will be admitted to Cornell College with all BA or BSE general education requirements having been met with the exception of the FYS, one Ingenuity in Action experience, and the ePortfolio.
    2. Transfer students admitted to the college from the selected who have earned an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree will be admitted to Cornell College with all BA or BSE general education requirements having been met with the exception of one Ingenuity in Action experience and the eportfolio.

Engineering Major Requirements

A minimum of 18.75 course credits distributed in the following areas:

  1. NATURAL SCIENCE and MATHEMATICS: A minimum of 7.5 credits including PHY 225, PHY 245, and PHY 275; CHE 121 or CHE 161; MAT 120 or MAT 121; MAT 122; MAT 221 and MAT 236.
  2. ENGINEERING and COMPUTER SCIENCE: A minimum of 11.25 course credits which must include CSC 140 and a minimum of twelve EGR courses, including EGR 131, EGR 231, EGR 270, EGR 271, EGR 285 , EGR 311, one elective EGR course at the 200 or 300 level, four additional 300-level elective courses, and the capstone course, EGR 385.
  3. The following retrictions apply:
    1. The capstone course, EGR 385, must be taken at Cornell in a student’s final year, unless permission is granted by the department to take it earlier.
    2. 300-level courses may not be taken with the S/SD/NC option.
    3. 3.75 credits must be earned in the 300-level elective courses.
    4. 300-level elective courses may not be satisfied by Independent Credit Bearing classes (380, 390/490, 396/496).
    5. Engineering courses with the numbers between EGR 101 and EGR 129 do not count towards the engineering major.

Note: Students are not allowed to earn both a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering Studies.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering (First year and Transfer students who entered Fall 2022 through Spring 2023):

  1. Admission Requirements: A student may become a candidate for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering once the student has:
    1. completed 7 courses with a GPA of at least 2.0
    2. been granted course credit with a grade of at least C- (or been granted exemption or credit by exam) in EGR 131, PHY 161 or 162, MAT 120, 121, or 122, and one other EGR course that counts towards the Engineering major.
    3. passed a math qualifying exam. Students who enter the college as first-years can take the qualifying exam as early as block 5 of their first year, and attempt the exam once per semester until the end of the spring semester of their sophomore year. Students who enter the college as second-years must pass the exam by the end of the fall semester of their junior year. Students who enter the college as third-years must pass the exam by the end of the spring semester of their junior year.
  2. Degree Requirements
    1. A minimum of 31 course credits. No more than four Independent Credit Bearing courses (280/380, 290/390/490, 296/396/496) may be counted toward satisfying the minimum credit requirement for this degree. No more than two full credits in 500-level adjunct courses may be counted toward satisfying the minimum 31 credits.
    2. A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
    3. Foundations: All-College Seminars- (First-Year Seminar cannot be double-counted with other requirements; Second-Year Seminar can also count toward an elective in the Engineering major/minor. First-Year Writing Seminar and Second Year SEminar can also count as an Explorations requirement)
      1. First-Year Seminar: How Do We Know What We Know? (Block 1 and Student Success Component in Blocks 103. 1 credit): All first-year, first-time college students will enroll in a First-Year Seminar (including those who have earned an AA degree while in high school). All transfer studenst with less than 7 credits will enroll in a First-Year Seminar. Credits granted to students from examinations cannot be counted towards the total credits needed to exempt a student from a First-Year Seminar.
      2. First-Year Writing Seminar (1 credit): Topically based courses, with some common elements, taken in a students’ first year, and focused on the further development of academic writing skills. Through both informal and formal writing, students will focus on the process of writing, explore writing techniques and strategies, reflect on their work, and use the revision process to develop and communicate their ideas more effectively. Students are only allowed to earn credit for one first-year writing seminar.
      3. Sophomore Year Seminar: Citizenship in Practice (Block 1, 1 credit): Topically based courses encouraging citizenship in practice by focusing on informed, creative problem-solving of real-world issues through disciplinary or multidisciplinary approaches. These courses may include community engagement and/or hands-on experiences such as field trips, off-campus study, service learning, simulations, performances, installations, exhibits, or lab work. SYS courses do not have prerequisites. All students who will have less than 14 credits at the end of the spring semester will enroll in a Second-Year seminar. Credits granted to students from examinations cannot be counted towards the total credits needed to exempt a student from a Second-Year Seminar. Students who will have 14 or more credits at the end of the spring semester are not required to take the SYS, but may choose to take an SYS if they have not already earned credit for one. Students are only allowed to earn credit for one SYS during their time at Cornell.
    4. Explorations: All students will complete five courses within the following designations (Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences), including at least 1 course from each of the designations.
    5. Essential Abilities
      1. Writing - 1 credit Intensive course and 1 credit Encounter course; or 3 credits Encounter courses. At least one course must be within the Engineering major. In addition to the All-College Seminars that emphasize writing, students must also either take one Writing Intensive and one Writing Encounter course or take three Writing Encounter Courses. Students must take one of these designated Writing courses (either as intensive or encounter) within the Engineering major.
      2. Foreign Language - Demonstration of foreign language competency at the 102 level or above. (Students who take the language placement test and place into the 103 level or above have demonstrated competency at the 102 level and are considered done with the foreign language requirement). International students whose native language is other than English satisfy this requirement through meeting the admissions requirements.
      3. Intercultural Literacy - 1 credit Intensive Course or 2 credits Encounter Courses. Intercultural literacy is the possession of knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to appropriately and effectively include, communicate, cooperate, and collaborate with diverse individuals in a variety of settings. In Intercultural Literacy-designated classes, students focus on developing intercultural literacy, communication and critical thinking abilities, and understanding power structures, in order to prepare them for local and global citizenship. Courses focus on identifying and comparing cultural patterns and the realtionship between experiences, ideologies, and culture; focusing on cultural self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and intercultural communication.
      4. The Essential Abilities requirements are slightly adjusted for students who enter Cornell College with more than 7 transfer credits (not counting credit by examination). These requirements are listed below. Transfer credits can be used to fulfill all or part of these requirements.
  Writing Intercultural Literacy Foreign Language
0 - 6.75 transfer credits 1 Intensive and 1 Encounter, or 3 Encounters (1 within the major) 1 Intensive or 2 Encounters Competency at 102 level or above
7 - 13.75 transfer credits 1 Intensive, or 2 Encounters (1 within the major) 1 Intensive or 2 Encounters Competency at 102 level or above
14+ transfer credits 1 Intensive or 1 Encounter within the major 1 Intensive or Encounter Competency at 102 level or above
    1. Ingenuity in Action - 2 Experiences among 6 Categories
      1. The Ingenuity in Action program encourages students to apply their knowledge and understanding, to expand their education beyond the classroom walls, and to find connections among the many activities they engage in. Students must complete two experiences selected from different categories (Civic Engagement, Creative Expression, Global Connections, Leadership, Professional Exploration, and Research). The Ingenuity in Action program requires a reflective component to encourage students to be intentional and form connections among their educational experiences.
      2. Students transferring in at least 14 credits are required to complete one Ingenuity in Action experience.
    2. Ingenuity ePortfolio
      1. All students will develop an ePortfolio to curate and reflect on their Cornell experiences. Development of the portfolio is an ongoing process and embedded in curricular and co-curricular work. Metacognitive reflection on learning encourages students to take ownership over their education and to embrace opportunities for improvement in an ongoing, developmental way. The expectations for the portfolio aim to reinforce the College’s educational priorities, as well as students’ ongoing progress throughout their Cornell education.
  2. Transfer policy for Students from selected community colleges with an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science Degree
    1. First-time, first year students admitted to the college who have earned an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from the selected will be admitted to Cornell College with all BA or BSE general education requirements having been met with the exception of the FYS, one Ingenuity in Action experience, and the ePortfolio.
    2. Transfer students admitted to the college from the selected who have earned an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree will be admitted to Cornell College with all BA or BSE general education requirements having been met with the exception of one Ingenuity in Action experience and the eportfolio.

Engineering Major Requirements

A minimum of 20 course credits distributed in the following areas:

  1. NATURAL SCIENCE: PHY 161 and PHY 162; CHE 121 or CHE 161; one additional science course chosen from one of the following departments or majors: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Geology, Kinesiology, or Physics. All of the courses used to fulfill the requirement must be designated Science or Laboratory Science.
  2. MATHEMATICS: Completion of the Calculus sequence (through MAT 122), MAT 221 and MAT 236.
  3. COMPUTER SCIENCE: Completion of CSC 140.
  4. ENGINEERING: A minimum of twelve EGR courses, including EGR 131, EGR 231, EGR 235, EGR 270, EGR 271, EGR 311, one elective EGR course (any level), four additional 300-level elective courses (not including independent studies), and the capstone course, EGR 385. The 300-level courses may not be taken with the S/SD/NC option. The 300-level elective courses may not be satisfied by Independent Credit Bearing classes (380, 390/490, 396/496).
    1. Note: engineering courses with numbers between EGR 101 and EGR 129 do not count towards the engineering major.

Note: Students are not allowed to earn both a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering Sciences.

Bachelor Science in Engineering (First year students who entered between Fall 2020 and Spring 2022 or Transfer students who entered in Fall 2021 or Spring 2022)

  1. Admission Requirements: A student may become a candidate for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering once the student has:
    1. completed 7 courses with a GPA of at least 2.0
    2. been granted course credit with a grade of at least C- (or been granted exemption or credit by exam) in EGR 131, PHY 161 or 162, MAT 120, 121, or 122, and one other EGR course that counts towards the Engineering major.
  2. Degree Requirements
    1. A minimum of 31 course credits. No more than four Independent Credit Bearing courses (280/380, 290/390/490, 296/396/496) may be counted toward satisfying the minimum credit requirement for this degree. No more than two full credits in 500-level adjunct courses may be counted toward satisfying the minimum 31 credits.
    2. A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
    3. Foundations: All-College Seminars- (First-Year Writing Seminar and Second-Year Seminar can also count toward an elective in a major/minor and/or as meeting an Explorations requirement)
      1. First-Year Seminar: How Do We Know What We Know? (Block 1 and Student Success Component in Blocks 103. 1 credit): All first-year, first-time college students will enroll in a First-Year Seminar (including those who have earned an AA degree while in high school). All transfer studenst with less than 7 credits will enroll in a First-Year Seminar. Credits granted to students from examinations cannot be counted towards the total credits needed to exempt a student from a First-Year Seminar.
      2. First-Year Writing Seminar (1 credit): Topically based courses, with some common elements, taken in a students’ first year, and focused on the further development of academic writing skills. Through both informal and formal writing, students will focus on the process of writing, explore writing techniques and strategies, reflect on their work, and use the revision process to develop and communicate their ideas more effectively. Students are only allowed to earn credit for one first-year writing seminar.
      3. Sophomore Year Seminar: Citizenship in Practice (Block 1, 1 credit): Topically based courses encouraging citizenship in practice by focusing on informed, creative problem-solving of real-world issues through disciplinary or multidisciplinary approaches. These courses may include community engagement and/or hands-on experiences such as field trips, off-campus study, service learning, simulations, performances, installations, exhibits, or lab work. SYS courses do not have prerequisites. All students who will have less than 14 credits at the end of the spring semester will enroll in a Second-Year seminar. Credits granted to students from examinations cannot be counted towards the total credits needed to exempt a student from a Second-Year Seminar. Students who will have 14 or more credits at the end of the spring semester are not required to take the SYS, but may choose to take an SYS if they have not already earned credit for one. Students are only allowed to earn credit for one SYS during their time at Cornell.
    4. Explorations: All students will complete five courses within the following designations (Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences), including at least 1 course from each of the designations.
    5. Essential Abilities
      1. Writing - 1 credit Intensive course and 1 credit Encounter course; or 3 credits Encounter courses. At least one course must be within one of the student’s majors. In addition to the All-College Seminars that emphasize writing, students must also either take one Writing Intensive and one Writing Encounter course or take three Writing Encounter Courses. Students must take one of these designated Writing courses (either as intensive or encounter) within one of their majors.
      2. Foreign Language - Demonstration of foreign language competency at the 102 level or above. (Students who take the language placement test and place into the 103 level or above have demonstrated competency at the 102 level and are considered done with the foreign language requirement). International students whose native language is other than English satisfy this requirement through meeting the admissions requirements.
      3. Intercultural Literacy - 1 credit Intensive Course or 2 credits Encounter Courses. Intercultural literacy is the possession of knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to appropriately and effectively include, communicate, cooperate, and collaborate with diverse individuals in a variety of settings. In Intercultural Literacy-designated classes, students focus on developing intercultural literacy, communication and critical thinking abilities, and understanding power structures, in order to prepare them for local and global citizenship. Courses focus on identifying and comparing cultural patterns and the realtionship between experiences, ideologies, and culture; focusing on cultural self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and intercultural communication.
      4. The Essential Abilities requirements are slightly adjusted for students who enter Cornell College with more than 7 transfer credits (not counting credit by examination). These requirements are listed below. Transfer credits can be used to fulfill all or part of these requirements:
  Writing Intercultural Literacy Foreign Language
0 - 6.75 transfer credits 1 Intensive and 1 Encounter, or 3 Encounters (1 within the major) 1 Intensive or 2 Encounters Competency at 102 level or above
7 - 13.75 transfer credits 1 Intensive, or 2 Encounters (1 within the major) 1 Intensive or 2 Encounters Competency at 102 level or above
14+ transfer credits 1 Intensive or 1 Encounter within the major 1 Intensive or Encounter Competency at 102 level or above

 

  1. Ingenuity in Action - 2 Experiences among 6 Categories
    1. The Ingenuity in Action program encourages students to apply their knowledge and understanding, to expand their education beyond the classroom walls, and to find connections among the many activities they engage in. Students must complete two experiences selected from different categories (Civic Engagement, Creative Expression, Global Connections, Leadership, Professional Exploration, and Research). The Ingenuity in Action program requires a reflective component to encourage students to be intentional and form connections among their educational experiences.
    2. Students transferring in at least 14 credits are required to complete one Ingenuity in Action experience.
    3. Ingenuity ePortfolio
      1. All students will develop an ePortfolio to curate and reflect on their Cornell experiences. Development of the portfolio is an ongoing process and embedded in curricular and co-curricular work. Metacognitive reflection on learning encourages students to take ownership over their education and to embrace opportunities for improvement in an ongoing, developmental way. The expectations for the portfolio aim to reinforce the College’s educational priorities, as well as students’ ongoing progress throughout their Cornell education.

Engineering Major Requirements

A minimum of 20 course credits distributed in the following areas:

a. NATURAL SCIENCE: PHY 161 and PHY 162 ; CHE 121 or CHE 161; one additional science course chosen from one of the following departments or majors: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Geology, or Physics. All of the courses used to fulfill the requirement must be designated Science, Laboratory Science, or Mathematics and be acceptable for the minimal major in the offering department.

b. MATHEMATICS: Completion of the calculus sequence (through MAT 122), MAT 221 and MAT 236.

c. COMPUTER SCIENCE: Completion of CSC 140.

d.ENGINEERING: A minimum of twelve EGR courses, including EGR 131, EGR 231, EGR 235, EGR 271, EGR 270, EGR 311, one elective EGR course (any level), four additional 300-level courses (not including independent studies), and the capstone course, EGR 385.

​​6. Note: Students are not allowed to earn both a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering Sciences.

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