Distinctive Engineering Education
for the 21st Century
The focus is on innovation. DU engineering is leading the development of an education that prepares its graduates to be at the forefront of creating new technologies that meet the needs of global society. The DU engineering departments have championed curricula that foster creative analysis, modeling and prediction through hands-on design courses and research. Faculty and students are creating new knowledge by exploring the convergence of engineering with other disciplines such as biology, information and business.
Distinctive Features:
- Two-year common curriculum
- Emphasis on integration skills
- Interdisciplinary programs
- Small classes and labs
- Undergraduate research experience
- Industrial coop & internship opportunities
- Focus on teamwork and communication
- Global perspective
Two-Year Common Curriculum
The unique freshman and sophomore year common curriculum forms the foundation of our integrative teaching program. The exposure to electrical, mechanical and computer engineering for all students establishes the basis for development of innovation skills in the subsequent integration and design courses.
While most schools require that you declare your engineering major before you arrive, DU allows you to make an educated decision regarding the field of engineering you wish to study after receiving an introduction to the possibilities. These first two years of multidisciplinary engineering education help students find the field that is right for them.
Integration Skills
The multidisciplinary and integration focused curricula give students the ability to break through compartmentalization and reduce the time between analysis and solution, design and operation, concept and end product. For DU engineering students, interoperability is the keyword and multiple discipline optimization is the goal. This is accomplished through a structured sequence of applications and integration courses, culminating in the capstone senior design project.
Interdisciplinary Programs
As technology continues to explode into new areas, business, industry and research laboratories are looking for employees who have the ability to apply the knowledge and perspectives of multiple disciplines to solve relevant problems — and make new discoveries — effectively and efficiently. Persons who possess these multiple skill sets are more innovative and better able to work effectively within multidisciplinary project groups. Faculty in the Departments of Engineering are creating new programs in emerging areas by incorporating the fields of biology, computer science, materials science and others into the pursuit of engineering innovation.
Small Class and Lab Sizes
The engineering curriculum is designed for real hands-on experience, and the small classes and labs provide greater opportunity for individualized interaction between faculty and students in the learning process. Because faculty have the time to know each student’s talents and interests, students have the opportunity to follow an individualized course of study that maximizes their creative potential.
Undergraduate Research Experience
One of the strengths of the DU engineering programs is the opportunity for undergraduate students to participate in research in current and emerging fields. Through the department’s Undergraduate Research Assistantships (URAs), the University’s Partners in Scholarship (PINS) program, and government and private sponsored research projects, students work with faculty and graduate research teams – as research assistants, not just as lab aids. Students have the opportunity to help write journal articles, present research results at professional meetings, and achieve listing as co-inventors on patents. This enriches the undergraduate experience, and provides valuable training for graduate school or a career in industry.
Industrial Coop & Internship Opportunities
The Departments of Engineering have built a reputation by providing business and industry with uniquely prepared technical employees. The departments have long been committed to active participation with business and industry in the design, implementation and assessment of educational and research programs within the departments. As part of that collaboration, engineering students can gain workplace experience by participating in our established internship and new coop programs (to begin in 2005),providing them a head start on their careers.
Teamwork and Communication skills:
As the workplace becomes more virtual and distributed, DU engineering provides an education program that emphasizes communication and teamwork ability. Through core courses in the arts and humanities, the study abroad program and interdisciplinary courses, DU students are preparing for the global world. Outside the classroom, engineering students are encouraged to join the DU Engineering Club, which offers numerous social activities in addition to tutoring and mentoring opportunities. Students can also participate in one of the student branches of professional societies, like the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), among others.
Global Perspective
The University of Denver's Cherrington Global Scholars program offers eligible juniors and seniors the option of spending one quarter abroad — all for the normal costs of DU tuition and room and board. Students choose from more than 40 overseas university partners, or over 100 additional sites through the International Student Exchange Program. The engineering departments' curricula are structured to allow students to take advantage of this opportunity in their senior year.
In Conclusion
If you are excited by an engineering education that emphasizes innovative multidisciplinary study and cutting-edge research, please join us at the University of Denver.
