Undergraduate Engineering Programs

Bachelor of Engineering

The Stevens engineering curriculum is rooted in a tradition that has set it apart since the founding of the Institute in 1870, yet it remains responsive to the changing demands of the workplace into which one graduates. The Stevens tradition recognizes the value of a broad core curriculum that provides significant breadth in engineering, the sciences, and the humanities, combined with the necessary depth in your chosen engineering discipline.

To meet these goals, the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science offers a demanding curriculum. It prepares you technically and instills a work ethic that has proven of considerable value to our graduates throughout their lives. In addition to strong technical competencies in general engineering and the specific discipline, the curriculum teaches key competencies that are highly valued by employers. These include strong problem-solving skills, effective team-participation skills, and the ability to communicate effectively, in both written and oral modes.

A major vehicle for achieving these competencies in the engineering curriculum is the Design Spine. The Design Spine is a sequence of design courses each semester; initially it is integrated with science and engineering core courses and, in future semesters, the discipline-specific program. Design is at the heart of engineering. Design activities allow you to gain confidence in applying and reinforcing the knowledge learned in the classroom.

As an engineering student, you take core courses for the first three semesters. The choice of the engineering discipline in which you will concentrate is made late in the third semester. You are provided many opportunities to explore the various engineering fields.

You may choose to specialize in biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, or mechanical engineering, as well as engineering management. A program in engineering is also available which presently has a concentration in naval engineering.

A strength of the Stevens engineering curriculum is the requirement for a significant thread of humanities and general education courses throughout the four-year program. You may take advantage of this as a platform to pursue a minor or to pursue the double degree program, a B.A. degree in addition to the B.E. degree.

The following pages outline the structure of the engineering curriculum by semester, showing core course and technical elective requirements. Specific concentrations are described by the department, as are requirements for their minor programs.

Mission and Objectives

The Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science seeks to be globally recognized as an engineering and science school that educates students to have the breadth and depth required to lead in their chosen profession, and leads in the development of important new knowledge and new technologies and their integration into the fabric of society by the various education and innovation pathways we support.

The graduates of the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science shall:

• Demonstrate technical competence in engineering design and analysis consistent with the practice of a specialist and with the broad perspective of the generalist;
• Develop the hallmarks of professional conduct, including a keen cognizance of ethical choices, together with the confidence and skills to lead, to follow, and to transmit ideas effectively; and
• Inculcate learning as a lifelong activity and as a means to the creative discovery, development, and implementation of technology. 

Our graduate programs prepare students to:

• Expand the scope of their professional activities in academia, industry, and government and increase the diversity of their careers;
• Create and transfer knowledge through cutting-edge research and succeed in bringing innovations to the marketplace.      

Engineering Program

The B.E. in Engineering is founded on the strength of the extensive Stevens core curriculum in exposing students to a breadth of engineering topics while allowing for concentration in an engineering area. In this regard it allows for a somewhat more flexible program than is typically available in a specialized B.E. program. At present, a concentration is offered in Naval Engineering. Several technical electives within the program can be tailored to a student's interests under the guidance of the program faculty advisor.

Concentration in Naval Engineering

Naval Engineering is a broad-based engineering discipline that involves the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of surface and sub-surface ships, ocean structures, and shore facilities. Although these vessels and facilities are traditionally employed in the defense of the nation, many are also employed in the support of the civilian (commercial) Marine Transportation System. Because of the complexities of today’s naval and civilian vessels and supporting infrastructure, the naval engineer must possess a strong background in the physical sciences, mathematics, and modeling, as well as the more specialized fields of naval architecture, marine engineering, systems engineering, and environmental engineering.

Mission and Objectives

The mission of the naval engineering program at Stevens is to develop innovative engineers capable of international leadership in the profession. The educational program emphasizes design innovation, trans-disciplinary study, a systems perspective on complex ship and infrastructure designs, lifelong learning and opportunities for international study and internships. As is the case for the other Stevens engineering programs, the naval engineering program includes a broad-based core engineering curriculum and a substantial experience in the humanities.

The program is conducted in concert with the Stevens leadership in the Office of Naval Research–sponsored Atlantic Center for the Innovative Design and Control of Small Ships and in collaboration with University College London.

The objectives of the naval engineering program are provided in terms of our expectations for our graduates. Within several years of graduation, they will:

• Be recognized as among the most innovative designers and project managers in the world;
• Be thoroughly aware of, and knowledgeable in dealing with, environmental, social, ethical, and economic impacts of their projects; 
  Augment their knowledge through professional and cultural continuing education; and
• Be active in leadership roles within their professional and technical societies.

Engineering with a concentration in Naval Engineering

Building on its research strengths and long-term leadership in the fields of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Stevens is well-positioned to offer a unique program in Naval Engineering under the auspices of the broad-based Engineering curriculum. The program is offered as a concentration under the Engineering program and makes extensive use of the Davidson Laboratory’s world-class experimental and modeling facilities. Emphasis is on the applied sciences and engineering courses that provide the groundwork for true innovation in ship design. The program culminates in a comprehensive, one-year ship design project that includes hands-on physical modeling in the towing tank and computer modeling using CFD codes resident in the Laboratory.

Double Degree Program

Students may elect to pursue a B.E. degree concurrently with a B.S. degree, or a second B.E. degree. You must satisfy all of the requirements for both degrees (including two Senior Design sequences for the case of two B.E. degrees), and complete at least 24 credits beyond the higher of the two program requirements. Two study plans are required for this option.

Guidelines for Engineering Minor Programs

A minor represents a coherent program of study in an engineering discipline other than the student’s major degree program. Successful completion of a minor program is recognized on the transcript and with a Minor Certificate at graduation. Recognition is thus provided for a significant education experience in another discipline.  

General guidelines for a minor program in an engineering discipline are:

• Engineering minor programs will consist of a coherent sequence of a minimum of six courses. A minimum of two courses (minimum 6 credits) should be in addition to those courses required to complete a student’s major degree program (which includes general education courses).

• The minor program must be in a discipline other than that of a student’s major program of study. As such minors are distinguished from options within the major discipline or the concentration within the Engineering Program (typically referred to as the general engineering program)

• The Minor Advisor may allow courses awarded transfer credit to be used but these must constitute less than half of those applied to the minor program.

• A student may earn no more than two Engineering minors.

• A student wishing to pursue a minor program must complete a Minor Program Study Plan signed by a Minor Advisor from the discipline of the minor to ensure a coherent program is undertaken. In order to be awarded the minor at graduation the student must complete a Minor Candidacy Form signed by the Minor Advisor after all minor requirements are fulfilled.

Entry to an Engineering minor program requires the student to have a minimum GPA of 2.5. In order for a course to count towards a minor the grade of C or above must be achieved.

Minor in Entrepreneurship

The undergraduate minor in entrepreneurship provides the educational prerequisites needed to foster the successful birth and development of technology-driven new ventures.

The minor will provide the knowledge and the infrastructure needed to sustain and support the efforts of Stevens’ undergraduate students in engineering and science to create economic value through Technogenesis.

After completing the minor, students will be able to develop and write an effective business plan by systematically developing the following skills:

• Able to identify and recognize viable technical business opportunities
• Can critically evaluate these business opportunities
• Can assess and manage the intellectual property embodied in technological opportunities
• Can develop an effective business model addressing market, operating and financial requirements
• Knows how to launch a technologically-based business

Courses and Sequence

By Semester 5:
BT 244 Microeconomics

In Semester 5:
E 355 Engineering Economy or E 356 Engineering Economy

In Semester 6:
MGT 372 Discovery and Commercialization of Technical Business Opportunities

In Semester 7:
TG 401 Entrepreneurship and Business for Engineers and Scientists (Marketing and Operations of Technical Business Opportunities)
MGT 472 Assessment and Financing of Technical Business Opportunities

In Semester 8:
MGT 414 Entrepreneurial Business Practicum

Minor in Green Engineering

Issues of sustainability are of increasing concern for the developed and the developing nations of the world. Engineers have to take a central role in providing the needed solutions and associated leadership to address those issues. In the design, implementation and use of products, processes and systems that impact all facets of our lives, fundamental decisions are made by engineers. Those decisions can either contribute to an exacerbation of the negative impact of human endeavors on the environment, or they can be the means to reduce that impact. Engineering decisions are not just technical; they essentially must include economic considerations as well as be influenced by the ethical, social and political dimensions that shape their context.

The application of the principles by which engineers can have a positive impact on sustainability is known as Sustainable Engineering or more colloquially as Green Engineering. The latter terminology has found resonance with the general resurgence of interest in the environmental impact of human activity and the associated “green” approaches to mitigating them. While elements of sustainable engineering are permeating the broad-based Stevens undergraduate engineering programs, the scope is relatively limited so far. It is therefore proposed that for the student who wishes to explore sustainable approaches to engineering in some depth, the appropriate vehicle is to pursue a minor program.

Objectives of the Green Engineering Minor

• Provide a holistic, systems perspective to the impact of human activity on the environment, including the role of engineering.
• Educate students in the concepts of sustainable development and industrial ecology.
• Provide insight into sustainability tools and metrics such as life cycle analysis and ecological footprint.
• Show how engineering decisions, particular with regard to design, can support sustainability goals.
• Develop awareness of the ethical, economic, social and political dimensions that influence sustainability.

Content of the Green Engineering Minor

The Green Engineering Minor consists of six courses, three of which are required. It provides a two-course foundation. This is followed by two technical electives which can also provide a sustainable engineering focus area. Two additional courses are intended to allow students to explore ethical, social, economic and political contextual issues associated with sustainability. It should be noted that some of the courses taken towards the minor might also be applicable to meet Humanities/Social Science as well as General Education course requirements where appropriate.

General requirements for engineering minors include:

• A minimum of two courses are required beyond those needed to meet the requirements of the student’s BE degree (including general electives)
• A minimum course grade of C in a minor course is required for it to count
• A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required to commence the minor program

Green Engineering Minor - Core Requirements

The following three core courses are required for the minor:

• EN 301 Sustainable Engineering
• E 380 Sustainable Energy (E 580 can be substituted for students eligible to take it)
• HPL 480 Environmental Policy: Philosophical & Economic Issues

Green Engineering Minor - Technical Electives

Two technical electives are required from the following list of current or planned courses (as they become available). The technical electives could be used to create a focus area as indicated. A technical elective can be approved by the Green Engineering Minor Coordinator that does not primarily focus on green content but is directed to a subject where green issues can be identified so that together with the other courses in the minor a coherent program is achieved. A Minor technical elective in some circumstances might also be applied to the student’s degree program if it meets the requirements for the latter and should be discussed with the appropriate advisor.

Chemical/Biochemical Processes

• CHE 580 Biofuels Engineering Technology

Civil Structures

• CE 304 Water Resources Engineering
• CM 560 Sustainable Design
• CM 561/580 Green Construction

Environmental Engineering

• EN 345 Modeling and Simulation of Environmental Systems
• EN 545 Environmental Impact Analysis and Planning
• EN 575 Environmental Biology
• ME 532/EN 506 Air Pollution Principles and Control

Power & Energy

• ME 511 Wind Energy- Theory & Application
• ME 421 Energy Conversion Systems
• ME 510 Power Plant Engineering
• E 518 Solar Energy: Theory & Application
• E 528 Solar Energy: System Design

Materials & Manufacturing

•  XE Manufacturing Processes (planned for future)

NOTE: E423-424 Capstone Design, if it has a project with significant “green” content, can be used to replace one technical elective if it is approved by the Green Engineering Minor Coordinator.

Green Engineering Minor - Contextual Courses

One contextual course is the core course noted above: HPL 480.

In addition, one elective is to be selected from the following listed by field:

General:

• HUM 320 Science and the Press
• EM 385 Innovative System Design
• PEP 575 Fundamentals of Atmospheric Radiation & Climate
• EN 587 Environmental Law & Management

Philosophy:

• HPL 370 Philosophy of Technology
• HPL 380 Environmental Ethics
• HPL 455 Ethical Issues in Science and Technology

History:

•  HHS 391 History of Regional Development Policies

Social Science:

• HSS 380 Energy, Politics and Administration (planned for future)     

Graduation Requirements

The following are requirements for graduation of all engineering students and are not included for academic credit. They will appear on the student record as pass/fail.