A 5-Year Bachelor of Science in Engineering Curriculum for Students Entering at the College Algebra Level

摘要

In 2002 a new engineering program was started culminating in a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering. In addition to a 4-year program, a 5-year program was developed to accommodate students who show interest and potential in engineering, are not yet ready for calculus their first semester, but whose math placement exams scores are strong enough to begin their college experience with college level algebra. The goal of the five year program is to increase the number of engineering students who enroll and graduate without sacrificing program rigor. Those students whose math skills are below the college algebra level may enter the 5-year engineering program once they have completed the necessary math courses. This 5-year curriculum includes two 100-level engineering courses, an algebra-based physics course, and a college algebra course. Otherwise, all other courses they take are the same as those offered in the 4-year curriculum. The 5-year program also has the advantage of a lower credit load per semester which allows these students more study time per course. The three main goals of the freshman curriculum developed for this program are to provide these students with (1) the skills they will need to compete with their peers in the 4-year program, (2) immediate contact with the engineering faculty and peer students, and (3) an introduction to the rigor and commitment required to successfully complete an engineering program. The first 100-level engineering course focuses on the principles of problem solving, while the second course focuses on the application of problem solving. The learning objectives of these courses, direct measures, indirect measures, are presented. Finally, an analysis is conducted on the student population that began the 5-year engineering program in 2003, including retention rates.