<p>Application is to the College of Engineering. Most people apply to a specific major department at this time but some choose “unspecified” and must decide by the end of the 2nd year. If an incomimg freshman applicant is denied admittance to one of the enrollment-limited majors (Mech, Aero) they may still be admitted to the COE as “unspecified”. </p>
<p>Every department offers a 1 hour “Introduction to (Mech, Civil, etc) Engineering” and there is also a general intro course that survey’s all majors. Also, every student is required to take a 3 hour hands-on course called “Intro to Engineering Projects” </p>
<p>The rest of 1st year is similar for everyone. Physics, Chemistry, a Humanities req. or elective, Programming, but the math classes taken depend on the level reached in HS. </p>
<p>Most departments offer major-specific courses in the 2nd year for Statics, Dynamics and Thermo. There are also “General” versions of these courses for the undecided.</p>
<p>You apply to the school, but the college of engineering makes the decision on acceptance. Your major is chosen when you apply, but can be changed later. </p>
<p>The first year is pretty typical - Intro to Engineering class, Calc 1 & 2, Physics 1 & 2, a few humanities classes, and depending on your major (Mechanical, Aero, Computer, or Electrical), one engineering class. </p>
<p>The intro to engineering class is there to offer insight into what to expect from the engineering program, course layout, expected difficulty, course load recommendations, final selection of major (which usually takes place end of sophmore year), research/internship opportunities on and off campus, and faculty advisor information.</p>
<p>You apply to the school as pre-engineering major and declare your engineering major at the end of soph year. Pre-engineering students are assigned an advisor to help keep them on track. </p>
<p>First year is similar for all eng students: Chem 1, Calc 1,2, Physics 1, Eng Programming. and an intro engineering course specific to your desired specialty though there are seminars to introduce all students to the different engineering fields. </p>
<p>Every UR students takes a writing course regardless of AP exam scores. UR has an open curriculum, there are no core classes. Other than the writing class, engineering students take courses in a “cluster” of 3 classes that they have additional interest in. They can continue to go on and minor in that discipline if they desire. (Non-engineering students must complete 2 “clusters” in addition to their major) Engineering students only have time for one “cluster” due to meeting ABET requirements.</p>
<p>Rochester is not really an open curriculum.</p>
<p>Students must complete a major, minor, or cluster (three course sets) in each of three divisions (humanities, social studies, and science), in addition to a writing course. I.e. at least six breadth courses out of thirty two total.</p>
<p>Engineering students need only complete one (humanities or social studies) cluster and one or two more humanities or social studies courses, in addition to the writing course.</p>
<p>At a true open curriculum school like Brown, ABET accreditation for engineering majors means that engineering students have to take humanities and social studies breadth courses, while other students need not take any breadth courses.</p>
<p>All students take the common core curriculum for the first year and a half: Mathematics, physics, chemistry, interdisciplinary or disciplinary “choice lab”, college writing, a course in critical inquiry (Humanities), biology, computer science and engineering.</p>
<p>The engineering course introduces modeling, analysis, systems, and design, with applications to chemical, mechanical and electrical systems.</p>
<p>Mudd has majors in math, physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, biology, independent study, and some combined programs. Select major by the end of the sophomore year.</p>
<p>ucbalumnus, I don’t exactly follow you. Aside from the writing class, minors and clusters can be fulfilled in a variety of ways. Some of the humanities classes are even cross listed in social science. Or a study abroad can fulfill a cluster requirement. </p>
<p>Also if an engineering student minored in another engineering discipline then they have met their requirement of a single cluster/minor and do not need to take any humanities or social science. </p>
<p>Regular students do not have to take a language or history if they don’t want to which most schools require.</p>
<p>I am unfamiliar with Brown’s curriculum so I can’t compare them.</p>
<p>Ohio State University:
First-year “intro to engineering” sequence for all engineering majors, covers stuff like CAD/CAM, writing reports, excel, basic MATLAB, projects. Yawn-fest. Is supposed to give you a little taste of what a lot of the majors get up to. There is a year-long honors version with a lot of extra work.</p>
<p>Standard ABET requirements apply, everybody takes a year of calculus and a year of calc-based physics (classical, e&m, modern). Can take honors versions of everything (honors calc recommended only for those that love math). I believe you need to have taken a writing course and a few other GECs</p>
<p>I believe a intro computer programming course is required of everybody.</p>
<p>You apply to the college and also to the major. You are officially a major in your chosen field when you complete whatever requirements that department chose (e.g. taking the first several major classes), but this requirement alone doesn’t stop you from taking higher-level classes.</p>
<p>Bear in mind OSU just switched to semesters and I did this stuff under quarters, so requirements may be different. Taking a peek at their site, it seems they’ve eased the physics requirement.</p>
<p>Apply for general admission to UW and indicate choice of major on app. A small number of applicants receive direct-admission to their chosen enginneering major, otherwise admission is competitive based on GPA and personal statement after freshman and/or sophomore year. There is a round of “early admission” to an engineering major at the end of freshman year, then the normal admission window at the end of sophomore year. </p>
<p>Prereqs specific to the major must be fulfilled before applying to the major. Prereqs differ slightly by major, but include chem 1, calc 1, calc 2, calc 3, differential equations, physics 1, physics 2 and English composition in all engineering majors, plus one or more intro engineering courses specific to the major, such as CS 1 & 2, Intro MSE, statics, dynamics, etc. Some majors such as MSE and ChemE also require additional chemistry coursework prior to admission.</p>
<p>Distribution requirements for all engineering majors are minimal – just ten credits (two classes) each of humanities/arts and social science, plus four more credits in either category. No foreign language required beyond the university admission requirement of two years of high school foreign language.</p>
<p>The main point of post #25 was that Rochester does not have an open curriculum with no breadth requirements like Brown, Amherst, or Evergreen State. The cluster requirements are basically like breadth requirements found at most other schools.</p>