<p>Many engineering schools seems to have great reputations for tech, but so so liberal arts departments. Seeking colleges that are strong in both---in case engineering doesn't work out or that provide enough flexibility so kid can take a reasonable number of non-eng., non-core classes. Kid's eyes lit up on a UVA visit when the tour guide mentioned double majoring in engineering and French b/c of some AP flexibility. My kid's favorites so far are Rice and UVA. Any other suggestions---besides the Iveys/Stanford/MIT--which are probably not kid's cup of tea. I've heard Tufts has a similar program, but haven't visited. </p>
<p>Lots of state flagship type universities have good engineering and good various liberal arts.</p>
<p>However, if the school is divided into divisions (e.g. College of Engineering, College of Arts and Sciences, etc.), check on how easy it is to have majors in more than one division, as the divisions may have different general education requirements (a double major across divisions would typically have to carefully fulfill both divisions’ general education requirements with his/her course selection).</p>
<p>Harvey Mudd?</p>
<p>Wash U. A student can choose between a double degree or a double major. It is easier to double major, since it is only necessary to complete the distribution requirements for a single school. With a double degree, you would have to fulfill all of the requirements of both the College of Arts & Sciences, and the College of Engineering.</p>
<p>It is also very easy to switch between schools at Wash U, and non-engineering majors are allowed to take engineering classes. </p>
<p>Having opened it with our son, this is a bit of a Pandora’s Box.</p>
<p>Our son wanted a well rounded liberal arts education with a quality engineering degree. What we learned is that the two are really mutually exclusive. You can’t, in four years, adequately do one without compromising the other.</p>
<p>The best tech programs will be broad AND deep in engineering. Any compromise to that will compromise the quality of the engineering, maybe not to the dislike of the student or potential employer. The fact remains, there’s only so many hours in an undergraduate degree.</p>
<p>Mudd is an option IF you are content with a general engineering degree. They produce well regarded engineers.</p>
<p>The liberal arts/engineering schools ala Bucknell and Lafayette are not a good option. They are really engineering programs wholly housed within LA schools. The opportunity to delve deeply into LA simply isn’t possible due to the rigidity of the engineering curriculum.</p>
<p>The only school that we found that really does this is Thayer. It takes 5 years, but the graduate will have the full Dartmouth LA experience and a solid engineering degree, albeit for $300k and with the same prestige your local state flagship might have in engineering circles.</p>
<p>Beyond that, have him narrow down engineering programs that he likes the teaching philosophy of. Then download the curriculum maps and view the gen ed/LA requirements. From there, go to the catalogue and see what courses are available that meet those objectives.</p>
<p>You’d be surprised, but don’t write off “tech schools.” Schools that made my son’s final list that are viewed by the outside as tech only, schools like RPI, WPI, Cal Poly and Case all have great LA offerings within their heavily tech curriculum.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>^ Dartmouth is a great blend, but as you say, it takes 5 years for the accredited engineering degree. They do offer an unaccredited 4 year BA in engineering science, which many students combine with a liberal arts double or minor. If you want to go for 5 years, many schools offer 3/2 programs combining a liberal arts degree from one college and an engineering degree from another. Great in theory, but the downsides mean very few actually complete the program.</p>
<p>As mentioned before, there is so much content in an accredited engineering degree that there is little time left for an additional liberal arts degree. It can be done, in some cases, if you enter with lots of AP credits (and the college accepts them). While it may be difficult (or impossible) to do both, there are many schools that are strong in engineering and liberal arts. Just look at the usual list of Top Universities and you will find most are strong in both.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the feedback. This has been really helpful. So, are the LAC engineering degrees accredited?</p>
<p>As has been mentioned, engineering is very demanding. A double major sounds rough. I do recommend UVA. According to the website, 50 percent of kids minor in something. My son minored in economics. <a href=“http://www.seas.virginia.edu/acad/programs/”>http://www.seas.virginia.edu/acad/programs/</a></p>
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<p>Use the accreditation search at <a href=“http://www.abet.org”>http://www.abet.org</a> .</p>
<p>An engineering bachelor’s degree typically includes about 45-50% liberal arts courses – about 25% for math and science, and 20-25% for humanities and social studies breadth requirements. However, the necessary split here may make it difficult to actually get a second major, unless one comes in with considerable advanced placement. For example, if he wants a second major in French but comes in with enough French language knowledge to allow him to skip several semesters of beginner/intermediate French courses, he may be able to fit the rest of a French major into the humanities and social studies breadth courses; subject credit for math or chemistry that may allow him to skip introductory level courses in those areas can also help. However, students considering starting at more advanced levels should try the old final exams for the courses to be skipped in order to check their knowledge.</p>
<p>Tufts prides itself in honing a philosophical, “change the world” attitude among its engineering students, who are encouraged to take a multi-disciplinary approach to their studies. </p>
<p>Engineers are permitted to choose a second major or minor from either Engineering or SAC. </p>
<p>Oh, that 45-50% figure is misleading. The math and science classes are not “liberal arts” courses. However, many could be transferred for credit in another major if the student opted to transfer out of engineering. (Caveat - at some schools students can get into a snafu where transfer not possible due to low GPA in tough engineering classes.) </p>
<p>At my engineering school, we typically had about one of the five 3-credit courses per semester that were non-techie. For me they were “break courses” because I liked the change of pace from problem sets. Examples included humanities/fiction, econ, required mgt course. Some of the engineering students hated them, especially if a lot of writing was involved. </p>
<p>Thanks for the all the input. It seems the choice may be take 5 years at our state engineering school (with time left over for electives/travel abroad programs), and due to price, an additional year is not an issue. Much of the AP credit will transfer to the state school buying extra time for electives. Or, look at some of these 4 year private engineering schools that allow the “broader focus.” BUT, it sounds like there is some sacrifice in “depth of engineering” for the price of the broader focus. Unfortunately, the luxury of taking 5 years is not an option at private school prices.</p>
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<p>Math and science are included in the definition of “liberal arts”, even though they also function as prerequisite courses for engineering courses:
<a href=“Liberal arts | Education, Humanities & Arts | Britannica”>http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/339020/liberal-arts</a>
<a href=“Liberal arts education - Wikipedia”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_arts_education</a></p>
<p>Think about UMich. They have very strong engineering and also plenty of good options in LSA. You can do double major or major/minor across LSA and engineering there.</p>
<p>UC - You are right on the term technically, but I think on usually folks mean non-STEM when they say “liberal arts” on the engineering threads. </p>
<p>A couple of posters mentioned Harvey Mudd. It would be very difficult to truly double major in a non-STEM subject there given the intense core requirements. And while I think occasionally a Mudd student ends up with a non-STEM major (via taking a lot of classes at another Claremont Consortium college), I think it is pretty unusual. Now my kid who is at Mudd is also passionate about the liberal arts (English and studio art in particular), and that is one reason she picked Mudd. The first few semester are pretty intensely devoted to core STEM courses, but she will be branching out more next year and taking some art classes that she is looking forward to.</p>
<p>The brochure from Mudd seems to suggest otherwise. False advertising comes to mind.</p>
<p>I believe it is a matter of being able to “double” versus having the ability to take a few high quality LA classes and wrap you engineering into a broader humanistic perspective. I believe Mudd offers the latter.</p>
<p>Harvey Mudd does not natively offer H/SS majors, but a student wishing to do an H/SS major could do one as an off-campus major through another Claremont college.</p>