<p>So it appears that starting next year the university will have The Institute for Molecular Engineering school offering courses and majors for undergraduate and graduate students, particularly mechanical, chemical and electrical. </p>
<p>I think that this is something that has been well needed for the school and finally implemented, but what do you guys think about this? For a school that generally is all about liberal arts, the core, the life of the mind, and a lot theoretical classes, this is quite a shift into a more pre-professional setting.</p>
<p>Wow. This is awesome and probably puts UChicago above Stanford or Columbia for me (not that I’m getting into all of them). I like that they managed to keep the independent attitude that the school is reputed for when putting in something that is normally fairly uniform with everybody else like an engineering program.</p>
<p>I think the OP is engaging in a little wishful thinking. The molecular engineering school will not have a full faculty complement for up to a decade. The possibility of an undergraduate major – in molecular engineering only, no one is even suggesting “mechanical, chemical, electrical” – may be some years beyond that, and subject to approval by a faculty that has practically defined itself by its rejection of engineering as an appropriate subject for undergraduate education. This is an exciting long-term development for the University of Chicago, and there will be cool research opportunities for interested students long before there is a major. But I think Chicago’s first molecular engineering SB graduates are probably still in elementary school.</p>
<p>Here is what the university’s press release says:</p>
<p>^ Yes, it’s not like U of C is on the verge of becoming a polytechnic.
The impression one sometimes gets on CC is that if only U of C would add an engineering school it could join the ranks of the “compleat” universities. While engineering is an important field, it’s not necessary to make a university. That’s what Technische Hochschulen are for. lol</p>
<p>I agree with both of you, JHS and zapfino, an actual engineering major for the university is not coming anytime soon, and that universities do not need to have pre-professionalism such as engineering to make it “full” university.</p>
<p>I am just saying that science/engineering is becoming a more integral part of this university now, with the creation of CCiST (Chicago Careers in Science and Technology) Autumn quarter and now an eventual engineering school.</p>
<p>This type of information is just important for prospective students to know when they are making their decisions this April about whether or not to attend this school, I feel that the option of engineering could definitely sway some students towards to the U of C.</p>
<p>But they won’t have the possibility of engineering, and if a student in April uses the prospect of molecular engineering as any factor in their decision to go, they’re going to be miserable and disappointed, because it will not be an option for them before they graduate. You seem to not have a sense of the time-scale that this is on. The building won’t be built for a while, it’ll take longer for it to start with research, and even longer for it to become an undergraduate major. And notice that the only engineering field mentioned has little-to-nothing in common with “standard” engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical and electrical. This is intentional. Expecting UChicago to get a real engineering school is like expecting Caltech to get an art school.</p>
<p>It would be a good idea for you to edit/delete the first paragraph of your original post. None of the information in it is true, and it will probably confuse people.</p>