Engineering Science

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Engineering Science (ES) is an interdisciplinary undergraduate engineering degree program. Students select an engineering science major in order to pursue interests in technical areas which lie at the interstices of traditional engineering disciplines or combine elements of engineering and science not currently possible through other degree programs. This degree program prepares students for careers in engineering or graduate study in fields for which there are no established undergraduate degree programs at the University of Virginia, including applied mathematics, engineering physics, materials science, nanomedicine and nanotechnology, and global engineering. The ES degree program recognizes that technology and society are evolving at such a rapid pace that a new discipline could emerge as an established career field before it is institutionalized as a degree offering. This program also affirms the unique role of the engineering scientist in the technology path from innovation to societal impact.

Engineering Science students, in collaboration with their advisors, define a plan of study (POS). The POS identifies the curricular track, the primary technical minor, the secondary technical minor, and an area of concentration (AOC).

The primary minor must satisfy the specific requirements of an approved technical minor in the School of Engineering and Applied Science and must consist of at least six courses; the secondary minor must be selected from approved SEAS technical minors or from the natural science or mathematics minors within the College of Arts and Sciences. The courses required for specific minors are as listed by the relevant department in SEAS or CLAS. AOC courses are chosen to define clearly the major field of study or to add depth to the student’s plan.

The advanced project courses, which may be used as a basis for the senior thesis, are designed to provide a research or engineering design experience, which unifies the three main components making up the plan of study. In all cases, both an advisor and the ES Program Director must approve the specific plan of study in order to guarantee that all degree requirements are being met.

The flexibility offered by the Engineering Science degree program makes it an attractive degree for the following reasons:

Engineering Science provides a rigorous technical curriculum, integrating engineering, natural science, and mathematics. It is especially suited for students interested in graduate study and/or basic research and development. In addition, it provides a path for preparation for professional training in law, business or medicine.
As an interdisciplinary engineering program, Engineering Science prepares students for a career in an emerging field of engineering, in a field at the interstices of two existing engineering disciplines, or in a discipline for which there is presently no undergraduate degree offering at the University of Virginia.
Engineering Science offers sufficient flexibility to allow study abroad, research-for-credit courses, and internships.

For more information on the Engineering Science Program please visit: https://engineering.virginia.edu/future-undergrads/academics/engineering-science.

Engineering Science Curriculum (128 credits)

First Semester Credits: 15

APMA 1110 - Single Variable Calculus II Credits: 4
CHEM 1410 - Introductory College Chemistry I Credits: 3
CHEM 1411 - Introductory College Chemistry I Laboratory Credits: 1
ENGR 1624 - Introduction to Engineering Credits: 4
STS 1500 - Science, Technology, and Contemporary Issues Credits: 3

Second Semester Credits: 17

APMA 2120 - Multivariable Calculus Credits: 4
CS 1110 - Introduction to Programming Credits: 3 OR
CS 1111 - Introduction to Programming Credits: 3 OR
CS 1112 - Introduction to Programming Credits: 3 OR
CS 1113 - Introduction to Programming Credits: 3
PHYS 1425 - Introductory Physics 1 for Engineers Credits: 3
PHYS 1429 - Introductory Physics 1 Workshop Credits: 1
Math & Science Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 1 below)

HSS Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 2 below)

Third Semester Credits: 17 or 18

APMA 2130 - Ordinary Differential Equations Credits: 4
PHYS 2415 - Introductory Physics 2 for Engineers Credits: 3
PHYS 2419 - Introductory Physics 2 Workshop Credits: 1
Primary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 3 below)
Secondary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 4 below)
HSS Elective or Science Elective Credits: 3 or 4
(See Footnotes 2 and 6 below)

Fourth Semester Credits: 15 or 16

Advanced Math/CS elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 5 below)
Science Elective or HSS Elective Credits: 3 or 4
(See Footnotes 6 and 2 below)
Primary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 3 below)
Secondary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 4 below)
STS 2XXX/3XXX Elective Credits: 3

(See Footnote 8 below)

Fifth Semester Credits: 18

Primary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 3 below)
Secondary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 4 below)
Area of Concentration Technical Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 7 below)
Advanced Technical Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 9 below)
HSS Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 2 below)
Unrestricted Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 8 below)

Sixth Semester Credits: 15

Primary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 3 below)
Secondary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 4 below)
Area of Concentration Technical Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 7 below)
Advanced Technical Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 9 below)
Unrestricted Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 8 below)

Seventh Semester Credits: 15

Advanced Project Credits: 3
(See Footnote 10 below)
Primary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 3 below)
Secondary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 4 below)
Area of Concentration Technical Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 7 below)

STS 4500 - STS and Engineering Practice Credits: 3

Eighth Semester Credits: 15

Primary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 3 below)
Secondary Minor Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 4 below)
Advanced Project Credits: 3
(See Footnote 10 below)
Unrestricted Elective Credits: 3
(See Footnote 8 below)

STS 4600 - The Engineer, Ethics, and Professional Responsibility Credits: 3

Footnotes

(1) Math and Science Elective: Chosen from SEAS Undergraduate Dean’s Office list of approved Math and Science Elective courses available online and in Thornton A122. Recommended CHEM 1420 or PHYS 2620.
(2) HSS electives are chosen from the approved list available in A122 Thornton Hall.
(3) Primary minor electives must be chosen so as to earn an approved SEAS technical minor.
Once minor requirements are satisfied, any 2xxx or higher technical SEAS course is acceptable.
(4) Secondary minor electives must be chosen so as to earn a second approved SEAS technical minor or an approved minor in mathematics or a natural science. Once secondary minor requirements are satisfied, any 2xxx or higher technical SEAS, mathematics, or natural science course is acceptable.
(5) Advanced Math/CS elective: One 3xxx-level or higher mathematics course in SEAS or CLAS; or one 2xxx-level or higher course in computer science.
(6) Science Elective: Either CHEM 1420 with lab or PHYS 2620 is required.
(7) Area of Concentration: The AOC is comprised of Technical Electives (2XXX level) and Advanced Technical Electives (3xxx or above) in math, science and engineering which provide identity and add depth to the student’s major field of interest.
(8) Unrestricted Electives may be chosen from any graded course in the University except mathematics courses below MATH 1310, including STAT 1110 and STAT 1112, and courses that substantially duplicate others used for the student’s degree.
(9) Advanced Technical Elective: 3xxx level or higher course in the natural sciences or SEAS.
(10) Advanced project is a graded research, independent study, or design course. Individual or group projects are possible.

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