Preengineering
Planning a Career in Engineering
In the 21st century our world faces many challenges. How do we preserve and maintain a productive earth for our children and ourselves? How can we produce and conserve energy more efficiently, and provide a cleaner environment? How can we meet the needs of an increasing elderly population? What new technologies and products, and improved present technologies, will enrich our lives? Though the list is endless, the key people who will provide the answers are engineers.
Creative Problem Solvers
Fundamentally engineers are creative problems solvers who develop ways to use the materials and laws of nature to create products and services. They work in industries involving aerospace, biomedical, chemical, textile, electrical, industrial, environmental, nuclear, civil, and mechanical engineering. The engineering job market maintains high entry level salaries for graduating engineers. Just as important, engineering is a creative, challenging and exciting career with the professional reward of doing work that helps make the world a better place.
Career Planning
To become a professional engineer it is necessary to complete a two-to-three year pre-engineering curriculum, plus two years of engineering courses at an accredited college of engineering. Georgia College offers an excellent way for students to begin their engineering curriculum. The required preengineering mathematics and science courses are offered in small class sections and are taught by dedicated faculty, helping to insure success in the pre-engineering curriculum. Successful completion of the pre- engineering program allows you to enter engineering programs for their specialized engineering major courses, either through traditional transfer to any engineering school or through the Dual Degree Program of Georgia College & State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT).
Since many of the required preengineering courses must be taken in sequence, good planning and constant effort are extremely important. The pre-engineering adviser should be consulted regularly. Most critical in this respect are the calculus sequence and the calculus-based physics courses. If their high school math background permits, freshmen, pre-engineering students are strongly advised to begin with calculus their first semester at Georgia College and to take mathematics every semester during their preengineering program.
High School Preparation
Engineers use the laws of nature to create useful products and solve problems. Thus it is crucial that engineers know mathematics, the language of nature, and the sciences of chemistry and physics. In order to complete an engineering curriculum in a timely manner the entering freshman should begin calculus as soon as possible, preferably in the first term. College grades in the calculus sequence are excellent predictors of later success in the engineering curriculum.
Therefore, if you are interested in engineering you should take and master all the advanced mathematics courses that are available. Additionally, students who are interested in engineering should take and do well in all the physical science courses available, especially chemistry and physics. After all, the laws of chemistry and physics are the engineer's tools!
Finally, writing and speaking skills should be developed in high school. These skills are essential for communicating one's ideas and solutions. You should not harbor the misconception that engineers only need technical knowledge. True understanding of an idea is revealed by the ability to explain it clearly! Much of an engineer's work involves writing reports and making presentations related to the analysis of data and solutions to problems.
Dual Degree Program
Through an agreement between GC and the Georgia Institute of Technology, students may begin their college education in this exciting, challenging, creative, and student-centered environment. The Dual Degree Program comprises approximately two and a half years of study at GC and two years of study at Georgia Tech. At GC, students will take mathematics, chemistry, physics, and computer science courses, and the general education requirements of the University System of Georgia. Students then complete the required courses of the engineering major being sought at Georgia Tech. After successfully completing all program requirements, the student will be awarded two undergraduate degrees, a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Georgia Tech, and an undesignated (i.e. no major) Bachelor of Science degree from GC. These are evident and attractive to both graduate schools and potential employers.
One of the benefits of the Dual Degree Program is the well-rounded experience it provides for its participants, including the emphasis on written and verbal communication, creative thinking, and broad cultural experiences at a liberal arts university.
High school preparation for the Dual Degree program should include a college preparatory curriculum with four years of science and four years of mathematics.
*International students should note that GIT admits only an “occasional, truly exceptional” non-U.S. citizen into its undergraduate engineering programs.
Dual Degree Program Requirements
Students will work closely with a Pre-Engineering advisor who will assist them in scheduling to meet the Dual Degree requirements as well as to explore the undergraduate liberal arts curriculum. Students in the Dual Degree Program are classified as math majors with a concentration of Pre-Engineering.
RETP 0001 – Freshman Seminar
Core Curriculum Areas A-E
MATH 1261 – Calculus I
MATH 1262 – Calculus II
MATH 2263 – Calculus III
MATH 2150 – Linear Algebra
MATH 4340 – Differential Equations
CHEM 1211– Chemistry I
CHEM 1212 – Chemistry II
PHYS 2211 – Physics I
PHYS 2212 – Physics II
CSCI 1301 – Computer Science
Typical First Semester Freshman Schedule:
RETP 0001 Seminar 1 hour
MATH 1261 * Calculus I 4 hours
CHEM 1211 Chemistry I 3 hours
CHEM 1211L Lab 1 hour
ENGL 1101 English Comp. 3 hours
Core elective varies 3 hours
Total: 15 hours
* Note: for students not ready for Calculus I, MATH 1113 Pre-Calculus is recommended. This will not significantly hinder progress toward completion of the Dual Degree program.
