Academic Catalog

Engineering

Program Description

Engineers apply the theories and principles of science and mathematics to practical technical problems. The engineering major provides a solid foundation in what is normally referred to as the "engineering core" at most colleges and universities. Mathematics, physics, chemistry, and introductory engineering courses such as circuit analysis and statics make up the bulk of this core. The major is intended to provide, in most cases, all of the basic subjects necessary for a smooth transfer to the candidate's chosen college or university.

Learn more about the program on the Engineering website.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Students will be able to formulate logical problem-solving approaches, generate solutions, and assess the reasonableness of the solutions for engineering-type analysis problems.
  • Students will be able to design, construct, and produce creative solutions to engineering problems by applying the engineering design process and identifying pertinent design parameters based on the fundamental physics governing a system.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the fundamental knowledge necessary for the practice of, or for advanced study in, engineering, including scientific principles, rigorous analysis, and problem solving.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate clear communication skills, responsible teamwork, professional attitudes, and ethics.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate a preparation for the complex work environment and continuous learning.

Career Opportunities

Engineering continues to be an excellent choice for a career. Engineering consistently has low rates of unemployment. Salaries at the entry level begin at about $50,000 with an Associate in Science degree and may go as high as $170,000 for a Bachelor of Science degree in particular specializations.

Award Type(s)

  • AS = Associate in Science Degree

Units Required

  • Major: 73

Additional Information

Suggested Preparation Courses:

MATH 48CPRECALCULUS III (or equivalent)5
CHEM 25FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY (or equivalent)5
PHYS 2AGENERAL PHYSICS5
or PHYS 6 INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS
or equivalent

Note: Students should check with the transfer institution for any additional required courses.

Associate Degree Requirements

English Proficiency
Select one of the following:
ENGL 1ACOMPOSITION & READING5
ENGL 1AHHONORS COMPOSITION & READING5
ESLL 26ADVANCED COMPOSITION & READING5
or equivalent
Ethnic Studies
Any course in the ETHN (Ethnic Studies) subject code, currently approved for Area F of CSU GE and Area 7 of IGETC
Mathematics Proficiency
College-level math course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra

A minimum of 90 units is required1 to include:

  • Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
  • Core courses (58 units)
  • Support courses (15 units)
1

Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.

Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a grade of "C" or better is required for all core and support courses used for the degree.

Core and Support Courses 

Core Courses
CHEM 1AGENERAL CHEMISTRY5
CHEM 1BGENERAL CHEMISTRY5
ENGR 10INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING5
MATH 1ACALCULUS5
or MATH 1AH HONORS CALCULUS I
MATH 1BCALCULUS5
or MATH 1BH HONORS CALCULUS II
MATH 1CCALCULUS5
MATH 1DCALCULUS5
MATH 2ADIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS5
PHYS 4AGENERAL PHYSICS (CALCULUS)6
PHYS 4BGENERAL PHYSICS (CALCULUS)6
PHYS 4CGENERAL PHYSICS (CALCULUS)6
Support Courses
Select 15 units from the following:15
OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING METHODOLOGIES IN JAVA
OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING METHODOLOGIES IN C++
OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING METHODOLOGIES IN PYTHON
COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE & ORGANIZATION
ENGINEERING GRAPHICS
PROGRAMMING & PROBLEM-SOLVING IN MATLAB
INTRODUCTION TO BIOENGINEERING
INTRODUCTION TO BIOENGINEERING
STATICS
INTRODUCTION TO CIRCUIT ANALYSIS
PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
DYNAMICS
INTRODUCTION TO SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY
VACUUM SYSTEMS
LINEAR ALGEBRA
GENERAL PHYSICS (CALCULUS)
Total Units73