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ENGR-BS - Engineering (BS)

Engineering Dean Undergraduate Matriculated BS - Bachelor of Science

Program Overview

Mission of the Undergraduate Program in Architectural Design

The mission of the undergraduate program in Architectural Design aims to develop students’ ability to integrate engineering and architecture in ways that blend innovative architectural design with cutting-edge engineering technologies. Courses in the program combine hands-on architectural design studios with a wide variety of other courses. Students can choose from a broad mix of elective courses concerning energy conservation, sustainability, building systems, and structures, as well as design foundation and fine arts courses. In addition to preparing students for advanced studies in architecture and construction management, the program’s math and science requirements prepare students well for graduate work in other fields, such as civil and environmental engineering, law, and business.

Mission of the Undergraduate Program in Atmosphere/Energy

Atmosphere and energy are strongly linked: fossil-fuel energy use contributes to air pollution, global warming, and weather modification, and changes in the atmosphere feed back to renewable energy resources, including wind, solar, hydroelectric, and wave resources. The mission of the undergraduate program in Atmosphere/Energy (A/E) is to provide students with the fundamental background necessary to understand large- and local-scale climate, air pollution, and energy problems and solve them through clean, renewable, and efficient energy systems. To accomplish this goal, students learn in detail the causes and proposed solutions to the problems and learn to evaluate whether the proposed solutions are genuinely beneficial. A/E students take courses in renewable energy resources, indoor and outdoor air pollution, energy-efficient buildings, climate change, renewable energy and clean-vehicle technologies, weather and storm systems, energy technologies in developing countries, electric grids, and air quality management. The curriculum is flexible. Depending upon their area of interest, students may take in-depth courses in energy or atmosphere and focus on science, technology, or policy. The major is designed to provide students with excellent preparation for careers in industry, government, and research; and for study in graduate school.

Mission of the Undergraduate Program in Biomechanical Engineering

The undergraduate program in Biomechanical Engineering aims to help students address health science challenges by applying engineering mechanics and design to the fields of biology and medicine. The program is interdisciplinary, integrating engineering coursework with biology and clinical medicine. Research and teaching in this discipline focus primarily on neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and cell and tissue biomechanics. This major prepares students for graduate studies in bioengineering, biomechanics, medicine, or related areas.

Mission of the Undergraduate Program in Biomedical Computation

Quantitative and computational methods are central to advancing biology and medicine in the 21st century. These methods span analyzing biomedical data, constructing computational models for biological systems, and designing computer systems that help biologists and physicians create and administer treatments to patients. The Biomedical Computation major prepares students to work at the cutting edge of this interface between computer science, biology, and medicine. Students begin their journey by acquiring foundational knowledge of biological and computational disciplines. They learn techniques in informatics and simulation and their numerous applications in understanding and analyzing biology at all levels, from individual molecules in cells to entire organs, organisms, and populations. Students then focus on a depth area of their choosing and participate in a substantial research project with a Stanford faculty member. Upon graduation, students are prepared to enter a range of disciplines in either academia or industry.

Mission of the Undergraduate Program in Engineering Physics

The undergraduate program in Engineering Physics aims to provide students with a strong foundation in physics and mathematics, together with engineering and problem-solving skills. All majors take high-level math and physics courses as well as engineering courses. This background prepares them to tackle complex problems in multidisciplinary areas that are at the forefront of 21st-century technology, such as aerospace physics, biophysics, computational science, quantum science & engineering, materials science, nanotechnology, electromechanical systems, renewable energy, and any other engineering field that requires a solid background in physics. Because the program emphasizes science, mathematics, and engineering, students are well prepared to pursue graduate work in engineering, physics, or applied physics.

Preparing for the Major

In engineering, students must balance taking advantage of Stanford’s freedom to explore and ensuring they get a reasonable start on an engineering curriculum. Technical courses tend to be cumulative because more advanced courses draw heavily on the material presented in the introductory courses that precede them. For first-year students thinking about getting started in engineering or other STEM majors, the School of Engineering has a simple online tool called the Roadmap which suggests which courses might be appropriate to take in the first year. In addition, the one-unit autumn course, ENGR 1 Want to Be an Engineer?, offers broad exposure to STEM majors within and outside the School of Engineering. Faculty present an overview of their program and where the study of that topic might take you. Other courses that might be of interest are the IntroSems and Engineering Fundamentals.

Students interested in pursuing an Engineering Physics major should plan to take math and physics courses in the first year. Take the Physics and Math Placement Diagnostics to get advice on where to start in the sequences, and then see the sample plans for beginning the Engineering Physics (or Physics) major. Contact Patricia Burchat (Professor in Physics, burchat@stanford.edu) or Mark Cappelli (Professor in Mechanical Engineering, cap@stanford.edu) for pre-major advising.

Sample 4-Year plans and detailed descriptions of the requirements for all these majors can be found on the  Engineering Undergraduate Handbook website.