College of Engineering

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Wayne T. Davis, Dean
William M. Dunne, Associate Dean for Research and Technology
Masood Parang, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs
Richard Bennett, Director, Engineering Fundamentals Division
J. Roger Parsons, Director, Engineering Outreach Program
Chris Pionke, Director, Engineering Honors Program
Travis T. Griffin, Director, Engineering Diversity Program
Todd Reeves, Director, Engineering Office of Professional Practice
Margaret Russell, Director, Engineering Advising Services

http://www.engr.utk.edu/

Engineers solve problems. To do so, they apply science, mathematics, and creativity to invent, design, test, build, and operate engineering systems that will meet the needs of society. In the latter half of the 20th century, engineers developed the personal computer, the space shuttle, artificial hearts, and many other “high-tech” products. The opportunities to use technology for the benefit of 21st century society will be even greater.

Engineers use the same problem-solving strategies whether designing a bridge, trouble shooting a computer chip problem, or developing a more efficient automobile engine. This commonality of approach makes it easy for an engineer to move from one specialization to another. The engineer’s can-do, problem solving outlook is also good preparation for management, and many engineers follow this career path.

Increasingly, engineers must also have good interpersonal skills to work effectively in the interdisciplinary groups required to tackle modern engineering projects. They must understand the ethical, environmental, social, political, and business implications of their work. Engineers must work comfortably among the cultures, customs, and languages of multi-national enterprises.

In light of modern society’s ever-increasing dependence on technology, there is a continuing and urgent need for engineering graduates who possess the high levels of technical competence and social understanding that will enable them to fulfill their responsibilities as professional engineers. The College of Engineering prepares men and women to face these challenges and to seize opportunities to become the technology leaders of the 21st century.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science curricula offered by the college may enter directly into a position in industry, government, or private practice, or may pursue advanced study in graduate school. Their professional activities include research, development, design, operations analysis, construction, production supervision, and technical sales. Many practice their profession in Tennessee; but engineering knows no geographical bounds, and graduates of the college serve throughout the nation and in other countries as well.

The college offers twelve undergraduate majors – aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, engineering physics, industrial engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, and nuclear engineering.

Biosystems engineers use engineering science and mathematics to address opportunities and problems in biological, environmental, ecological, and agricultural systems. This ABET accredited program is offered by the Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in cooperation with the College of Engineering. For program requirements, click here .

The college, in cooperation with industrial sponsors, established the Minority Engineering Scholarship Program in 1973 and in 1999 renamed it the Diversity Engineering Scholarship Program. The program’s goal is to increase significantly the number of qualified minority engineering graduates. This program is maintained in the Office of Professional Practice.

The College of Engineering has established admissions criteria for incoming freshmen based on several performance criteria, including completion of core academic subjects, GPA scores on these subjects and standardized test (SAT or ACT) scores. In addition to these requirements, a Success Prediction Indicator (SPI) number is used for admission to the College of Engineering. The SPI is calculated by adding an individual’s ACT mathematics score to 10 times their core high school GPA (based on a 4.0 scale). For information on what constitutes core high school courses, please consult admission website http://admissions.utk.edu/undergraduate/apply/requirements.shtml.

The following table indicates the minimum required SPI for the corresponding academic year:

Academic Year 2010-11    Minimum SPI of 60

SPI EXAMPLE: A student with a high school core GPA of 3.5 and an ACT mathematics score of 28 would have an SPI of 63 using the formula (3.5 X 10) + 28 = 63. SAT scores are converted to an equivalent ACT score to perform this calculation.

Students who wish to pursue a degree in the College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, but do not meet the SPI criterion may enroll as University Undecided students and complete appropriate mathematics, science, and other courses before applying for admission to the College of Engineering.

Most of the college’s facilities are on the southeastern corner of “The Hill.” Administration and Civil and Environmental Engineering are in Perkins Hall; Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Computer Science are in Ferris Hall; Industrial Engineering and the Interdisciplinary Engineering Research Centers are in East Stadium Hall; Nuclear Engineering is in the Pasqua Engineering Building; Mechanical, Aerospace, Biomedical, Chemical, and Materials Science and Engineering are in Dougherty Hall. The Engineering Fundamentals Division, Engineering Advising Services, and Engineering Diversity Programs offices are located in Estabrook Hall. The Office of Professional Practice is in Perkins Hall. The Engineering Physics program is administered through the Physics Department in the Nielsen Physics Building.

http://www.engr.utk.edu/advising/

Engineering Advising Services provides excellent academic program planning services to undergraduate students in the College of Engineering, with specific attention given to the freshman class. Central to the mission of academic advising at the university is teaching students to understand the purpose of the curriculum and fostering their intellectual and personal development toward academic success and lifelong learning. Through individual, collaborative relationships with academic advisors students are best able to define and implement sound educational plans that are consistent with their personal values, goals, and career plans.

The College of Engineering is committed to the belief that academic advising engages students by teaching them how to become members of the higher education community, to think critically about their role and responsibilities as engineers, and to prepare them to be educated members of a global community. The students’ learning outcomes of academic advising in the college are to craft a coherent educational plan based on assessment of abilities and interests; use a variety of campus resources to set goals, reach decisions, and achieve those goals; assume responsibility for meeting academic program requirements; cultivate the intellectual habits that lead to a lifetime of learning; and behave as citizens who engage in the wider world around them. The Advising Services Office is located in 202 Estabrook Hall. The office can be reached by phone at (865) 974-4008 or email (engradvising@utk.edu).

New freshman students are assigned to Engineering Advising Services for academic advising until they have completed the freshman curriculum. Freshman students admitted to the College of Engineering are required to designate a field of study by the end of their freshman year. Upon completion of Engineering Fundamentals EF 152  (or equivalent), the students are assigned faculty advisors in their selected departments.

(For Computer Science, see listing in Department of Electrical Engineering And Computer Science section)

Beginning students who wish to pursue an honors concentration in one of the engineering majors will normally be part of the Chancellor’s Honors Program or the Haslam Scholars Program. Requirements for first-year course work duplicate those of the Chancellor’s Honors Program. Course work requirements in the upper division are specific to the individual departments and the student is referred to those individual descriptions for explanation.

Specifically, first year requirements are:

• ENGL 118 - Honors: English Composition , under the same conditions as stated in the requirements for the Chancellor’s Honors Program.
• UNHO 100 - Chancellor’s Honors First-Year Seminar .
• One 200-level University Honors seminar to be completed during the second semester of the freshman year.
• Four additional 100- or 200-level honors courses. For engineering students, these would normally be EF 157 - Honors: Physics for Engineers I , EF 158 - Honors: Physics for Engineers II , and two courses chosen from MATH 147 , MATH 148 , MATH 247  or CHEM 128 , CHEM 138 .

Other courses may be approved by the individual engineering departments upon entry to their honors concentration.

www.coop.utk.edu

The University of Tennessee College of Engineering encourages all its students to obtain relevant paid work experience through the Office of Professional Practice. Engineering students can choose to participate in Cooperative (Co-op) Engineering or the College’s Internship Program. Both offer qualified assignments that are an integral part of the educational process, as well as helps UT engineers identify skills, build networks, and foster relations in the engineering community.

Since 1926, UT engineers have blended classroom theory with practical engineering application in corporate or government settings. The Co-op Engineering Program is a study-work plan of education in which a student alternates periods of campus course work with periods of employment in industry related to the student’s major. As the second oldest Co-op Engineering Program in the south, most UT engineers work in assignments across the United States, however, more students are seeking opportunities internationally. Currently, over 40% of the undergraduate engineering students register and pursue one of the many positions available. One of the value added components is that all positions are paid. Salaries vary between organizations and locations. Most students are able to offset a substantial amount of college expenses with Coop or Intern savings. We encourage our students to seek exposure that offers depth and skills development.

Professional staff will work in conjunction with advisors to outline an academic-work plan (Degree Plan), and address scholarship issues to schedule cycles of full-time academic terms with alternating terms of work. The University of Tennessee believes that this process offers a “real world” understanding of after graduation expectations. It also affords each student feedback from the employer to help gauge areas of interest and career direction. An added incentive, many companies hire their Co-op students for full-time employment after graduation.

Internships through the Office of Professional Practice follow the same standard of quality, but tend to be just one term. Most internships are offered in the summers (10-13 weeks) and are very competitive; and just like Co-op Engineering assignments, are monitored by university professionals. Sound advising helps intern candidates pursue positions offered at times other than summers.

All students in the College of Engineering can participate and should begin reviewing these opportunities the first semester at UT. Because of changing economic trends, some engineering majors may be in greater demand and selection criteria will vary among organizations. The practice of engineering is an art, which is learned on the job site as well as in the classroom. Only those students completing at least 52 weeks of approved work experiences will receive the Program’s Cooperative Engineering Certificate. All students participating in internships and co-op engineering programs through the Office of Professional Practice enroll in EF 333 - Co-op/Intern Experience in Engineering  (1) for each semester employed in a co-op or internship assignment for a maximum of 3 hours.

Further details are available on our website (www.coop.utk.edu) or write to: Office of Professional Practice; 310 Perkins Hall; Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-2030.

www.engr.utk.edu/outreach/index2.html

The United States, like most countries throughout the world, can no longer thrive economically with only a domestic market for its goods and services. To compete in the global marketplace, engineers must understand how to design and manufacture products for world-wide use. The College of Engineering works with several organizations, both on and off campus, to enable interested students to participate in significant engineering experiences abroad. Students interested in making an international experience part of their engineering education should begin exploring opportunities and develop plans during the freshman year. Language preparation to a level of substantial proficiency may be required. Thus, language preparation should be started immediately. For further information on international engineering educational programs, contact the Center for International Education, 1620 Melrose Avenue, or http://www.engr.utk.edu/outreach.

Graduate programs leading to the Master of Science are offered in twelve majors – aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, engineering science, environmental engineering, industrial engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, and polymer engineering. The Doctor of Philosophy is offered in twelve majors – aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, engineering science, industrial engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, and polymer engineering. See the Graduate Catalog for information on these programs.

The college is honored to have the national headquarters of Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honor Society, housed on our campus since 1907. This honor was earned in part through the untiring efforts of R.C. “Red” Matthews, Secretary-Treasurer for the organization from 1905 to 1947. The suite of offices, located in Dougherty Hall, is occupied by Mr. J.D. Froula, Secretary- Treasurer, R.E. Hawks, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, and eight additional staff members.

Since 1936, engineering programs at institutions of higher learning have been accredited by an organization formed by many engineering societies and known as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). ABET accreditation ensures that graduates of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, engineering programs are adequately prepared to enter and continue the practice of engineering. Accredited engineering programs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, include aerospace, biomedical, biosystems, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, mechanical, materials science, and nuclear.

Accreditation criteria require each engineering degree program to design a curriculum and educational process that will achieve defined educational objectives consistent with ABET criteria and the mission of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The educational objectives of each degree program are presented by the department responsible for the program later in following sections. In each case the objectives are consistent with the mission of the College of Engineering. That mission is to

• Provide high quality education in the major engineering disciplines from the undergraduate through doctoral levels through a creative balance of academic, professional, and extracurricular programs.
• Foster and maintain mutually beneficial partnerships with our alumni, friends, industry, and local, state, and federal governments through public services, assistance, and collaborative research.
• Be a major contributor to our nation’s technology base through scholarship and research.

In addition, the educational objectives of each degree program are also guided by and consistent with the strategic objectives of the College of Engineering. Two particularly relevant strategic objectives are “to continuously provide quality delivery of courses, programs, extracurricular activities, assistance, and support that enhances each student’s desire to learn and that excites each student’s interest in engineering and the work environment” and “to continuously provide and improve the education and working abilities that employers want our engineering graduates to have.”

ABET accreditation criteria also require an assessment process to ensure that program outcomes critical to successful engineering practice are being achieved. Assessment of eleven program outcomes common to all engineering disciplines are required by ABET. Specifically, each engineering degree program must demonstrate that its graduates have

• An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering.
• An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data.
• An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs.
• An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.
• An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems.
• An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility.
• An ability to communicate effectively.
• The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global/societal context.
• A recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in life-long learning.
• A knowledge of contemporary issues.
• An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

The College of Engineering has embraced these program outcomes as valid and valuable indicators of educational program effectiveness. Thus, the college prepares students to demonstrate sufficiency and to strive for excellence in each of these areas. This goal is achieved by ensuring that instruction and other learning experiences are provided that will produce each program outcome. Engineering courses, mathematics and natural science courses, and the humanities and social sciences each provide essential contributions to the achievement of this goal. Program outcomes that are critically dependent on humanities and social science courses are discussed in the General Education Requirement section to follow. Additional program outcomes selected by individual degree programs to supplement ABET outcomes are also discussed in subsequent sections.

An engineering undergraduate may declare a minor in an engineering or a non-engineering subject area and have the minor listed on the permanent record under the following conditions.

• Minors must be officially approved and described in the Undergraduate Catalog. No unofficial minors will be recognized.
• Courses taken to satisfy the minor may also be used to satisfy engineering degree requirements provided that the courses would be a part of engineering degree requirements even if no minor was declared. Completion of a minor often involves the taking of some courses which cannot be used to satisfy the minimum requirement for an engineering degree.
• A student should notify his or her advisor and major department office when beginning work on a minor. The intention to complete a minor must be declared at the time of application for graduation if the minor is to appear on the final transcript. Graduation applications are available in the Office of the University Registrar or online at http://registrar.tennessee.edu/graduation.shtml.

The maximum number of hours which can be taken by an undergraduate engineering student without special permission is 19. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs (or designee) must give permission to take 20 hours or more. In general, this decision is based on the student’s previous performance at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Students can obtain the required paperwork to request an overload either in the Engineering Advising Services Office or on the College of Engineering website (http://www.engr.utk.edu/advising/forms.html).

Transfer students, including internal University of Tennessee, Knoxville, transfers, must meet the minimum requirements stated below to be considered for admission to a major within the college. These minimum standards for consideration do not guarantee being admitted to the major. The final admission decision for the major resides with the department head or designee.

• Must have earned a minimum 2.8 cumulative average and a C or better in each of these specific courses, or their equivalent: ENGL 101 , CHEM 120  (for Computer Science students: COSC 102  and COSC 140  or equivalents), and MATH 141  (and subsequent courses in the three sequences, if taken). 
• If the student has completed any physics course, he/she must have earned a grade of C or better.
• The overall record will be evaluated for quality and seriousness of purpose. An excessive number of withdrawals, incompletes, repeated courses, or failures may result in denial.

Any University of Tennessee, Knoxville, student desiring association with one of the departments in the College of Engineering should go to the Engineering Advising Office. An advising session is held with the major items of consideration being the same as for external transfer students.

If external transfer students are denied admission to the College of Engineering, the student must contact Undergraduate Admissions to declare a new major for admission to UT.

Every attempt will be made to give maximum credit for courses taken elsewhere and transferred to the college. Discussions concerning the evaluation of transfer credits should be conducted with the Engineering Advising Office or the head of the department (or designee) into which the student is to transfer, but only after receiving the evaluation of transfer credits by the Admissions Office.

Upon recommendation by the major engineering department and approval by the Dean of Engineering, a student who already holds a bachelor’s degree may obtain a degree in engineering upon meeting all of the course requirements of the selected engineering program. In no case will the minimum requirement be less than 30 semester credits. The prevailing university regulations shall apply.

The University of Tennessee has established a University General Education Requirement that includes emphases upon building basic skills and developing broadened perspectives. These requirements apply to all undergraduate students and are listed in this catalog. Engineering students should consult with their advisor and carefully select General Education Electives to ensure that courses meet both the general education needs of their program and the University General Education Requirement.

Engineering students, regardless of national origin, must fulfill the American history requirement described in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of this catalog. Those students who have not had the required year of American history in high school may choose the required 6 hours from HIST 221  and HIST 222 , or other courses deemed suitable by the Department of History. See additional information about the American History Requirement in the Academic Policies and Procedures  section of this catalog.

Technical electives are to be selected with the advice and approval of the student’s major department. In some of the curricula showcases, a choice of such electives is indicated and regulations in regard to their selection are stated.

Engineering students may participate in the ROTC Program. Advanced ROTC courses (300- and 400-series) may be counted as technical elective credit toward an engineering degree up to a total of 6 hours.

Each student shall discuss with an advisor the status of the program of study no later than the beginning of the second semester prior to anticipated graduation. Any necessary additions to or substitutions in the program or electives requiring special approval must be approved in writing at that time. It is each student’s responsibility to see that all necessary approvals are secured. Inattention to such matters will most likely delay graduation.

Course requirements for the various engineering curricula are listed in each department’s section. Individual course prerequisites should be strictly adhered to, even if courses are not taken in the semester indicated. Although the requirements for each major can be completed in four academic years (five for the cooperative program), the quality of the learning experience is much more important than the speed with which the curricula are completed.

Questions about individual courses should be directed to the department responsible for the course. Questions about a particular curriculum should be directed to the major department or the Engineering Advising Office.

Before registering for any engineering course, a student should make certain that any necessary background work has been completed. In addition to specific prerequisites listed, it is assumed that a student taking sophomore engineering courses has completed all freshman courses, whether specifically listed as a prerequisite or not. When this is not the case, a student should seek advice from the advisor or department responsible for the course in question before registration in order to minimize the chances of academic difficulty. Students who do not have prescribed prerequisites may be dropped from a course at any time during a semester when the lack of prerequisites is discovered.

The university will review students having academic difficulty and on academic probation the week after final grades are posted. The university academic probation policy is stated in the Academic Policies and Procedures  section of this catalog.

Students dismissed from the College of Engineering and/or the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will be removed from all courses if pre-registered for the following term. Dismissed students must follow university policies and procedures regarding academic dismissal and readmission as stated in the Academic Policies and Procedures and Admission to the University sections in this catalog. Dismissed students who are re-admitted will be University Undecided status and advised in the Arts and Sciences Advising Office. Dismissed students may no longer pursue a major in the College of Engineering.