What is Engineering?

Engineering is problem solving. An Engineer may work in a number of different fields. For example, an Engineer may solve problems dealing with the production and transmission of energy, or he(she) may be involved in food production, product manufacturing, construction of bridges or dams, computer design, design of air or spacecraft, or any of a number of interesting areas!

Many Engineering Colleges offer curricula leading to degrees in:

• Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering
• Agricultural Engineering
• Bioengineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering (including specialties in:
  .....Environmental Engineering
  .....Geotechnical Engineering
  .....Hydrosystems Engineering
  .....Transportation Engineering, etc.
• Computer Science
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Engineering Physics
• General Engineering
• Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Nuclear Engineering
• Theoretical and Applied Mechanics

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View Departments at UIUC
University of Missouri Rolla: Main Page, EIU Model Program Guide

What is Pre-Engineering?

Pre-Engineering is a program designed to provide for a student's first two years of a four-year Engineering degree. Since the first two years of most programs have the same curricula, one can transfer to Engineering schools with minimal difficulty.

EIU also offers part of a five-year Engineering degree in conjunction with either the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) or with Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC), in which a student takes a third year of liberal arts enrichment at EIU and graduates with a double bachelor's degree- one from EIU and one from either UIUC or SIUC.

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Eastern offers:

• Exposure to many types of engineering before a final commitment is made, and at a lower cost than at larger institutions.
• Good preparation for several degree programs including physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, medicine, any branch of engineering studies, and more, with a minimal loss of credits.
• An outstanding faculty composed of PhDs, with classes taught by faculty rather than by graduate students.
• Small class size, giving a low student to teacher ratio, and making instruction more personal.
• Flexibility of transfer to Engineering schools such as the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and the University of Missouri at Rolla - very outstanding programs of study.
• A high degree of success upon transfer: yearly data provided by UIUC shows that more than 95% of all Eastern Pre-Engineering students have successfully completed their engineering studies at UIUC. By way of comparison, the average transfer student success rate (of all schools transferring students to UIUC) is only 75%.
• A good buy, money-wise - According to the College Board 1995-96 survey, Eastern’s tuition and fees are 15% below the average for public residential colleges. Student room and board rates are lower than other state institutions in Illinois.

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Definitely. Eastern has a close tie to one of the premier Engineering Colleges in the nation-- the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Nearly every Engineering survey ranks UIUC among the top two or three Engineering schools in the nation, along with such schools as MIT and Stanford. At Eastern we offer a course called Engineering Orientation (PHY 1000) that gives students an opportunity to listen to about seven UIUC Engineering professors per year. UIUC Assistant Dean of Engineering Carl S. Larson has traditionally opened the course with a personal introduction to the Pre-Engineering student body.

"During the last several years, 200 students have transferred from Eastern and only six have been dropped for poor academic work. This statistic is comparable to the drop-out rate for our own upper-classmen (those who have completed the first two years on our campus). More importantly, this statistic represents the best overall transfer record of any institution which has sent us more than 25 students in the past five years."

-Dean Carl S. Larson, UIUC, 1997

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A strong background in mathematics and science will be an asset. If possible, take the most advanced mathematics course your high school offers, along with courses in Chemistry and Physics. Engineers also need to be able to communicate, so take courses that develop your writing and speaking skills.

Sample Pre-Engineering Program at EIU
(For more detail, view the pdf file)

FRESHMAN YEAR (Physics Course Descriptions) (Table of Contents)

Bronze Tablet Award

Click here to see a list of EIU Students who have earned this award.
 

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For more information on Pre-Engineering at EIU

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