During the first semester, students will tackle real engineering problems. You'll work on projects such as redesigning a kitchen appliance, designing road pavement, or building a printed circuit board. Your goals are to try engineering, communicate your ideas to others, learn how to work in a team, and think analytically.

Second semester, you'll continue to learn about the engineering majors. The freshman courses will help you build communication skills, and you'll study computer languages, the use of computer applications software, modeling, and analysis.

By the end of the first year, you should have a good understanding of your major and be on your way to earning an engineering degree.

"Make 'em and break 'em." Here, Professor Kathleen Hancock and students in her first-year civil engineering class test the strength-to-weight ratio of student-built balsa wood bridges. How much will your bridge hold?

A well-rounded curriculum

Flexibility geared to your pace

Earning an engineering degree is challenging, yet rewarding. Many students take four years to complete a B.S. in engineering, but some finish the degree in five years. To gain valuable experience, many of our students work for a semester or two at an engineering company, study abroad for a semester or more, take their engineering studies at a slower pace, or take on another major or minor.

Whether you choose to finish in four years or five, the faculty recognize the need for flexibility.

The College offers six fully accredited B.S. degree programs. Each major offers upper-level electives for students. All majors require the completion of a senior design project, your opportunity to apply what you've learned in the classroom.

Our most talented students take advantage of Commonwealth College, the honors college at UMass Amherst. If you're interested, there are also many opportunities in undergraduate research and independent study, during both the academic year and in the summer. The research efforts of the faculty and their students are a very important part of the College.

Your choice of six additional social world electives round out the engineering curriculum and focus on the arts, communications skills, historical studies, literature, and social or behavioral sciences. A junior level technical writing course is required in addition to the first-year writing course. No foreign language is required.

College of Engineering
At a glance

(enrollment numbers are approximate)

The First Year

Fall semester

• College Writing
• General Chemistry I
• Calculus I
• Introduction to Engineering I
• Social World Elective

Spring semester

• General Chemistry II or
• Biological Science Elective
• Calculus II
• Introduction to Engineering II
• General Physics I
• Social World Elective