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Yes and no. They are similar in that both schools offer exceptionally demanding academic programs with higher than average percentages of students being fully-engaged in their academic studies. They are, in many ways, polar opposites in terms of campus culture, community, etc. Swarthmore has an exceptionally strong sense of community and is a warm, friendly, highly supportive place.</p>
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Yes, I think there are quite a few cross-applications.</p>
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There’s more detail at the engineering link provided above, including sample course plans here:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.engin.swarthmore.edu/academics/major.htm[/url]”>http://www.engin.swarthmore.edu/academics/major.htm</a></p>
<p>But, in a nutshell, engineering students spend start with the core courses covering the general basics: math, physics, chemistry, and introductory engineering courses in each of the main subfields: mechanics, electric circuit analysis, thermofluid mechanics, and engineering design. Then, they specialize in an area of interest: chemical, electrical, environmental, etc. The specialization consists of elective courses centered around a theme and hands-on engineering projects in that area. Each student proposes his or her own area of specialization in a proposal at the end of sophmore year. These areas may or may not correspond to a standard engineering subfield.</p>
<p>Environmental engineering is a subfield that really lends itself to Swarthmore’s cross-disciplinary options. For example, it is hard to think about environmental engineering without considering environmental public policiy issues such as might be covered in a poli sci or economics or sociology course – especially considering that the environmental engineering in the 21st century is so global in nature.</p>