I have read in a few places a distinction between schools where engineering is project based with a lot of hands on learning (WPI, and Cal Poly SLO are two names I seem to hear in this category) as opposed to more traditional. But I’ve also heard that all engineering programs are interchangeable because of ABET.
Can anyone tell me more about this? Is this an important distinction? How much of a factor was it for your kid? Are there lists of schools in each category?
My daughter wanted a more hands on career readiness approach to engineering. She wanted schools with first year engineering design programs, strong co op supports and lots of tech electives. Purdue fit the bill for her. RPI was also high on her list.
Other programs we visited were more theoretical focused and had higher percentages of engineers going to grad school instead of industry.
Core classes are the same amongst abet accredited programs, but the approach to those classes can differ widely.
Can you give examples of some of the schools that are more theoretical focused and focused on grad school?
My kid sounds lilke yours in what he’d want, but I think we’d like to visit both types of schools to compare.
Also, is it a continuum or is it really one vs. the other?
Yes, ABET prescribes what to teach, but not how to teach it. Here are a couple of colleges to add to your list of engineering schools which utilize project based learning: Olin College of Engineering, one of the finest engineering schools in the country (but small) and Manhattan University where about a third of the students are engineering majors.
Thank you! Can you give examples of the opposite? If we wanted to tour some schools, to sort out if this is a factor that’s important to my kid, what would be some examples of schools that are whatever is the opposite of project based? Would you call that “academic”?
There was an instagram post from a student at Princeton just this past week that said that Princeton engineering was more theoretical. He then went on to say that you can do projects there, but that you’d get more “real world” learning when you get a job. He also felt like college was a good place to spend time learning theory. If I recall correctly, this was all in response to the question, “What’s Princeton engineering like?”
Good question.
Can you narrow the field for me a little bit? Maybe by geography, or state schools vs private, etc.?
Frankly, any college which teaches engineering principles in large lecture halls is going to be forced to use a traditional model. Hands on learning with a project based approach, which is often accompanied by teams working in a collaborative model, is going to require small classes. Big state universities with larger student:faculty ratios would be examples of such.
Rose-Hulman and Cal Ploy SLO would be a couple more examples of engineering schools which utilize project based learning.
I think all schools will have some level of project based learning, even if more theory.
I just asked my son about Alabama - and it wasn’t heavy project based or he says even theory - but just math, math, and more math. He says the curriculum wasn’t heavy in hands on - some but not heavy.
He said I don’t know how to answer that - theory vs. project - but I know senior year had a project vs. other years.
I don’t know about Louisville but I know @AustenNut or others have said they base their method on Cal Poly…so for a less competitive admit, it might be worth a look - you can research if they are theory or project.
I was looking to see if there’s a list of project based engineering - I didn’t see a list although there’s an old thread - and U of N Texas states this (whether true or not, I don’t know):
College of Engineering offers 12 bachelor’s, 11 master’s and 5 doctoral degrees as well as minors and certificates. Each program will provide you with hands-on, project-based study, preparing you to make a difference in the real world.
Project-Based & Small Engineering Colleges - College Search & Lists - College Confidential Forums
RPI might be more theoretical if that’s what you’re looking for.
Not sure if interchangeable - because there’s a lot more to college than academics - but employers often use ABET (for certain disciplines at least) as a requirement for getting hired.
Obviously, colleges come in different ways - costs, geographies, size, weather, # of curriculums or focus areas, sports / greek, and more.
Personally, I’d focus there -starting with budget and figuring out what other areas I like - which could also include theory vs. hands on, if you have a preference.
If unsure, you can visit each - but make sure to set up a meeting with a student ambassador so you can ask about it - or you can likely do online via admissions (ask them to set up a meeting).
We felt the program at Notre Dame to be very theoretical.
And I disagree that large schools can’t be hands on. Purdue is huge and project based learning starts days one.
R1 universities have lots of research going on, so even if classes and curriculum seem to be more theoretical, there are plenty of opportunities to get hands on experience. Most engineering programs have some project based learning and big lecture classes doesn’t equal no projects within the degree program.
I’m wondering if some of this is pure marketing. Between my spouse and I teaching and two kids who are engineering majors, we’ve been to a lot of engineering schools and looked at a lot of curriculums pretty closely. I know there can be differences in how much and when hands-on projects appear in the curriculum between colleges, and that can also vary depending on the major - ChE might delay their lab-based courses somewhat while ME gets kids building self-driving mini cars in their 1st or 2nd semesters, for instance. Every tour we’ve been on touts their various makerspaces, 3-D printing labs, 1st year design class, senior design project (and sometimes junior design project). No school that we’ve ever seen has failed to build design and projects into the curriculum in a significant way - and that ranges from the large publics to the smaller privates to some Ivies.
Okay, you said what I wanted to say much more succinctly!
Perhaps when you visit schools, you want to check out their maker spaces or similar area - where kids gather to tinker, creat, collaborate and do more - so outside the classroom things.
And always talk to kids when on campus. They’re the most knowledgeable of the environments, regardless of what the school itself says.
I’m VERY interested in this thread - thanks for asking! Of the schools we’ve toured, we really liked Auburn and Duke - both of which focus their learning in engineering from day 1, hands on, group and project learning. NC State straight up said you don’t get to start engineering until you’ve met all gen ed requirements. Ga Tech I got the impression is more theoretical, at least in the early curriculum, but there are so many clubs and internship opportunities to get hands-on learning. and yes, everyone has maker spaces and printing areas, but some reserve for only kids in class while others seem to have open access if your kid just likes to tinker a bit.
Engineering is more project based than other STEM majors such as physic, biology and chemistry anyway.
It all depends on what engineering major too. For some major such as Aerospace Engineering, large facility is required for doing project. Therefore, less than 100 colleges are ABET accredited for Aerospace Engineering. And most of them are big public flagships. Out of 9 UCs, only 5 biggest campuses offer it as a major. Therefore, if you are learning Aerospace Eng in a small private such as Harvey Mudd, Cal Tech, they tend to be more theorical.
Finally, there are opportunities doing projects outside classroom such as joining Formula SAE team, S24 is busy working on team’s racing car most weekends and he plan to travel with the team for racing in Michigan in the summer. Good Luck
Michigan Tech another great “hands on” engineering school.
So someone’s said large schools with larger classes. Not always. Michigan engineering depending on the specialty once you get past freshman year and even with freshman year there are like 30 student’s in the sections. 15:1 professor /student ratio. All engineering professor knew my sons first name. (maybe he was a trouble maker? 
)…
There was also plenty of hands on with both co-ops and internships but just seems internships prevail more. No right or wrong ways to approach this but just somethings that separate the programs out from each other. Even with Abet approaches to teaching can be different. Opportunities on campus and with industry can be very different. Etc