UCLA vs Tufts for Engineering

[drax12]

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@monydad

But not every student wants to do a “capstone” type project,.and this effort crowds out more courses that they would actually prefer to take instead. It might prevent someone from completing all the course the requirements for a double major, for example. Few schools have a mandatory project of this kind. At most of the schools I’m personally familiar with, there is an option to do independent research that a student who wants same may elect.Those not inclined, don’t. In most of those cases, only a minority of the students elect to do this. They’d rather take more courses.

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<p>I think it would be good for those in more academically based majors to do the Capstone. I read a story last night of a couple of students – I believe in history – who wanted something more professionally minded so they huddled with a mgmt prof, and did marketing research.</p>

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The same can be said for engineering. When I was in school, eons ago, we were told engineering companies were concerned that engineers were coming out without enough specific advanced subject knowledge, and there was a movement to actually make the undergrad degree a five year program. With the fifth year consisting of what most Master of engineering programs consist of : yet more advanced courses, plus a 5th year design project. This Capstone project in 4th year has value, but it obviously crowds out advanced courses that, back then at least, employers actually wanted students to have under their belt.

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<p>I would agree…</p>

<p>However, I’m not sure if it is mandatory for E majors. Most of the people I know from the U are social science majors, which is why I poked some fun at them in this or another thread, stating that UCLA should require capstones of all ss majors (heck, but I am an independent observer, here, lol.)</p>

<p>I’ll ask around to see what % do capstones in E, if they are optional. But all UCLA E majors generally push U-enforced unit caps, and for EE, they even go over them because they have so many APs. And UCLA’s E majors on the average tend to stay longer also, despite possibly being eligible to graduate in 4 years.</p>