1999-2000 Undergraduate Catalog College of Engineering - General Information

INTERIM DEAN * Jay B. Jordan

INTERIM ASSOCIATE DEAN/Academic Programs * William C. McCarthy*

ASSOCIATE DEAN/Director of WERC and Special Projects * Ron K. Bhada

ASSOCIATE DEAN/Director of Engineering Research Center * Larryl Matthews

ASSISTANT DEAN * Joe L. Creed

Assistant to the Dean/Engineering Student Services * Sigi Walker

*Registered Professional Engineer (NM)

Bachelor of Science - Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Geological Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Technology, Surveying, Surveying Engineering

Engineering College Goals

The College of Engineering is a professional school at New Mexico State University and has as its primary aims:

1. To make students aware of engineering as a profession and of the ethical responsibilities of professional engineers.
2. To provide fundamental and applied education in engineering science and design, based upon the foundation of mathematics and the physical sciences.
3. To offer four-year accredited programs in engineering and in engineering technology, and a four-year accredited program in surveying that prepare graduates to perform successfully in an appropriate sector of the economy.
4. To provide specialization in specific fields of engineering, engineering technology, and surveying, so that the student may be prepared to take a productive place in society.
5. To develop in students an enthusiasm for a lifetime of learning.

Graduate Degrees

Graduate study is available in the College of Engineering. For a listing of advanced degrees, see "Graduate Programs" in the General Information chapter of this catalog, and for additional details, see the Graduate Catalog.

Student Advisement

All new students coming into the college who meet the prerequisites for the stated courses in their desired curriculum may declare a major in, and be advised by, that department. Those students who do not meet the prerequisites, and all transfer students, will be in the general college where advising will be done by specialists from the various departments, under the direction of the dean's office. Students in the general college may apply to the department of their choice during the first or subsequent semester, and if granted admission, will become a major in that department; otherwise they must remain in the general college, but in no case may a full time student be in the general college for more than four semesters. If, in that length of time, they have not completed all of the criteria for admission to a department, they must transfer to another college.

Students who desire a broader liberal education than is provided in the four-year program are encouraged to arrange with their advisers for special programs of longer duration. Students wanting to obtain strengths in other areas of academic specialization and yet remain in engineering are encouraged to do so. Specific department heads offer advisement for such dual programs.

Basic Programs

The first year of all seven Bachelor of Science degree programs in engineering are quite similar. Listing of specific courses can be found under each of the degree requirements or curricula.

Humanities and Social Sciences

As the role of the engineering graduate requires, to an ever increasing extent, a knowledge and awareness of the interaction of engineering policy and design decisions with the whole of society, an integrated group of courses in the humanities and social sciences is required of each graduate. A listing of specific courses which may be used to satisfy the humanities and social sciences requirements is available in each department. At least 18 credits of humanities and social sciences are required for the bachelor's degrees. It is expected that the courses will be selected in such a manner as to provide a coherent body of study in one or more areas and to satisfy the general education requirements of the university. Qualified students may take humanities and social science courses under the S/U option.

Minors

The College of Engineering offers minors in surveying, security technology, and environmental management. The surveying minor is administered by the Department of Surveying, the security technology minor is administered through the Department of Criminal Justice and Engineering Technology, and the environmental management minor is administered by the Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium, located in Research Park, Academic Bldg. C. Students majoring in engineering may also earn minors in other colleges.

ROTC

ROTC students planning to take the advanced military courses leading to a commission as second lieutenant in the Army or the Air Force should discuss their programs with their advisers before the end of the sophomore year. The large number of required engineering courses in the junior and senior engineering programs generally make some extension necessary if ROTC is to be included. Usually attendance in college during the summer between the sophomore and junior year will allow sufficient additional time.

Co-op Education

The College of Engineering cooperative education program has been accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. After two semesters of satisfactory academic work (2.5 GPA), an engineering student may go on a work phase with one of the many companies or governmental agencies with which the university has co-op agreements. The experience obtained through alternating periods of academic and field work greatly contributes to the preparation of a student for professional life. Work phases are considered to be a vital part of the educational process, and students are counseled in the selection of co-op positions that will lead to progressive learning experiences. Earnings while on work phase provide a source of financial assistance to meet educational expenses.

A significant number of undergraduate students in engineering are in the cooperative education program. Students may enroll for 1 credit while participating in a work phase having a duration of at least 15 weeks. A total of 4 credits may be earned in this manner with the approval of the cognizant department head. Internship courses, ENGR 291, 292, 391, and 392, designed for co-op students are listed in the "Course Descriptions" chapter of this catalog.

General Requirements

1. Engineering majors are expected to be enrolled in MATH 192 and have a 2.0 or better cumulative grade-point average before enrolling in sophomore-level engineering courses. Additionally, the Basic Skill requirement in English must be satisfied before enrolling in courses numbered 300 or above.
2. In order to assure continuing competency, students in the College of Engineering must have completed, with a C or better grade, the published prerequisites for any required engineering, technology, math, or science course before being allowed to enroll in that course.
3. Any student in the College of Engineering earning a grade of D or F in a required lower-division engineering, technology, math, or science course must repeat the course the next time the student enrolls and the course is offered.

NOTE: The curricula in this catalog are subject to change if the requirements of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology should change.

Requirements for Graduation

The minimum requirements for undergraduate degrees are

1. Satisfaction of the course requirements for the various degrees as shown by the department in which the degree is offered.
2. Completion of at least 130 credits for the Bachelor of Science degree in engineering.
3. Satisfaction of all other requirements for graduation as discussed in the "Regulations" section of this catalog.

In order to maintain currency in the curriculum and satisfy changes in accreditation criteria, specific requirements for a given degree may be changed after publication of the Undergraduate Catalog. Any such changes will be announced and publicized.

Accreditation

A national accrediting organization, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), established in 1933 and composed of representatives from technical societies, assures professional standards by periodic evaluations of the programs of the college. Continuous accreditation of the various programs by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology has been in force since 1938 for the curricula of civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering, since 1960 for agricultural engineering, 1967 for chemical engineering, 1971 for industrial engineering, 1985 for geological engineering, 1991 for the cooperative education program, and 1994 for the M.S. in environmental engineering. The Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET has accredited the civil, electronic, and mechanical programs in engineering technology since 1974. The Related Accreditation Commission of ABET has accredited the four-year program in surveying since 1992.

The college is a member of the American Society for Engineering Education.