2020-2021 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering Major
- Emphasis Areas
- Data Science Emphasis
- Design and Innovation Emphasis
- Engineering Management Emphasis
- Environmental Engineering Emphasis
- Interdisciplinary Emphasis
- Mechatronics Engineering Emphasis
- Renewable Energy Engineering Emphasis
- Suggested Order of Coursework for the Interdisciplinary Engineering Major
The interdisciplinary engineering program allows the student to focus his/her studies in a disciplinary area that may transcend traditional disciplines. The interdisciplinary engineering areas often encompass emerging technologies. Plans of study for such students often include coursework outside of engineering.
The interdisciplinary program maintains the educational philosophy of all B.S.E. degree programs at Grand Valley to provide the student with a broad engineering background first and then an area of specialization later in the program. This provides students with the diversity of preparation to work in the interdisciplinary environment that is prevalent today.
Integral to all four years of the program is a "design and build" educational philosophy incorporated through extensive laboratory and project activities as preparation for professional practice. Students engage in design at all levels of the curriculum. At each level, they must realize their designs and proceed with testing, validation, and redesign. This approach allows students to experience many real-world constraints such as project economics, project planning and scheduling, environmental considerations, manufacturability/producibility of the designs, laboratory and product safety, and product reliability.
The interdisciplinary program provides the student with the broad foundation common to all of the engineering programs at Grand Valley, followed in the junior and senior years by required courses that provide preparation in each of the following areas:
- Energy
- Engineering design
- Systems and control
This core is then complemented by an interdisciplinary engineering emphasis consisting of 29 minimum credits of elective courses. The proposed electives must ensure that the entire program includes:
- 32 credits of engineering science content
- 16 credits of engineering design content
Ensure that the elective courses include not less than 14 credits in STEM subjects, of which 11 must be upper-division engineering credits.
Together, the student and the interdisciplinary engineering chair develop a cohesive plan of study meeting the requirements of the interdisciplinary engineering program. If the plan includes coursework to be taken from outside the School of Engineering, then the chair of the appropriate unit is consulted. The plan must be approved by the Interdisciplinary Engineering Curriculum Committee.
Accreditation
The interdisciplinary engineering major is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET at www.abet.org.
Program Educational Objectives
Graduates of the interdisciplinary engineering program are expected within a few years of graduation to
- demonstrate technical competency in their careers;
- function effectively in an industrial or academic environment;
- engage in professional development; and
- shape their professions and societies.
Student Outcomes and Assessment
Graduates will demonstrate an ability to
- identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics;
- apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors;
- communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
- recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts;
- function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives;
- develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions; and
- acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Degree Requirements
Interdisciplinary engineering students must complete all requirements for the B.S.E. degree including the general education and basic skills requirements, the foundations of engineering courses, an interdisciplinary emphasis, cooperative education, the engineering design Capstone and the following engineering courses:
Required Courses
- EGR 314 - Circuit Analysis II (4 credits) OR EGR 360 - Thermodynamics (4 credits) OR EGR 362 - Thermal and Fluid Systems (4 credits)
- EGR 326 - Embedded System Design (4 credits) OR EGR 345 - Dynamic System Modeling and Control (4 credits) OR EGR 346 - Mechatronic Systems Dynamics and Control (4 credits)
Emphasis Areas
Must complete a minimum of 29 credits.
Data Science Emphasis
Students choosing this emphasis will take EGR 250 and EGR 309 in their foundations and EGR 345 and EGR 362 as their interdisciplinary engineering required courses.
- CIS 161 - Computational Science (3 credits) OR CIS 162 - Computer Science I (4 credits)
- CIS 335 - Data Mining (3 credits)
- CIS 360 - Information Management and Science (3 credits)
- EGR 367 - Manufacturing Processes (4 credits)
- EGR 440 - Introduction to Production (3 credits)
- EGR 441 - Engineering Economics, Quality Control, and Manufacturing Operations (4 credits)
- STA 216 - Intermediate Applied Statistics (3 credits)
- STA 314 - Statistical Quality Methods (3 credits) OR EGR 641 - Applied Optimization (3 credits) OR EGR 642 - Materials Handling and Flow Control (3 credits)
- STA 321 - Applied Regression Analysis (3 credits) OR EGR 435 - Mathematical Modeling of Physiologic Systems (3 credits)
- STA 426 - Multivariate Data Analysis (3 credits)
Design and Innovation Emphasis
Delivered in cooperation with Cornerstone University. Courses taken at Cornerstone University are indicated (Cornerstone) as follows. Students choosing this track will take EGR 250 and EGR 309 in their foundations and EGR 362 and EGR 345 as their interdisciplinary engineering required courses.
- EGR 301 - Analytical Tools for Product Design (4 credits)
- EGR 367 - Manufacturing Processes (4 credits)
- INT 310 - Creativity and Innovative Problem-Solving (3 credits)
- INT 323 - Design Thinking to Meet Real-World Needs (3 credits)
- IDS 101 (Cornerstone) Creativity, Innovation, and Problem Solving (2 credits)
- IDS 312 (Cornerstone) Science of Human Innovation (3 credits)
- IDS 313 (Cornerstone) Design Thinking and Innovation II (3 credits)
- IDS 413 (Cornerstone) Design Thinking III (3 credits)
- MDA 112 (Cornerstone) Design Drawing I (3 credits)
- Interdisciplinary engineering elective (3 or 4 credits) Must be an upper-division engineering course.
Engineering Management Emphasis
Students choosing the engineering management emphasis will take EGR 250 and EGR 309 in their foundations and EGR 345 and EGR 362 as their interdisciplinary required courses.
- ACC 212 - Principles of Financial Accounting (3 credits)
- ACC 213 - Principles of Managerial Accounting (3 credits)
- BUS 201 - Legal Environment for Business (3 credits)
- EGR 367 - Manufacturing Processes (4 credits)
- EGR 440 - Introduction to Production (3 credits)
- EGR 441 - Engineering Economics, Quality Control, and Manufacturing Operations (4 credits)
- FIN 320 - Managerial Finance (3 credits)
- MGT 331 - Managing People and Organizations (3 credits)
- MKT 350 - Marketing Management (3 credits)
Environmental Engineering Emphasis
Delivered in cooperation with Cornerstone University. Courses taken at Cornerstone University are indicated (Cornerstone) as follows. Students choosing this track will take EGR 250 and EGR 309 in their Foundations and EGR 360 and EGR 346 as their interdisciplinary engineering required courses.
- BIO 105 - Environmental Science (3 credits)
- BIO 120 - General Biology I (4 credits)
- BIO 215 - Ecology (4 credits)
- CHM 230 - Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry (4 credits)
- EGR 365 - Fluid Mechanics (4 credits)
- EGR 437 - Environmental Engineering (Cornerstone) (4 credits)
- EGR 463 - Alternative Energy Systems and Applications (4 credits)
- GEO 360 - Earth Resources in Transition: Conventional to Sustainable (3 credits)
Interdisciplinary Emphasis
The student and the interdisciplinary engineering chair will jointly develop a cohesive plan of electives that addresses the intent of the field of interest. This plan must
- be cohesive and have demonstrable employment opportunities;
- contain a minimum of 29 credit hours of courses;
- be approved by the Interdisciplinary Engineering Curriculum Committee;
- ensure that the program includes not less than 16 credits of engineering design;
- ensure that the program includes not less than 32 credits of engineering science; and
- ensure that the elective courses include not less than 14 credits in STEM subjects, of which 11 must be upper-division engineering credits.
Mechatronics Engineering Emphasis
All mechatronics engineering emphasis students are required to complete the following courses:
- EGR 312 - Dynamics (3 credits)
- EGR 315 - Electronic Circuits I (4 credits)
- EGR 445 - Robotic Systems Engineering (4 credits)
- EGR 455 - Automatic Control (4 credits)
AND one of the following tracks:
- mechanical or sensors and controls
Mechanical Track
Students choosing this track will take EGR 250 and EGR 309 in their foundations and EGR 314 and EGR 346 as their interdisciplinary engineering required courses.
- EGR 224 - Introduction to Digital System Design (3 credits) OR EGR 436 - Embedded Systems Interface (4 credits) OR EGR 424 - Design of Microcontroller Applications (4 credits) OR EGR 350 - Vibration (4 credits)
- EGR 352 - Kinematics and Dynamics of Machinery (4 credits)
- EGR 409 - Machine Design II (4 credits)
- EGR 450 - Manufacturing Control Systems (4 credits)
Sensors and Controls Track
Students choosing this track will take EGR 250 and EGR 223 in their foundations and EGR 314 and EGR 326 as their interdisciplinary engineering required courses.
- EGR 224 - Introduction to Digital System Design (3 credits)
- EGR 309 - Machine Design I (4 credits)
- EGR 409 - Machine Design II (4 credits) OR EGR 450 - Manufacturing Control Systems (4 credits) OR EGR 352 - Kinematics and Dynamics of Machinery (4 credits) OR EGR 424 - Design of Microcontroller Applications (4 credits)
- EGR 436 - Embedded Systems Interface (4 credits)
Renewable Energy Engineering Emphasis
Foundation and required course selections for this emphasis should be made in cooperation with the IE chairperson as the plan of study is developed and approved.
- BIO 105 - Environmental Science (3 credits)
- EGR 406 - Renewable Energy Systems: Structure, Policy, and Analysis (3 credits)
- EGR 413 - Materials for Energy Storage (3 credits)
- EGR 463 - Alternative Energy Systems and Applications (4 credits)
- GEO 360 - Earth Resources in Transition: Conventional to Sustainable (3 credits)
AND four electives from the following:
- EGR 314 - Circuit Analysis II (4 credits)
- EGR 315 - Electronic Circuits I (4 credits)
- EGR 326 - Embedded System Design (4 credits)
- EGR 345 - Dynamic System Modeling and Control (4 credits) OR EGR 346 - Mechatronic Systems Dynamics and Control (4 credits) Only if not taken to fulfill required courses; no double dipping allowed.
- EGR 352 - Kinematics and Dynamics of Machinery (4 credits)
- EGR 405 - Materials Failure Analysis and Selection (3 credits)
- EGR 430 - Electromechanics (4 credits)
- EGR 435 - Mathematical Modeling of Physiologic Systems (3 credits)
- EGR 450 - Manufacturing Control Systems (4 credits)
- EGR 455 - Automatic Control (4 credits)
- EGR 465 - Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) (4 credits)
Suggested Order of Coursework for the Interdisciplinary Engineering Major
Junior and Senior Years
First Co-op Semester
Spring/Summer:
- General education Global Perspectives OR EGR 312 - Dynamics (3 credits)
- EGR 290 - Engineering Co-op 1 (3 credits)
Fifth Academic Semester
Fall:
- Interdisciplinary engineering elective
- ECO 210 - Introductory Macroeconomics (3 credits) OR ECO 211 - Introductory Microeconomics (3 credits)
- EGR 326 - Embedded System Design (4 credits) OR EGR 345 - Dynamic System Modeling and Control (4 credits) OR EGR 346 - Mechatronic Systems Dynamics and Control (4 credits)
- EGR 314 - Circuit Analysis II (4 credits) OR EGR 360 - Thermodynamics (4 credits) OR Interdisciplinary elective
- SOC 105 - Social Problems (3 credits)
- General education Social Sciences
Second Co-op Semester
Winter:
- General education Issues
- EGR 390 - Engineering Co-op 2 (3 credits)
Sixth Academic Semester
Spring/Summer:
- General education Arts
- Interdisciplinary engineering elective
- Interdisciplinary engineering elective
- Interdisciplinary engineering elective OR EGR 362 - Thermal and Fluid Systems (4 credits)
Third Co-op Semester
Fall:
- General education Issues
- EGR 490 - Engineering Co-op 3 (3 credits)
Seventh Academic Semester
Winter:
- Interdisciplinary engineering elective
- Interdisciplinary engineering elective
- Interdisciplinary engineering elective
- EGR 485 - Senior Engineering Project I (Capstone) (1 credit)
The prerequisites for EGR 485 are acceptance into the B.S.E. degree program and completion of the prerequisite courses listed under the student's engineering major.
For the interdisciplinary engineering major, these prerequisites are the interdisciplinary engineering required courses plus a minimum of nine credits of the student's interdisciplinary engineering electives. Students must also have a plan to graduate no later than the fall semester following their enrollment in EGR 485 with a maximum of one interdisciplinary elective being taken in the terminal semester. Interdisciplinary engineering students may register in EGR 485 by permit only to allow consultation with the interdisciplinary engineering chairperson to ensure they meet these prerequisites.
Eighth Academic Semester
Spring/Summer:
- Interdisciplinary engineering elective
- Interdisciplinary engineering elective
- General education Historical Perspectives
- BIO 105 - Environmental Science (3 credits) Life Sciences
- EGR 486 - Senior Engineering Project II (Capstone) (2 credits)