Undergraduate Advising Office
1050 Engineering II
530-752-0553; http://www.engr.ucdavis.edu
Engineering is the profession in which the physical and biological sciences are applied in a practical way for the benefit of society. As an engineering student, you will learn to observe and describe technological problems and to seek useful solutions to them. Your skills upon graduation will be useful to you not only as an engineer, but also as a professional in management, sales, operations, manufacturing, and other fields.
Fifteen undergraduate engineering curricula, including five formal double-major programs, are offered. Each of these is a four-year program leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science. Ten programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the nationally recognized accrediting body for engineering curricula: Aeronautical Science and Engineering, Biological Systems Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering/Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.
The four-year undergraduate program is divided into two parts: the Lower Division Program and the Upper Division Program.
Lower Division Programs. If you enter the College of Engineering with fewer than 90 quarter units of credit, follow the lower division program specified for your major. If you enter the College with 90 or more quarter units of credit, you must fulfill the requirements for transfer students outlined in this chapter under "College of Engineering, Unit Requirements."
Upper Division Programs. If you have completed the requirements for the lower division program or have entered the College of Engineering with more than 90 quarter units of credit, you should follow the upper division requirements for the major you have selected from the programs that follow.
Minor Programs: The College of Engineering does not offer minor programs.
The Department of Applied Science offers a major in Optical Science and Engineering. The objective of the Optical Science and Engineering program is to provide a basic education in the fundamental principles of optics combined with key courses in physics, mathematics, and the engineering applications of optics. There is a rapidly growing national demand for engineers educated in optical science and engineering. Much of the high-technology infrastructure is based upon optics and its applications, the most prominent being optical digital information transmission. In addition, engineers trained in optical science and engineering are in strong demand in health care and life science, optical sensing for environmental and weather applications, energy-use reduction, commercial camera and space-program optical applications, and national defense applications.
The Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineeing offers two majors. Biological Systems Engineering majors learn to combine the science and art of engineering with the science of biology to design systems that influence, control, or use biological materials and organisms for improving the quality of life. Specific objectives include designing systems to process biological materials into consumer products; designing machines to interact with biological systems in disciplines ranging from agriculture to medicine; managing, recycling, and using wastes; developing systems to protect and preserve our natural resources and environment; developing and improving processing systems for food; designing equipment and systems that improve nutrition and diets; and minimizing waste discharge to the environment.
Food engineering majors use engineering science principles in conjunction with biological, chemical, and physical sciences to produce, process, package, store, and distribute food efficiently. The Food Engineering major is not open to new students.
Majors:
Biological Systems Engineering, B.S.
Food Engineering, B.S.
The Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science offers four majors, including two approved double majors.
Chemical Engineering majors learn to apply chemical and engineering principles to create useful products ranging from antibiotics to zirconium, from petroleum to plutonium, from agricultural chemicals to plastics. Specific objectives include the design of industrial processes as diverse as integrated circuit materials production, integrated waste management, and petroleum refining.
Chemical/Biochemical Engineering majors combine chemical engineering studies with studies in the life sciences and bioprocess engineering. Bioprocess engineering is the application of engineering principles to develop, optimize, and commercialize manufacturing processes. Specific objectives include pharmaceuticals production, environmental repair, industrial chemical production, and food production.
Materials Science and Engineering majors learn to understand the relationships among microscopic structure, properties, and behavior of materials in order to produce new and improved materials with capabilities far superior to common metals, alloys, and ceramics. Specific objectives include the development of materials for high-speed transportation systems, surgical and dental implants, new generations of power plants, and solid-state electronic devices in computer and optical communications technology.
Majors:
Chemical Engineering, B.S.
Chemical Engineering/Materials Science and Engineering, B.S.
Chemical/Biochemical Engineering, B.S.
Materials Science and Engineering, B.S.
Civil Engineering majors learn to apply the principles of the physical and biological sciences and engineering to plan and design systems to improve the quality of life. Specific objectives include providing potable water and freedom from disease-carrying wastes; protecting the natural environment; mitigating the effects of earthquakes and other natural disasters; designing land-, water-, and air-transportation systems; and building roads and structures.
Majors:
Civil Engineering, B.S.
Civil Engineering/Materials Science and Engineering, B.S.
The field of computer science and engineering encompasses the organization, design, analysis, theory, programming, and application of digital computers and computing systems. The curriculum develops versatile engineers with backgrounds spanning a broad computer/software spectrum. The Computer Science and Engineering major provides a solid background in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and electronic circuits and systems--all supporting the computer hardware and software courses that form the focus of the curriculum. A key theme is the hardware/software interaction in computer system design; this theme is reflected in the balance between hardware and software course requirements and in the orientation of the courses themselves. The major requires more humanities and social science electives than other college majors, in order to produce the verbal skills and intellectual breadth demanded by today's employers.
Major:
Computer Science and Engineering, B.S.
Electrical Engineering majors learn to apply the principles of the physical sciences and engineering to the design, analysis, development, production, and evaluation of electronic systems. Specific objectives include the provision of systems for communications, control, signal processing, integrated circuit fabrication, optoelectronics, consumer electronics, and digital systems.
Computer Engineering majors study the design, development, analysis, organization, theory, programming, and application of digital computers. Specific objectives include developing the student's ability to design both software and hardware. In comparison to the Computer Science and Engineering major, the Computer Engineering major provides greater emphasis on hardware in the key hardware/software interaction in computer system design.
Majors:
Computer Engineering, B.S.
Electrical Engineering, B.S.
Electrical Engineering/Materials Science and Engineering, B.S.
Aeronautical Science and Engineering majors learn to apply the principles of the physical sciences and engineering to vehicles whose motion is determined by aerodynamic forces. Specific objectives include the design, development, and manufacture of aircraft and other transportation systems integrating the disciplines associated with aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, and guidance/control.
Mechanical Engineering majors learn to apply physical and mechanical principles to the design and manufacture of machines and products, energy conversion systems, and equipment for guidance and control. Specific objectives include the provision of products and processes for intelligent manufacturing systems, biomechanical and sports equipment, power generation systems, propulsion for transportation, integration of vehicles and automated highways, and applications of computer and automation technologies.
Majors:
Aeronautical Science and Engineering, B.S.
Mechanical Engineering, B.S.
Mechanical Engineering/Materials Science and Engineering, B.S.
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