Students may choose from over 150 major programs in a wide variety of disciplines offered by the three undergraduate colleges. Minor programs, more than 60 in all, are offered by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the College of Letters and Science.
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 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 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; and developing systems to protect and preserve our natural resources and environment.
Food Engineering majors learn to apply biological and engineering principles to the food industry. Specific objectives include the development of equipment and processes for the handling, storing, processing, packaging, and distributing of food products.
Majors:
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 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:
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:
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:
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 either computer software or computer 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:
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 complex machines, energy conversion systems, and equipment for guidance control. Specific objectives include provision of intelligent manufacturing systems, biomechanical systems, power generation systems, propulsion for transportation, integration of vehicles and automated highways, and biomedical equipment.
Majors:
View undergraduate programs offered by the other UC Davis Colleges
UC Davis 1999-2000 Online General Catalog. Posted July 30, 1999.
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Molly Theodossy, Keitha Hunter and Barbara Anderson, Editors
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