The general engineering program is designed to prepare students for admission into one of seven professional engineering programs available at UW-Platteville. All of the engineering programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. All new freshman engineering students and transfer students who do not immediately qualify for a professional program must begin their UW-Platteville studies in the general engineering department.
Students admitted to the university must also have a score of 22 or higher on their math ACT or a grade of "C" or better in Calculus I (MATH 2640 or its equivalent) to gain admission into general engineering. Students who do not meet this engineering standard will remain in "pre-engineering" until obtaining a "C" or better in Calculus I (MATH 2640).
General engineering students have varied backgrounds; some are better prepared for their college studies than others. The general engineering program offers students an opportunity to correct academic deficiencies and ensures that students enter the professional programs with suitable preparation. The general engineering program also allows students several semesters to finalize their choice of major.
Upon entering the UW-Platteville General Engineering Department, each student will be asked to select a preferred professional program (major). The student's choice at this point is not binding; it will merely provide the college with some information for planning purposes. Students electing to change their program preference may do so at any time by stopping by the General Engineering Office in Room 153 of Ottensman Hall.
In order to gain admission to one of the seven professional programs (civil engineering, electrical engineering, engineering physics, environmental engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering or software engineering), a student must satisfy all requirements of the general engineering program, listed in the following.
Because there are limits to the number of students that each professional program can accommodate, admission to the individual professional programs is somewhat competitive. Twice a year, each degree-granting department establishes a minimum core grade point average required for admission to its program(s) at the end of the semester. Admission to a specific program is based on the program C.G.P.A. requirement in effect during the semester in which the student completes the general engineering requirements. The C.G.P.A. requirement for a given program does not reflect the difficulty of that program. The C.G.P.A. requirement simply indicates the accumulated level of student demand for that program. A student who completes the general engineering core courses and does not achieve the program's minimum C.G.P.A. criterion may be admitted to that program by the department chair if space is available.
Although courses are tailored to the individual student's background and major requirements, a typical first semester freshman schedule would be:
Total Credits: 14-17
Each student must complete the following core courses:
Students who complete their core courses in fall 2011 must earn the following C.G.P.A. to gain entry into their respective professional program:
A student who completes the general engineering core courses and does not achieve the program's minimum C.G.P.A. criterion may be admitted to that program by the department chair if space is available.
Each student must earn a grade of "C" or better in MATH 2640 and MATH 2740.
Each degree-granting department also designates certain courses as professional courses that require a grade of "C" or better. The professional courses for each department are:
Once enrolled in MATH 2640, a student must successfully complete the general engineering program requirements before accumulating 60 additional credits at UW-Platteville. Each repetition of a given course will be counted toward the 60 credit limit. With the exception of the general engineering core courses, credits earned at UW-Platteville prior to admission to general engineering will not be counted toward the 60 credit limit.
Engineering majors who fail to meet the C.G.P.A. of their professional program within the 60 credit limit will be dismissed from engineering. Students who are dismissed from the university are also dismissed from the College of EMS and must appeal to both the university and the College of EMS for reinstatement. A student who has been dismissed may not enroll in any new engineering classes. Students should address appeals for reinstatement to the College of EMS Admissions and Academic Standards Committee.
UW-Platteville's minor in microsystems and nanotechnology is designed to prepare students to contribute to this rapidly developing field. In this minor, students build on their knowledge bases in their chosen disciplines (biology, chemistry, electrical engineering, engineering physics or mechanical engineering). Students are introduced to the basic issues and ideas of microsystems/nanotechnology and to the interdisciplinary body of knowledge that allows scientists and engineers from different backgrounds to collaborate at the micro/nano scale. Students also gain training in experimental techniques for micro/nano scale fabrication and characterization, as well as participate in a research project.
The microsystems/nanotechnology minor consists of 24 credits, with some of these credits overlapping with several existing programs. By careful selection of elective courses within a student's major, the student may complete this minor with only six credits beyond the number required for graduation.