ChooseWhy Choose This Program?

Why Study Engineering Science at Goucher?


Our Engineering Science Program will prepare today’s students for a future in technological innovation by grounding them in the most critical skills—problem-solving, quantitative analysis, and programming—needed in a range of careers and technologies. Students also develop an interdisciplinary perspective on society and culture through Goucher’s liberal arts education. Our faculty are active researchers and experienced mentors, with a dedication to student success. 

LearnWhat Will You Learn?

What Will You Learn?


Our goal with engineering science studies is for students to be able to identify and develop practical solutions to particular technological needs. The program will provide a foundation of core concepts in the physical sciences and mathematics, with advanced specialization in one discipline. Students will also understand the societal context and impacts of science and technology, and learn to navigate diverse perspectives and cultural communities while collaborating to solve problems. Graduates of the engineering science major will be prepared for careers across the engineering, scientific, and technology sectors, as well as for the pursuit of master’s degrees in engineering. 

DoWhat Will You Do?

What Will You Do?


The student pathway through the Engineering Science Program has been completely reimagined. In comparison to a traditional science or engineering degree, Goucher has made it possible for students to enter the program at varying levels of preparation. By taking an innovative and streamlined approach to the content organization of the program, we concentrate on building skills that are common to a range of technical career paths while providing a firm grounding in the core principles of physics, chemistry, math, and computer science. Our nontraditional course pathway emphasizes skill-building and is designed to empower students from diverse backgrounds to succeed.

Faculty

Program Contact

Rodney Yoder, Department Chair, Associate Professor of Physics: accelerator and beam physics

Full-Time & Half-Time Faculty

Sasha Dukan, Professor of Physics: theoretical condensed matter physics

Nina Markovic, Associate Professor of Physics: quantum transport

Affiliate Faculty

George Greco, Professor of Chemistry

Kevin Schultz, Associate Professor of Chemistry

Ruquia Ahmed-Schofield, Associate Professor of Chemistry

Germán Mora, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies

Thomas Kelliher, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science

Jill Zimmerman, Professor of Computer Science

Tom Narock, Assistant Professor of Data Science

 

Study Abroad

Goucher engineering science students gain a global perspective that enhances their course of study. Students may choose three-week intensive courses led by Goucher faculty or semester programs suited to their academic plans. Visit the Office of Global Education website for more information about these and other programs.

Opportunities & Internships


Research Opportunities


Summer Science Research Program
The Goucher Summer Science Research Program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to work closely with faculty members on research projects. The program is designed for students who have taken relevant course(s) that pertain to faculty research and who want to learn more about the graduate or professional school experience and pursue a research career in science.

Faculty/Student Collaborative Research
Faculty members in engineering science have strong independent research programs. They are committed to involving students in collaborative research on campus, often resulting in student-faculty co-authorship on publications and presentations at professional conferences. In addition to participation in the Summer Science Research Program, students may have the opportunity to conduct independent research with faculty during the year.

Summer Research Experiences Off-Campus
Students can spend one or more summers participating in research projects or internships at major universities, national laboratories, or corporations.

Internships


Internships help students explore possibilities, apply classroom learning, and gain experience. The engineering science faculty members consider well-structured internships to be essential to a student's education. Explore internships and credit options.

Student Employment


Students majoring in Integrative Data Analytics have a transformative and directly relevant job opportunity while at Goucher through the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) Center. QR Center Peer Tutors assist students with Quantitative Reasoning and Data Analytics skills in their coursework, research, and capstone projects through drop-in sessions and individual appointments. The QR Center’s goals are to help students become stronger, more confident real-world problem solvers. Working as a tutor provides you the opportunity to:

  • develop transferable skills for future employment
  • strengthen your own academic skills and learning
  • help your peers become better learners
  • cultivate leadership abilities

For more information, email QRCenter@Goucher.edu.

Major & Career Exploration


Exploring career options, choosing a major, and making career decisions is a multi-step process in which all students are encouraged to engage early and often. Goucher students have a variety of resources available through the Majors and Career page to assist them in this process.

Job Search


A Goucher education prepares students for today’s job market and beyond. Students can explore job opportunities and access job search resources through the CEO Job Search page.

Graduate & Professional School


Students access resources for searching and applying to graduate and professional school through the CEO Graduate and Professional School page, through faculty and staff members, or utilizing their own resources, network and tools.

Johns Hopkins Carey Business School 4+1 BA/MS Program


Goucher College and Johns Hopkins Carey Business School are offering Goucher students a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree program. This 4+1 program combines a bachelor’s degree from Goucher with a master of science degree from Johns Hopkins in business analytics and risk management, information systems, health care management, finance, or marketing. Students can apply during their junior year. GRE or GMAT tests have been waived but applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better and have passed some quantitative reasoning courses with a grade of B or better.

3+2 Dual Degree in Engineering with Columbia University

Goucher offers a dual-degree (“3+2”) engineering program in partnership with Columbia University. This pathway combines the advantages of a holistic liberal-arts education in a small-college environment with the ability to pursue specialized professional training in engineering fields. Typically, students spend three years at Goucher, where they fulfill liberal-arts and major requirements for the B.A. degree, and then transfer to Columbia for an additional two years, in which they complete a B.S. degree in an engineering major. Both the B.A. degree from Goucher College and the B.S. degree from Columbia are awarded at the conclusion of the fifth year, provided all requirements for each degree have been fulfilled. It is also possible to participate in the dual-degree program on a 4+2 basis, i.e., to transfer to Columbia after 4 years at Goucher. 

The Engineering Science major is designed to make it possible for students to complete their Goucher degree while efficiently covering the prerequisite courses needed for transfer to Columbia—most of the major courses are also Columbia requirements.    

Typically, students will apply to transfer to Columbia during the spring of the junior year. There are specific eligibility requirements for an application to Columbia as a dual degree student, including minimum GPA. For full details on requirements and possible engineering majors, see the dual-degree overview page

Coursework and Requirements


During the three years at Goucher, students must take additional prerequisite courses for their intended engineering program at Columbia, in addition to all Goucher degree requirements (an additional 12 to 24 credits beyond those for the Engineering Science major).  Successful completion of these requirements in three years is possible with careful planning. Students considering dual degree transfer must begin working with their engineering advisor in their first semester at Goucher. 

Please note that Columbia requires two additional semesters of calculus beyond the single semester taught at Goucher. These courses will need to be taken at another local institution via the BSEP exchange program or during a summer semester. 

Additional foundational courses for all 3+2 engineering majors transferring to Columbia University are:

  • CS 119 - Foundations of Computer Science (4 Cr.) 
  • EC 111 - Essentials of Economics I (4 Cr.) 
  • EC 211 - Essentials of Economics II (4 Cr.)
  • Two additional semesters of calculus

Additional required courses for each of the engineering fields:

NOTE: some of these courses may be taken as part of one of the tracks within the Engineering Science major.

Applied Physics or Applied Mathematics

  • A course in ordinary differential equations, taken independently or at another institution

Biomedical Engineering

  • CHE 151 - Principles of Chemistry II with Lab (4 Cr.)  
  • BIO 111 - Explorations in Biology I: Life in Context (4 Cr.)
  • BIO 112 - Explorations in Biology II: The Research Process (4 Cr.)  
  • Python programming experience required

Chemical Engineering

  • CHE 151 - Principles of Chemistry II with Lab (4 Cr.) 
  • CHE 230 - Organic Chemistry I with Lab (4 Cr.) 
  • Python programming experience recommended

Civil Engineering

  • ES 200 - Environmental Geology (4 Cr.) 
  • Python programming experience recommended

Computer Engineering

  • CS 330 - Analysis of Computer Algorithms (4 Cr.) 
  • CS 350 - Theory of Computation (4 Cr.) 
  • Java programming experience required
  • An introduction to electrical engineering course must be taken at another institution

Earth & Environmental Engineering

  • CHE 151 - Principles of Chemistry II with Lab (4 Cr.) 

Electrical Engineering

  • C++ or Java programming experience required
  • An introduction to electrical engineering course must be taken at another institution

Industrial Engineering, Engineering Management Systems or Operations Research

  • DMC 240 - Probability and Statistics (4 Cr.) 
  • DMC 301 – Foundations of Data Science (4 Cr.)
  • CS 330 - Analysis of Computer Algorithms (4 Cr.) 
  • CS 350 - Theory of Computation (4 Cr.)

Engineering Mechanics

  • Python programming experience recommended

Materials Science & Engineering

  • CHE 151 - Principles of Chemistry II with Lab (4 Cr.) is recommended
  • Python programming experience recommended

Mechanical Engineering

  • DMC 301 – Foundations of Data Science (4 Cr.)
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