Program Overview

Applied Sciences, B.S.

The Applied Sciences program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a unique collaboration between the Department of Applied Physical Sciences (APS) in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (ESE) in the Gillings School of Global Public Health. This program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in engineering, science, and mathematics, as well as the creative, critical thinking, and analytical skills necessary to address complex challenges.

Overview

As a Carolina engineering student, you will build the fundamentals to become a modern problem solver. The program offers a chance to explore and work with the latest future-focused solutions, materials, and technologies while building the fundamentals needed to design possibilities not yet imagined. The program's liberal arts environment allows students to gain more than excellent technical skills, including creative, critical thinking, and analytical skills.

Admissions

Students may declare the Applied Sciences major as early as their first year. However, students who wish to complete the Applied Sciences major must apply for admission to the program. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the program. The admissions committee will review biographical information, an essay, academic records, and course data from required departmental courses.

• There are admissions deadlines each December and May.
• Students should apply by the Fall semester of their sophomore year at the latest.

Prerequisite Courses

To apply for admission, students must complete the following prerequisite or corequisite math and science courses:

• CHEM 101: General Descriptive Chemistry I
• CHEM 101L: Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory I
• MATH 231: Calculus of Functions of One Variable I
• PHYS 118: Introductory Calculus-based Mechanics and Relativity
• ENGL 105: English Composition and Rhetoric

Advising

First-year students receive advising through the UNC Advising Office. Once admitted to the program, students will be assigned to an academic advisor who is a faculty member in the Department of Applied Physical Sciences.

Student Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the Applied Sciences (B.S.) program, students should be able to:

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. 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.
3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. 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.
5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Requirements

In addition to the program requirements, students must:

• Earn a minimum final cumulative GPA of 2.000
• Complete a minimum of 45 academic credit hours earned from UNC–Chapel Hill courses
• Take at least half of their major core requirements (courses and credit hours) at UNC–Chapel Hill
• Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 in the major core requirements

Course Requirements

The program requires the following core courses:

• APPL 101: Exploring Engineering
• APPL 110: Design and Making for Engineers: Developing Your Personal Design Potential
• COMP 110: Introduction to Programming
• APPL 240: Electronics from Sensors to Indicators: Circuits that Interact with the Physical World
• APPL 260: Materials Science and Engineering: Living in a Material World
• APPL 285: Engineering Fundamentals of Force, Motion, and Energy
• APPL 385: Thermodynamics for Engineers

Students must also select one of the following tracks:

• Environmental Engineering Track (16 credits)
• Materials Engineering Track (15 credits)

Sample Plan of Study

A sample plan of study is provided to guide students in completing the major and other requirements needed for degree completion within the expected eight semesters. The actual degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected.

Department Programs

The Department of Applied Physical Sciences offers the following programs:

• Minor: Applied Sciences Major, B.S.
• Minor: Applied Sciences and Engineering Minor
• Graduate Programs: Ph.D. in Materials Science

Courses

The department offers courses in Applied Sciences (APPL) and Material Science (MTSC). For additional course information and to view sample syllabi, see the department website.

Department of Applied Physical Sciences

The department is located in Murray Hall, CB# 3050. The chair is Theo Dingemans, and the director of undergraduate studies is Rich Goldberg. The director of graduate studies is Rene Lopez.