Program Overview

Program of Study for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Engineering

The B.S.E. program at Princeton is intended to educate future leaders in many different areas — including engineering practice and research, business and finance, public service, and other professions — through the teaching of fundamental engineering principles and techniques with their applications to modern problems in a global societal context. To this end, B.S.E. students are challenged to conceptualize and solve technical problems, work together in teams, express themselves clearly and convincingly, evaluate evidence critically, and appreciate the ethical, social, economic, and cultural environments in which they will live and work.

Course Requirements

B.S.E. students enroll in four courses for the first term of the first year and in four or five courses in each succeeding term, following a sequence appropriate to their individual programs. The school requirement for the B.S.E. degree is at least 36 courses in the four years of study. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors must complete at least four courses each term, with a minimum of 17 courses by the start of junior year and 26 courses by the start of senior year. All B.S.E. students must successfully complete the established course minimum and departmental independent work in eight terms of study.

Background Requirements

A student must obtain a background in mathematics, physics, and chemistry by successfully completing the following courses or their equivalents.

Mathematics (four semesters)

• MAT 103: Calculus I
• MAT 104: Calculus II, or equivalent
• MAT 201: Multivariable Calculus, MAT 203: Advanced Multivariable Calculus, or MAT: 216 Multivariable Analysis and Linear Algebra I, or equivalent
• MAT 202: Linear Algebra with Applications, MAT 204: Advanced Linear Algebra with Applications, or MAT 217: Honors Linear Algebra, or equivalent

Physics (two semesters)

• PHY 103: General Physics I or PHY 105: Advanced Physics (Mechanics)
• PHY 104: General Physics II or PHY 106: Advanced Physics Electromagnetism, or equivalent

Chemistry (one semester)

• CHM 207: General Chemistry: Applications in Modern Technology, or CHM 201: General Chemistry I, or equivalent

Computer Proficiency

Computer proficiency is a requirement for the B.S.E. degree fulfilled by taking COS 126: General Computer Science or ECE 115: Introduction to Computing: Programming Autonomous Vehicles. Students with adequate preparation as determined by the Department of Computer Science may substitute COS 217: Introduction to Programming Systems or COS 226: Algorithms and Data Structures. This requirement must be satisfied before the beginning of the junior year.

Humanities and Social Sciences

A coherent program of courses in the humanities and social sciences, combining breadth and depth, is an essential part of every B.S.E. student's program of study. B.S.E. students must complete a minimum of seven courses in the humanities and social sciences. They are required to take one course in four of the following seven areas:

• epistemology and cognition
• ethical thought and moral values
• language course (at the 107/108 level or above)
• historical analysis
• literature and the arts
• culture and difference
• social analysis

Writing Requirement

The ability to write English clearly and precisely is a University requirement that must be satisfied by completing a writing seminar in the first year. The writing seminar does not count as one of the seven humanities and social science courses.