School of Engineering and Computing
A Message from the Dean
Welcome to the School of Engineering and Computing at Fairfield University. We are devoted to serving students as they successfully pursue undergraduate and graduate engineering degrees. The School provides opportunities for students to combine study with experience and professional practice through classroom instruction, industrial internships, and experiential learning offering the prospect for the best in engineering education.
The School of Engineering and Computing strives to maintain the highest level of instructional integrity and remains committed to the Ignatian pedagogical ideals.
We provide a learning environment that produces engineers and computer scientists that will use their talents and skills to promote social justice and pursue technological solutions to the most pressing societal problems. This is a true reflection on our ongoing mission to graduate engineers with a higher purpose.
On our website, you will find detailed listings of the educational objectives of each of the programs offered in the School of Engineering and Computing. The curricula and degree requirements are linked to the objectives through student learning outcomes leading to national accreditation. The engineering curricula include the University’s Magis Core - the hallmark of Fairfield's education - that aims to help transform our students into critical thinkers.
On behalf of the entire School of Engineering and Computing, welcome!
Andres Leonardo Carrano, PhD
Dean, School of Engineering and Computing
School Overview
Vision
To become the most emblematic Jesuit Engineering and Computer Science program in the U.S.
Mission
To provide every student with a rigorous technical education, infused with humanities and liberal arts, anchored on the principles of Ignatian Pedagogy (IPP), and aimed at forming individuals who will lead purposeful lives with a sense of social justice and a strong interior life.
Purpose
To help our students on their path to a better future and towards becoming the best version of themselves, in service to one another and for the greater good.
Mentoring
Entering and continuing students meet with academic advisors to design jointly their schedule of courses. Students review their academic records before course registration each semester with assistance from advisors to keep abreast of their progress. The school provides counseling to students upon request so that their academic goals can be achieved. Department chairs and program directors are actively involved in student advising and mentoring. Practicing engineers are often invited to participate in mentoring of interdisciplinary teams in the final senior design project.
Tutoring
Out-of-classroom assistance, provided by engineering professionals, and peer tutors is available in the school's tutorial center on a daily basis. A schedule of tutorial/mentoring services is distributed to all students in the beginning of each term.
Facilities
The offices of the School of Engineering and Computing, along with classrooms, primary laboratory and computer facilities are located in the Bannow Science Center. The engineering reference and circulating collection is housed in the University's DiMenna-Nyselius Library. The School's laboratories are equipped with modern instrumentation and are improved annually with financial assistance of the university, the alumni and private foundations. In order to provide an environment for experiential learning that is closely integrated with classroom learning, the School of Engineering and Computing laboratories provide the capability for demonstration of phenomena, simulation of processes, measurements, and data management. Finally, a growing number of engineering courses are offered online as needed. The School's website offers information on the School, its programs, courses, and faculty.
Transfer Admission
General Transfer
Students with previous studies at other accredited institutions may apply for transfer to the School of Engineering and Computing. Credit for work completed elsewhere, with a grade of C or better, will be granted for equivalent Fairfield courses, in accordance with Fairfield University guidelines. The transfer student must provide an official transcript of all academic work and a catalog with course descriptions from each institution previously attended.
School Activities/Relationships with Area Industry
Engineering students at Fairfield University may join the Engineering Student Society (ESS), an umbrella organization that embraces student chapters of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the Society of Women Engineers. Students are encouraged to join ESS and profit from events sponsored by the chapters. Engineering students initiated an Engineers Without Borders student chapter in 2015.
The School of Engineering and Computing maintains direct relations with area industries and manufacturers. Students are encouraged to post their resumes on the University's Career Development site, Stage4Hire, and to visit the site often to check for jobs and internships. These open lines of communication encourage the flow of information and support that keeps the engineering curriculum current and relevant to the environment in industry. These contacts are particularly useful to students in the senior design project course where they tackle real-life engineering problems encountered by practicing engineers and become involved in the mainstream of engineering activity.
School of Engineering and Computing Executive Advisory Board
The School of Engineering and Computing (SOEC) receives philanthropic support and strategic guidance from the SOEC Advisory Board, a group of men and women in leading positions in industry and education. Additionally, each program area in the SOEC receives program development guidance from its program advisory board.
Accelerated Five‑Year Bachelor’s–Master’s Degree Program
The accelerated five‑year program provides a streamlined pathway for qualified students to complete both a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Science (MS) degree. In order to enroll in this program, students must apply and be formally admitted into it. Students typically apply at the end of the third year of undergraduate study. During the first three years, students follow the standard undergraduate curriculum. In the fourth year, students complete all remaining baccalaureate degree requirements and may enroll in up to two graduate‑level courses. Up to six graduate credits taken in the fourth year may be applied to both the bachelor’s and master’s degree requirements for this specifically designed program in the School of Engineering and Computing.
Upon conferral of the bachelor’s degree, students must enroll in the graduate program in the immediately subsequent academic semester (Fall or Spring). Students completing the undergraduate degree in May must enroll in the following Fall term; students completing the degree in January must enroll in the following Spring term. An approved official leave of absence is the only exception to this continuous enrollment requirement.
To complete the MS degree in this accelerated program, students must complete a total of ten graduate‑level courses, including the two courses taken during the undergraduate program, followed by eight additional graduate courses during the fifth year. Students who do not continue directly into the graduate program as articulated above and who do not receive an approved leave of absence will be removed from the accelerated program and enrolled into the regular MS degree. In these cases, students must complete ten unique graduate‑level courses (30 unique credits) to earn the MS degree; in such cases, graduate courses taken during the undergraduate program will remain on the undergraduate transcript only and may not be applied toward the master’s degree requirements. For this reason, students who cannot remain continuously enrolled in the accelerated program are encouraged to speak with their Dean’s Office to discuss the ramifications for doing so.
Bachelor of Science
The School of Engineering and Computing offers undergraduate programs leading to the Bachelor of Science in the following fields:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechatronics Engineering
Students in these programs complete 126 to 135 credit hours. Students begin their studies with ENGR 1031 Fundamentals of Engineering or CPSC 1101 Introduction to Computing and complete the degree requirements with the team-based Senior Design Project. ENGR 1031 is designed to introduce first-year students to important design elements and the tools of engineering and develop their skills in analysis and synthesis, and in teamwork. It further provides the basis for students to select the engineering discipline most suitable to their skills and career objectives. The Senior Design Project caps students' engineering education by implementing engineering design principles and associated skills in designing for functionality, reliability, sustainability and economy in real-world projects undertaken by multidisciplinary teams. All School of Engineering programs include experiential learning in laboratory courses and culminate with the Senior Design Project. Students can avail themselves of opportunities for independent study and for internships in local industry. The undergraduate curriculum may be completed as a full-time traditional 4-year program or part time.
Part-Time Program
This program allows fully employed students to pursue engineering degrees on a part-time basis at a pace suited to their circumstances. Many employers provide tuition reimbursement. The curriculum requirements for the BS degrees through this program are the same as those for the full-time traditional programs. Engineering courses are available through evening and hybrid study courses. Advanced engineering classes, offered in the evening, are subscribed by both full-time and part-time students.
General and Major Electives
Major electives are chosen from the engineering department. The courses may be chosen with the approval of the student’s advisor from among other courses offered in the School of Engineering.
General Electives may be chosen from any courses offered at the university and are frequently chosen to help fulfill requirements toward a selected minor.
Major Areas of Study
Specific program objectives and curriculum requirements are provided in the sections that follow each engineering discipline. In general, the curricula consist of four areas:
- major field requirements
- major field electives
- general education core curriculum courses
- general electives
Concentration within Majors
Certain major fields of study have specialized options that can be taken to fulfill special career plans, under advisement from the department chair. Numerous elective courses afford opportunities for students to gain deeper knowledge and skills in areas of their interest.
Minor Areas of Study
The School of Engineering offers minors in the following fields:
Minors in Other Fields of Study
Engineering students are eligible for a mathematics minor with the completion of five mathematics courses. In addition, engineering majors can opt to fulfill the requirements for other minors.
Independent Study
Undergraduate and graduate independent studies are designed to allow students to pursue topics not offered through a traditional course. Independent studies may involve laboratory or research-based work in which the student investigates a research problem with a supervising professor.
A student wishing to pursue an independent study must prepare the Independent Study Request containing the information shown below and have it approved by the supervising professor, department chair and the dean’s office
- All undergraduate courses require the approval of the department and the Dean’s office.
- A student may take a maximum of one Independent Study course per semester.
- An undergraduate Independent Study course may be for one or two credits. With department approval and only under special circumstances, an independent study course may be for three credits.
- Undergraduate students may enroll in a maximum of six Independent Study courses.
- Independent Study courses may not replace core or major elective courses for undergraduate students.
- A student may take an Independent Study only from a Supervising Professor. A Supervising Professor must be a School of Engineering faculty member.
- Before a student may register for an Independent Study course, the student must submit a written course proposal to the Supervising Professor. The course proposal must state the student's goals for the course. The Supervising Professor must approve the course proposal.
- Each Supervising Professor sets his or her standards and expectations that each student must satisfy for course credit. A Supervising Professor may not award credit for an Independent Study unless the student produces a written final paper or poster paper that reflects learning and achievement that merit the award of course credit.
Independent Study Course Proposal Contents
- Description of the proposed course - Describe the general theme and scope of the independent study. This may be stated as a problem to be investigated, an issue to be explored, or an argument to be defended. The description might indicate where the student is starting out and where the student would like to get in terms of answering a question, exploring a phenomenon, understanding a theory, building a skill or other goal
- Clearly state the number of credits for this course. As a basis of comparison, one college credit represents approximately one hour spent in a classroom and 2 to 3 hours spent on homework or laboratory activities each week.
- Together with the supervising professor, the student should identify the course’s Student Learning Outcomes. Relate the student outcomes to the ABET student outcomes.
- The supervising professor and the student should prepare a syllabus. Include the schedule that the supervising professor will meet with the student
- Articulate the work to be completed by the student and evaluated by the instructor. Identify the major assignments, which may include the following
- Literature search
- Readings
- Written work
- Lab work
- A final paper which includes a problem statement, a possible solution to the problem, describes why the work is significant, and how the student will use this learning.
- Evaluation – The supervising professor will create a grading rubric to evaluate the student’s submittals based on the following:
- What was learned? What skills did the student gain from this course (e.g., problem solving, critical thinking, tools, etc.)?
- How the information was learned. For example, homework, lab assignments, quizzes, exams, reports, essays, research projects, presentations, case study analysis.
- The supervising professor will identify the criteria for assessing oral and other performances.
Core Curriculum
Students are obligated to complete the course of studies as described in the catalog used during the year they enter Fairfield University. A new set of core requirements has been designated for students entering the University during the 2019-2020 academic year. Students who entered Fairfield University prior to Fall 2019 must complete the previous core requirements, which may be found by referencing the Catalog Archive.
University Honors Program
The School of Engineering participates in the University Honors Program, an interdisciplinary course of study (23 credits) open to invited first-years and sophomores and devoted to intellectual history, interdisciplinary studies, and advanced work in the student's major field.
Five-Year Pathways to Bachelor's and Master's Degrees
- Biomedical Five-Year Accelerated Degree Program
- Data Science Five-Year Accelerated Degree Program
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Five-Year Accelerated Degree Program
- Management of Technology Five-Year Accelerated Degree Program
- Mechanical Engineering Five-Year Accelerated Degree Program
- Software Engineering Five-Year Accelerated Degree Program
A master’s degree in engineering is becoming more commonly seen as the entry level degree in the workplace. A master's level engineering education gives a great return on your investment as well as a more focused and satisfying career.
Students can now complete a five-year pathway to both BS and MS degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering. Computer Science (BA) students have an accelerated five-year pathway for Data Science MS, and our Computer Science (BS) students have an accelerated five-year pathway for Software Engineering. Additionally, in five years, students can also complete a BS degree in any of the undergraduate engineering programs followed by an MS in Management of Technology. Typically students should meet with their advisor during their junior year and complete detailed planning for the specific requirements for the bachelors and masters degrees that they are interested in. Students will have the opportunity to apply for the graduate portion of the program the summer before their senior year. All accelerated programs allow students to take two graduate courses during their senior year. All of the five-year pathways require a minimum of 3.00 GPA.
General Engineering
Other Subjects
Consult the pages for each department for courses in the following fields:
