The Perpetual Challenge: Finding a Complementary Balance of Depth and Breadth in an Engineering Curriculum -- Approach of the Electrical Engineering Faculty

The Perpetual Challenge: Finding a Complementary Balance of Depth and Breadth in an Engineering Curriculum -Approach of the Electrical Engineering Faculty The faculty of the School of Engineering conducted a thorough review of its ABET-accredited undergraduate degree programs to assess and evaluate possible changes to our curricula, both School-wide and ones specific to our programs. The aim of the intensive year-long study was to maintain the principal strengths of depth, yet allow more opportunities for students to gain additional breadth in preparation for success in a wide range of professional careers during the increasingly global nature of engineering in the 21st century. As engineering educators, we are certainly aware that finding such an appropriate balance between depth and breadth of education, especially one with complementary aspects, is an ongoing challenge. The balance point is not stagnant, but varies from time-to-time and place-toplace depending on societal needs and technological developments. The focus of this paper is to summarize our curricular changes, with their rationale, beginning with the ones that apply to all of our School's curricula. The major changes include reinstituting a common first-year of study to aid students in selecting a major, enhancing the capstone design sequence to encourage and facilitate more multi-disciplinary projects, and designating nine semester hours of existing credits as "professional electives" that can be, for example, in engineering, business, or foreign languages. The specifics of these curricular changes as adopted and adapted for our Electrical Engineering program are highlighted in this paper.