Certificates and Minors

Engineering Design with Digital Tools Certificate

The engineering design with digital tools certificate allows students to gain specialized knowledge in a digital design tool software. By completing the EDDiT certificate, students more fully develop computer-aided drafting and design skills, both highly sought-after skills by industry. Students must enroll in at least one section of EDSGN 468: Engineering Design Analysis with CAD. Each section of EDSGN 468 focuses on a different software package, such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or Catia. The certificate culminates with students completing a portfolio, documenting, and displaying their design work in a professional manner.

Required Courses

• EDSGN 100: Cornerstone Engineering Design (3 credits)
• EDSGN 468: Engineering Design Analysis with CAD (3 credits)
• EDSGN 485: Engineering Design Portfolio (1 credit)

Supporting Courses

Select six credits from the following or from an approved list:

• EDSGN 110: Spatial Analysis in Engineering Design
• EDSGN 210: Tolerancing and Spatial Models
• EDSGN 462: Introduction to Design for Additive Manufacturing
• EDSGN 468: Engineering Design and Analysis with CAD
• EMCH 461: Finite Elements in Engineering

Students must take one but no more than two courses designated EDSGN 468, each covering a different software package. 

Engineering Design Certificate

The engineering design certificate provides students with the opportunity to pursue a specialization in engineering design. By completing the certificate, students participate in more design projects, improving their career prospects. Students learn to coordinate multiple disciplines to broadly conceptualize and iteratively prototype an innovative solution to an engineering problem. Students will enhance their understandings of a range of design processes and their possible outcomes and data collection methods and interpretations.

Required Courses

• EDSGN 100: Cornerstone Engineering Design (3 credits)
• EDSGN 367: Design Thinking and Making (3 credits)
• EDSGN 485: Engineering Design Portfolio (1 credit)

Supporting Courses

In addition to the required courses, students must take a minimum of 6 credits of supporting courses such as 400-level EDSGN courses or other 400-level courses with approval from the certificate director.

Engineering Design Minor

The engineering design minor helps students develop design skills through a series of core project-based design courses focused on team-based projects and engineering design processes. Students apply engineering design concepts and skills ranging from the exploration of the problem space through the exploration of the solution space to build a deeper understanding of engineering design. The minor specifically emphasizes problem-framing, stakeholder engagement, human-centered design, rapid prototyping, prototyping to validate assumptions, systems-level design, and professional communications. Students will be able to apply the tools and techniques developed in the engineering design minor broadly across engineering disciplines.

Required Courses

• EDSGN 100: Cornerstone Engineering Design (3 credits)*
• EDSGN 367: Design Thinking and Making (3 credits)*
• EDSGN 467: Prototyping to Launch (3 credits)
• EDSGN 485: Engineering Design Portfolio (1 credit)

*Required for admission to the minor

Supporting Courses

Students select 6 to 8 credits from the following courses:

• ENGR 118: Impact of Culture on Engineering in China (3 credits)
• EDSGN 270: Summers by Design (3 credits)
• ENGR 310: Entrepreneurial Leadership (3 credits)
• ENGR 405: Project Management for Professionals (3 credits)
• ENGR 407: Technology-Based Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
• ENGR 408: Leadership Principles (3 credits)
• ENGR 409: Leadership in Organizations (3 credits)
• ENGR 422: Leadership of International Virtual Engineering Teams (3 credits)
• EDSGN 452: Projects in Humanitarian Engineering (2 credits)
• EDSGN 453: Design for Developing Communities (1 credit)
• EDSGN 462: Introduction to Design for Additive Manufacturing (3 credits)
• EDSGN 468: Engineering Design and Analysis with CAD (3 credits)
• EDSGN 494: Research Project (1-12 credits)
• EDSGN 496: Independent Studies (1-18 credits)

A total of at least 9 credits must be completed at the 400 level. With approval from the minor coordinator, courses that will enhance a student’s breadth and depth of knowledge and meet minor objects, but are not currently listed on the set of approved courses, may be approved.