ENGINEERING

Otto Miller Hall
206-281-2140
spu.edu/engineering

Engineering Department Faculty

Engineers work for the benefit of humankind and our world by applying knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences in ways that responsibly utilize the materials and forces of nature.

Today, as civilization becomes more complex, engineers must not only have a deeper understanding of the physical world and our rapidly changing technologies, but they must also hold an increased sensitivity to the long-term effects of technology on people and the environment.  

At Seattle Pacific University, our Engineering programs provide a supportive environment for integrating together the Christian calls for service and stewardship, engineering problem-solving skills, and a liberal arts-based focus on critical thinking and communication.

SPU engineering students develop these skills through an academically challenging curriculum with hands-on, design-oriented applications in a Christ-centered community-oriented environment, supported by a dedicated and easily accessible faculty. With these foundations, our graduates are well prepared to engage our culture’s technical challenges to change the world for the benefit of humankind and God’s creation.

Admission to Engineering Majors
Student performance during the first two years will be used as an indicator of the student’s promise of success in engineering. Application for admission to an Engineering major should be made in the Winter Quarter of the sophomore year, using this application form. Transfer students will be evaluated for major admission on a case-by-case basis.

For applicants to the Electrical Engineering major or the Computer Engineering major, the completed coursework must include EE 2726 "Circuits I" or a course taken at SPU requiring "Circuits I" as a prerequisite.

For applicants to the General Engineering major, the completed coursework must include either EE 2726 "Circuits I" or EGR 2891 "Statics," or a course taken at SPU requiring "Circuits I" or "Statics" as a prerequisite.

Students must complete the major requirements in effect in the SPU Undergraduate Catalog for the year of admittance to the major.

Majors and Minors

SPU offers BS degrees and minors in Electrical Engineering (BSEE), General Engineering (BSGE), and Computer Engineering (BSCPE). The BSEE degree is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

The BSGE degree may include a concentration in Mechanical Engineering or Appropriate and Sustainable Engineering, or it may be completed without a concentration. The Mechanical Engineering concentration is natural complement to the Electrical Engineering program due to the many areas of synergy between these fields.

The Appropriate and Sustainable concentration is a unique program designed as a direct response to our Christian calls for stewardship of our planet and service to the poor. Here, we seek to address our environmental footprint in the developed world through sustainable engineering solutions while addressing the needs of the world’s poor through development of appropriate technology.

Suggested Four-Year Course Schedules
Suggested schedules for completing Engineering majors in four years may be found on the Engineering academics page.

Electrical Engineering “Flex” Degree Program for Full-time Working Students
SPU offers a unique opportunity for students to earn their BSEE degree in our ABET-accredited Electrical Engineering program while working full time. This program is specifically designed to address the needs of working students through its state-of-the-art technologically enhanced learning environment.

Students interested in the Flex Program are strongly advised to contact the Electrical Engineering chair for details. Completion of a direct transfer AA degree through Washington community colleges is highly recommended. See the transfer student guide for more information.

3-2 Transfer Program
To offer the advantages of combining Christian liberal arts with Engineering majors not offered at SPU, SPU has dual-degree agreements with Washington State University, the University of Washington, and Columbia University.

These agreements allow students to complete three years of study at SPU and two years at the partnering school resulting in a BA in Physical Sciences from SPU and a BS from the participating engineering school.

During the three years spent in residence at SPU, the student satisfies both the requirements for the SPU Bachelor of Arts degree and many fundamental requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree by taking the core Christian foundations, liberal arts, and prescribed courses in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and engineering.

If the student then fulfills the entrance requirements of the partner university, he or she may then transfer to the participating university. At that university, the student will spend two years taking upper-division engineering courses to complete the second degree.

The Physical Sciences (3:2 engineering) major Capstone requirement can be met by completing one of the following:

• At the University of Washington: ME 495, CEE 441, CEE 442, CEE 444, CEE 445.
• At Washington State University: CE 465, ME 416,CHE 451, B E 411
• At Columbia University: Contact your SPU engineering advisor.
• By meeting an approved course that includes a major design experience based on the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier coursework and incorporating appropriate engineering standards and multiple realistic constraints.

Internship Program
All Engineering majors are required to participate in an engineering-related internship with industry or another career entity. The Internship must include a minimum of 200 hours of work. In almost all cases, the student will be paid by the employer. Normally students complete internships during the summer between their junior and senior years.

The Engineering Department will provide information to help students find internships, but students are individually responsible for locating and completing appropriate internships.

Fundamentals of Engineering Exam
Seattle Pacific University Electrical Engineering seniors are urged to take the Washington State Department of Licensing Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. Those passing the test are certified by the state of Washington as licensed engineers-in-training.

On the other hand, Electrical Engineering and General Engineering majors are required, as a graduation requirement, to take and pass an online practice version of the FE exam. Passing this practice version is defined as earning a score of 50 percent or higher on each of its sections applicable to the degree program the student is enrolled in.

Expectations of Entering High School Students
In addition to meeting all the general SPU admission requirements, the high school graduate entering the Engineering Program should present a high school record showing four years of mathematics, one year each of physics and chemistry, and three years of a particular foreign language. SAT scores of at least 1100 are recommended.

Those students entering with deficiencies should consult an engineering advisor for a program of preparation for the engineering curriculum.

Expectations of Entering Transfer Students
Transfer students should have at least a 2.75 transfer GPA; a 3.0 is preferred. Transfer work will be evaluated by the Engineering Department to determine if the student needs to take EGR 1402 "Introduction to Engineering"  or EGR 3402 "Introduction to Engineering II."

More information on preparing to transfer to SPU to study engineering is available in the Engineering Department's transfer student guide.

Introduction to Engineering and University Seminar
Students entering as freshmen are required to take either the engineering University Seminar "Be Part of the Solution" or EGR 1402 "Introduction to Engineering." Students who take a different University Seminar or the University Scholars Seminar must also take EGR 1402.

Calculus Successful Progress Requirement

All students intending on majoring in Engineering (EE, CPE, General Engineering, Physical Sciences) must meet the successful calculus progress requirement listed below:

• Students who earn a grade of C+ or higher in "Calculus I" in Autumn Quarter and a grade of C+ or higher in "Calculus II" in Winter Quarter satisfy the calculus successful-progress requirement.

• Students who earn a grade of C or lower in "Calculus I" in Autumn Quarter, or who register for "Calculus I" in Winter Quarter are required to register for EGR 1125 "Engineering Study Preparation" in Winter Quarter.

• Students who earn a grade of C or lower in either "Calculus I" or "Calculus II" in Winter Quarter are required to register for EGR 1125 "Engineering Study Preparation" in Spring Quarter.

• Students who complete "Calculus I" and "Calculus II" at a different institution should consult with an engineering advisor to determine if they have completed this requirement.

Chemistry Requirement

Students majoring in General Engineering must complete CHM 1211 "General Chemistry I." Students majoring in Electrical Engineering must score 75 percent or higher on SPU's Chemistry Placement Test or complete CHM 1100 "Introduction to Chemistry" or CHM 1211 "General Chemistry."

Humanities and Social Science Requirement
To satisfy ABET accreditation guidelines, all electrical engineering students must take at least 24 credits of philosophy, religion, history, literature, fine arts, sociology, psychology, political science, or foreign languages other than a student’s native language(s). These courses satisfy a General Humanities and Social-Science Accreditation requirement.

Students who take the full SPU Core and Exploratory general education program more than meet this requirement. However, transfer students should carefully select their courses to ensure they fulfill the 24-credit humanities and social-science requirement both in breadth and depth. They must see their assigned general education advisor to ensure this requirement is met.

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