Change in Title for Bachelor of Science in Engineering Degree Program

Engineering Faculty Document No. 36-06

March 2007

To:                   The Engineering Faculty

From:               The Department of Engineering Education

Date:               March 22, 2007

Subject:           Change in Title for the IDE Program leading to a BSE degree

Following consultation with the Engineering Education Industrial Advisory Council, the Department of Engineering Education (ENE) has approved the change in title for the Interdisciplinary Engineering (IDE) program that grants the Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree title to now be the Multidisciplinary Engineering program. This action is now submitted to the Engineering Faculty with a recommendation for approval.

BACKGROUND:  Based on EFD 16-04 ENE has authority to offer as part of its Undergraduate Degree Programs a BSE degree in Interdisciplinary Engineering. This program graduates a significant number of students who plan on practicing engineering.  Since students who want to become professional engineers must earn a degree that meets ABET requirements, the curriculum in EFD 16-04 was designed to meet ABET standards.  Unfortunately, the program title for the non-ABET accredited program is identical to the title for the program that the department planned to submit for ABET accreditation.  Because this duplication of titles is explicitly not allowed by ABET, ENE needs to change the title of the program leading to the BSE degree. 

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES:  The Department of Engineering Education proposes the IDE program that grants the BSE degree title be changed to the Multidisciplinary Engineering program. The diploma will list Bachelor of Science in Engineering, while the transcript will list Multidisciplinary Engineering.

REASON: The new program title of Multidisciplinary Engineering is needed for the program that will be submitted to ABET for accreditation to clearly delineate it from the non-accredited program that has been called Interdisciplinary Engineering (IDE) for 35 years.

                                                                                    Kamyar Haghighi

Head

Department of Engineering Education