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Frequently Asked Questions
The Engineering Science Program at UVA has been recently revised and many students (and faculty) have had questions about it. Below are some of the common questions asked by students. If you have a question that is not answered here or information that would be useful to others pursuing an Engineering Science degree please contact us.
  1. What are the primary differences between ES and other engineering majors?
  2. What is an approved SEAS Technical Minor?
  3. What approved Technical Minors are offered by the CLAS?
  4. What about STS Minors, like Science and Technology Policy or Engineering Business?
  5. What is Interdisciplinary Engineering?
  6. Are there any pre-planned curricula within the Engineering Science Major?
  7. What is the Area of Concentration?
  8. What could I do to pursue Green/Sustainable Engineering?
  9. What courses/programs would be good preparation to work on Nanotechnology?
  10. How can I integrate my interest in Architecture with Engineering?

1) What are the primary differences between ES and other engineering majors?

The ES program gives greater latitude in the technical content of the student’s curriculum. This allows the student/advisor to craft a program of study (POS) that suits the individual’s interest and career goals, which may not be precisely aligned with one of the existing engineering major degree offerings. ES does NOT give students greater latitude in the non-technical content than other majors in SEAS. In fact, CS and CpE students have a larger number of general or unrestricted electives than those in ES.

 

2) What are the approved SEAS Technical Minors?

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • APMA
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Systems Engineering
You can find a list of all approved SEAS minors in the minors page.

3) What are the approved Technical Minors are offered by the CLAS??
  • Astronomy
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental Science
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
You can find a list of all approved CLAS minors on the minors page.

4) What about STS Minors, like Science & Technology Policy or Engineering Business? ?

Like all other students in SEAS, all ES major students CAN pursue STS Minors, or other non-technical minors in CLAS , by allocating their HSS and/or Unrestricted Electives to these goals. In general, pursuit of these non-technical minors does not overlap with the technical core of the ES major. One exception to this rule is the course TMP 351, which can be taken as a technical elective. Other exceptions may develop as course offerings vary throughout the years.

5) Are there any pre-planned curricula within the Engineering Science Major ?

Named Programs – faculty have developed the following courses of study. Detailed descriptions can be found by clicking the links below.

    • Materials Science and Engineering - First minor will be MSE, with additional MSE cou rses beyond the scope of the minor . The second minor must be chosen from SEAS technical minors, mathematics, or a natural science.
    • Nanomedicine Engineering – Includes minors in BME and MSE with additional courses to satisfy pre-med requirements - Nanomedicine is an offshoot of nanotechnology, refers to specific medical intervention for curing disease or repairing damaged tissues. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter, too small to be seen with a conventional lab microscope. It is at this size scale–about 100 nanometers or less–that biological molecules and structures inside living cells operate. The NIH RoadMap for Medical Research

6) What is Interdiciplinary Engineering?

    This refers to ES major plans of study that involve two SEAS technical Minors.

7) What is an Area of Concentration?

    AOC electives are advisor approved technical courses chosen from either the primary minor, secondary minor or related fields of study. Electives are chosen to provide identity and should serve to define the individualized ES major. For example, the advanced chemistry courses and biology labs in the Nanomedicine Engineering named program satisfy pre-med requirements, giving substance to the word “medicine” in the name of the program. Similarly, the MSE 455 Nanoscience and Technology course was chosen from alternatives within MSE as another defining feature of the program. Each student/advisor team should seek such depth and identity when developing their own individualized POS .


Engineering Science
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