2026-2027 Academic Catalog
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
Mission: Anchored by our land-grant identity and the university’s motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), the College of Engineering educates and inspires students to be critical thinkers, innovators, leaders, and life-long learners. Together we create new knowledge, technologies, and sustainable solutions that have positive impact on complex social and technical challenges.
Vision: We will be the college of choice for aspiring engineers and innovators, working professionals, and partners because of our dynamic and integrated approach to education, research, and service. Our students and alumni will be sought globally for their talent, creativity, and work ethic. The impact of our transdisciplinary research will advance the boundaries of engineering knowledge and practice. Our solutions will make a difference, have a positive impact, and foster public trust through transparency, collaboration, and responsible innovation.
The Mission and Vision are informed by five Core Values:
Excellence: Through a culture of continuous improvement, we strive for the highest quality and impact in our teaching, research, service and operations.
Integrity: Ethics, honesty and transparency are the foundation of all that we do. We believe that accountability, trust, and a shared commitment to do the right thing are fundamental to engineering teaching, research and practice.
Inclusiveness: We cultivate a community where mutual respect and collegiality allow every voice to be heard and every individual to collaborate meaningfully.
Perseverance: Through resilience, teamwork and a supportive community, we become stronger. We are tenacious, agile, and seek out new challenges and opportunities.
Stewardship: We responsibly deploy resources entrusted to us with a commitment to long-term sustainability and impact. We serve our local and global communities and proactively build public trust through our actions.
Virginia Tech engineering students are among the best and brightest in the nation. During their time at the college, they engage with world-class faculty and participate in hands-on learning experiences that span course instruction, student design teams, internship opportunities, and study abroad programs. They learn to work across and outside disciplines to solve the world’s most complex problems, as part of a collaborative culture that has flourished at Virginia Tech.
The College of Engineering offers 15 undergraduate majors that are accredited and culminate in a Bachelor of Science degree. The 15 majors include: Aerospace Engineering (AE); Biological and Systems Engineering (BSE); Biomedical Engineering (BME); Building Construction (BC); Chemical Engineering (CHE); Civil Engineering (CE); Computer Engineering (CPE); Construction Engineering and Management (CEM); Computer Science (CS); Electrical Engineering (EE); Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE); Materials Science and Engineering (MSE); Mechanical Engineering (ME); Mining Engineering (MINE); and Ocean Engineering (OE).
The College of Engineering offers the following undergraduate minors: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Biomedical Engineering (BMES), Computer Science (CS), Cybersecurity (CYBR), Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM), Green Engineering (GREN), Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Naval Engineering (NAVE), Nuclear Engineering (NE). Minors are optional and require fewer courses than a major. Full program requirements are listed in the Undergraduate Catalog. To add a minor, visit the College of Engineering minors page.
All students admitted to the College of Engineering as First Time in College (FTIC) students with an intent to pursue an engineering or computer science major are placed in the Department of Engineering Education and are designated as General Engineering majors. General Engineering provides an innovative learning environment that embraces a hands-on, minds-on approach, which leverages the latest advances in educational technologies to fully engage students in the learning experience. The first-year course sequence integrates professional and technical skills to give students tools for tackling the grand challenges of the 21st century. The program introduces students to the wide range of engineering majors in the College of Engineering so that students are able to make informed decisions about their educational pathways. Further information on General Engineering can be found in the overview for the Department of Engineering Education in the undergraduate catalog.
While in the General Engineering program, students will complete the courses required to matriculate to a degree-granting engineering or computer science program. Further information on the process to enter a degree-granting engineering or computer science program is available at: https://eng.vt.edu/undergraduate/resources-support/change-of-major/restricted.html.
Students admitted to the College of Engineering as FTIC students with an intent to pursue the Building Construction major are directly admitted to that major.
All students admitted to the College of Engineering as transfer students will be directly admitted to the major indicated on their application. Transfer applications are competitive and prospective transfer students are strongly encouraged to consult the Admissions Transfer Roadmaps posted by the university to prepare themselves for success in their intended major. (https://vt.edu/admissions/transfer/roadmaps.html)
Students wishing to transfer into an engineering major or change majors from another college or degree program within the university must meet current standards set by the college for each engineering program. All major changes are processed by the Director of Enrollment Management in the Academic Affairs office.
The college has a guaranteed admission agreement with the Virginia Community College System. VCCS students who complete the transferable Associate Degree in engineering with a minimum 3.2 overall grade-point-average are guaranteed admission to the College of Engineering. Not all Virginia Community Colleges offer engineering courses. Please review Guaranteed Admission Agreement (posted at https://www.vt.edu/admissions/transfer/vccs.html) for specific information on this agreement.
Engineering Technology credits are not accepted for transfer by the College of Engineering.
Academic advising at Virginia Tech is a collaborative process between student and advisor that encourages students to make responsible academic and career decisions. Every College of Engineering undergraduate student is assigned an academic advisor. Students can view their advisor assignment in HokieSpa under "View Your General Student Information" and schedule appointments through Navigate.
Students are encouraged to meet with their assigned advisor before registering for courses, selecting a minor, making changes to their academic plan, or exploring co-op and internship timing. Advisors can assist with course selection, progress toward degree requirements, overload requests, change-of-major processes, and connecting students with campus resources.
More information on academic advising resources and contact information for each advising team can be found at: https://eng.vt.edu/undergraduate/resources-support/academic-advising.html
The Virginia Tech College of Engineering fosters opportunities for hands-on learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and exploration of emerging and innovative subject areas.
The Ware Lab is one of the first spaces on Virginia Tech’s campus dedicated to the development of an undergraduate engineering build space. Prior to the founding of the Ware Lab, the university’s design teams meet in multiple spaces spread across campus in various academic buildings. Thanks to the generosity and vision of Ware, multidisciplinary teams can interact in a common space. The lab removes boundaries that often separate engineering professions. In real-world practice, engineers from different disciplines will work together. Students who work in the lab are highly recruited by top-tier companies who frequent the lab looking for the well-rounded, globally minded engineers who have had hands on experiences. Further information can be found: https://eng.vt.edu/academics/warelab.html.
The Advanced Engineering Design Lab (AEDL) provides additional space for engineering teams that focus on aerospace and rocketry projects. Further information can be found: https://eng.vt.edu/academics/aerospace-engineering-design-lab.html.
Students can participate in Competitive Engineering Design Teams, Undergraduate Research, and Independent Research. Competition Engineering Design Teams are collaborative design experiences with a faculty supervisor that usually involve entry into regional or national competitions. Undergraduate Research offers students the opportunity to work closely with a faculty member in a research lab environment or perform directed work toward a research goal, and can serve as valuable preparation for graduate study. Independent Study provides students with an opportunity to pursue unique, self-directed study under the supervision of a faculty member. Further information can be found at: https://eng.vt.edu/academics/undergraduate-students/resources-support/undergraduate-research-independent-study.html.
The College of Engineering has several options for students to have a global experience. Information on the different opportunities available can be found at: https://eng.vt.edu/academics/international-programs.html.
Many College of Engineering students participate in a co-op or internship, allowing them to experience professional work prior to completing their degree. One of the primary ways that students find these opportunities is the Engineering EXPO, a career fair organized by the Student Engineering Council (SEC) that is typically held early in the Fall semester each year. Engineering EXPO is one of the largest student-run career fairs in the nation and hosts hundreds of companies offering full-time employment or internship and co-op opportunities. Additional information on Engineering EXPO can be found at: https://www.sec.vt.edu/expo.html.
Many undergraduate engineering programs culminate in a capstone senior design course sequence in which student teams work under the supervision of a faculty advisor to complete a client-driven design project. Such projects replicate aspects of professional problem-solving experience, providing a transitional learning experience to help students prepare for a professional career. The college also offers an Interdisciplinary Capstone Course (ENGE 4735-4736) that brings together students from different majors to work on design projects that require multiple fields of expertise.
All College of Engineering Programs now require completion of a Bridge Experience prior to graduation. Bridge Experiences help prepare students for post-graduation life and develop a professional identity. They offer opportunities to apply specific disciplinary knowledge to contemporary problems and questions. A wide variety of experiences are accepted to fulfil the Bridge Experience requirement including internships and undergraduate research among others. The specific expectations for fulfilment of the Bridge Experience are determined by the degree program that a student is enrolled in. Students are introduced to the Bridge Experience expectation when they take the Foundations of Engineering course (ENGE 1215 or ENGE 1414) or Introduction to Building Construction (BS 1114) in their first year. More information about the Bridge Experience is available here: https://eng.vt.edu/undergraduate/bridge-experience.html.
Each year, the College of Engineering (COE) provides scholarships to students. Scholarships are available at two levels: departmental and college. The scholarship opportunities are varied. Some require a minimum GPA for eligibility while others require a demonstration of financial need as indicated by the FAFSA. Some others have specific eligibility criteria such as in-state residency or participation in the Corps of Cadets as examples. The College of Engineering uses a single application process for most of these scholarships. More information on how to apply for COE scholarships can be found at https://eng.vt.edu/academics/undergraduate-students/resources-support/scholarships-financial/scholarships-for-current-students.html.
Dean: Warren Dixon
Associate Dean for Administration and Chief of Staff: Edward L. Nelson
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Keith Thompson
Associate Dean for Graduate and Professional Studies: Holly Matusovich
Associate Dean for Research and Innovation: Harpreet Dhillon
Associate Dean for Information Technology: Glenda R. Scales
Assistant Dean of Advancement: Jeremy Weaver
Executive Director, Center for Engineering Excellence and Discovery (CEED): Walter Lee
Director of Finance and Budget: Brad Martens
Director of Advising: Marlena Lester
Director of Enrollment Management: Natasha Smith
Director of Alumni Relations: Angela Mills
Director of Development: Emily Hutchins
Director of Marketing and Communications: Chelsea Seeber
Director of Graduate Education, Outreach, and Engagement Programs: Tremayne Waller
Director of Undergraduate Student Programs: DeAnna Katey
Director of Undergraduate Student Recruitment: Amina Ochirbat
Director of Graduate and Professional Studies: Alicia Johnson
Director of Global Engagement: Nicole Sanderlin
Director of Transfer Services: Ryan Wagoner
Division Director of Human Resources: Cheri Warren
Director of Information Technology: Ryan Spoon
The following courses are applicable to study in several departments and do not carry departmental designations. Several of the undergraduate courses listed below were developed specifically for students in both engineering and non-engineering majors with the objective of broadening the base of knowledge in cross-disciplinary areas with some background within a technology driven focus. Some of these courses were created for students living in the College of Engineering's Living Learning Communities of Hypatia and Galileo, and are restricted to those students. Others were created as part of the academic, professional and personal support services provided for engineering students. Most students will use these courses to satisfy free electives in their programs. Engineering students also may find these courses of value in broadening their perspectives regarding their fields of study and may wish to use them as free electives in their programs.
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