2022-2023 Course 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, and leaders. We create new knowledge, technologies, and sustainable solutions that address complex social and technical challenges.
Vision: The Virginia Tech College of Engineering will be the college of choice for aspiring engineers because of our innovative, 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 in the Commonwealth and the world.
The Mission and Vision are informed by five Core Values:
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 Bachelor of Science degrees in the following areas: Aerospace Engineering, Biological Systems Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Building Construction, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Construction Engineering and Management, Electrical Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering, and Ocean Engineering. The Building Construction program is a non-engineering program of study accredited with the American Council for Construction Education (www.acce-hq.org). The Biomedical Engineering program is seeking initial accreditation with the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (www.abet.org) following the successful graduation of their first class in May 2022. The Computer Science program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET. All other College of Engineering undergraduate programs in engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. Additionally, the college of engineering offers graduate degrees related to each of these areas and in the interdisciplinary program of Systems Engineering.
In U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges 2021" survey, released in September 2020, the College of Engineering's undergraduate program is ranked No. 13 among all undergraduate engineering programs that also offer doctoral degrees. Top 10 ranked departments include the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and the Charles E. Via Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering with Industrial Engineering at 3, Civil at 10, and Environmental at 9.
The latest national survey, released by the American Society for Engineering Education for fall 2020, ranked the College of Engineering in the following categories: No. 12 for the number of women awarded bachelor’s degrees, No.8 for tenured/tenure track faculty members, No.10 for the number of tenured/tenure track women faculty, No.11 for the number of African American faculty, No.14 for the number of Asian tenured/tenure track faculty, No.15 for the number of Hispanic tenured/tenure track faculty, and No. 8 for the number of Underrepresented Minorities. For total bachelor's degrees awarded by schools, Virginia Tech ranked No.7 in the nation; No.44 for master's degrees awarded, and No.8 for doctoral degrees. In total enrollment, the College ranked No.5 in the nation for undergraduates with 9,385 students and No.24 in the nation for graduate students at 2,168.
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 to top tier companies who frequent the lab looking for the well-rounded, globally minded engineers who have had hands on experiences.
The college’s offerings, both in Blacksburg and the Washington, D.C. metro area, continue to grow. At Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Virginia, a new master of engineering degree in computer science has been approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, marking the first newly created program for the campus. The new graduate degree equips students with high-demand skills in cutting-edge fields like data analytics, machine learning, and computer security. The campus will bring together hundreds of new graduate students, dozens of new faculty members, and numerous industry partners. At its Blacksburg campus, Virginia Tech also plans to add a significant number of undergraduate students studying computer science, computer engineering, and related disciplines over the coming years.
In the 2021-2022 academic year, over three million dollars in scholarship funds were awarded to undergraduate students in the College of Engineering. Scholarships are available at two levels: departmental & college. While all scholarships are merit-based (all required a minimum 3.0 overall GPA to be awarded), many may also require a demonstration of financial need per the FAFSA, and/or additional specific criteria specified by the scholarship donor. More information about the types of scholarships awarded can be found at https://eng.vt.edu/academics/undergraduate-students/resources-support/scholarships-financial/scholarships-for-current-students.html.
The University Honors Program offers a unique challenge to students who excel in their pursuit of learning. The program is available to all engineering departments and includes the opportunity for enrollment in accelerated courses, enriched sections, and independent study.
In fall 2005, 4,800 prospective students applied for admission to the College of Engineering. By fall 2021, over 16,000 applied for undergraduate admission. Over 11,000 students were enrolled in undergraduate and graduate engineering departments at Virginia Tech as of fall 2021. In the entering 2020-2021 freshman class, the average high school grade point average was 4.04 on a weighted scale. Females made up 21% of the fall 2021 undergraduate population of engineering, computer science, and building construction majors. Underrepresented minority and under-served students made up 32% of the fall 2021 undergraduate population of engineering, computer science, and building construction majors. Out-of-state students in engineering come primarily from Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York.
59% of the 2020-2021 College of Engineering bachelor's degree graduates were working full time within 6 months of graduation (and 88% of those reported being employed in a field directly related to their major). Another 20% of the 2020-21 graduates were pursuing advanced degrees within 6 months of graduation. The average annual salary at the bachelor's level was $70,500.
All students admitted to the College of Engineering as First Time in College (FTIC) students with an intent to pursue an engineering major are placed in the Department of Engineering Education and are designated as general engineering majors. Admission to a degree program is competitive, with departmental restrictions established each year by the college. Upon completion of a set of required freshman-level courses, and completion of at least12 hours of A-F graded coursework at Virginia Tech, FTIC students with acceptable academic records are eligible for a major change into one of the college's undergraduate majors.
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/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 (found on Undergraduate Admissions website) for specific information on this agreement.
Engineering Technology credits are not accepted for transfer by the College of Engineering.
The University requires a student maintain a 2.0 or higher overall GPA to remain in Good Academic Standing.
Additionally, departments have minimum requirements for graduation, which include the attainment of at least a "C" (2.0 Grade Point Average) average, both overall and in-major. Some departments may have additional requirements or specifications concerning the acceptability of C- or lower grades for in-major courses. Students are expected to sustain progress towards completion of their degree requirements, consulting with their academic advisor regularly.
In addition to meeting university requirements, eligibility requirements for enrollment have been established by individual departments.
The senior academic year must be completed in residence while enrolled in the major department in the College of Engineering.
Although pass/fail courses may be authorized for those who maintain a GPA above 2.0, students should recognize future disadvantages when transferring to other departments or applying for admission to other professional or graduate colleges. Engineering students are expected to take all major department courses on a grade basis. Independent study and undergraduate research courses are available for those who maintain a GPA above 2.0 overall and in their departmental majors; some departments may require a higher GPA.
The College of Engineering will accept advanced ROTC credit as free elective credit towards graduation. Some departments in engineering may allow the use of selected ROTC courses to meet technical elective requirements. Consult specific departments in the College of Engineering for information.
The graduation requirements in effect during the academic year of admission to Virginia Tech apply. Requirements for graduation are listed on checksheets. Students must satisfactorily complete all requirements and university obligations for degree completion. The university reserves the right to modify requirements in a degree program.
Please visit the University Registrar's website at https://www.registrar.vt.edu/graduation-multi-brief/checksheets.html for degree requirements.
Degree requirements in the college range from 123 to 132 semester hours. Students should see their departmental advisors to determine the exact requirements of their degree. The 2.0 minimum GPA requirement for graduation also applies to all courses attempted in the student's departmental major; substituted non-departmental courses are not included. Where courses have substantial duplication, credit toward graduation will be given for one course only.
The senior academic year must be completed in residence while enrolled in the major department in the College of Engineering.
Although pass/fail courses may be authorized for those who maintain a GPA above 2.0, students should recognize future disadvantages when transferring to other departments or applying for admission to other professional or graduate colleges. Engineering students are expected to take all major department courses on a grade basis. Independent study and undergraduate research courses are available for those who maintain a GPA above 2.0 overall and in their departmental majors; some departments may require a higher GPA.
The College of Engineering will accept advanced ROTC credit as free elective credit towards graduation. Some departments in engineering may allow the use of selected ROTC courses to meet technical elective requirements. Consult specific departments in the College of Engineering for information.
The graduation requirements in effect at the time of graduation apply. When choosing the degree requirements information, always choose the year of your expected date of graduation. Requirements for graduation are outlined in university publications known as "Checksheets". The number of credit hours required for degree completion varies among curricula. Students must satisfactorily complete all requirements and university obligations for degree completion.
The university reserves the right to modify requirements in a degree program. However, the university will not alter degree requirements less than two years from the expected graduation year unless there is a transition plan for students already in the degree program.
Please visit the University Registrar website at http://registrar.vt.edu/graduation-multi-brief/index1.html for degree requirements.
Dean: Julia Ross
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Keith Thompson
Associate Dean for Administration and Chief of Staff: Edward L. Nelson
Associate Dean for Equity and Engagement: Bevlee A. Watford
Associate Dean for International Programs and Information Technology: Glenda R. Scales
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies: Pamela VandeVord
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.
Discussion of current research topics in the College of Engineering by Virginia Tech Faculty. (1C, 1H)
Success strategies that are designed for first-year female engineering students who are residents of the Hypatia learning community are presented. Students are provided information on study skills; resources and academic support for Virginia Tech students; gender issues in engineering; service learning; leadership; technology; and the College of Engineerings departments/majors.
Success strategies that are designed for first-year male engineering students who are residents of the Galileo learning community are presented. Students are provided information on study skills; resources and academic support for Virginia Tech students; gender issues in engineering; service learning; leadership; technology; and the College of Engineerings department/majors. (2H, 2C)
Population trends. Renewable and non-renewable energy. Coal mining methods, reclamation of mined lands. Petroleum and natural gas. Nuclear waste. Land management, aquifer depletion. Development of mineral reserves, surface and underground mining, environmental impacts. Minerals in world economics. Geopolitical concerns. Global environmental effects of industrial enterprises. Sustainable development. Effects of social structures. Regulatory processes and national/international legislation.
Engineering International Education course reflects academic effort in study abroad settings as defined by the college. No degree applicable credit awarded. Enrollment in this course does not apply toward the definition of full time status. 0 Credits.
Engineering Experiential course reflects college defined experiential learning experiences for undergraduates. No degree applicable credit is awarded. Enrollment in this course does not apply toward the definition of full time status.
Engineering Undergraduate Exploratory Activity course is an undergraduate research experience as defined by the college. No degree applicable credit is awarded. Enrollment in this course will not apply toward the definition of full time status. 0 Credits.
Engineering Service Learning course reflects academic effort in service learning settings as defined by the college. No degree applicable credit is awarded. Enrollment in this course will not apply toward the definition of full time status. 0 Credits.
Success strategies designed for second year women engineering students who are participants of Hypatia, the women in engineering residential community; topics include women in the engineering workplace, leadership, and goals associated with academic and professional success.
This course is designed to assist sophomore students who are participants of Galileo, an engineering learning community in their efforts to become/remain successful students at Virginia Tech. The course will include focus on issues regarding the workplace, leadership, and goals associated with academic and professional success. Prerequisite: ENGR 1054 (1H, 1C)
Seminar-based course providing a survey of current interdisciplinary science and engineering research problems; introduction interdisciplinary thinking and communication; issues related to interdisciplinary research teams.
This course is designed to give students an introduction to the software behind computer system security basics, including: a Unix/Linux operating system, Assembly/C++/Python coding, networking, and network security. This course is intended for non-ENGR majors.
Introduction to the engineering profession and basic engineering skills for students pursuing science majors. Fundamentals of graphing, technical communication, ethics, the design process, project management, and problem solving as applicable to engineering. Partially duplicates ENGE 1024. May not be used for credit towards any degree from the College of Engineering.
Success strategies designed for third year engineering students who are participants of Hypatia Living-Learning Community; topics include diversity, leadership, networking with peers and future employers, and goals associated with academic and professional success.
Success strategies designed for third year engineering students who are participants of Galileo Living-Learning Community; topics include diversity, leadership, networking with peers and future employers, and goals associated with academic and professional success.
Introduction to green engineering and global environmental issues. Impacts of human and engineering activities on the environment, and techniques that can be utilized to minimize adverse environmental impacts with emphasis on environmentally conscious design and manufacturing.
A capstone experience centered around an open-ended, faculty-advised senior project involving the design of a process, material, or technique for solving an interdisciplinary problem. Pre: Enrollment in Interdisciplinary Engineering and Science Minor.
Quantification of the environmental impacts for products, processes, and systems across all engineering disciplines. A detailed look at life cycle phases and formal and informal Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies including ISO standards, stream-lined LCA, green building ratings systems, carbon footprints, and other environmental ratings systems.
Honors
Print this page.
The PDF will include all information unique to this page.