American engineering colleges vary greatly in size and curricular emphasis: from small, private engineering and science colleges such as Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Metropolitan Technical Institute, to a college of engineering in a large public state university like the University of California-Berkeley.
The
difference between a college or institute and a university is often a
matter of size, rather than degrees offered. It is hard to establish an
easy definition of college, institute and university. If you have access
to a computer network, look on the web for the particular institution
that interests you, or request written college materials at the United
States Information Service Office in your capital city.
What makes an education from a private engineering institution special? One of the great strengths of private institutions is lots of hands-on experience working with technical machinery, building small apparatus, performing laboratory experiments, in addition to theoretical instruction. Laboratory classes are required and play an integral role in nearly every engineering major. Mechanical engineering students would typically perform experiments in instrumentation, involving strain gauges or pressure transducers. Other basic mechanical experiments involve wind tunnel testing and gasoline engine dynamometer testing. Chemical engineering students would typically perform lab experiments involving heat transfer, mass transfer, distillation and filtration. Electrical engineering students often perform experiments to demonstrate Kirchhoff's voltage and current laws, as well as experiments to measure power generation and efficiency of electric motors. Civil engineering students may perform experiments with water flow rates, buoyancy and pressure, and impulse momentum. They also work with asphalt or concrete, doing impact testing and surface wear tests on asphalt.
Most
engineering colleges have intra-departmental projects and competitions,
like building the strongest balsam wood bridge possible or building a
concrete canoe that will float. An event of special interest to engineering
students is the Sunrayce, sponsored in part by General Motors and the
US Department of Energy. Many colleges enter solar-powered vehicles, built
and driven by students in this biannual cross-country race. The forty
teams that enter the competition receive support from their colleges,
communities and donations from industry to perpetuate this exciting and
challenging event. Another similar event is the International Aerial Robotics
Competition. The competition involves building an aircraft machine that
will take off, fly and land automatically.
Other strengths of private institutions:
- Lots of experiments in laboratories initiated by students with little supervision (as opposed to teacher-directed laboratory experiments).
- Up-to-date and well-equipped laboratories and classrooms, in part due to support from private industry or grants from foundations. IBM-compatible computers, as well as Macintosh, VMS and UNIX machines are commonplace on engineering and science-oriented campuses in the US. Foundations that support engineering and science education (among other fields) are the Lilly Endowment, the Olin Foundation and the National Science Foundation.
- Heavy emphasis on team-based class project experiences, to stimulate United States industrial working teams. Beginning mechanical engineering students might team together to design a small, mousetrap-based race car; and then race to determine the fastest car; electrical engineering students might work in teams to design and build an electronic combination lock.
- Co-operative ("co-op") or internship opportunities with pay to work in industrial settings before degree completion. Currently co-op opportunities are readily available for engineering majors, especially mechanical engineers, electrical and computer engineers and computer scientists. The high-tech industries are very strong.
- Closer links to industries, who offer internships as well as actively recruiting permanent employees on our campuses.
- Smaller student-teacher ratio and Professors, not graduate students, as your instructors.
- Professors who maintain an open door policy, available throughout most weekdays.
- High 4-year graduation rates averaging 60% (public institutions average below 50%).
- Innovative curriculum. Some engineering institutes strongly encourage their undergraduate engineering majors to have international experience. It can be as short as two months during summer vacation and involve a project overseas instead of the traditional study abroad language classes. Other colleges offer incoming freshmen a new approach to learning: an integrated curriculum, based on team work and the idea that students can become more efficient learners if they discover themes that links topics in different disciplines. Those subjects integrated into one course block include maths, physics and general chemistry.
Some private engineering institutions now require freshmen to purchase "lap-top" computers or desktops, which are used throughout the bachelor's degree in virtually every class. When students graduate, they are highly skilled in computer technology and know at least two significant programming languages, regardless of their major.
Currently, the United States job market is extremely active for engineers and scientists. Salaries are higher right now for engineering graduates then they have ever been, with graduates often receiving several offers. Every F-1 student in good standing can take "Optional Practical Training" (part-time or full-time work off-campus) after being in a good student status for 9 months. Each student is entitled to a total of 12 months full-time OPT, which may be taken before or after degree completion.
In my current role as International Student Counselor at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, I know that if you are not a native speaker of English upon arrival, you can expect to acquire more than a working knowledge of English by graduation if you are studying engineering. In addition to a technical skill, you will have strong marketable language skills in at least two languages (not to mention the computer languages).
All of us in international engineering education are very happy to have international students on our campuses. You come to the United States to gain an education, but you also come to learn about American culture and to share your culture with us. Through interaction with faculty, staff and students on our campuses, you promote more mutual understanding.
The diversity that you bring to us provides "windows to the world" for our students. World events impact our lives everyday, and your presence gives us a more global perspective that we need to understand the interconnectedness of life today.
Author
Karen DeGrange
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
