Catalog 2008-2009

PHYSICAL SCIENCE

Interdisciplinary Program

William P. O’Brien, PhD, Program Chair and Associate Professor of Physics

Physical Science Major (Dual Degree, Pre-Engineering Program)

For students interested in engineering, a dual degree program is possible which consists of three years of course work at Southwestern University followed by approximately two years at an engineering school accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The student will complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts, with the exception of the major requirement, at Southwestern. In addition, the student will complete his or her training in the basic sciences and in mathematics at Southwestern. Southwestern University will award the Bachelor of Arts degree after the completion of all of the requirements for the engineering degree.

The dual degree program is designed to place the technical training of the engineer within the broader perspective of the liberal arts tradition. In this age, the engineer cannot always confine himself or herself to the technical aspects of engineering projects. The modern engineer must be aware of the social responsibilities of the profession and must explain the possibilities and the risks of new technologies to fellow citizens. These considerations have been given added emphasis by recent decisions of many engineering schools to add more humanities courses to their programs and are especially relevant to those who, in the course of a technical career, move into decision-making positions. Completion of the program at Southwestern is the first stage of the dual degree program. The student then applies for admission to an ABET accredited engineering school which usually requires a GPA of 3.0. In the case of Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., students with the above-noted GPA and a recommendation from the liaison office (Southwestern’s Physics Department) are normally admitted. In addition, Washington University offers a Dual Degree Engineering Affiliation Scholarship to be awarded by the Southwestern University liaison office. To be eligible for the scholarship, which covers half of the tuition cost at Washington University, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and meet the dual degree admission requirements. Students in the dual degree program at Washington University constitute about 20 percent of the undergraduate engineering students and receive their degrees upon satisfactory completion of a two-year program in St. Louis. Also, specific credit transfers have been arranged with Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz., and with Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. It should be noted that the average time to complete an engineering degree at public institutions for their students who enter as freshmen is now five years. As both the engineering schools and Southwestern make curricular adjustments frequently, students interested in the dual degree program should consult regularly with the Pre-Engineering adviser about progress or changes in affiliation agreements.

Students must satisfy the basic requirements of the Bachelor of Arts degree, including all Area One and Two requirements, but excluding the 47 semester hours in the major discipline, for a total of 92 semester hours at Southwestern.

The courses in the Physical Science major will provide a foundation upon which further work in engineering will be built. The Area One and Area Two courses also will provide some transfer credit to various schools. A detailed outline showing a suggested staging of the various courses at Southwestern is available from the Physics Department.

The Southwestern degree is a BA with a major in physical science. The requirements for the major are to be considered satisfied by the science and mathematics courses outlined above together with course work completed at the engineering school for completion of the engineering degree at the second institution. Successful completion of the engineering degree is a requirement for the BA at Southwestern University. While the degree cannot be conferred until all requirements are completed at both institutions, students who can provide evidence that they will complete their degree requirements by the end of the second institution’s spring semester may petition to the Provost by the published deadlines to participate in May commencement activities at Southwestern University.

Major in Physical Science: 47 semester hours, including Chemistry 51-153/151, 163/161; Computer Science 54-143 or 183; Mathematics 52-154, 254, 353, 673, 753; Physics 53-154, 164, 214, 334; Chemistry 51-714 or Physics 53-204.