Integration Of An Innovative Engineering Program In A Suny College

The development of a new engineering program in an existing and well-established institution presents several challenges, including the creation of a sound curriculum that satisfies some of the local and national engineering workforce needs. However, besides curricular issues, the new program must also satisfy all accreditation requirements and incorporate modern and innovative teaching methods, equipment, and facilities. Due consideration must be given to the already established educational tenets of the university as the engineering program must be inserted within the university’s existing curricular infrastructure, including the general education requirements and the existing support courses in the sciences and mathematics. There is a strong desire to develop a program that is competitive within the engineering education field and that responds to expected needs in the engineering profession. Several specific ideas are considered to achieve this goal. The curriculum will be largely project-based and will rely on active-learning methods and multidisciplinary teaching using proven methods as described and already implemented in other successful engineering schools. Engineering education is a recognized important factor in economic development and several new programs are already or will likely be developed in many educational institutions. The results of this work concerning the early development and planning of a new engineering program provide valuable referential experience for future engineering program development efforts.