Prospective Students
Perspective students should explore the links to the left. Community college student should explore the Community College link to the left.
Students interested in engineering are strongly encouraged to take chemistry, especially physics, and as many math courses (a complete course in trigonometry, at a community college if necessary) as their high school offers preferably up through pre-calculus or calculus with the terminal course taken in the senior year. All UNCW entering freshmen are required to take a math placement test to see which math course they should start. Entering freshmen should also attend the earliest possible orientation session. Doing so will leave the rest of the summer to take more math if the placement test indicates more is needed.
Students who are "on the fence" about whether or not they want to pursue engineering, should start out in the pre-engineering program and not some other major. There are no "free" electives in engineering curricula. If you start out taking the wrong courses, you'll be behind right from the start. If you start out in the pre-engineering program and change your mind, all of the courses you take will count towards a major at UNCW. This include calculus, chemistry, physics, and humanities and social science courses. These will all meet UNCW's general education requirements. Any engineering courses you take will count as free electives of which there are many in UNCW majors.
Being "good in math" is a necessary prerequisite for pursuing engineering but it is not sufficient. It is helpful also to be a problem solver, self-starter, and responsible learner.
The question "What is engineering?" is often asked. President Herbert Hoover, a mining engineering, nicely summed up engineering from a philosophical view:
"It is a great profession. There is the fascination of watching a figment of the imagination emerge through the aid of science to a plan on paper. Then it moves to realization in stone or metal or energy. Then it brings homes and jobs to men. Then it elevates the standards of living and adds to the comforts of life. That is the engineer’s high privilege.
The great liability of the engineer compared to men of other professions is that his works are out in the open where all can see them. His acts, step by step, are in hard substance. He cannot argue them into thin air or blame the judge like lawyers. He cannot, like the politicians, screen his shortcomings by blaming his opponents and hope the people will forget. The engineer simply cannot deny he did it.
On the other hand, unlike the doctor his life is not a life among the weak. Unlike the soldier, destruction is not his purpose. Unlike the lawyer, quarrels are not his daily bread. To the engineer falls the job of clothing the bare bones of science with life, comfort, and hope. No doubt as years go by the people forget which engineer did it, even if they ever knew. Or some politician put his name on it. Or they credit it to some promoter who used other people’s money . . . But the engineer looks back at the unending stream of goodness which flows from his successes with satisfaction that few professionals may know. And the verdict of his fellow professionals is all the accolade he wants."
Donate Today