School of Engineering and Applied Science
Dean
H. Vincent Poor
Vice Dean
Pablo G. Debenedetti
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs
Peter I. Bogucki
The undergraduate educational mission of the School of Engineering and Applied Science of Princeton University is to educate future leaders in engineering practice, research and education, business and finance, public service, and other professions. Students learn fundamental engineering principles and how to apply them to real-world problems whose solutions require an interdisciplinary perspective. Princeton offers its students a liberal education and encourages them to take advantage of its outstanding resources and facilities. The engineering school provides a rich educational environment that fosters interaction between talented students and an internationally renowned faculty. Through independent projects that require students to frame research questions, identify solutions, define priorities, and communicate findings, our students are uniquely prepared for challenging careers. Princeton engineering alumni are recognized for their ability, creativity, initiative, integrity, and vision for making the world a better place.
Engineering education at Princeton emphasizes the fundamental principles of mathematics and the physical and engineering sciences. It is broadened by substantial opportunities for study of the social sciences, the life sciences, and the humanities. Each engineering undergraduate can develop an academic program that reflects his or her aspirations and interests within a general framework of requirements. The depth and flexibility of the program make it a sound background for engineering practice or graduate study in engineering, science, business, law, or medicine. Curricula in engineering fields are offered through six academic departments:
Chemical Engineering, see page 460.
Civil and Environmental Engineering, see page 468.
Computer Science, see page 477.
Electrical Engineering, see page 485.
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, see page 493.
Operations Research and Financial Engineering, see page 503.
Design is the primary distinction between engineering and applied science, connoting the application of scientific and mathematical principles not only to the understanding of physical phenomena but the solution of specific problems. It is important that all B.S.E. students be exposed to technical course materials in the context of engineering design, have the opportunity for significant design experiences, and be apprised explicitly of the ways in which design is integrated within the engineering curriculum. Each department addresses this important issue in tailoring its programs to the needs of individual students, as articulated in descriptions of its courses and curriculum. Interdepartmental curricula are presented in the following programs:
Applications of Computing, see page 84.
Architecture and Engineering, see page 509.
Engineering and Management Systems, see page 510.
Engineering Biology, see page 512.
Engineering Physics, see page 514.
Geological Engineering, see page 516.
Materials Science and Engineering, see page 292.
Robotics and Intelligent Systems, see page 517.
Sustainable Energy, see page 520.
Students also may combine an engineering curriculum with study in depth in other fields, such as foreign area studies or public and international affairs.
Most University programs and opportunities are available to B.S.E. as well as to A.B. candidates. A description of these is contained in the “Special Features of the Undergraduate Program’’ section (see page 33). Of particular interest to B.S.E. students are the sections concerning advanced placement, advanced standing, writing requirement, auditing courses, graduate courses, and optional additional courses. Engineering students should also be aware of their eligibility for the Programs in Applications of Computing, Applied and Computational Mathematics, Creative Writing, Environmental Studies, Linguistics, Materials Science and Engineering, Musical Performance, Teacher Preparation, Theater and Dance, Visual Arts, Women and Gender, and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, and many other certificate programs.
Engineering students are encouraged to obtain international experience through participation in the University’s Study Abroad Program or through summer internships and language study abroad. Interested students should begin planning early by meeting with the associate dean for undergraduate affairs to discuss suitable programs at foreign universities.
Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education
The Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education takes as its goal the preparation of all students—both engineers and non-engineers—to be leaders in an increasingly technology-driven society. The center helps develop new courses and strengthen existing ones that go beyond purely technical subjects to provide students with a broader understanding of the global economic, environmental, and cultural forces that involve technology. At the same time, the center promotes engineering students’ technical education through internships and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Engineering (EGR) Courses
The School of Engineering and Applied Science offers several courses that have interdisciplinary content integrating engineering, natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities and are of broad interest to students from across the University. These courses typically have no prerequisites. They are listed in Course Offerings under engineering and bear the label EGR. Currently the following courses are in this category:
EGR 102A, 102B Engineering in the Modern World (see CEE 102A, 102B)
EGR 105 Lab in Conservation of Art (see CEE 105)
EGR 106 The Science and Technology of Decision Making (see ORF 105)
EGR 109 Computers in Our World (see COS 109)
*EGR 116 The Computational Universe (see COS 116)
EGR 199 Great Inventions That Changed the World (see CHE 199)
EGR 222A, 222B The Computing Age (see ELE 222A, 222B)
*EGR 228 Energy Solutions for the Next Century (see MAE 228)
*EGR 251, 351, 451 Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) — Fall, Spring
In the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) program, students earn academic credit for their participation in multidisciplinary design teams that solve technology-based problems for local not-for-profit organizations. The teams are: multidisciplinary—drawing students from across engineering and around the university; vertically-integrated—maintaining a mix of sophomores through seniors each semester; and long-term—each student may participate in a project for up to six semesters. The continuity, technical depth, and disciplinary breadth of these teams enable delivery of projects of significant benefit to the community. M. Littman, C. Peters
EGR 262A, 262B Structures and the Urban Environment (see CEE 262A, 262B)
EGR 328 Energy for a Greenhouse-Constrained World (see MAE 328)
EGR 386 Cyber Security (see ELE 386)
EGR 391 The Wireless Revolution: Telecommunications for the 21st Century (see ELE 391)
*EGR 437 Introduction to Innovation Process Management (see MAE 437)
EGR 445 Entrepreneurial Engineering (see MAE 445)
EGR 491 High-Tech Entrepreneurship (see ELE 491)
EGR 495 Special Topics in Entrepreneurship — Fall, Spring
Covers topical issues highlighting the impact of engineering on society through entrepreneurship. Topics and course format vary from year to year. Staff
Additional EGR courses are those with focused computer science, engineering, or mathematical content. These courses are relevant to students beyond the home department. Currently the following courses are in this category:
EGR 126 General Computer Science (see COS 126)
*EGR 191, 192 An Integrated Introduction to Engineering,
Mathematics, Physics (also MAT 191, 192/PHY 191, 192) — Fall ST (191), QR (192)
Taken concurrently, these two courses cover the material of
PHY 103 and MAT 201 with the emphasis on applications to engineering. The
physics part of the course discusses mechanics with applications to fluid
mechanics, wave phenomena, and thermodynamics. Concurrently, the necessary
mathematical background and tools will be taught, including vector calculus,
partial derivatives and matrices, line integrals, simple differential
equations, surface and volume integrals, and Green’s, Stokes’s, and divergence
theorems. J. Olsen, I. Daubechies, P.
Debenedetti
*EGR 193 An Integrated Introduction to Engineering,
Mathematics, Physics II (also MAT 193/PHY 193) — Spring ST
Taken concurrently with 194. These two courses address the
material of PHY 104 and offer an introduction to the various disciplines of
engineering. The physics part of the course covers the basic laws of
electricity, magnetism, and optics, from Coulomb’s law to Maxwell’s equations
and the prediction of electromagnetic waves. The course concludes with an
introduction of quantum theory with a treatment of matter waves, quantization,
and the Schroedinger equation. Students enrolled in both 191 and 192 concurrently
in the fall semester will continue in the spring in both 193 and 194. P. Debenedetti, F. Calaprice
*EGR 194 An Integrated Introduction to Engineering,
Mathematics, Physics II (also MAT 193/PHY 193) — Spring ST
Taken concurrently with 193. These two courses will address the material of PHY 104 and offer an introduction to the various disciplines of engineering. The engineering part of the course is a project-based sequence (energy conversion and the environment, robotic remote sensing, and wireless image and video transmission) that covers engineering disciplines and their relationship to the principles of physics and mathematics. Students who were enrolled in both 191 and 192 concurrently in the fall semester will continue in the spring in both 193 and 194. P. Debenedetti, M. Littman, S. Lyon
EGR 245 Fundamentals of Engineering Statistics (see ORF 245)
EGR 305 Mathematics in Engineering I (see MAE 305)
EGR 307 Optimization (see ORF 307)
EGR 309 Probability and Stochastic Systems (see ORF 309)
Preparation for Graduate Study
The curriculum of the School of Engineering and Applied Science provides a strong foundation for graduate study. Graduate courses are readily accessible to qualified undergraduates.
*One-time-only course