UNDERGRADUATE

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

For complete information see the Princeton University General Education Requirements

All candidates for the B.S.E. degree must fulfill the following general requirements in addition to the requirements of their department:

Science and Computer Courses

The following are the minimum B.S.E. first-year requirements (replaceable by advanced placement credits). If these courses are successfully completed in the first year, the balance of the required courses can usually be scheduled without any problems in the sophomore year to enable the engineering student to remain on track.

  • 2 terms of general physics
  • 2 terms of math
  • 1 term of general chemistry

A student who does not complete this minimum set of requirements by the beginning of sophomore year will be required to transfer from B.S.E. to A.B. candidacy.

By the end of the sophomore year, all B.S.E. candidates must have completed the equivalent of:

  • 4 semesters of mathematics (through MAT 202/204/218)
  • 2 semesters of physics (through PHY 104/106)
  • 1 semester of chemistry (either CHM 207 or 201)
  • 1 semester of computer programming ( COS 126)

These courses must be taken on a regularly graded basis. Any or all of these requirements may be satisfied by advanced placement credits.

Humanities and Social Sciences

Among the 36 courses must be a minimum of seven courses in the social sciences and humanities. Among these courses, B.S.E. candidates are required to take one course in four of the following five distribution areas:

  • Epistemology and Cognition (EC)
  • Ethical Thought and Moral Values (EM)
  • Historical Analysis (HA)
  • Literature and the Arts (LA)
  • Social Analysis (SA)

A B.S.E. student may substitute for one of these five areas the study of a foreign language at the 107/108 level or beyond. Certain ABET-accredited departments may have additional depth requirements which are described in the Undergraduate Announcement.

Courses Required

36 courses are required for the B.S.E. degree. Among these are:

  • Engineering general requirements
  • Departmental core and elective courses
  • Departmental independent work (Independent work in the School of Engineering and Applied Science carries course numbers)
  • At least seven social science and humanities courses
  • The University writing requirement
  • Free electives

Course Load

B.S.E. candidates normally take 4 courses in the fall term of the freshman year, and it is recommended that they take 5 in the spring. After the first year, B.S.E. students must carry 4 or 5 courses in a sequence appropriate to their program to satisfy the requirement of at least 36 courses in four years of study. B.S.E. students may not take fewer than four courses in any given semester.

For departmental requirements check with the respective department

B.S.E. students can participate in many different Interdepartmental Certificate Programs. For information contact the program director as listed in the current Undergraduate Announcement or Course Offerings.