Tagliatela College of Engineering

Ronald Harichandran, Ph.D., Dean
Nancy Savage, Ph.D., Associate Dean
 

The Tagliatela College of Engineering (TCoE) offers a variety of programs in engineering and the applied sciences. These two areas encompass a number of dynamic professions in which practitioners use their knowledge, judgment, and creativity to address some of the most important and interesting challenges facing society. These challenges and the changing face of engineering will shape the world of the twenty-first century - a world of exotic materials, new sources of energy, staggering telecommunications and computing capabilities, cybernetic factories, and needed public works. In the coming years we anticipate exciting opportunities to emerge at the frontier between engineering and the life sciences.

Few professions can match engineering for its challenge and excitement or for its essential spirit of play. These qualities are true for each of the school's seven engineering programs - chemical, civil, computer, electrical, general, industrial and systems, and mechanical engineering - and also for its applied science programs in computer science and chemistry. The rewards of an engineering career include challenging tasks, social standing, and appealing working conditions and compensation. All of these are in addition to the great satisfaction of seeing your accomplishments in the real world of engineered components and systems. But a degree in engineering or the applied sciences can also lead to a wide variety of careers outside the realm of engineering and applied science. Engineers are problem solvers, and the ability to analyze a problem and find a viable solution is a highly sought-after attribute in many walks of life. Engineering skills provide an entry to business, law, medicine, politics, and entrepreneurship. Innovation will play a major role in the future, and individuals who are able to generate creative solutions to the myriad of problems that face society will be well rewarded.

Vision

The vision of the Tagliatela College of Engineering is to be the acknowledged regional leader in innovative engineering and applied science education.

Mission

The mission of the Tagliatela College of Engineering is to provide high-quality programs in an environment that supports student development, encourages faculty scholarship, and provides for the personal growth of all community members. The college provides an innovative teaching and engaged learning environment in order to maximize student success. Students are prepared for evolving professional careers by the fostering of a multidisciplinary perspective, and by the instilling of broad problemsolving, design, organizational, and communications skills. Graduates are prepared to practice ethical behavior, engage in career-long learning, and contribute to the betterment of society. All community members value diversity and expect that graduates will bring recognition to themselves and to the institution throughout their professional careers. In the context of our historically successful programs, we have established a continuous quality-improvement environment that seeks to achieve the following goals:

• Sustain a positive environment for the critical evaluation of new ideas
• Maintain nationally accredited programs
• Develop leading-edge curricula to meet the needs of the region
• Adapt curricula in response to technological advances
• Maximize learning by incorporating new and effective pedagogies
• Use appropriate classroom technology to support learning
• Provide laboratory facilities that reflect the current state of practice
• Further develop experiential learning opportunities
• Integrate the theory and practice of engineering by actively partnering with business, corporate, government, industrial, and community leaders

Guiding Principles

Members of the Tagliatela College of Engineering teaching/learning community are committed to the guiding principles below:

• To exhibit respect, integrity, dignity, and professionalism
• To assist all members of the Tagliatela College of Engineering - students, staff, and faculty - to achieve their full potential
• To instill a spirit of pride, cooperation, and accountability
• To believe that personal contact with and concern for our students are essential
• To be committed to the total development of the student
• To recognize that in diversity there is strength
• To understand that the Tagliatela College of Engineering is one component of the teaching/learning environment and to offer support for other programs within the University

Organizational Structure

The Tagliatela College of Engineering consists of five operational units as follows:

• The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (CCE)
• The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)
• The Department of Engineering and Applied Science Education (EASE)
• The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science (ECEC)
• The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIE)

Further information concerning each operational unit, its mission and goals, its faculty and its program offerings is given below.

Professional Accreditation

The bachelor's degree programs in chemical, civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org. The bachelor's degree program in computer science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.

Programs

Responsibility for the curricular content of academic programs resides with the faculty in each of the academic units. Each academic program is managed by a program coordinator who is the students' primary point of contact for programrelated inquiries. Each of the college's academic programs is listed under its departmental affiliation.

Undergraduate Programs

Graduate Programs

Choosing a Major

The University of New Haven is one of a small number of universities in which entering freshmen are admitted directly to the engineering college. A student may be accepted into the Tagliatela College of Engineering without declaring a major in a specific engineering discipline. This is possible because the freshman year curriculum is essentially common to all engineering programs. Students who have chosen a major should follow the recommended first-year program for the major. Students who are undecided about their choice of engineering major should choose the general engineering degree program and follow the recommended first-year program.

Those students wishing to complete an engineering degree program other than general engineering are strongly advised to decide on their new program by the beginning of the sophomore year. Students interested in chemistry or computer science are advised to choose that option in their first year.

Academic Advising

Faculty members within the Tagliatela College of Engineering take very seriously their responsibilities as academic advisers. Good academic advising helps a student make wise academic decisions and avoid course sequencing errors that can delay graduation. Each student is encouraged to meet with his or her academic adviser as soon as possible during the first semester of the freshman year and on a regular basis at least once per semester.

All newly admitted students, including transfer students, are assigned a faculty adviser in the department responsible for their chosen degree program.

The Multidisciplinary Foundation for Engineering Programs

To operate effectively in today's workforce, engineers need to have a multidisciplinary perspective along with substantial disciplinary depth. The faculty of the Tagliatela College of Engineering have developed an innovative approach to achieve this perspective: The Multidisciplinary Engineering Foundation Spiral Curriculum . This curricular model enables the needed mix of breadth and depth, along with the desired professional skills, by providing carefully crafted, well-coordinated curricular experiences in the first two years.

University Core Curriculum

In addition to college and department requirements, students must fulfill all requirements of the University Core Curriculum. (See University Curricula  section of the catalog.) Included within the core curriculum are requirements in the humanities and social sciences. For details, see the section Social Science and Humanities Electives below.

General Policies of the Tagliatela College of Engineering

The following information applies to all degree programs within the TCoE:

Transfer Credit

Transfer of credits for previous academic work is coordinated by the dean's office and assessed by program coordinators according to school policy, described in the document "Guidelines on Transfer Credit Awards." All transferred courses are the result of a determination of equivalence of course content and level. Courses for transfer claiming engineering content normally are accepted only from ABET-accredited programs.

Transfer students whose previous academic work results in placement beyond the freshman year may be given the option of following the program worksheet in effect for upper-level students in the chosen major. Such a choice may shorten the time required to complete the degree program.

Social Science and Humanities Electives

The work of engineers and applied scientists requires creative solutions that are socially, politically, economically, culturally and aesthetically acceptable. Courses in the social sciences and humanities help to develop awareness of the needs of the global society and contribute to the ability of a scientist/ engineer to communicate technical options to the broad constituencies that are affected by technical solutions. Specific courses chosen in these areas must satisfy the University Core Curriculum requirements.

Mathematics Electives

These are courses from the Mathematics Department at the 300 or higher level. Academic advisers should be consulted for recommendations on the mathematics electives most relevant to a student's career objectives.

Technical Electives

Technical electives are upper-level courses directly pertinent to a student's major field of study. These electives must be approved by the student's academic adviser and are usually chosen from engineering college courses. The adviser's approval is important to ensure that students meet the prerequisite requirements.

Design Electives

Design electives within each program are those upper-level engineering courses that incorporate substantial design activities. Suitable courses include a (D) following the course title. These courses may also be used as technical electives.

Internship Requirement

All Tagliatela College of Engineering graduates are required to complete an internship prior to graduation. Students should check with their academic adviser regarding the specific requirements (which differ by program).

Senior Project Experience

The Tagliatela College of Engineering's strategic plan calls for each TCoE engineering major to complete a year-long, team-based, client sponsored project. Students are encouraged to seek suitable topics for project work from the organizations in which they undertake their internships.