School of Engineering
Delvin Peterson, Dean; Bryce Cole, Associate Dean; Rob Frohne, Mark Haun, Qin Ma, Eduardo Ribeiro, Natalie Smith-Gray, Ralph Stirling, Douglas Thomsen, Melodie Williams, Louie Yaw.
The engineering profession applies the principles of mathematics, science, economics, ethics, and social sciences to use the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of mankind. The faculty of the Edward F. Cross School of Engineering, in partnership with the institution, strives to provide students a high-quality, broad-based, and integrated engineering education that will empower them to achieve success in one or both of the following:
- The practice of engineering or associated endeavors in industry, private practice, or government.
- Advanced study in engineering or other professions*.
*Success is assessed approximately five years after graduation.
Degrees Offered. The Edward F. Cross School of Engineering offers curricula leading to two distinct degrees. The Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.) degree is designed to prepare students to enter professional engineering practice and to provide undergraduate instruction that will serve as a strong foundation for graduate studies. The curriculum includes elective concentrations in bioengineering, civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering. The B.S.E. program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with a major in bioengineering is intended primarily for students planning to pursue advanced studies in bioengineering, medicine, dentistry, public health, or physiology. It is not designed for students desiring to enter directly into the practice of professional engineering following their undergraduate study.
Admission Requirements
Incoming engineering students must meet the WWU admission requirements. In addition, the School of Engineering expects that students are ready for Calculus I and College Writing I upon entrance. A fourth year of mathematics, a second year of laboratory science, and an introductory computer programming course are strongly recommended.
Engineering Phase Advancement Policy
In the interest of having students matched with majors in which they can succeed, and stewardship of financial aid resources, it is important for engineering students to have appropriate preparation at the beginning of the program and to make good academic progress. The School of Engineering has established three phases for students to advance through while completing a degree in engineering. Students will need to complete key courses from the freshmen sequence in Phase 1 before advancing to Phase 2. They will need to complete all required classes from the first two years before advancing to Phase 3. Students who present a transcript of previous successful studies in math and science from an accredited college or university may be admitted directly to Phase 2.
Phase 1 Courses
Courses Required for all Concentrations:
Additional Courses for Bioengineering
- Either of the following two sequences
Additional Courses for Civil or Mechanical Engineering
Additional Courses for Computer or Electrical Engineering
Engineering Advancement to Phase 2. Students must advance to Phase 2 in the Engineering program before proceeding to any engineering course numbered 221 or higher. To advance to Phase 2, students must complete all required Phase 1 courses with a C- or better grade, and maintain a cumulative GPA > 2.5. Advancement to Phase 2 normally occurs prior to the Fall quarter of the student’s second year of taking courses at Walla Walla University as an Engineering major. Students who do not meet the requirements to advance to Phase 2 in their chosen concentration by the end of their first spring quarter as an engineering major must apply for continued enrollment in engineering. This application should include a detailed plan for completing the deficient courses. Students who do not advance to Phase 2 or successfully apply for continued enrollment in engineering at the end of their first year must switch to a non-Engineering major.
Applications for continued enrollment in engineering into the third year without advancing to Phase 2 will not typically be accepted. Because of course sequencing, students should expect at least three years of additional study to complete the engineering degree after advancing to Phase 2.
Engineering Advancement to Phase 3. Students advance to Phase 3 after completing all the required courses in the first and second year of the four-year planner for their concentration, with no more than 8 credits less than C-. Occasionally, engineering courses may need to be repeated. However, multiple repetitions of courses inefficiently use student finances and can jeopardize degree completion. Students should expect to advance to Phase 3 before the end of the third year of studies. If this timeline is not met, students must switch to a non-engineering major. Alternatively, they may apply to remain in engineering with a detailed plan for addressing the deficient courses.
For transfer students, the timing of the threshold for Phase 3 depends on how many credits a student transfers in before beginning courses at Walla Walla University as an Engineering major.
Students with less than 45 college credits taken before beginning courses
- Advance to Phase 3 by the end of the ninth full time quarter in the engineering program (not counting summers).
Students with between 45 and 90 college credits taken before beginning courses
- Advance to Phase 3 by the end of the sixth full time quarter in the engineering program (not counting summers).
Students with more than 90 college credits taken before beginning courses
- Advance to Phase 3 by the end of the third full time quarter in the engineering program (not counting summers). If course sequencing justifies this, or if a substantial number of the transferred credits were not in STEM related areas, additional time may be granted.
Affiliation Program. North American Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities are affiliated with Walla Walla University under a program that allows students to complete the first one or two years of engineering instruction at any participating institution and then complete degree requirements at Walla Walla University. There is also a cooperative dual degree program in which the student spends approximately three years at Oakwood University and approximately two years at WWU. Following the successful completion of all requirements, the student will be awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from Oakwood University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree from WWU. Each affiliated campus has an engineering coordinator appointed to provide the necessary guidance to insure a smooth transition from the affiliated campus to Walla Walla University. Details of this program can be obtained from the Dean of the School of Engineering.