Bachelor of Science in Physics (STEM)

at EDUCO - Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology USA

Graduates with a degree in chemistry will be well prepared for employment, graduate study in a chemistry-related field, or professional school. Chemists are employed in research, quality control, design, sales and management. Many graduates pursue masters and doctoral degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, materials science, or environmental science, among others. A chemistry degree is excellent preparation for medical school and related fields, and also for careers in business, law or education.

The curriculum at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology provides a rigorous introduction to all subdisciplines of chemistry. Students have access to modern instrumentation, a new biochemistry lab, and a new environmental chemistry lab. Rose-Hulman students are introduced to modern computational methods beginning in the sophomore year. There are many opportunities for research or other individual projects, and students are encouraged to present their results at regional and national chemistry conferences. Close interaction with engineering departments provides students with a point of view not available at most other undergraduate institutions.

Students may broaden their education by choosing a minor or second major. Many students, including chemistry majors, may be interested in a second major or minor in biochemistry and molecular biology. Other common choices include biology, chemical engineering and mathematics.

Student Outcomes

Student Outcomes are statements that describe what students are expected to have by the time of graduation.

• An ability to design and conduct experiments as well as to analyze and interpret data.
• An ability to recognize the professional and ethical responsibilities of a chemist.
• An ability to communicate effectively in presentations and reports.
• An ability to use the scientific method to investigate chemical systems.
• An ability to conduct chemistry in both academic and industrial settings.

The twenty-first century will see unparalleled advances in the biological sciences. Disciplines such as biology and biomedical engineering are burgeoning and will greatly impact the way we live in the future. The areas of functional genomics and proteomics will drive discoveries in molecular medicine, gene therapy and tissue engineering. Drug discovery will be facilitated by the elucidation of new target molecules and many pharmaceutical compounds will be produced using biological processes. Environmental management, remediation and restoration will also benefit from advances in biology. Biologists will be at the forefront of these advances and will drive the medical, agricultural, environmental and industrial applications of biological sciences.

The biology program will produce biologists with the chemistry, mathematics, and physics background needed to solve biotechnological problems in the coming decades. Those students wishing to strengthen their engineering skills can earn the area minor in biomedical engineering. Other students may choose to pursue a second major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The program will prepare graduates for professional careers in government and industrial research laboratories, and in the biotechnology and health-related industries.

Those wishing to continue their studies in graduate or health professions programs will be exceptionally well qualified to do so.

Biology Learning Objectives

Upon graduation, Rose-Hulman Biology students will be able to

• Identify questions of interest to the scientific community.
• Develop and implement a strategy to answer open-ended questions or achieve a goal through scientific investigation or experimentation.
• Develop evidence-based conclusions through a process of informed evaluation and judgement.
• Communicate with a range of audiences through a variety of media.
• Demonstrate integrity with respect to ethical and professional responsibilities.
• Exhibit growth as a person and professional using appropriate learning strategies.
• Use examples from molecules to ecosystems to illustrate core concepts of biology.

Civil engineering is a people-oriented profession that has long been in existence to serve the needs of mankind. It evolved as a formal discipline at the start of the 19th century with the advent of society’s need for increased mobility and convenience. The role of the civil engineer has always been one that deals primarily with public works: the planning, design, and construction of airports, bridges, buildings, and transportation, irrigation, flood control, water supply and waste disposal systems. These civil engineering works not only manage our environment, but are part of the environment itself and, by their very nature, have important social and economic impacts.

The civil engineering curriculum is designed to give the student a sound education in preparation for this role. The first two years include courses that deal with the principles of mathematics, physical and engineering sciences on which engineering concepts are based, as well as courses in humanities and social sciences and introductory courses in engineering and design. The last two years are devoted to developing the necessary technical competence, as well as the ability to apply the knowledge that the student has acquired to the design and synthesis of complex civil engineering projects. Project-based learning is an essential ingredient, and a year-long, client-based capstone design project highlights the senior year.

The entire curriculum is oriented to develop a student’s ability to think critically and logically. Upon graduation the student will be able to adapt this ability to the engineering environment of his or her choice. The curriculum in civil engineering will provide the student with the capacity for professional growth, either by advanced study or as a practicing professional engineer. A student may also use this academic background as a stepping stone to a position in management, administration, law, or some other non-engineering field.

Software engineering is the creation of software using a process similar to other engineering disciplines. It allows for software to be reliable and developed within time and cost estimates. The software engineering curriculum prepares students for a career in reliable, economical software development.

Programming is only one phase (construction) of software engineering. There are many other aspects of the software engineering process, such as requirements definition, architectural design, and quality assurance, which need to be applied in order to develop reliable software on time and within budget constraints. The software engineering curriculum provides students a solid background in both the theory and practice of all phases in the software engineering process, beginning with their first course of study in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, and continuing to the end of the senior year.

Since software is a non-physical product developed and executed on computers, the software engineering curriculum has computer science as its primary engineering science. The computer science courses taken by software engineering majors include the study of algorithms, data structures, database concepts, computer architecture, programming languages and operating systems. Software engineering majors also complete important courses in other closely related fields, such as discrete mathematics, digital logic design, and engineering statistics.

Software Engineering Student Outcomes

By the time students graduate with a Software Engineering degree from Rose-Hulman, they will be able to:

• An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
• An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
• An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
• An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
• An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
• An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
• An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Mechanical engineering is a broad field of endeavor with opportunities in many areas of industry: production and manufacturing; aeronautics and aerospace; robotics and automation; conventional and renewable energy; automotive and transportation; and many others. Additional opportunities for mechanical engineers include careers in government, education, and private consulting. The mechanical engineering curriculum is designed to prepare students for this wide range of options by providing them with a strong foundation in the fundamental principles of science and engineering to tackle the complex technological problems of today and adapt for the challenges of tomorrow.

The required courses of the undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum provide the basic mathematical and scientific fundamentals underlying the practice of mechanical engineering. Technical, free, and math/science elective courses allow the student flexibility in adapting the program to their interests in pursuit of their specific career goals. Electives in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts help to foster the links between society and engineering so that the mechanical engineering graduate is aware of the roles of engineering and science in solving complex technological and social problems as well as of the impacts of social and environmental factors on engineering activities such as design. For those undergraduates who choose to continue their education at Rose-Hulman, graduate work leading to a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering or a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering is offered by the department.

Student Outcomes

Student outcomes describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. These relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that students acquire as they progress through the program. We expect our graduates to have the ability to:

• Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
• Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
• Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
• Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
• Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
• Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusion.
• Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

An increasing number of problems in the biological sciences are being solved using sophisticated mathematical and computational tools. The biomathematics degree blends mathematics, biology, and computer science in preparation for continued graduate studies and for careers in the quantitative life sciences. The degree's mission is to provide a world class undergraduate education in applied mathematics used in support of the life sciences.

The degree's mission is supported and motivated by these facts:

• Biological data is being generated with unprecedented precision and in unfathomable volumes.
• Quantifying biological observations requires mathematical and statistical analysis.
• The basic principles of complex biological systems support mathematical and computational modeling, which can lead to testable hypotheses and new discoveries.

PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The biomathematics degree will provide a broad based undergraduate experience that

• Prepares students with a rigorous education in applied mathematics,
• Educates students in the fundamental principles of biology,
• Trains students to work in a computational arena,
• Introduces students to several of the sister disciplines of computational biology, mathematical biology, bioinformatics, systems biology, and biostatistics,
• Guides students through an advanced undergraduate research project. The degree will also liberally educate students through the study of the humanities and social sciences. Students of the program will be encouraged to participate in external and internal research programs and industrial internships and/or co-ops.

The Computer Science curriculum prepares students for careers in all areas of the computer industry as well as for graduate studies in computer science and computer related fields. Students have also found a computer science major to be excellent preparation for careers in law, medicine, business administration, industrial engineering, biomedical engineering, and other technical and non-technical fields.

Computer science is a rapidly changing discipline. The lifetime of a particular computer system or software package can be very short. The computer science curriculum is designed to prepare students for multiple careers in a rapidly changing environment. The department’s courses emphasize fundamental concepts and techniques that will last longer than present technology.

Computer science majors complete a core of basic computer science courses that includes the study of algorithms, data structures, database concepts, computer architecture, programming languages, operating systems, and software engineering. Majors also complete important courses in closely related fields, e.g., discrete mathematics, digital logic design, and probability and statistics. The major requires students to study all aspects of the science of computing, including hardware, software, and theory.

Computer Science Student Outcomes

• Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
• Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
• Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
• Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
• Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline.
• Apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions.

Mechanical engineering is a broad field of endeavor with opportunities in many areas of industry: production and manufacturing; aeronautics and aerospace; robotics and automation; conventional and renewable energy; automotive and transportation; and many others. Additional opportunities for mechanical engineers include careers in government, education, and private consulting. The mechanical engineering curriculum is designed to prepare students for this wide range of options by providing them with a strong foundation in the fundamental principles of science and engineering to tackle the complex technological problems of today and adapt for the challenges of tomorrow.

The required courses of the undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum provide the basic mathematical and scientific fundamentals underlying the practice of mechanical engineering. Technical, free, and math/science elective courses allow the student flexibility in adapting the program to their interests in pursuit of their specific career goals. Electives in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts help to foster the links between society and engineering so that the mechanical engineering graduate is aware of the roles of engineering and science in solving complex technological and social problems as well as of the impacts of social and environmental factors on engineering activities such as design. For those undergraduates who choose to continue their education at Rose-Hulman, graduate work leading to a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering or a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering is offered by the department.

Student Outcomes

Student outcomes describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. These relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that students acquire as they progress through the program. We expect our graduates to have the ability to:

• Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
• Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
• Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
• Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
• Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
• Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusion.
• Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

The International Computer Science curriculum prepares students for careers in all areas of the computer industry as well as for graduate studies in computer science and computer related fields. Students have also found a computer science major to be excellent preparation for careers in law, medicine, business administration, industrial engineering, biomedical engineering, and other technical and non-technical fields.

Computer science is a rapidly changing discipline. The lifetime of a particular computer system or software package can be very short. The international computer science curriculum is designed to prepare students for multiple careers in a rapidly changing, global environment. The program’s courses emphasize fundamental concepts and techniques that will last longer than present technology.

International computer science majors complete a core of basic computer science courses that includes the study of algorithms, data structures, database concepts, computer systems, computer architecture, programming languages, operating systems, and software engineering. Advanced courses in theory of computation, computer networks, distributed systems, security, and real time systems add depth to the degree program. A three-term senior thesis provides students the opportunity to research in depth an area of computer science that is of interest to them under the mentorship of a faculty member. Majors also complete important courses in closely related fields, e.g., discrete mathematics and probability and statistics, as well as study a foreign language. The major requires students to study all aspects of the science of computing, including hardware, software, and theory.

International Computer Science Student Outcomes

By the time students graduate with an international computer science degree from Rose-Hulman, they will be able to:

• Effectively apply a variety of computing resources, programming languages, programming paradigms, operating systems, networks, and software development tools
• Anticipate complexities and problems involved in the development of large computing systems
• Analyze requirements, design computing systems that satisfy those requirements, and implement that system
• Analyze problems and design solutions using ideas of problem complexity, models of computation, decidability, and scalability
• Analyze algorithms in terms of correctness, as well as time and space efficiency
• Evaluate and discuss the legal, social, and ethical aspects of significant events that arise in the field of computing both domestically and internationally
• Interact effectively with colleagues and clients located abroad and overcome challenges that arise from geographic distance, cultural differences, and multiple languages
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Collaborate effectively in teams
• Recognize the need for, and engage in, lifelong learning
• Understand the structure and functionality of modern computer systems
• Live and work in the computing field in a country other than their native country
• Demonstrate proficiency in a second language that allows them to interact effectively with colleagues and clients in their field

The science of light, once confined to research labs and science fiction novels, has found its way into our everyday lives. The applications of optics can be seen everywhere. A list of more common examples of these applications include laser printers, fiber optic communication, internet switches, fiber optic telephone lines, compact disc players, credit cards bearing holograms, grocery checkout scanners, computers and eye surgery. The field of optics is an enabling technology and is growing at a rapid pace. Optical techniques are found in a wide range of areas such as surveying and construction, measurements of material parameters and deformation, flow measurements, communications, machine vision, laser cutting, drilling and welding, data storage, internet switches, optical computers and sensors etc. Surveys show that there is a growing demand for optical designers/scientists/ engineers every year. Opportunities for graduates in Optical Engineering are available in many industries, including automated inspection, consumer electronics, fiber optic communications, optical instrumentation, laser devices, radar systems, data storage etc.

The Optical Engineering bachelor’s degree program is one of the few in the country. This program provides a firm foundation for those interested in continuing thier studies in optics at the graduate level, as well as for those going into industry. The curriculum was developed by the faculty with input from industrial representatives as well as from renowned national and international optics educators. Because of the diverse applications of optics, the curriculum contains a mix of courses in physics and mathematics as well as humanities and social sciences. The Optical Engineering program at Rose-Hulman stresses laboratory instruction. We also encourage students to look at options for a double major, especially Optical Engineering with electrical, computer or mechanical engineering.

OE Program Educational Objectives

• Our graduates will set their career path and advance beyond their entry-level position or progress toward the completion of an advanced degree.
• Our graduates will make a positive impact on society.
• Our graduates will behave ethically and act as responsible members of the engineering and science community.
• Our graduates will continue to develop professionally