By Tess Carenbauer

Typically, engineering schools focus solely on the scientific and mathematical aspects of engineering. However, a recent report from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor suggests undergraduate engineering students should have a more liberal arts basis.

This report, titled “Engineering for a Changing World: A Roadmap to the Future of Engineering Practice, Research and Education,” said a broader course of study is necessary to prepare students to live in a more global economy.

Northeastern’s school of engineering would require a change of curriculum to fit the recommendations of this report.

“It’s very clear that research is demanding interdisciplinary studies,” said Richard Scranton, associate dean for undergraduate engineering programs. He said a change in engineering students’ curriculum is necessary for the future, but he is not expecting a complete overhaul any time soon.

“It’s going to take time,” he said. Even so, James Stellar, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said those involved in engineering are “working on this, clearly.”

Stellar said he supports changing the curriculum to help give engineering students a more well-rounded education. One solution would be to “work cooperatively with the other colleges” at Northeastern, Scranton said.

Engineering professor James Beeneyan said he wants to redesign the engineering program at the undergraduate level. To do so, Northeastern’s School of Engineering must figure out which courses could be eliminated and replaced with those centered on the liberal arts.

Northeastern must find professors “who can reach out into these students,” he said. Scranton said the School of Engineering employees would have to find out where there is room for more collaborative courses.

However, Jeffrey Doughty, professor and director of laboratories in mechanical and industrial engineering, said the current engineering curriculum “lacks the flexibility” to teach more liberal arts courses.

Senior industrial engineering major Thomas Stanley said he recognizes this conflict and said he “would love to take more electives”, but this is not currently possible. As Stellar said, though, allowing more electives in engineering curricula is a work in progress.

Scranton agrees and said the university’s engineering program is “under constant revision” and “always looking at curriculum … and modifying it to do things better.” The School of Engineering loosened the curricula this past semester, he said. Because the global economy affects engineers world-wide, an international focus is needed as well. The co-op program allows engineering students to travel abroad and determine what skills are necessary in the field. Both Scranton and Doughty agreed that Northeastern engineering students are ahead of similar engineering students in a four-year program.

Work is done not only at Northeastern but around the nation as well. For example, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) looks at how to improve engineering students’ curriculum by considering the necessary criteria for future studies.

Beeneyan said two problems haunting engineering students that could possibly be avoided in the future are that they are “not really aware enough of current event topics” like global warming, and that “the ability to effectively write and communicate” has declined overall. Northeastern needs to address the curriculum of students who are not well-rounded, whether the students are majoring in engineering or English, Stellar said.

That is why he said he is “strongly supportive” of engineering students having a more liberal arts basis. Similarly, he supports the concept of liberal arts students taking more scientific and mathematic courses.

Scranton, Stellar, Doughty and Beeneyan said it is necessary for Northeastern to make changes, that way, all students can be more well-rounded. Experience, said Stellar, is the best way to create this balance of education that he feels is necessary in an ever-changing technological world.

The future of engineering students’ curriculum, though undetermined, “is exciting [to think about],” said Scranton.