Academic Programs
Edward F. Cross School of Engineering
The Edward F. Cross School of Engineering offers a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree with five possible concentrations (bioengineering, civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical), an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in bioengineering sciences, and an emphasis in Global Humanitarian Engineering. Contact Academic Advisement if you have questions: (509) 527-2132.
Program Objectives
Edward F. Cross School of Engineering Program Educational Objectives
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.*
Desired Outcomes
We expect students to develop:
- 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.
Philosophy
Our program is offered in:
- An environment that promotes the development of social and interpersonal maturity, character, teamwork, leadership, and ethical conduct as a foundation for productive service to society, both professionally and personally, and
- An atmosphere that will encourage students to develop a spirit of service consistent with Christian and humanitarian principles.
*Success is assessed approximately five years after graduation.
Undergraduate Enrollment and Degrees Awarded
Year | Enrollment | Degrees Awarded |
2018 | 266 | 38 |
2017 | 288 | 52 |
2016 | 286 | 45 |
2015 | 274 | 45 |
2014 | 266 | 46 |
Engineering Candidacy and Progression 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:
- ENGL 121 (College Writing I)
- ENGL 122 (College Writing II)
- MATH 181 (Calculus I)
- MATH 281 (calculus II)
- Two of the following four courses:
Additional Courses for Bioengineering:
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. Student 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 as 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.
Civil Engineering (Bachelor of Science in Engineering)
Civil Engineers create the infrastructure for a growing, changing society. They create buildings, highways, bridges, and water treatment plants as well as facilities that help protect people and property from major natural disasters. At WWU, you will develop your skills in a hands-on laboratory setting, whether it is studying the engineering properties of soil in the soils lab or hydraulics in the fluid mechanics lab. Career opportunities include transportation engineering, structural engineering, environmental engineering, hydraulics, water resources engineering, and geotechnical engineering.
Computer Engineering (Bachelor of Science in Engineering)
Computer Engineers work in an area closely related to electrical and electronic engineering, but with more emphasis on digital circuits and software. At the School of Engineering, you will learn to design and develop digital systems, integrated circuits, and software for everything from embedded controllers, networking equipment and robots to computers and computer peripherals. The computation laboratory is equipped with Sun workstations and industrial-strength standard software, allowing you to test both hardware and software before fabricating circuit boards. Career opportunities are available in both small entrepreneurial companies, and large industry.
Electrical Engineering (Bachelor of Science in Engineering)
Electrical Engineers design, develop and test electrical and electronic equipment ranging from giant power generators to hand-held global positioning system receivers. The School of Engineering's labs provide the perfect place to exercise your creativity, allowing you to design and build electronic circuits and develop signal processing algorithms. You will study in a practical, design-oriented program, learning to use mathematical models to predict the performance of the circuits you design. You will be prepared to work in areas such as communication, aerospace electronics, medical instrumentation and imaging systems, and nonpolluting energy generation.
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor of Science in Engineering)
Mechanical Engineers design automobiles, refrigerators, tractors, robots and other equipment to make life simpler and more productive. At WWU, you will study dynamics, kinematics, machine design, and computer aided design, and apply these principles to design machines and mechanisms and visualize them as computerized solid models. In the mechanical engineering lab, you will learn fluid dynamics in the wind tunnel and hydraulic jumps in open channel flow. In the robotics and manufacturing systems labs, you will learn and apply modeling, programming and industrial processes. Professional mechanical engineers work on machines that range in size from the microscopic nanomachines to the space shuttle.
Bioengineering (Bachelor of Science in Engineering)
Studying Bioengineering at Walla Walla University will equip you to pursue a career in a wide variety of engineering focused professions. While studying aspects of chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering, you will learn how to combine your engineering knowledge with your understanding of life sciences, physical sciences and mathematics to define and solve problems in a variety of fields including biology, medicine, health care and more. By studying Bioengineering at Walla Walla University you will have the foundation of technical skills and awareness of social responsibility to make a positive impact on your world.
Bioengineering (Bachelor of Science)
The Bachelor of Science 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.
Global Humanitarian Engineering Emphasis (GHEE)
The Global Humanitarian Engineering (GHE) Emphasis is an optional credential available to engineering or bio-engineering students in any concentration. It requires a student to develop an appreciation for the global environment into which he or she will graduate. This emphasis is a step towards becoming a global engineer – someone who is sensitive to the world in which they live, and will acquire a set of skills to enable them to enact positive change.
See course requirements for Global Humanitarian Engineering Emphasis