Pre-Engineering at Ripon College

Academics | Pre-Engineering

Pre-Engineering

Increasingly attractive to potential employers is the combination of liberal arts and technical training available to students who begin their educations at a liberal arts institution like Ripon and continue at a school of engineering. Course work in the sciences, mathematics, writing, foreign language, computer science, etc., is as crucial to making informed career choices as it is essential to engineering.

Our pre-engineering program prepares students for further education in the field of engineering as they earn a bachelor’s degree in a similar field. Students intending to become engineers may follow one of three plans.

The first option is to complete a bachelor’s degree at Ripon and then do advanced work leading to a master of science in engineering from a technical school. The second option is to study three years at Ripon and three years at an engineering school; students following this plan receive a bachelor’s degree from Ripon and a master’s degree from a technical school. The third option, the 3-2 program, students study three years at Ripon and two years at an engineering school; students following this plan receive bachelor’s degrees from both institutions.

 

 The 3-2 Program

The 3-2 engineering program combines three years of the liberal arts at Ripon with two years of engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the University of Wisconsin-Madison or Washington University in St. Louis.

The 3-2 Engineering program at Ripon College is designed to meet the needs of a variety of students, including:

  • Students who understand the value of a liberal arts education as excellent preparation for further study.
  • Students who want to take advantage of the many opportunities for participation generally found at a college of Ripon’s size.
  • Students who are not certain that they want an engineering degree.
  • Students who are not immediately admitted to the engineering school of their choice.

 

 

Pre-Engineering

Students in these programs need strong aptitudes in mathematics and science. They should also maintain a high scholastic average in courses taken at Ripon. Consult Professor Sarah Desotell for further information regarding this program.

Students interested in combining studies in the biological and physical sciences for graduate studies leading to degrees in bioengineering or medical physics should consult any member of the Health Professions Advisory Committee.

 

Unique Opportunities

Off-campus studies abroad or in the United States are available as semester programs. Students may study at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as part of the Oak Ridge Science Semester Program; or in Wales at Swansea University, in their science, mathematics or engineering departments. Students also can participate in summer research programs in research universities, national laboratories or industrial laboratories. These programs help students broaden their contact with eminent scientists from around the world.

Independent study in physical science, chemistry or mathematics offers students the chance to receive college credit for work on individual projects dealing with engineering problems. These projects may be research collaborations with faculty or problems designed by the student. Outside support is available for some areas of study. For example, Ripon College is a member of the NASA-supported Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium. Ripon students can apply for scholarships and research grants to pursue specialized projects in aerospace studies.

Cooperative programs

Ripon College has formal programs with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Washington University in St. Louis. Students are free to pursue entrance to other institutions as well.

Three years of study at Ripon College followed by two years of engineering study at either school leads to an A.B. degree from Ripon and an engineering bachelor’s degree from the engineering school. Some students opt to complete the A.B. degree at Ripon in four years and study engineering at the graduate level.

The faculty advising committee will assist students in their application process and make students aware of requirements and demands of engineering schools and prospective employers.

 

Campus Computer Facilities

Our computer facilities are first-rate. The department has two laboratories with current generation computers systems and computational resources, and they are connected to the campus computing facilities and the Internet by way of a DS3 connection. More computer systems are accessible in laboratories across campus.

Kemper Computer Center provides mainframe resources for faculty and students at all locations via the campus network. Software support includes several languages as well as tools for data analysis, database storage and text editing.

 

Faculty

Sarah Desotell

 

Advising

Ripon College encourages all students to embrace a Four-Year Career Development Plan. This plan is based on the premise that career planning is a development process that involves learning and decision-making over an extended period of time.

First Year

  • Incoming students are assigned a Faculty Mentor based on their interest area(s). Please see the FACULTY tab under your major area;
  • All Freshman are required to enroll in a First-Year Seminar, which is designed as a transition from high school to college learning, providing an interdisciplinary introduction to the liberal arts and the pursuit of in-depth study;
  • Freshman are encouraged to meet the career development staff early on and complete interest and skills inventories, and self-assessment tools; and,
  • Attend the pre-Fall Break “Major Fest” to explore the various major options and career tracks.

Third Year

  • Assume leadership positions in on-campus clubs and organizations;
  • Participate in mock interviews with the Career Development Office;
  • Attend the Wisconsin Foundation of Independent Colleges Job Fair in February and other relevant career fairs;
  • If relevant, begin to research potential graduate school programs and take the appropriate entrance exam(s);
  • Continue to meet regularly with your Faculty Mentor;
  • Continue to build a solid network and a list of work references, and build your resume;
  • Consider off-campus study: Semester and/or alternative Spring Breaks;
  • Continue to job shadow; and,
  • Gain further career experience associated with your education during the academic year and as part of a summer job or internship.

Second Year

  • Get involved with on-campus clubs and organizations, athletic teams and/or intramural sports;
  • Attend the pre-Fall Break “Major Fest” to explore the various major options and career tracks;
  • Declare a major;
  • Meet regularly with your Faculty Mentor or match your interests with a faculty member in your major department. Determine which professors have areas of expertise most similar to your interests. Talk to people in the academic department to find out about faculty research, scholarly, and creative interests;
  • Attend on-campus career workshops;
  • Work with the Career Development Office to create an approved resume;
  • Job shadow people involved in various careers and professions of interest; and,
  • Gain further career experience associated with your education during the academic year and as part of a summer job or internship.

Fourth Year

  • Complete a Senior Capstone/Thesis in your major area(s);
  • Continue to meet regularly with your Faculty Mentor;
  • Perfect your interviewing skills;
  • Expand your existing network of contacts;
  • Finalize your resume and prepare cover letter;
  • Build a credential file in the Career Development Office;
  • Interview with on-campus recruiters;
  • Set-up informational interviews with target companies;
  • If relevant, apply to graduate school programs, and if necessary, re-take entrance exams; and,
  • Practice career goal-setting.