Curriculum - General Engineering
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree is intended for students who have a clear idea of their educational objectives in which a more flexible and interdisciplinary course of study would be more appropriate.
In the first two years, a student must complete a minimum of 55 credits in core engineering, engineering sciences (ESC) and interdisciplinary engineering (EID) courses, thereby building a strong analytical background, in addition to fulfilling all the requirements for the bachelor's degree as summarized here:
| Credits | |
| Core Courses (freshman and sophomore) | 55 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (over and above the core courses) |
6 minimum |
| Engineering and Engineering Sciences (over and above the core courses) |
44 minimum |
| Free Electives | 30 |
| Total credits | 135 |
For junior and senior year, students are advised to identify one or more areas in which they would like to focus their plan of study and to find an academic advisor(s) in those fields for specific guidance. Students may choose from all courses available at The Cooper Union and may work in such interdisciplinary areas as environmental and energy resources engineering, systems and computer engineering, bioengineering and ocean and aerospace engineering.
Students who are considering applications to other professional schools after completing the engineering degree are advised to take one year of organic chemistry and one year of biology for medicine and dentistry, additional courses in the social sciences for law, and one year of economics for business or finance. Such students should consult their faculty advisors in order to design a program to meet professional goals and degree requirements.
FALL 2024 AND AFTER
Freshman Year Credits
| Fall Semester: | Credits |
| ESC 000.1 Professional Development Seminar | 0 |
| Ma 110 Introduction to Linear Algebra | 2 |
| Ma 111 Calculus I | 4 |
| Ch 110 General Chemistry | 3 |
| EID 101 Engineering Design and Problem Solving | 3 |
| CS 102 Computer Programming for Engineers | 2 |
| EID 102 Engineering Graphics | 1 |
| HSS 1 Freshman Seminar | 3 |
| Total Credits Fall Semester | 18 |
| Spring Semester: | |
| ESC 000.2 Professional Development Seminar | 0 |
| Ma 113 Calculus II | 4 |
| Ch 111 General Chemistry Laboratory | 1.5 |
| Ch 161 Physical Principles of Chemistry | 4 |
| Ph 112 Physics I: Mechanics | 4 |
| HSS 2 Texts and Contexts: Old Worlds and New | 3 |
| Total Credits Spring Semester | 16.5 |
Sophomore Year Credits
| Fall Semester: | Credits |
| ESC 000.3 Professional Development Seminar | 0 |
| Ma 223 Vector Calculus | 2 |
| Ma 224 Probability | 2 |
| Ph 213 Physics II: Electromagnetic Phenomena | 4 |
| Ph 291 Introductory Physics Laboratory | 1.5 |
| HSS 3 The Making of Modern Society | 3 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Total Credits Fall Semester | 18.5 |
| Spring Semester: | |
| ESC 000.4 Professional Development Seminar | 0 |
| Ma 240 Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations | 3 |
| Ph 214 Physics III: Optics and Modern Physics | 3 |
| HSS 4 The Modern Context: Figures and Topics | 3 |
| Electives | 9 |
| Total Credits Spring Semester | 18 |
PRIOR TO FALL 2024
Freshman Year Credits
| Fall Semester: | Credits |
| ESC 000.1 Professional Development Seminar | 0 |
| Ma 110 Introduction to Linear Algebra | 2 |
| Ma 111 Calculus I | 4 |
| Ch 110 General Chemistry | 3 |
| EID 101 Engineering Design and Problem Solving | 3 |
| CS 102 Computer Programming for Engineers | 2 |
| EID 102 Engineering Graphics | 1 |
| HSS 1 Freshman Seminar | 3 |
| Total Credits Fall Semester | 18 |
| Spring Semester: | |
| ESC 000.2 Professional Development Seminar | 0 |
| Ma 113 Calculus II | 4 |
| Ch 111 General Chemistry Laboratory | 1.5 |
| Ch 160 Physical Principles of Chemistry | 3 |
| Ph 112 Physics I: Mechanics | 4 |
| HSS 2 Texts and Contexts: Old Worlds and New | 3 |
| Total Credits Spring Semester | 15.5 |
Sophomore Year Credits
| Fall Semester: | Credits |
| ESC 000.3 Professional Development Seminar | 0 |
| Ma 223 Vector Calculus | 2 |
| Ma 224 Probability | 2 |
| Ph 213 Physics II: Electromagnetic Phenomena | 4 |
| Ph 291 Introductory Physics Laboratory | 1.5 |
| HSS 3 The Making of Modern Society | 3 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Total Credits Fall Semester | 18.5 |
| Spring Semester: | |
| ESC 000.4 Professional Development Seminar | 0 |
| Ma 240 Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations | 3 |
| Ph 214 Physics III: Optics and Modern Physics | 3 |
| HSS 4 The Modern Context: Figures and Topics | 3 |
| Electives | 10 |
| Total Credits Spring Semester | 19 |
