Engineering

Undergraduate

The Engineering Nexus provides a path from the traditional disciplines of the liberal arts to a career in engineering. Engineers are trained to solve a diverse set of problems, and a student may major in the field of science or mathematics most closely allied to the engineering subfield in which the student is interested. Combining a science or mathematics major with some additional course work and summer internships in engineering is excellent preparation for future graduate work in engineering or employment in engineering-related fields.

Program Overview

While the Engineering Nexus explicitly is not an engineering degree or accreditation, it is intended as a route into the field of engineering. The experiential portion of the Nexus involves completing a summer internship in the field of engineering. This may be participating in a formal Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in an academic laboratory, a summer internship with an engineering firm, working abroad for the summer in an engineering laboratory, or other options.

Courses and Requirements

Requirements for the Nexus

A minimum of 18 credits:

Three courses above the 100 level approved by the Nexus in Engineering advisor12
One 300-level course approved by the Nexus in Engineering advisor or selected with approval of the track chair4
A substantive internship 1
COLL-211Reflecting Back: Connecting Internship and Research to Your Liberal Arts Education2
A presentation at LEAP Symposium
Total Credits18
1

At least 200 work hours and responsibilities that exercise ability to think analytically and creatively, and contribute meaningfully to the organization’s stated mission and complements the student's area of focus

Additional Specifications

  • Given the diversity of the engineering field, a wide range of courses can count toward the Nexus. Note that a random selection from the list of Nexus in Engineering courses provided will not be automatically approved by an Engineering Nexus advisor. It is critical for students to understand what subfields of engineering they wish to pursue and how they enhance their existing majors.
  • Nexus students will develop a brief proposal outlining their specific area of focus including a course outline. Students will schedule an advising meeting with a track chair to get approval and complete a  to be returned to the Nexus Program office.

  • The sequence of a Nexus is part of what makes it unique:
    • In preparation for the summer internship or research, students complete courses chosen in consultation with the track chair. If seeking funding through LYNK UAF, students will additionally complete orientation and advising, and online training.

    • COLL-211 is taken after the internship or research project and culminates in a presentation at LEAP Symposium.
  •  

Courses Counting toward the Nexus

Students craft their selection of courses in consultation with a Nexus in Engineering advisor. These courses are examples of courses that have been used in the past for a particular program. See the Nexus in Engineering website for examples of how some of these courses may fit together with majors and subfields of engineering.

Chemistry
CHEM-328From Lilliput to Brobdingnag: Bridging the Scales Between Science and Engineering4
College(Interdeptmnt) Courses
COLL-211Reflecting Back: Connecting Internship and Research to Your Liberal Arts Education2
Computer Science
COMSC-226Engineering Robotic Systems4
Economics
ECON-212Microeconomic Theory4
ECON-307Seminar in Industrial Organization4
Mathematics
MATH-333Differential Equations4
MATH-342Probability4
Physics
PHYS-290Advanced Laboratory Practicum1-8
PHYS-308Electronics4
PHYS-325Electromagnetic Theory4
PHYS-390Advanced Laboratory Practicum1-8

Contact Us

The Nexus Program allows students to create an individual program of study combined with an internship experience in one of nine pre-professional tracks. College 211 and the annual LEAP symposium are components of the Nexus program.

Katie Walker
  • Coordinator, Nexus Program

Next Steps

Apply to Mount Holyoke

Mount Holyoke seeks intellectually curious applicants who understand the value of a liberal arts education and are driven by a love of learning. As a women's college that is gender diverse, we welcome applications from female, trans and non-binary students.

Financing your education

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