Purdue University College of Engineering
Encyclopedia
The Purdue University College of Engineering is one of eight major academic divisions, or college
s, of Purdue University
. Established in 1874 with programs in Civil and Mechanical Engineering, the college now offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D.
degrees in more than a dozen disciplines. Purdue's engineering program has also educated 22 of America's astronaut
s, including Neil Armstrong
and Eugene Cernan who were the first and last astronauts to have walked on the moon
, respectively. Many of Purdue's engineering disciplines are recognized as top-ten programs in the U.S. The college as a whole is currently ranked 9th in the U.S. of all doctorate-granting engineering schools by U.S. News & World Report
.
, and three Divisions:
, is the flagship of the College of Engineering and home to its administrative offices, the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Projects In Community Service
(EPICS), Engineering Education, the Minority Engineering Program, and the Women in Engineering Program. Many other campus buildings house faculty offices, classrooms, and laboratories for engineering programs, such as the Biomedical Engineering Building, the Forney Hall of Chemical Engineering, and Potter Engineering Center.
, signed by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln
in 1862, set the stage for the state of Indiana
to establish a college for agriculture
and the mechanical arts. In 1874, Purdue established four-year bachelor's degree
programs in civil engineering
and mechanical engineering
. The School of Mechanical Engineering was created in 1882, although none of Purdue's students at the time were actually qualified to enroll in any of its courses. In 1911, the School of Chemical Engineering was founded. The Agricultural Engineering program was established in 1925; it would be renamed the Division of Agricultural and Biological Engineering in 2005. In 1942, the School of Mechanical Engineering was renamed the School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering; the Aeronautical Engineering program would be split out into the School of Aeronautics in 1945 and the School of Aeronautical Engineering in 1953. This was also the year that Purdue established the nation's first Freshmen Engineering program, in which all first-year engineering students take fundamental courses prior to enrolling in the school for their specific discipline. That same year, the Industrial Engineering Department was founded, with some courses taught by Lillian Moller Gilbreth
.
The 1960s saw the establishment of the Nuclear Engineering and Women in Engineering programs. In 1971, the National Society of Black Engineers
was founded on the Purdue campus by two undergraduates. The Construction Engineering and Management Division was created in 1976. In the late 1980s, the Materials and Electrical Engineering Building was completed, providing much-need space for the growing the Schools of Materials and Electrical Engineering. In 1995, the Engineering Projects In Community Service
program was established at Purdue. Three years later, Purdue's Biomedical Engineering program would be founded; in 2004, it would be expanded into the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering
. Also in 2004, the College of Engineering was formed as an umbrella organization for the many Schools, Departments, and Divisions of Purdue's engineering programs. That same year (2004), the Department (now School) of Engineering Education, the first of its kind in the nation, was created. Three significant College of Engineering structures would be built over the next few years: the Birck Nanotechnology Center (2005) and the Biomedical Engineering Building (2006), both part of Discovery Park; and the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, completed in 2007.
programs are highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report
as some of the best engineering programs in America. Many of Purdue's engineering programs are ranked within the top 10 nationally, or near the top 10, resulting in Purdue's College of Engineering coming in 9th overall for undergraduate and 12th overall for graduate programs in the United States. The 2010 rankings are listed below.
Purdue's engineering program is also ranked highly internationally. The Times Higher Education Supplement
(2007) ranked Purdue as the 24th best university in the world in the Technology category.
, First Year Engineering Honors Program, Global Engineering Program, etc. which help young engineers gain real world and international experience.
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
s, of Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
. Established in 1874 with programs in Civil and Mechanical Engineering, the college now offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degrees in more than a dozen disciplines. Purdue's engineering program has also educated 22 of America's astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
s, including Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
and Eugene Cernan who were the first and last astronauts to have walked on the moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
, respectively. Many of Purdue's engineering disciplines are recognized as top-ten programs in the U.S. The college as a whole is currently ranked 9th in the U.S. of all doctorate-granting engineering schools by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
.
Departments
The College of Engineering contains ten Schools, one DepartmentAcademic department
An academic department is a division of a university or school faculty devoted to a particular academic discipline. This article covers United States usage at the university level....
, and three Divisions:
Schools
- Aeronautics and AstronauticsPurdue University School of Aeronautics and AstronauticsThe Purdue University School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is Purdue University's school of aerospace engineering contained within the Purdue University College of Engineering. The school offers BS, M.S., and PhD degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering...
- Biomedical EngineeringWeldon School of Biomedical EngineeringThe Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering is Purdue University's school of biomedical engineering. The school offers an undergraduate B.S. degree in biomedical engineering and M.S., Ph.D., and integrated M.D.-Ph.D. graduate degrees in biomedical engineering....
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical and Computer EngineeringPurdue University School of Electrical and Computer EngineeringThe School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University offers both undergraduate B.S. degree as well as M.S. and Ph.D. graduate degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering. The school of ECE enrolls approximately one thousand undergraduates and five hundred graduate...
- Engineering Education
- Industrial Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering
Divisions
- Construction EngineeringConstruction engineeringConstruction engineering is a professional discipline that deals with the designing, planning, construction, and management of infrastructures such as highways, bridges, airports, railroads, buildings, dams, and utilities. Construction Engineers are unique such that they are a cross between civil...
and Management - Engineering Professional Education
- EnvironmentalEnvironmental engineeringEnvironmental engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to improve the natural environment , to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for other organisms, and to remediate polluted sites...
and Ecological EngineeringEcological engineeringEcological engineering is an emerging study of integrating ecology and engineering, concerned with the design, monitoring and construction of ecosystems...
Location
Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, named after Neil ArmstrongNeil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
, is the flagship of the College of Engineering and home to its administrative offices, the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Projects In Community Service
Engineering Projects In Community Service
Engineering Projects in Community Service was founded in 1995 at Purdue University by Professors Edward Coyle and Leah Jamieson as a solution to two problems. First, many engineering graduates lacked real world skills need for project management, such as budgeting and scheduling...
(EPICS), Engineering Education, the Minority Engineering Program, and the Women in Engineering Program. Many other campus buildings house faculty offices, classrooms, and laboratories for engineering programs, such as the Biomedical Engineering Building, the Forney Hall of Chemical Engineering, and Potter Engineering Center.
History
The Morrill ActMorrill Land-Grant Colleges Act
The Morrill Land-Grant Acts are United States statutes that allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges, including the Morrill Act of 1862 and the Morrill Act of 1890 -Passage of original bill:...
, signed by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
in 1862, set the stage for the state of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
to establish a college for agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and the mechanical arts. In 1874, Purdue established four-year bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
programs in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
and mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
. The School of Mechanical Engineering was created in 1882, although none of Purdue's students at the time were actually qualified to enroll in any of its courses. In 1911, the School of Chemical Engineering was founded. The Agricultural Engineering program was established in 1925; it would be renamed the Division of Agricultural and Biological Engineering in 2005. In 1942, the School of Mechanical Engineering was renamed the School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering; the Aeronautical Engineering program would be split out into the School of Aeronautics in 1945 and the School of Aeronautical Engineering in 1953. This was also the year that Purdue established the nation's first Freshmen Engineering program, in which all first-year engineering students take fundamental courses prior to enrolling in the school for their specific discipline. That same year, the Industrial Engineering Department was founded, with some courses taught by Lillian Moller Gilbreth
Lillian Moller Gilbreth
Lillian Moller Gilbreth was an American psychologist and industrial engineer. One of the first working female engineers holding a Ph.D., she is arguably the first true industrial/organizational psychologist. She and her husband Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Sr...
.
The 1960s saw the establishment of the Nuclear Engineering and Women in Engineering programs. In 1971, the National Society of Black Engineers
National Society of Black Engineers
National Society of Black Engineers , founded in 1975 at Purdue University, is one of the largest student-run organizations in the US, centered on improving the recruitment and retention of African-American engineering students.-History:...
was founded on the Purdue campus by two undergraduates. The Construction Engineering and Management Division was created in 1976. In the late 1980s, the Materials and Electrical Engineering Building was completed, providing much-need space for the growing the Schools of Materials and Electrical Engineering. In 1995, the Engineering Projects In Community Service
Engineering Projects In Community Service
Engineering Projects in Community Service was founded in 1995 at Purdue University by Professors Edward Coyle and Leah Jamieson as a solution to two problems. First, many engineering graduates lacked real world skills need for project management, such as budgeting and scheduling...
program was established at Purdue. Three years later, Purdue's Biomedical Engineering program would be founded; in 2004, it would be expanded into the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering
Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering
The Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering is Purdue University's school of biomedical engineering. The school offers an undergraduate B.S. degree in biomedical engineering and M.S., Ph.D., and integrated M.D.-Ph.D. graduate degrees in biomedical engineering....
. Also in 2004, the College of Engineering was formed as an umbrella organization for the many Schools, Departments, and Divisions of Purdue's engineering programs. That same year (2004), the Department (now School) of Engineering Education, the first of its kind in the nation, was created. Three significant College of Engineering structures would be built over the next few years: the Birck Nanotechnology Center (2005) and the Biomedical Engineering Building (2006), both part of Discovery Park; and the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, completed in 2007.
Rankings
The College of Engineering's undergraduate and graduate engineeringEngineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
programs are highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
as some of the best engineering programs in America. Many of Purdue's engineering programs are ranked within the top 10 nationally, or near the top 10, resulting in Purdue's College of Engineering coming in 9th overall for undergraduate and 12th overall for graduate programs in the United States. The 2010 rankings are listed below.
| Academic Unit | Undergrad. Rank |
Grad. Rank |
|---|---|---|
| College of Engineering (overall) | 9 | 12 |
| Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering | 4 | 4 |
| Agricultural and Biological Engineering | 2 | 1 |
| Biomedical Engineering | N/A | 22 |
| Chemical Engineering | 13 | 14 |
| Civil Engineering | 5 | 7 |
| Computer Engineering | 11 | 12 |
| Electrical Engineering | 10 | 10 |
| Environmental Engineering | 11 | 17 |
| Industrial Engineering | 3 | 8 |
| Materials Engineering | 12 | 13 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 7 | 8 |
| Nuclear Engineering | 4 | 13 |
Purdue's engineering program is also ranked highly internationally. The Times Higher Education Supplement
The Times Higher Education Supplement
The Times Higher Education , formerly Times Higher Education Supplement , is a weekly British magazine based in London reporting specifically on news and other issues related to higher education...
(2007) ranked Purdue as the 24th best university in the world in the Technology category.
Programs
Purdue's College of Engineering offers many programs to its students such as the Engineering Projects In Community ServiceEngineering Projects In Community Service
Engineering Projects in Community Service was founded in 1995 at Purdue University by Professors Edward Coyle and Leah Jamieson as a solution to two problems. First, many engineering graduates lacked real world skills need for project management, such as budgeting and scheduling...
, First Year Engineering Honors Program, Global Engineering Program, etc. which help young engineers gain real world and international experience.
Student organizations
- ANS - American Nuclear Society
- ASME - American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- SEDS - Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
- Eta Kappa NuEta Kappa NuEta Kappa Nu is the electrical and computer engineering honor society of the IEEE, founded in October 1904 by Maurice L. Carr at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The organization currently has around 200 student chapters and about 3,000,000 members and is headquartered in Chicago,...
, Beta Chapter (HKN) - International Honor Society for Electrical Engineers - IEEE - Student Chapter
- IEEE Computer SocietyIEEE Computer SocietyThe IEEE Computer Society is a professional society of IEEE. Its purpose and scope is “to advance the theory, practice, and application of computer and information processing science and technology” and the “professional standing of its members.” The CS is the largest of 38 technical societies...
- Student Chapter - Purdue Student Engineering Foundation (PSEF)
- EPICS - Engineering Projects in Community Service
- EVC - Electric Vehicle Club
- NSBE - National Society of Black Engineers
- MAESMaes-Surname:* Caroline Maes , Belgian tennis player* Dan Maes , Colorado gubanatorial candidate, 2010* Jef Maes, Belgian composer and violinist* Kristof Maes , Belgian soccer goalkeeper, plays for Germinal Beerschot...
- The Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists - SHPE - Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
- AIChE - American Institute of Chemical Engineers
- SWESWESWE may refer to:* Sweden, the country's ISO 3166-1 alpha-3-code* Swedish language, the language's ISO 639-2 and ISO 639-3 language code* Standard Written English, the most common alphabetic code used to represent the English language...
- Society of Women Engineers - SAESAESAE or Sae may refer to:* Soviet Antarctic Expedition* Scientific Audio Electronics* 3GPP System Architecture Evolution* Space Age Electronics* Supervised agricultural experience* a serious adverse event in a clinical trial...
- Society of Automotive Engineers - PEM - Purdue Engineering Magazine
- Purdue Engineering Student Council (PESC)
- PMEA - Purdue Mechanical Engineering Ambassadors
- IIE- Institute Of Industrial Engineers (Student Chapter)
- BMES- Biomedical Engineering Society