Engineering/Math Placement
Michigan Tech has a common first-year engineering program. Within this program, every engineering student takes the same foundational courses: math, engineering, chemistry, physics, perspectives, and world cultures. A student’s mathematics placement is determined by the Department of Mathematics using a student's ACT or SAT score, College Board AP, or transfer credit.
Based on math placement, there are two course pathways through first-year engineering, as shown in Figure 1 (see below). Students who are calculus-ready (i.e., they are placed upon enrollment into Calculus I–MA1160 or MA1161–or higher) have a two-semester sequence consisting of ENG1101–Engineering Analysis and Problem Solving, and ENG1102–Engineering Modeling and Design. Students who are not calculus ready upon enrollment (i.e., they are placed upon enrollment into MA1032–Data, Functions, and Graphs) have a three-semester sequence consisting of ENG1001–Engineering Problem Solving, ENG1100–Engineering Analysis, and ENG1102–Engineering Modeling and Design. Students placed into MA1030 will start the two semester sequence when they begin Calculus I (MA1160).
FIGURE 1: The two course paths through Michigan Tech's first-year engineering program
If you start in Calculus I or Calculus I+, a sample schedule of your first two semesters may look like this:
| Fall 15-17 credits | Spring 15-18 credits |
|---|---|
| Calculus w/Technology I/I+ MA1160/1* | Calculus w/Technology II MA2160 |
| Engineering Analysis & Problem Solving ENG1101* | Engineering Modeling & Design ENG1102 |
| Physics Lab PH1100* | Physics I PH2100 |
| Chemistry I CH1150/1 | Major Specific Elective |
| Perspectives UN1001 | World Cultures UN1002 |
*Learning community scheduled
Note: Students with AP or transfer credits for math will be placed into the next appropriate math course.
If you start in Data, Functions, and Graphs (Pre-calculus) a sample schedule of your first three semesters may look like this:
| Fall 1 15-17 credits | Spring 1 15-18 credits | Fall 2 14-17 credits |
|---|---|---|
| Data, Functions, & Graphs MA1032* | Calculus w/Technology I MA1161 | Calculus w/Technology II MA2160 |
| Engineering Problem Solving ENG1001* | Engineering Analysis ENG1100 | Engineering Modeling & Design ENG1102 |
| Prep Chem CH1000 or Chemistry I CH1150/1 | Physics Lab PH1100 | Physics I PH2100 |
| Perspectives UN1001 | World Cultures UN1002 | Major Specific Elective |
| Optional: General Education/HASS | Chemistry I CH1150/1 if not taken in Fall 1 or General Education/HASS | Composition UN2001 or Institutions UN2002 |
