General Engineering Plus

Bachelor’s Degree in General Engineering Plus

The BS degree in General Engineering Plus requires the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 128 credit hours from the four areas below: 

• Foundational Course Work: 47-48 credits
• General Engineering Core: 31-33 credits
• Disciplinary Emphasis: 21-28 credits
• Concentration: 12-15 credits (except CU Teach Concentration: 26 credits, plus subject matter courses as required)

Foundational Course Work

Foundational course work is common to all General Engineering Plus majors. All foundational courses require a minimum grade of C- in each course:

• Math requirement (16 credits): completion of three semesters of calculus (APPM 1350, 1360, and 2350), and differential equations with linear algebra (APPM 2360).
• Science requirement (13-14 credits): completion of PHYS 1110, 1120, and 1140. Completion of at least 4 additional credits of physics, chemistry, or biology, chosen from one of the following: PHYS 2130; PHYS 2170; MCEN 1024; CHEM 1113 and 1114; CHEN 1211 and CHEM 1221; CHEM 1251; CHEM 1351; EBIO 1210, 1220, 1230 and 1240; or MCDB 1150, 1151, 2150 and 2151.
• The general bachelor’s degree requirements of the College of Engineering and Applied Science require 18 credit hours of social science/humanities/writing electives. See details at engineering.colorado.edu/hss.

General Engineering Core Course Work

Core course work is common to all General Engineering Plus majors. All core courses require a minimum grade of C in each course. Course titles within disciplines may vary; see disciplinary emphases for discipline-specific core courses:

• Introduction to Engineering: GEEN 1500 or a departmental introductory course
• Computing experience: CSCI 1300, GEEN 1300, ECEN 1310, or APPM 2750
• Statics: GEEN 2851, ASEN 2001, CVEN 2121, or MCEN 2023.
• Thermodynamics: GEEN 3852, ASEN 2002, AREN 2110, or MCEN 3012
• Materials Science: ASEN 1022, CVEN 3161, or MCEN 2024
• Basic Electronics: ASEN 3300 or ECEN 3010
• Processes for Taking and Analyzing Measurement Data: ASEN 2012 (with ASEN 2001 and 2002); CVEN 3227; or MCEN 3037 and MCEN 4037
• Hands-on Design Courses – GEEN 1400, GEEN 2400, and GEEN 3400.

Aerospace Engineering Sciences Emphasis

Aerospace-specific Core Course Work (17 hours)

• ASEN 1022 Material Science for Aerospace Engineers—3
• ASEN 2001 Introduction to Statics, Structures, and Materials—4
• ASEN 2002 Introduction to Thermodynamics and Aerodynamics—4
• ASEN 2012 Experimental and Computational Methods in AES—2
• ASEN 3300 Electronics and Communications—4

Courses Required for Aerospace Emphasis (26 hours)

All emphasis courses require a minimum grade of C- in each course.

Required Courses (10 Hours):

• ASEN 2003 Introduction to Dynamics and Systems—5
• ASEN 2004 Aerospace Vehicle Design and Performance—5

Plus, students choose two courses from the five below (8 hours):

• ASEN 3111 Aerodynamics—4
• ASEN 3112 Structures—4
• ASEN 3113 Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer—4
• ASEN 3128 Aircraft Dynamics—4
• ASEN 3200 Orbital Mechanics/Attitude Determination and Control—4

and Capstone Design is required (8 hours):

• ASEN 4018 Senior Projects 1: Design Synthesis—4
• ASEN 4028 Senior Projects 2: Design Practicum—4

Advising Note: Students seeking to enroll in ASEN courses must register through an aerospace advisor.

Architectural Engineering Emphasis

Architectural Engineering-specific Core Course Work (15 hours)

• CVEN 2121 Analytical Mechanics I—3
• CVEN 3161 Mechanics of Materials I—3
• ECEN 3010 Circuits and Basic Electronics—3
• AREN 2110 Thermodynamics—3
• CVEN 3227: Probability, Statistics and Decision—3

Courses Required for Architectural Emphasis (28 hours)

All emphasis courses require a minimum grade of C- in each course.

Required Courses (9 hours):

• AREN 1027 Engineering Drawing—3
• CVEN 2012 Introduction to Geomatics—3
• AREN 2050 Engineering Systems for Buildings—3

Plus, students choose a focus of three courses from the options below (9 hours):

• Electrical/Lighting: AREN 3540-3 Illumination1; AREN 4550-3 Illumination 2; AREN 4570-3 Building Electrical Systems Design 1
• Mechanical Systems: AREN 2120-3 Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer; AREN 3010-3 Mechanical Systems for Buildings; AREN 4110-3 HVAC Design
• Construction: CVEN 3246-3 Introduction to Construction; AREN 4506-3 Project Management 1; AREN 4606-3 Project Management 2
• Structures: CVEN 3525-3 Structural Analysis; CVEN 4545-3 Steel Design; CVEN 4555-3 Reinforced Concrete Design

and, Capstone Design is required (10 hours):

• ARCH 4010 Architectural Appreciation and Design—5
• AREN 4317 Architectural Engineering Design—5

Civil Engineering Emphasis

Civil-specific Core Course work (15 hours)

• CVEN 2121 Analytical Mechanics I—3
• CVEN 3161 Mechanics of Materials I—3
• ECEN 3010 Circuits and Basic Electronics—3
• AREN 2110 Thermodynamics—3
• CVEN 3227 Probability, Statistics, and Decision—3

Courses Required for Civil Emphasis (22)

All emphasis courses require a minimum grade of C- in each course.

Required Courses (6 hours):

• CVEN 3313 Theoretical Fluid Mechanics—3
• CVEN 3323 Hydraulics or CVEN 3708 Geotechnical Engineering I—3

and, students choose two of the five courses below (note: cannot double count Hydraulics or Geotechnical Engineering I, whichever was taken above) (6 hours):

• CVEN 3246 Introduction to Construction—3
• CVEN 3323 Hydraulic Engineering—3
• CVEN 3414 Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering—3
• CVEN 3525 Structural Analysis—3
• CVEN 3708 Geotechnical Engineering I—3

plus, students choose a focus of two courses from the options below (6 hours):

• Environmental: CVEN 3424-3 Water and Wastewater Treatment; CVEN 4474-3 Hazardous and Industrial Waste Management
• Water Resources: CVEN 4333-3 Engineering Hydrology; CVEN 4353-3 Groundwater Engineering
• Geotechnical: CVEN 3718-3 Geotechnical Engineering 2; CVEN 4728-3 Foundation Engineering
• Construction: CVEN 3256-3 Construction Equipment and Methods; AREN 4506-3 Project Management 1
• Structures: CVEN 4545-3 Steel Design; CVEN 4555-3 Reinforced Concrete Design

and Capstone Design is required: 

• CVEN 4899 Civil Engineering Senior Project Design—4

Environmental Engineering Emphasis

Environmental-specific Core Course Work (15 hours)

• CVEN 2121 Analytical Mechanics I—3
• CVEN 3161 Mechanics of Materials I—3
• ECEN 3010 Circuits and Basic Electronics—3
• AREN 2110 Thermodynamics—3
• CVEN 3227 Probability, Statistics, and Decision—3

Courses Required for Environmental Emphasis (22 hours)

All emphasis courses require a minimum grade of C- in each course.

Required Courses (9 hours)

• CVEN 3313 Theoretical Fluid Mechanics ; or CHEN 3200 Chemical Engineering Fluid Mechanics ; or MCEN 3021 Fluid Mechanics—3
• CVEN 3323 Hydraulic Engineering—3
• CVEN 3414 Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering—3

and, students choose three of the seven courses below (9):

• MCEN 4131 Air Pollution Control—3
• CVEN 4404 Water Chemistry—3
• CVEN 4484 Environmental Microbiology—3
• CVEN 4333 Engineering Hydrology—3
• CVEN 3424 Water and Wastewater Treatment—3
• CVEN 3434 Applied Ecology—3
• CVEN 4474 Hazardous and Industrial Waste Management—3

and Capstone Design is required (4 houirs):

• CVEN 4434 Environmental Engineering Design—4

Mechanical Engineering Emphasis

Mechanical-specific Core Course Work (16 hours)

• ECEN 3010 Circuits and Basic Electronics—3
• MCEN 2023 Statics and Structures—3
• MCEN 2024 Materials Science—3
• MCEN 3012 Thermodynamics—3
• MCEN 3037 Data Analysis—2
• MCEN 4037 Measurements Lab—2

Courses Required for Mechanical Emphasis (21 hours)

All emphasis courses require a minimum grade of C- in each course.

Required Courses (15 hours):

• MCEN 2043 Dynamics—3
• MCEN 2063 Mechanics of Solids—3
• MCEN 3021 Fluid Mechanics—3
• MCEN 3025 Component Design—3
• MCEN 4043 System Dynamics—3

and Capstone Design (6 hours):

• MCEN 4045 Mechanical Engineering Design Project 1—3
• MCEN 4085 Mechanical Engineering Design Project 2—3

Concentration

The General Engineering Plus Concentration allows students to select additional course work in a chosen field of study, either within or outside of engineering. The concentration course sequence must be a series of courses with increasing specificity or depth within a field, typically culminating in senior level courses. Most concentrations will be at least four three-credit courses. Several approved concentrations are available as examples on the General Engineering Plus website (geneng.colorado.edu). Every concentration must be preapproved by a General Engineering Plus advisor, prior to the commencement of the course work. All concentration courses require a minimum grade of C+ in each course.

CU Teach Engineering Concentrations

General Engineering Plus CU Teach Science offers engineering students the flexibility of earning a design-rich engineering degree, combined with the opportunity to teach secondary school science. This degree option arms grades 7 through12 STEM educators with the scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical literacy necessary to improve the teaching and learning of science and engineering subjects in middle and high schools.

The General Engineering Plus CU Teach Science degree requires:

• 53-59 engineering credit hours
• 28-40 science credit hours
• 16 math credit hours (Calculus I, Calculus 2, Calculus 3, Differential Equations)
• 18 humanities credit hours
• 23 CU Teach education credit hours, as required by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE)

Though the CDE does not distinguish among science licensures, and grants a “science-secondary education” license, GE+ CU Teach Science students must choose a science area of focus (physics, chemistry or biology) to ensure deeper content knowledge.

All concentration courses require a minimum grade of C+ in each course, including education and subject matter (science) courses.

General Engineering Plus CU Teach Math is designed to attract students interested in a design-rich engineering degree applicable to an engineering career, with the ability to also become a secondary mathematics teacher. This degree option arms grades 7 through 12 math educators with the scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical literacy necessary to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics and engineering subjects in middle and high schools.

The General Engineering Plus CU Teach Math degree requires:

• 53-59 engineering credit hours (depending on the disciplinary emphasis area chosen)
• 31 math credit hours
• 14 science credit hours (Chemistry 1, Physics 1, Physics 2, Experimental Physics)
• 18 humanities credit hours
• 23 CU Teach education credit hours, as required by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE)

All concentration courses require a minimum grade of C+ in each course, including education and subject matter (math) courses.