Engineering Advice

If you are considering an Engineering major at Swarthmore, there are several things you should keep in mind when scheduling classes for your first semester. You will be assigned to an academic advisor in late August, after you arrive on campus. If your academic advisor is in the Engineering Department, you needn't worry. They will explain everything at your first meeting. There is also a meeting during Orientation where these details are discussed.

If your advisor is not within the Engineering Department, you should schedule a meeting with a member of the Engineering faculty before registration. While it is not particularly difficult to schedule the courses necessary for an Engineering major, some care must be taken when scheduling your first semester to avoid difficulties in subsequent semesters. In particular, it is very important that you take a math course (usually Math 15 or 25) and a Physics course (usually Physics 3 or 5, or Astronomy 5) ­ or receive college credit for these courses from high school. You should check with the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and the Department of Physics and Astronomy to ensure you have credit and not just placement. 

To reiterate, if you are considering an Engineering major and your advisor is not an Engineering faculty member, please contact somebody in the department to discuss your course choices before registration.

Contact: Professor Maggie Delano (mdelano1@swarthmore.edu). Please also take a look at our website and feel free to contact any other member of the department: http://www.engin.swarthmore.edu.