Considering IDE and have questions?
Definitions
An IDE Emphasis gives you the opportunity to explore your engineering passion and establish a disciplinary engineering foundation.
Emphases are between 22 and 28 credit hours. Each emphasis is paired with some required engineering core courses which differ from other emphases.
An IDE concentration lets you pursue your passions without the additional cost and time of a second major or minor. Concentrations can be from within or beyond engineering
The IDE Engineering Core is a set of courses most IDE students take, regardless of the chosen emphasis. The core courses vary by emphasis but all IDE students will take 3 project-based courses and a design capstone in their chosen emphasis.
IDE core course give students the opportunity to take hands-on, design-based versions of the traditional courses offered through various CEAS departments. Both versions of these courses cover the same material, but IDE versions are taught by our faculty and include hands-on design, where students get to put theory into practice and learn by doing.
Your degree would read as follows:
- Major in Integrated Design Engineering
- Emphasis in (selected area of engineering)
- Concentration in (selected area of interest)
In Integrated Design Engineering, we see the value of teaching interdisciplinary skills that help make students uniquely qualified in the job market and prepare them for a broad range of opportunities post-graduation.
The IDE Difference
Students have the same foundational engineering skills as traditional programs, but they set themselves apart through the additional fields of study woven throughout the program.
- IDE students design their own degree with choice and flexibility through an IDE Emphasis and IDE Concentration.
- IDE requires four project courses, one each year, teaching students skills in leadership, collaboration and communication far before their senior capstone.
- IDE students can mold and combine different interests into an engineering degree, which is often challenging in traditional engineering programs.
Woven throughout the degree, students have the opportunity to take hands-on, design-based versions of the traditional courses offered through various CEAS departments. Both versions of these courses cover the same material, but IDE versions are taught by our faculty and include hands-on design, where students get to put theory into practice and learn by doing.
Students in IDE are required to complete four project courses:
- GEEN 1400 (First-Year Projects)
- GEEN 2400 (Engineering for the Community)
- GEEN 3400 (Invention and Innovation)
- A Capstone Senior Design in the department of your IDE Emphasis.
Through these unique classroom experiences, students gain valuable engineering skills including:
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Understanding of the engineering design process
- Learning a variety of computer tools such as dynamic modeling software, computer-aided design (CAD), spreadsheets, etc.
Integrated Design Engineering is different in a few ways:
- Hands-on project courses are required each year of the program. These not only equip students with skills to lead team-based initiatives, but is also an opportunity for them to put theory into practice.
- IDE students can pursue their other passions without the additional cost/time of a second major or minor.
- Students often find it easier to pursue a minor in the IDE program, when compared to traditional engineering degree programs, especially if the minor is located in a different academic college.
- Many IDE students pursue more than one passion by choosing a concentration and also pursing a minor through the free electives required by the program.
- Many of our concentrations take the interest areas a step further. For instance, in the Pre-Medical Concentration, students can take courses like molecular biology and organic chemistry, which can be challenging to merge with traditional engineering programs.
General FAQ
While Integrated Design Engineering (IDE) provides an innovative approach to an engineering degree, it won’t allow students to graduate early. It still requires completion of the 128 credit hours needed for graduation from the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Additionally, each course needs to be completed with a C or higher and students are required to have a cumulative GPA of 2.25.
Students with specific interests that do not match a pre-existing concentration can decide to create their own customized concentration!
No. At this time, there are no additional emphasis options. IDE students must complete one of our six disciplinary emphases:
It’s important to declare your emphasis by the end of your first-year at the latest to keep on track for graduation. Students work with the IDE academic advisor, once an emphasis is declared, to start an academic plan that helps maximize opportunities and interests. Typically, students declare their concentration by the end of their sophomore year.
Yes! There are many job opportunities for Integrated Design Engineering graduates. Graduates of IDE pursue a variety of jobs in industry, teaching, business and more. Many students go onto graduate school and professional programs post-graduation. With the program focus in leadership, collaboration and communication, students are equipped with skills to lead in a broad range of opportunities. Recent graduates have become managers within Arrow Electronics or are monitoring avalanches for the State of Colorado.
Yes, it is.