Overview
The General Engineering degree is an interdisciplinary program, combining many of the skill sets learned in both Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. The courses in the first three semesters of the General Engineering program are identical to the courses in both the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering programs.
Starting the first semester, you'll practice critical engineering skills like problem-solving, creative design, and teamwork. Following the third semester, you can select courses that best meet your interests from a pool of available engineering-related courses. This flexibility allows you to customize your degree to better fit your interests or career goals.
We recognize the value diversity of thought, perspective, and experience can bring to our programs and the field of engineering and look to nurture that in this innovative program. Upper-level courses emphasize hands-on learning through laboratory work and projects, culminating in a capstone course where you solve real-world problems.
As a graduates of the General Engineering program, you will be prepared to face a wide range of engineering challenges, pursue graduate studies, or enter the workforce with a versatile engineering background.
You will also be able to join campus chapters of engineering professional organizations such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Society of Women Engineers, National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers, and Engineering Without Boarders (EMB) among others. These organizations allow you to meet new people, build a network of support, and work as a team, and participate in regional and national competitions.
Why Study Engineering - General Engineering?
General Engineering is a versatile and flexible engineering degree. As the world becomes increasingly interdisciplinary, General Engineering graduates are well-positioned to take on a variety of roles in the engineering workforce. The broad engineering-based content knowledge acquired by students in this program makes them valuable to any company.
The General Engineering program at Illinois State has a particular focus on creative problem-solving and hands-on learning, enabling graduates to be workforce-ready immediately after graduation. Their broad expertise allows General Engineers to pursue entrepreneurial, interdisciplinary or, eventually, managerial positions.
People who study General Engineering have wide-ranging expertise across many areas of science and engineering. This equips them to work in many different industries, from transportation to renewable energy, communications, healthcare, and others.
Some of the biggest problems that engineers - including General Engineers - are working on today include so-called “wicked problems,” which are complex, interdisciplinary, multi-faceted issues facing society. Some of the wicked problems that engineers work on include climate change and sustainability, pollution, water quality, healthcare for an aging population, global food security, poverty, and inequality.
Many of the problems that General Engineers will be solving in twenty years have not even been identified yet, but General Engineers will be prepared to work toward their solutions.