How should I choose an engineering discipline?
	How large are your classes?
	Is it difficult to change your major once you have started in one area of engineering?
	Will I need to buy a computer before I begin courses at Delaware?
	What does it mean to be a registered professional engineer?

It's best to get as much information as you can about the various engineering disciplines before deciding on a major. Our faculty are always happy to talk with prospective students about the options available and can often help you define your personal interests and abilities and match them with an appropriate specialization.

Those who are undecided about a specific engineering field may find the civil engineering major to be a good choice because it opens doors to a variety of specializations later in the curriculum. At Delaware, these options include coastal and ocean engineering, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, railway engineering, and water resources engineering. Civil engineering is often the most appealing discipline for engineers who like a lot of variety in the projects they work on. Students who are contemplating the major in environmental engineering are often weighing options in other related fields, including environmental science or chemical engineering.

There are some good web sites where you can learn more about civil engineering and other engineering professions as well. For starters, try the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and especially their career guidance page. Then check out www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig and www.discoverengineering.org/eweek. These pages will also lead you to many other informative sites.

You will encounter your largest classes during the first several semesters. For example, the freshman introductory courses for Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering typically have enrollments of about 70 and 25 students, respectively. The enrollment in our senior-level courses averages about 20 students. This does not include independent study, in which you work one-on-one with a professor.

Incidentally, all of our professors teach courses, and all courses are taught by faculty or, for a few upper-level courses, qualified engineering professionals. For example, our senior design courses are conducted by licensed Professional Engineers in conjunction with department faculty. Graduate students serve as teaching assistants (TAs) for some courses and are responsible for such tasks as setting up laboratory exercises, grading homework assignments, and conducting review sessions before exams.

No. The College of Engineering at the University of Delaware maintains a free transfer policy, allowing any student with a 2.5 grade point average or better to transfer to a different engineering major. We also facilitate transfers between engineering majors with a straightforward process of credit transfers and course substitutions where appropriate. Of course, the further along you are in one degree program, the more difficult it becomes to utilize all the credit hours you have already taken. Transferring students find our winter session often allows missed courses to be made up without interfering with the regular semester course schedule. If you decide to transfer to a major outside of engineering, your credentials will be evaluated by the department you wish to join.

As an engineering student, you will be learning to use computer software such as word processors, spreadsheets, and computer-aided drafting. If you have your own computer with the necessary software, you will be able to do this type of work in your dorm room, as well as communicate with others by e-mail, access some quite useful University of Delaware information systems, and access the World Wide Web. However, while very convenient, owning your own computer is not required, since there are many computers on campus available for your use. This includes computer labs right in Du Pont Hall and adjacent buildings. University of Delaware students can get excellent advice and educational discounts on computers, peripherals, and software through the Technology Solutions Center.

A registered professional engineer is one that has demonstrated a high level of competence by passing a licensing exam and accumulating work experience. More civil engineers are registered professional engineers than those in any other engineering field. Because civil engineers serve the public, they are responsible and accountable for the safety and quality of the facilities they plan, design, construct, and manage. Only registered engineers may "sign off" on construction plans, adding their professional seal to certify that the proposed design will function as anticipated.

Engineering students take the first step toward becoming professional engineers during their senior year by taking the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination, which is administered at the University of Delaware in both the fall and spring. Then, after accumulating the required years of experience, working engineers take the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PPE) exam. Those that pass are registered as professional engineers in the state that administered the exam and are entitled to add the abbreviation "P.E." after their names. Registration requirements vary from state to state, but some states maintain reciprocal agreements to honor each other's licensing awards. Many states now administer a specific PPE exam for environmental engineers. Environmental engineering majors elsewhere may want to take either the civil or chemical engineering exams.