Integrated Design Engineering - Bachelor of Science (BSIDE)

Requirements

Program Requirements

In order to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Integrated Design Engineering (IDE), students must complete the curriculum in the undergraduate major program as outlined below. For up-to-date program information, visit the Integrated Design Engineering webpage. Required courses in engineering, mathematics and physical science are interwoven throughout the curriculum to provide a multifaceted education. The degree requires coursework in math and science (a minimum of 30 credits), a core of project-based integrated design-focused engineering courses taught by IDE faculty, a disciplinary emphasis (which includes engineering and design content), a selected concentration (12 or more credits), humanities and social sciences electives, a writing course and free electives, for a total of 128 credits required for the degree.

Disciplinary Emphases

Integrated design engineering majors select one disciplinary emphasis (i.e., aerospace, architectural, civil, electrical, environmental or mechanical engineering), and then complete requirements associated with developing competency in that area. To meet graduation requirements, the combination of engineering core and disciplinary emphasis coursework must sum to 52 credits or more. All engineering core and disciplinary emphasis courses require a minimum grade of C-. All integrated design engineering students, regardless of emphasis, are required to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam prior to graduation. With the exception of architectural engineering or civil engineering, students are not permitted to double major in a degree program in the same disciplinary area as their IDE emphasis. Students are not permitted to declare a minor in the same disciplinary area as their IDE emphasis.

• Aerospace Emphasis
• Architectural Emphasis
• Civil Emphasis
• Electrical Emphasis
• Environmental Emphasis
• Mechanical Emphasis

Concentration

The integrated design engineering concentration (minimum 12 credits) allows students to select additional coursework 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 consist of at least four 3-credit courses. Every concentration must be pre-approved by the Integrated Design Engineering academic advisor prior to the commencement of the coursework. All concentration courses require a minimum grade of C-. All IDE majors must declare one approved concentration by the end of their fourth semester and students who transfer into the program after their fourth semester must declare an approved concentration by the end of their first semester in the major. No one is permitted to declare more than one concentration. Visit the program website for the current concentration requirements.

The Integrated Design Engineering degree is built around student choice and flexibility. The combinations of engineering emphases and approved concentrations allow for over 100 possible pathways. The sample curriculum represents only a general idea of what is possible with integrated design engineering. Students are encouraged to visit the Integrated Design Engineering website or an advisor for more specifics in planning their own unique pathway and to ensure that all degree requirements are met.

Prerequisites and Passing Grades

The minimum passing grade for a course that is a prerequisite or corequisite for another required course is a C-. If a grade of D+ or lower is received in a course which is a prerequisite to another, the student may not register for the subsequent course until the first grade has been raised to a C- or higher. If a grade of D+ or lower is received in a course which is a corequisite to another, the course must be repeated until a grade of C- or higher is achieved.

The minimum passing grade for all required engineering core, disciplinary emphasis and concentration courses is a C-. The minimum passing grade for a course that is not specifically a prerequisite or corequisite for another required course is D-, if not otherwise noted above.

Additional Graduation Requirements

• FE Exam: All integrated design engineering students, regardless of emphasis, are required to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam prior to graduation.
• Senior Survey: All integrated design engineering students, regardless of emphasis, are required to take the Senior Survey prior to graduation.

Disciplinary Emphases

Aerospace Emphasis

Note: The BS in Integrated Design Engineering with an aerospace engineering emphasis cannot be earned in combination with the BS in Aerospace Engineering Sciences.

Architectural Emphasis

 Students are allowed to earn a BS in Integrated Design Engineering with an architectural engineering emphasis + BS in Architectural Engineering.

Civil Emphasis

Students are allowed to earn a BS in Civil Engineering + BS in Integrated Design Engineering with a civil engineering emphasis. 

Electrical Emphasis

Note: The BS in Integrated Design Engineering with an electrical engineering emphasis cannot be earned in combination with the BS in Electrical Engineering.

Environmental Emphasis

Mechanical Emphasis

 Note: The BS in Integrated Design Engineering with a mechanical engineering emphasis cannot be earned in combination with the BS in Mechanical Engineering.

Sample Four-Year Plans of Study

Aerospace Emphasis

Architectural Emphasis

Civil Emphasis

Electrical Emphasis

Environmental Emphasis

Mechanical Emphasis

Additional Information

Students who select the CU Teach Engineering Math or Science Concentration will have a ninth semester student teaching experience. There is financial assistance available for these students.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Integrated Design Engineering program is to prepare students to be innovators in a wide range of careers, tackling complex global challenges ethically and creatively by integrating technical engineering knowledge with integrated design thinking and multidisciplinary collaboration skills.

Learning Outcomes

Program Educational Objectives

Within a few years after graduation, graduates of the Integrated Design Engineering program will have:  

• Achieved one or more of the following:
  • established themselves in engineering careers or in a professional field in which they apply their engineering mindset;
  • established themselves as STEM educators; and/or
  • earned or be enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program
• Brought an integrated design mindset to the projects, problems and/or systems they worked on.
• Integrated themselves into teams where they champion inclusive practices and diverse thinking.
• Demonstrated professional and personal leadership through continued learning and growth.
• Advanced in professional standing based on their accomplishments and accumulated additional expertise.
• Contributed to the betterment of society.

Student Outcomes

By the completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Identify, formulate and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science and mathematics.
• Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental and economic factors.
• Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
• Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts.
• Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks and meet objectives.
• Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
• Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program(s)

The bachelor's–accelerated master's (BAM) degree program options offer currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students the opportunity to receive a bachelor's and master's degree in a shorter period of time. Students receive the bachelor's degree first but begin taking graduate coursework as undergraduates (typically in their senior year).

Because some courses are allowed to double count for both the bachelor's and the master's degrees, students receive a master's degree in less time and at a lower cost than if they were to enroll in a stand-alone master's degree program after completion of their baccalaureate degree. In addition, staying at CU Boulder to pursue a bachelor's–accelerated master's program enables students to continue working with their established faculty mentors.

Admissions Requirements

BS in Integrated Design Engineering, Professional MS in Mechanical Engineering

In order to gain admission to the BAM program named above, a student must meet the following criteria:

• Be a current Integrated Design Engineering major with an emphasis in Mechanical Engineering
• Have submitted the BAM intent application, typically in the spring of the junior year
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.250 or higher
• Have at least junior standing and a minimum of 60 credit hours of completed coursework
• Have no Minimum Academic Preparation Standards (MAPS) deficiencies. (Students who matriculated in Summer 2023 or later will not need to meet MAPS as a part of BAM admission requirements.)
• Have completed courses from the three following categories with a grade of C (2.00) or higher at the time of admission:

Program Requirements

Students may take up to and including 12 credits of graduate coursework while in the undergraduate program which can later be used toward the master’s degree. However, only six credits may be double counted toward the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree. Students must apply to graduate with the bachelor’s degree in Integrated Design Engineering, and also apply to continue with the professional master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, early in the semester in which the undergraduate requirements will be completed.

There are no specific constraints regarding the selection of 5000-level MCEN courses, as long as the student fulfills the required prerequisites. To determine the most suitable courses, students should consult with the Mechanical Engineering graduate advisor.

Students can refer to the Integrated Design Engineering BAM degree programs webpage for more information.

Admissions Requirements

BS in Integrated Design Engineering, Professional MS in Environmental Engineering

In order to gain admission to the BAM program named above, a student must meet the following criteria:

• Be a current Integrated Design Engineering major with an emphasis in Environmental Engineering
• Have submitted the BAM intent application, typically in the spring of the junior year
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.250 or higher
• Have at least junior standing and a minimum of 60 credit hours of completed coursework
• Have no Minimum Academic Preparation Standards (MAPS) deficiencies. (Students who matriculated in Summer 2023 or later will not need to meet MAPS as a part of BAM admission requirements.)
• Have completed the two following environmental emphasis courses with a grade of C (2.00) or higher at the time of admission:

Program Requirements

Students may take up to and including 12 credits of graduate coursework while in the undergraduate program which can later be used toward the master’s degree. However, only six credits may be double counted toward the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree. Students must apply to graduate with the bachelor’s degree in Integrated Design Engineering, and also apply to continue with the professional master’s degree in Environmental Engineering, early in the semester in which the undergraduate requirements will be completed.

Up to 6 credits of courses required for the IDE environmental emphasis or used as EVEN electives with both a 4000- and 5000-level version may be double counted between the undergraduate and graduate degrees. These include:

There are no specific constraints regarding the selection of the 5000-level EVEN or CVEN courses, as long as the student fulfills the required prerequisites. To determine the most suitable courses, students should consult with the Environmental Engineering graduate advisor.

Students can refer to the Integrated Design Engineering BAM degree programs webpage for more information.