Department Description
Engineering appeals to students that enjoy the challenge of learning how things work and enjoy using this knowledge to improve the world in which they live. They are creative thinkers that enjoy design activities. They like hands-on activities and building things. Because of the bewildering variety of engineering fields, a survey course, titled Introduction to Engineering, is recommended to acquaint students with opportunities in this diverse field of study.

Special Course Requirements
The survey course in Engineering is the only course with no prerequisites. The remaining Engineering courses are sophomore level courses requiring completion of two semesters of Calculus (Math 1477-1478) and Engineering Physics (Phys 1411).

Transfer Opportunities
Engineering courses offered at Central Lakes College are designed to lead to a bachelor’s degree in Engineering at a four-year university. These credits transfer in full through articulation agreements with all area engineering schools. CLC students most often transfer to the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis or Duluth), North Dakota State University (NDSU), the University of North Dakota (UND), Mankato State University (MSU), and St Cloud State University (SCSU). An intermediate two-year Associates of Science Degree in Engineering (ASE) is offered at CLC. See page 67 for more information on this degree.

Employment Opportunities
Engineering degrees are among the most highly paid of Bachelor’s degrees and span a very large number of fields. The most common engineering fields include Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering. Other fields include, but are not limited to, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Industrial Engineering. Engineers commonly transition to management positions in business and industry, start their own companies, or use their engineering degree to facilitate movement into other professional fields such as patent law and medicine.

Career Titles:
Engineer
Patent Attorney
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)