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Minors in the College of Engineering .
The College of Engineering offers minors in the following areas:
Students may pursue minors in any department in any college that offers them, subject to limitations placed by the department offering the minor or by the students’ major. Completed minors will appear on the student’s transcript. Not all departments offer minors. Additional information on specific minors can be found above, in the Engineering Undergraduate Handbook, in the undergraduate major office of the department or school offering the minor, and in Engineering Advising.
An engineering minor recognizes formal study of a particular subject area in engineering normally outside the major. Students undertaking a minor are expected to complete the requirements during the time of their continuous undergraduate enrollment at Cornell. Completing the requirements for an engineering minor (along with a major) may require more than the traditional eight semesters at Cornell. However, courses that fulfill minor requirements may also satisfy other degree requirements (e.g., distribution courses, advisor-approved, or major-approved electives), and completion within eight semesters is possible.
An engineering minor requires:
- successful completion of all requirements for an undergraduate degree.
- enrollment in a major that approves participation in the minor.
- satisfactory completion of six courses (at least 18 credits) in a college-approved minor.
Students may apply for certification of a minor at any time after the required course work has been completed in accordance with published standards. An official notation of certification of a minor appears on the Cornell transcript following graduation.
Aerospace Engineering
Offered by the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Contact: 125 Upson Hall, (607) 255-3573
All undergraduates are eligible to participate in the aerospace minor.
Students intending to earn this minor should seek advice and pre-approval of their minor academic program from the assistant undergraduate coordinator in Mechanical Engineering before taking courses toward the minor.
The aerospace minor develops the engineering analysis and design skills necessary for creating and understanding aerospace vehicles and their subsystems. The minor includes diverse topics relevant to applications both in the earth’s atmosphere (e.g., aerodynamics) and in space (e.g., spacecraft thermal systems or orbital mechanics). Students in this minor will take at least four core aerospace courses, along with up to two supporting courses in engineering fundamentals or courses with applicability to aeronautics and spacecraft.
Academic Standards: A grade of at least C– in each course. If a course is offered only S–U, a grade of S is acceptable.
Requirements:
Six courses from the lists below, each worth at least 3 credits, must be completed. At most one course from outside Cornell can be used in place of one of those listed below, by petition. Any course used to satisfy early M.Eng. graduation requirements may not be used for the aerospace minor.
Rules for selecting courses:
- Rules for ME majors:
- Select at least four courses from group A, of which one must choose MAE 3050 or MAE 4060 (or both).
- Select at most two courses from group B. No courses from group C may be used.
- Two courses must be selected from the Aerospace Engineering subject field under the Major Approved Electives list in Mechanical Engineering (for a complete listing, consult the MAE webpage). These two courses may not be used toward fulfillment of the Mechanical Engineering B.S. degree requirements.
- Rules for other majors:
- Select at least four courses from group A, of which you must choose MAE 3050 or MAE 4060 (or both).
- Select a total of at most two courses from group B and group C.
- Students may not use any courses to satisfy requirements of both the Mechanical Engineering Minor and the Aerospace Engineering Minor.
Group A: Core Aerospace Engineering
Note:
*MAE 4291 and MAE 4900 require a form signed by the project advisor, stating that the project focuses on aerospace and is suitable as a core aerospace course for the minor. MAE 4291 or MAE 4900 must be worth 3 credits or more. Students may count at most one MAE 4291 OR one MAE 4900 toward the minor (i.e. students may not count both MAE 4291 and MAE 4900 toward the minor). Group B: Courses Applicable to Aerospace Engineering
Applied Mathematics
Offered jointly by the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Department of Mathematics.
Contact: Richard Rand, 535 Malott Hall, (607) 255-7145, rhr2@cornell.edu, or visit the or the assistant undergraduate coordinator for MAE in 125 Upson Hall.
All Engineering undergraduates affiliated with all Engineering majors are eligible to participate in the Applied Mathematics minor.
Academic standards: At least C in each course in the minor.
Requirements:
To complete the minor, students must take MATH 2930 , MATH 2940 , and at least six (6) courses beyond MATH 2940, to be chosen as follows:
- At most one course may be chosen from each of groups 1-4.
- At least three courses must be chosen from groups 5 and 6.
- At most one 2000-level course may be chosen.
- At most one course may be chosen that is offered by the student’s major department.
Note: Students will not receive credit for MATH 4200 (Group 1) and MAE 5790 /MATH 4210 (Group 6) if both are taken.
2. Computational Methods:
3. Probability and Statistics:
Only one of the following may be chosen:
Only one of the following two may be chosen:
Also, you may choose from:
6. Mathematics courses:
Any 3000+ level course offered by the Mathematics Department in algebra, analysis, probability/statistics, geometry, or logic, with the following exceptions:
a. if any course from group 1 is chosen:
b. if any course from group 3 is chosen:
c. if AEP 4220 is chosen from group 5:
d. Only one of the following may be chosen:
Biological Engineering
Biological Engineering Minor
Offered by the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering
Contact: 207 Riley-Robb Hall, (607) 255-2173
Students may participate in either the Biological Engineering minor or the Biomedical Engineering minor, but not both.
Students in all engineering majors except biological engineering may participate. Students should meet with the BE coordinator as soon as they decide to pursue the minor and before their senior year. They will work with a BEE faculty advisor, who will assist them in completing their minor.
Educational objectives of the minor:
Biological engineering is the application of engineering to living systems. Examples of engineering efforts in this field include the development of new biosensor technologies, study and control of biologically based matter transformation systems, and development of engineered devices to study and regulate fundamental biological processes. The biological engineering minor is an opportunity for students to further their understanding of living systems and to increase their knowledge of the basic transport processes that occur within these systems. Courses in the minor provide opportunities to analyze and manipulate living systems at the molecular, cellular, and system levels.
Academic standards: At least C– in each course in the minor and a GPA > 2.0 in all courses in the minor Requirements:
At least six courses (≥ 18 credits), with at least three courses and 9 credits taught in BEE as follows: 1. Biology Foundation: at least one but no more than two courses:
2. Biological Engineering Core: at least one but no more than two courses:
3. Biological Engineering Focus Area Electives: minimum of 3 courses:
Choose any three courses from the focus area course lists at our BE Advised website. Courses appearing in more than one focus area do not double count. BEE 3400 and BEE 3600 may be taken as either a focus area elective or a core course.
Biomedical Engineering
Offered by the Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering
Contact: Sharon Kaplan, 121B Weill Hall, (607) 254-3368, bmeugrad@cornell.edu
All undergraduates are eligible to participate in this minor, but they may participate in only one of the biological engineering and the biomedical engineering minors.
Educational Objectives: Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles and methods to a wide array of problems associated with human health. The discipline includes the design of biocompatible materials, prostheses, surgical implants, artificial organs, controlled drug-delivery systems, and wound closure devices. Diagnosing diseases and determining their biological origins depend upon increasingly sophisticated instrumentation and the use of mathematical models. This minor allows students to gain exposure to the breadth and depth of biomedical engineering offerings at Cornell, to prepare for advanced studies in biomedical engineering, and to obtain transcript recognition for their interest and capability in this rapidly growing area.
Students interested in the minor should contact Ryan Sauvé at the address listed above for an application. Consult the web site listed above for instructions.
Academic standards: At least C– in each course in the minor. A cumulative GPA ≥ 2.0 for all courses in the minor.
Requirements:
At least six courses (≥ 18 credits) from the five categories listed below; two course groups need to be in categories 1. Introductory biology and/or 2. Advanced biology with no more than one course from category 1. Four courses must come from the following categories: 3. Molecular and cellular biological engineering, 4. Biomedical engineering analysis of physiological systems, and 5. Biomedical engineering applications with courses from at least two of these categories represented. Up to two of the six courses are allowed to be required major degree courses or corss-listings. A course chosen from a list of major electives is acceptable. Additional courses may be approved by petition.
Category 1. Introductory biology (maximum of 4 credits; 3-8 credits count as one course toward this category of the BME minor):
Category 2. Advanced biology:
Category 3. Molecular and cellular biomedical engineering:
Category 4. BME analysis of physiological systems:
Category 5. Biomedical engineering applications:
Note:
*Students interested in professional practice as biomedical engineers should consider an M.Eng. degree in BME. The recommended sequence for admission is as follows: two courses from categories 1 and 2, BME 3010 , BME 3020 , BME 4010 , and BME 4020 . The program requires students to have a knowledge of molecular and cellular biomedical engineering, and of biomedical engineering analysis of physiological systems. Civil Infrastructure
Offered by the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Contact: 221 Hollister Hall, (607) 255-3412
Students affiliated with all majors except civil engineering may participate in this minor.
The minor in civil infrastructure is intended to introduce undergraduates to the engineering methodologies of mechanics, materials, analysis, design, and construction and to show how these are used in solving problems in the development, maintenance, and operation of the built environment that is vital for any modern society.
Academic standards: At least C in each course in the minor
Requirements:
At least six courses (≥ 18 credits), chosen as follows:
Note: courses shown in brackets [ ] not offered in current year.
2. Additional courses:
choose any five (groupings are for information only)* Geotechnical engineering:
Note:
*Other CEE courses may be approved by petition in advance Computer Science
Offered by the Department of Computer Science
Contact: Rhodes Hall, 5th floor (607) 255-0982
Students affiliated with all majors except Computer Science are eligible to participate in this minor. This minor is for students who anticipate that computer science will play a prominent role in their academic and professional career. Completion of a Computer Science minor, with a well-selected set of classes, can serve as good preparation for further study in computer science through our two-semester Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) program, or our four-semester Master of Science program.
Requirements:
At least six courses (18 credits) chosen as follows: 2. Additional courses:
Four CS courses numbered 3000 or higher with the following exceptions: Note:
Academic standards: at least a letter grade of C is required for each course in the minor.
Cross-listed courses cannot be applied to the minor unless taken under the CS rubric, with the sole exceptions of ECE 2400 and ECE 3140 and CS courses also listed as ENGRD. All qualifying courses must be taken at Cornell for a letter grade. No substitutions allowed.
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Offered by the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Contact: 2124 Snee Hall, (607) 255-5466
Students affiliated with all majors except Earth and Atmospheric Sciences are eligible to participate.
Some of the major problems facing mankind in this century involve earth science, and the engineering workforce will be challenged to solve these problems. This minor will prepare engineering students to understand the natural operating systems of Earth and the tools and techniques used by earth scientists to understand and monitor these solid and fluid systems.
Academic standards: At least C– in each course in the minor. GPA ≥ 2.0 for all courses in the minor.
Requirements:
At least 18 credits, chosen as follows: a. Required introductory course:
b. At least two selections from the following options:
c. Additional EAS courses at the 3000 level or higher:
These may include, but are not limited to, additional courses from the above list, undergraduate research courses, and outdoor field courses.
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Offered by the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact: 222 Phillips, (607) 255-9442
Students affiliated with all majors except Electrical and Computer Engineering are eligible to participate in this minor.
This minor offers the opportunity to study analog and digital circuits, signals and systems, and electromagnetics and to concentrate at higher levels in one of several different areas such as circuit design, electronic devices, communications, computer engineering, networks, and space engineering.
Academics standards: At least C- in each course in the minor. GPA ≥ 2.3 for all courses in the minor.
Requirements:
At least six courses (≥ 18 credits), chosen as follows: 3. ECE 3000-level course:
- One other non-project technical ECE 3000-level or above course (3-credit minimum)
4. ECE 4000-level course:
- One other non-project ECE 4000-level or above course (3-credit minimum)
Engineering Entrepreneurship
Offered collaboratively by: Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Operations Research and Information Engineering
Contact: MSE Undergraduate Coordinator, 210 Bard Hall, (607) 255-9159
Academic Standards: At least C- in each course in the minor.
Eligibility:
All Engineering undergraduates. Students pursuing the Independent Major should obtain approval for the proposed minor courses to avoid significant overlap with approved primary and secondary area programs.
Educational Objectives:
This minor focuses on giving engineering students the skills necessary to identify and evaluate opportunities and begin new business ventures. The coursework leads to an understanding and ability in intellectual property, competition, technology assessment, product development, finance, and accounting—the tools necessary to start a high technology business.
Requirements:
At least six (6) courses (minimum of 18 credits), chosen as follows:
Notes:
(1) Experiential Learning: Students are encouraged to consider completing a summer internship or co-op placement with an entrepreneurial or venture capital company. Please contact the Cornell Engineering Career Center office, the Red Bear Angel Group, and the Entrepreneurship@Cornell office for assistance in finding such positions.
(2) Other courses may be approved by petition in advance.
Engineering Management
Offered by the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Contact: 221 Hollister Hall, (607) 255-3412
Students affiliated with all majors are eligible to participate in this minor. CEE students may not use courses simultaneously to satisfy a requirement for the minor and as a major-approved elective or design elective. ORIE students have some specific restrictions and requirements as noted below. Students pursuing the Independent Major should obtain approval from CEE for their proposed minor courses, as they relate to approved primary- and secondary-area programs.
This minor focuses on giving students a basic understanding of engineering economics, accounting, statistics, project management methods, and analysis tools necessary to manage technical operations and projects effectively. The minor provides an important set of collateral skills for students in any engineering discipline.
Academic standards: At least C in each course in the minor.
Requirements:
At least six courses (≥ 18 credits), chosen as follows: 2. Additional courses-choose any three:*
Environmental Engineering
Environmental Engineering Minor
Offered jointly by the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering and the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Contact: BEE Office, 207 Riley-Robb Hall, (607) 255-2173, or CEE Office, 221 Hollister Hall, (607) 255-3412, or visit the Environmental Engineering website.
Eligibility
All undergraduates except Environmental Engineering Majors.
For Civil Engineers, at least four of the six courses must not be used to fulfill simultaneously the minor requirements and a major-approved elective or design course.
Educational Objectives
A fundamental challenge for the engineering profession is development of a sustainable society and environmentally responsible industry and agriculture reflecting an integration of economic and environmental objectives, and implementation of renewable energy resources. We are called upon to be trustees and managers of our nation’s resources, the air in our cities, and water in our aquifers, streams, estuaries, and coastal areas. This minor encourages engineering students to learn about the scientific, engineering, and economic foundations of environmental engineering so that society is better able to address environmental management issues.
Academic standards: At least C– in each course in the minor. GPA ≥ 2.0 for all courses in the minor. Courses shown in brackets [ ] are not offered in current year.
Requirements:
At least six courses (≥ 18 credits), chosen as follows. Note: courses shown in brackets [ ] not offered in current year.
Students must select courses from the following group listings, with at least one(1) course from each group.
Group A. Environmental Engineering Processes:
Group B. Environmental Systems:
Group C. Hydraulics, Hydrology, and Environmental Fluid Mechanics:
Game Design
Offered by the Department of Computer Science.
Visit The Game Design Initiative at Cornell website.
Requirements:
At least six (6) courses (18-credit minimum) chosen as follows: Required courses:
Complete the following two courses: Additional Courses:
Choose four courses (outside of your major department) from the following lists:
Art
All art classes below the 4000 level may be used for this requirement.
Computer Science
Any CS course 2000 or above that is immediately relevant to the production of computer games may count towards this requirement. This includes BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO:
Information Science
Any INFO course 2000 above that addresses digital cultures, the ethics of technology, or human-computer interaction may count towards the requirement. This includes BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO:
Music
Any music class that is NOT classified as a performance class may be used for this requirement. For a list of excluded classes, see: https://music.cornell.edu/courses#performance-courses
Performing and Media Arts
Any PMA course that trains students in the techniques applicable to video or digital media production may be used for this requirement. This includes BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO:
Psychology
Any psychology course 2000 or above that is classified as perception, cognition and development (PCD) may be used for this requirement. For a list of acceptable courses, see: https://psychology.cornell.edu/major
Other Departments
Other departments may offer courses that are directly relevant to game design. Because of the transient and/or scattered nature of these courses, those courses are typically accepted for the minor on a petition basis. Examples of classes that fall in this category are:
Additional Information:
Academic standards: at least a letter grade of C is required for each course in the minor.
Information Science
Information Science Minor
Offered by the Department of Information Science
Contact: 110H Gates Hall, (607) 255-9837
A minor in information science is available to students in the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Architecture, Art, and Planning; Arts and Sciences; Engineering; Human Ecology; and the Schools of Hotel Administration and Industrial and Labor Relations. Because of small differences in regulations between the colleges, the requirements may vary slightly, depending on a student’s college and, in a few cases, a student’s major. Students interested in pursuing the information science minor must initiate the process by sending an e-mail message with their name, college, year of study (e.g., second-semester sophomore), expected graduation date, and (intended) major to ISminor@cornell.edu.
Requirements
IS Minor Requirements by College
Agriculture and Life Sciences
Architecture, Art, and Planning
Arts and Sciences
Human Ecology
Industrial and Labor Relations
- One core course based on your concentration.
- Concentrations: three courses.
- Elective/Additional: two courses from any concentration.
Engineering
- One core course based on your concentration.
- Concentrations: three courses.
- Elective/Additional: one course from any concentration.
Hotel School
Materials Science and Engineering
Offered by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Contact: 210 Bard Hall, (607) 255-9159
Students affiliated with all majors except Materials Science and Engineering are eligible to participate in this minor.
Materials properties are the foundation of many engineering disciplines including mechanical, civil, chemical, and electrical engineering. This minor provides students with a fundamental understanding of mechanisms that determine the ultimate performance, properties, and processing characteristics of modern materials.
Academic standards: At least C in each course in the minor.
Requirements:
At least six courses (≥ 18 credits), chosen as follows: 3. Three electives chosen from:
Any MSE course at the 3000-level or above OR selected courses in materials properties and processing (at the 3000-level or above) from AEP, CHEME, CEE, ECE, MAE, PHYS, and CHEM. Any questions regarding allowable courses can be directed to the MSE Undergraduate Coordinator.
Mechanical Engineering
Offered by the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Contact: 125 Upson Hall, (607) 255-3573
Students affiliated with all majors except MAE are eligible to participate in this minor. Students intending to earn this minor should seek advice and pre-approval of their minor academic program from the associate director for undergraduate affairs in mechanical engineering before taking courses toward the minor.
Academic standards: At least C– in each course in the minor.
At least six courses (≥ 18 credits) from among the following:
Rules for selecting courses:
- The selection of courses must satisfy the following three requirements.
- At least two courses must be numbered above 3000.
- At least one course must be either (i) numbered above 5000 or (ii) numbered above 3260 and have as a prerequisite ENGRD 2020 , MAE 2030 , ENGRD 2210 or a MAE course.
- Each course must be worth at least 3 credits.
- All courses used to satisfy the MAE minor must be MAE courses, ENGRD 2020 , ENGRD 2210 , or MAE 2030 . No substitutions will be accepted from other departments at Cornell or elsewhere. Transfer credit may not be used to satisfy the MAE minor. MAE 4980 - Teaching Experience in Mechanical Engineering may not be used toward satisfying the M.E. minor. MAE 4900 or MAE 4291 may be used for at most one course in the minor.
Operations Research and Management Science
Offered by the School of Operations Research and Information Engineering
Contact: 203 Rhodes Hall, (607) 255-5088
Students affiliated with all majors except Operations Research and Engineering and Information Science, Systems, and Technology are eligible to participate in this minor.
Operations research and management science supports decision making through modeling and analysis of complex systems. This understanding is used to predict system behavior and improve system performance. This minor gives the student the opportunity to obtain a wide exposure to the core methodological tools of operations research and management science, including mathematical programming, stochastic and statistical models, and simulation. The intent of this minor is to provide a broad knowledge of the fundamentals, rather than to train the student in a particular application domain. With this preparation, students can adjust their advanced courses and pursue either methodological or application-oriented areas most relevant to their educational goals.
Academic standards: At least C- in each course in the minor. GPA ≥ 2.0 for all courses in the minor.
Requirements:
At least six courses (≥ 18 credits), chosen as follows: 1. At least three of these courses:
2. Any ORIE courses at the 3000-level or higher (including those in list 1)
Robotics
Offered collaboratively by the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Computer Science
Administered by: MAE Assistant Undergraduate Coordinator, 125 Upson Hall, (607) 255-3573
Eligibility: All undergraduates, except those completing minors in ECE, MechE, or CS. Pre-approval of minor plan is required.
Educational Objectives: The robotics minor covers the fundamentals of designing, building and programming robots, and in addition requires students to dive deeper in a specific area of robotics.
Requirements:
1) Six distinct courses including at least three from Group A and three from a single category within Group B, must be
completed.
2) ME majors may not count MAE 3780 / MAE 3783 if it is used to satisfy the ME circuits requirement
Academic Standards: A grade of C or better in each course.
GROUP A: Fundamentals - choose three
GROUP B: Specialization - choose three courses in one of the below categories
Modeling, Dynamics, and Control
Sustainable Energy Systems
Sustainable Energy Systems Minor
Offered collaboratively by the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, the Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Contacts: curricular topics: Jeff Tester, David Croll Sesquicentennial Fellow and Professor of Sustainable Energy Systems, 280A Olin Hall, (607) 254-7211; administrative or registrar topics: Carol Casler, undergraduate programs office of the Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, (607) 255-1489.
Individual faculty members in most units in the College of Engineering are involved in research and education intended to move society toward more sustainable solutions to our energy needs and are sources of guidance to students interested in the Energy minor. Many of these faculty members are in the College of Engineering. The minor is open to all undergraduate students.
Providing affordable energy to meet the demands of both developed and developing nations without further damaging the natural environment and the Earth’s climate system is a grand challenge for the 21st century. Our quality of life and the stability of nations ultimately depend on having accessible energy resources and an equitable and sustainable energy supply and distribution system. Achievement of these goals requires the participation, ingenuity, and hard work of people with a range of specialized backgrounds, working collaboratively. The minor is intended to emphasize the importance of viewing the challenge of meeting the world’s energy needs as a system of interacting themes. The requirements of the minor are designed to provide breadth across a range of energy resource types and conversion, transmission and storage technologies along with coverage of the environmental, economic, political, and social consequences of various options.
Academic standards: At least C– in each course or, for S–U only courses, S.
Requirements:
- Six courses and a minimum of 18 credits; at least 3 credits in each category
- At least two courses (together totaling no less than 3 credits) in category 2: Energy Sources and Technologies for a Transition to Sustainability
- At most two courses may be specific requirements in the student’s major; not a course decided on, like an elective, this restriction applies when everyone in the major must complete the course
- At least one course from each of four breadth categories
Four Breadth Categories:
- Energy Systems Analysis
- Energy Sources and Technologies for a Transition to Sustainability
- Natural Systems Impacted by Energy Production and Use
- Social Impact: Policy, Economics, Business, History, Ethics, and Risk Analysis.
Courses satisfying each of the breadth categories:
1. Energy systems analysis:
2. Energy sources and technologies for a transition to sustainability:
3. Natural systems impacted by energy production and use:
4. Policy/economics/business/history/ethics/risk analysis:
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