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Beginning this fall, St. Olaf College will offer a new concentration in Engineering Studies.

The concentration will enable students to explore their interest in engineering and prepare for graduate work in the field. Students will learn the fundamental pillars that support successful engineers, including training in mathematics, science, and designing solutions to complex problems.

With this concentration, St. Olaf is rolling out four new engineering courses over the next three years in addition to the existing coursework the college already offers in engineering. These new courses include Thermodynamics and Computer Aided Engineering, in which students will develop skills that can be used in a variety of engineering fields. 

St. Olaf Assistant Professor of Physics Alden Adolph says the college’s strong math and science programs, as well as the applied coursework in engineering already offered on campus, prepared a number of past graduates to pursue careers in all fields of engineering. The Engineering Studies concentration will build on that.

“With the addition of this concentration, we expect our students to be even better prepared for graduate work in engineering, to build cohorts of students and a community of new engineers, and to make the path toward a career in engineering clear from day one,” she says. “The new courses introduced will mean that students will be ready to dive into graduate-level engineering courses right away after graduation.”

With the addition of this concentration, we expect our students to be even better prepared for graduate work in engineering, to build cohorts of students and a community of new engineers, and to make the path toward a career in engineering clear from day one.Assistant Professor of Physics Alden Adolph

In addition to the analytical tools and conceptual knowledge that students in the program will gain, there are also a number of practical skills that this concentration will offer. From 3D modeling in SolidWorks, to learning computer programming and 3D printing and prototyping, this program provides opportunities to develop transferable skills that will help students in internships or graduate work in engineering. 

Students can engage in the engineering design process starting in their first year through a team-based project course over Interim that involves designing and building prototypes to solve problems.

Adolph says offering this concentration in the context of the liberal arts presents a unique opportunity to help students become leaders in the field of engineering.

“Engineers serve as stewards of our built environment and innovators seeking to improve the human condition. Using the tools of math and science, engineers work within constraints to generate creative solutions to real problems. These constraints do not exist in a vacuum, but in an ever-changing world with evolving needs and technologies. The foundation of a liberal arts education serves to provide our students with multiple perspectives of understanding of the society and population that engineers will ultimately serve,” she says. “Preparing for a career in engineering at St. Olaf will provide the much-needed context that defines the constraints of engineering problems and the space to develop the skills to explore and design creative solutions. For the many students interested in pursuing engineering, St. Olaf can provide a well-rounded approach that will set them up for success.”

Preparing for a career in engineering at St. Olaf will provide the much-needed context that defines the constraints of engineering problems and the space to develop the skills to explore and design creative solutions. For the many students interested in pursuing engineering, St. Olaf can provide a well-rounded approach that will set them up for success.Assistant Professor of Physics Alden Adolph

Studying engineering at St. Olaf also enables students to maintain the flexibility, small class sizes, and close faculty relationships that liberal arts studies offer — while building up the essential tools to succeed as an engineer and getting hands-on experience through engineering design courses.  

“If students are interested in engineering but are eager to have the small liberal arts school experience, St. Olaf can be a good way to get the best of both worlds,” Adolph says.

Watch how Oles are exploring engineering below: