Engineering Science

The Degree

Associate in Science (A.S.)

The Outlook

The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that employment opportunities in all areas of engineering --- mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, biomedical, aerospace, environmental, industrial, and others --- are expected to remain strong through the year 2010. Competitive pressures and advances in technology will fuel improvements and updates to product design, manufacturing processes, and productivity. With the use of new computer and communications systems, engineers are better able to produce and analyze product designs rapidly and in collaboration with other engineers throughout the world. The A.S. Engineering Science degree program at Finger Lakes Community College provides a core mathematics and science education and prepares you to pursue a bachelor’s degree in any engineering specialty.

The Program

The Associate in Science (A.S.) degree in Engineering Science is broad enough to accommodate individual interests and career plans within the engineering discipline. Students who successfully complete the program may transfer as juniors into engineering and related fields at four-year colleges and universities.

Course work and facilities: The curriculum offers courses in calculus, physics, chemistry, engineering graphics, computer programming, mechanics, thermal science, and discrete mathematics structures. A computer lab dedicated to Engineering and Science is a key feature of the program.

Honors courses: In addition, the College offers honors courses that provide enhanced educational experiences for students who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability. Enrollment in honors courses is open to qualified students enrolled in this degree program, as well as all other qualified FLCC students. Successful completion of honors courses or an Honors Certificate may increase student transfer options to four-year institutions.

The Experience

Field trips: Field trips to the Rochester Gas and Electric Power Plant are scheduled to expose you to a solid fuel operated power plant to discover how steam is generated and its thermal energy is converted into mechanical energy in turbines and to electrical energy in generators.

Networking: The Engineering Science program is a member of the State University of New York-Two Year Engineering Science Association (SUNY-TYESA), allowing for the exchange of ideas between similar programs to maintain an up-to-date, transferable engineering curriculum.

The Graduates

Graduates of the program have successfully transferred to four-year institutions including the Rochester Institute of Technology, Clarkson University, SUNY University Centers at Buffalo and Binghamton, the University of Rochester, and Alfred University, among others* and have majored in mechanical, electrical, civil, ceramic, chemical, aerospace, biomedical, environmental, and agricultural engineering.

Careers: Those graduates who obtained a baccalaureate degree have become engineers performing research and development, design, and testing in a variety of settings. It is also possible to attend law school after obtaining a bachelor's degree in engineering and to work toward a degree in patent law.

* This is a sampling of some of the four-year colleges and universities to which our students have transferred. Please consult your advisor or the Center for Advisement and Personal Development for a complete listing of transfer agreements between Finger Lakes Community College and four-year institutions.

The Scholarships

Students meeting specific criteria may apply for the Bill Parham Memorial Scholarship. For details, contact a member of the Engineering faculty or the Financial Aid Office.

The Faculty

The lead teacher and the advisor for all students in the Engineering Science program is Selim Araci. Dr. Araci earned a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from SUNY at Buffalo in February 1999. He has carried out research at NASA Glenn Research Center in Summer 2004 as a NASA Faculty Fellow. In this capacity, he worked with the Instrumentation and Control Division on jet engine research, where he developed a heat transfer model for a cooled first-stage turbine stator. Dr. Araci is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Engineering Science

Curriculum Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 73 credit hours with a grade point average of not less than C (2.0). Additional hours are recommended depending upon Engineering emphasis.

All associate degree programs require English 101 Freshman English and English 102 Introduction to Literature. Students must pass skills assessment for entrance into these courses. Students who are well prepared may substitute ENG 104 English I Honors and ENG 105 English II Honors for ENG101 and ENG102. Students who are considering the English Honors sequence should consult the Director of Honors.

Students must successfully complete:

Humanities

  • ENG101 Freshman English and ENG 102 Introduction to Literature
    or
    ENG104 English I Honors and ENG105 English II Honors

Social Science

  • 3 credit hours of HIS history electives
  • 3 credit hours of social science elect.

Mathematics

  • MAT 271 Calculus I
  • MAT 272 Calculus II
  • MAT 273 Calculus III
  • MAT 274 Differential Equations

Science

  • CHM 121 General Chemistry I
  • CHM 122 General Chemistry II
  • PHY 151 General Physics I
  • PHY 152 General Physics II
  • PHY 253 Physics III: Modern Physics and Waves

Engineering Science

  • ESC 100 Introduction to Engineering (1 credit)
  • ESC 105 Engineering Graphics
  • ESC 210 Engineering Design I (1 credit)
  • ESC 211 Mechanics I (Statics)
  • ESC 220 Engineering Design II (1 credit)
  • ESC 222 Electrical Circuits

Computer Science

  • CSC 172 Computer Programming for Engineering

Technical Electives
Choose 6-12 Credits from the courses listed based on advisor recommendation.

  • ESC 212 Mechanics II
  • ESC 213 Strength of materials
  • ESC 235 Introduction to Thermal Science
  • MAT 220 Discrete Mathematics
  • MAT 276 Linear Algebra
  • CHM 211 Organic Chemistry I
  • CHM 212 Organic Chemistry II

Health/Physical Education Electives

  • 4 credit hours of health/physical education electives

Electives

  • Based on transfer school requirements

Students who are transferring to four-year institutions should follow the general education course requirements for transfer to SUNY and non-SUNY schools. *See general education requirements page for more details

Engineering Science

Sample Schedule

The schedule below shows how the requirements for the A.S. Engineering Science degree may be met in four semesters. This schedule is an example of one of many possible different schedules. It is included here only as an illustration of the type of schedule that might be followed by a full-time student. Many students attending Finger Lakes Community College who have work and/or family obligations choose a different sequence of courses and take more than four semesters to fulfill the requirements for the A.S. Engineering Science degree. Similarly, students who find they need to take some additional course work to prepare them to do well in the types of courses included in the A.S. Engineering Science degree program may plan a schedule that takes more than four semesters to complete the degree. All students should consult their advisors when they plan their schedules.

First Semester (16 Credit hours)

  • ENG 101 Freshman English (3)
  • MAT 271 Calculus I (4)
  • CHM 121 General Chemistry I (4)
  • CSC 172 Computer Programming for Engineering (3)
  • ESC 100 Introduction to Engineering (1)
  • Health/Physical Education Elective (1)

Second Semester (19 Credit hours)

  • ENG 102 Introduction to Literature (3)
  • PHY 151 General Physics I (4)
  • MAT 272 Calculus II (4)
  • CHM 122 General Chemistry II (4)
  • ESC 105 Engineering Graphics (3)
  • Health/Physical Education Elective (1)

Third Semester (19 Credit hours)

  • MAT 273 Calculus III (4)
  • PHY 152 General Physics II (4)
  • ESC 210 Engineering Design I (1)
  • ESC 211 Mechanics I (Statics) (3)
  • Technical Elective (3)
  • Social Science Elective (3)
  • Health/Physical Education Elective (1)

Fourth Semester (19 Credit hours)

  • MAT 274 Differential Equations (3)
  • PHY 253 General Physics III (4)
  • ESC 220 Engineering Design II (1)
  • ESC 222 Electric Circuits (4)
  • Technical Elective (3)
  • History Elective (3)
  • Health/Physical Education Elective (1)

The sequence above is only an example, and variations in the curriculum sequence are possible. Review the specializations described below and consult with your advisor to learn about possible variations.

Specializations

Within the A.S. Engineering Science degree the student may select courses that reflect the student’s interests and goals. The specializations listed below have been suggested by departments for students who want to transfer to a four-year program in these areas. In many cases the subject areas indicate sequences of courses that will prepare students to transfer into specific degree programs as juniors. The articulation agreements which support transfer from Finger Lakes Community College to four-year institutions are discussed in more detail in the "Transfer Opportunities" section on page 71.

Recommended technical electives for various engineering fields which the student may pursue upon transfer to a four-year institution:

MECHANICAL, AEROSPACE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING:

  • ESC 212 Mechanics II (Dynamics) )
  • ESC 213 Strength of Materials )
  • ESC 235 Introduction to Thermal Science )

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING:

  • MAT 220 Discrete Mathematical Structures )
  • MAT 276 Linear Algebra )
  • ESC 212 Mechanics II (Dynamics) )
  • ESC 235 Introduction to Thermal Science )

CHEMICAL, CERAMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING:

  • CHM 211 Organic Chemistry I )
  • CHM 212 Organic Chemistry II )
  • ESC 212 Mechanics II (Dynamics) )
  • ESC 235 Introduction to Thermal Science )