Welcome Counselors and Educators!

We see many students every semester who are confused about their requirements for their Engineering Degrees as they are different than any other major.  As you may know, Engineering Majors do not always follow the same requirements for transfer than any other major such as AST's or IGETC.

Since Engineering Degrees have more requirements than any other major, it is crucial that Engineering Students begin taking important prerequisite Engineering Courses while at Community College in addition to the foundational courses of Calculus and Physics.

Do classes need to articulate in assist.org in order to be transferable to universities?

No, many times students are able to transfer major required courses (such as ENGR 152: Engineering Mechanics -Statics) by petition. Since Engineering Majors have such a plethora of requirements, colleges tend to be more accepting of Engineering Course Petitions.  It is important that students save the class syllabus and may ask the university beforehand if the class will be acceptable to transfer.

For example, UCSD does not formally articulate ENGR 152 on assist.org; however, several GCC students have successfully petitioned and transferred that course.

Does Engineering have an AST or ADT?

No, Engineering was exempted from the requirements of SB 1440.  Because many Math and Physics classes are high in units, Engineering students quickly would exceed the 60 units leaving no room for important, lower-division engineering classes.

As a result, Engineering Faculty across California came together to create the Engineering Model Curriculum, which can be found at the C-ID website: https://c-id.net/model-curriculum 

GCC Engineering Department offers all classes from model curriculum, and these classes are all linked to non-degree Engineering Certificates as outlined on p.58 in college catalog: https://www.glendale.edu/home/showdocument?id=45932

For Engineering Certificate and A.S. Degree details, please see our Engineering Transfer Program.

For a list of upcoming Engineering Courses and their descriptions, please see our Upcoming Courses Page.

What are the priorities for Engineering Students?

Because Engineering Degrees have such a high volume of requirements, Engineering Students should focus on their Math, Physics, and Engineering prerequisites that unlock the critical path to upper division engineering courses. It is common for Engineering students to take more than 3 years after transfer to complete their Engineering Bachelor's degree due to not realizing they could have taken several, lower-division prerequisite courses while at Community College.

Priorities for engineering community college students:

1. Foundational courses including math, physics, chemistry, etc.

2. General education courses sufficient for transfer (not necessarily all of IGETC or CSU breadth).

3. As many articulated engineering transfer courses as possible.

4. Assuming that the student is ready, transfer early after completing foundation courses, rather than later.

Some courses that start the critical path of requirements are ENGR 152: Engineering Mechanics - Statics for Mechanical and Civil Engineering Majors and ENGR 240: Electrical Engineering Fundamentals for Electrical Engineering Majors.  These courses also have several Calculus and Physics prerequisites.

How can I learn more about recent/upcoming trends and common issues with Engineering Transfer?

The California Engineering Liaison Council (CAELC) is a statewide organization consisting of Community College, Cal State and University of California Faculty, Counselors and Administrators who meet twice a year to discuss articulation and other Engineering Academic issues.  The CAELC information can be found here.  GCC Engineering Faculty and Counselors who attend these events have access to the latest trends and information from our Community College and University Partners across California.

The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) is a great resource about Engineering Education. Click here for an article about student transitions and the ASEE website.

The Research & Planning (RP) Group for California Community Colleges has provided some very informative research-based articles regarding Engineering Transfer:

1. A Long & Leaky Pipeline: Improving Transfer Pathways for Engineering Students
2. Engineering Transfers Speak: Real Students, Real Stories
3. Improving Transfer Success in Engineering: Introduction to Engineering – Chabot College Student Brainstorm

What is Engineering Technology?

The GCC Engineering Department offers preparation for Engineering Technology in addition to Engineering.  Engineering Technology is a more hands-on pathway to a technical career. Students who prefer a less mathematically academic pathway may find that they are more interested in Engineering Technology. Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Long Beach and Cal State LA have programs that lead to a bachelor's degree in Engineering Technology. GCC students can prepare to transfer to those programs.

"Engineering technology is the profession in which a knowledge of mathematics and natural sciences, gained by higher education, experience, and practice, is devoted primarily to the implementation and extension of existing technology for the benefit of humanity. Engineering technology education focuses primarily on the applied aspects of science and engineering, aimed at preparing graduates for practice in that portion of the technological spectrum closest to product improvement, industrial practices, and engineering operational functions."
 Quoted from the “ASEE Engineering Technology Resolution,” passed by the Engineering Technology Council of the American Society for Engineering Education, June 21, 1992.