Department of Engineering

Department Chair: Brian D. Swartz
Assistant Chair: Randall K. Fish
Administrative Assistant: Jean McCauslin
Professors: R. Fish, D. Pratt, T. Soerens, D. Vader
Associate Professors: B. Swartz, H. Underwood, T. VanDyke
Assistant Professors: E. Farrar, P. Tan
Senior Lecturers: S. Heisey, M. Lockwood

Major

The Department of Engineering offers the following concentrations within the Engineering (B.S.E.) major:

Biomedical Civil
Computer Electrical
Environmental Mechanical

Mission

Graduates of the Engineering Program will be technically competent and broadly educated, prepared for interdisciplinary work in the global workplace. The character and conduct of Messiah engineering graduates will be consistent with Christian faith commitments. We accomplish this mission through engineering instruction and experiences, an education in the liberal arts tradition and mentoring relationships with students.

Program Educational Objectives

  • Graduates will be successful in engineering practice or other diverse fields that require analytical and/or professional skills
  • Graduates will contribute to their fields or professions and society

Student Outcomes

Prior to graduation Messiah College Engineering students will demonstrate the ability to:

  1. Apply mathematics, science and engineering principles to real world engineering problems.
  2. Design and conduct experiments, analyze and interpret data.
  3. Design and use engineering systems, components, or processes to help solve practical problems within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.
  4. Work productively on multidisciplinary teams.
  5. Identify, formulate and solve engineering problems.
  6. Describe and purpose to keep a personal and professional ethical lifestyle consistent with the Christian faith.
  7. Use written and oral communication effectively.
  8. Possess the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context.
  9. Recognize of the need for and engage in life-long learning.
  10. Identify contemporary issues relevant to engineering solutions.
  11. Use the techniques, skills and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering research and practice.
  12. Work toward the integration of Christian faith, learning, and professional life.

Engineering Major

Messiah College awards a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) with a concentration in one or more of six concentrations: Biomedical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental and Mechanical. The Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. Discipline-specific degrees such as the BSME cannot be reviewed for accreditation until a student graduates with each degree. Program leadership has designed new degrees with accreditation expectations in mind. We anticipate an accreditation review for each discipline-specific degree (BSBME, BSCE, BSEE, BSME) during the 2022-23 academic year.

Messiah College’s engineering students explore both the art and science of engineering in preparation for creative professional practice. Building on a foundation of mathematics and the basic sciences, the engineering faculty use courses and client-defined projects to prepare students for entry-level engineering employment and/or advanced studies. The Project portion of the curriculum is offered in partnership with the Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research.

Engineering students at Messiah also consider the value and social impact of technology. Students are encouraged to explore service and missions opportunities for engineers, and to participate in activities that build leadership skills under the guidance of faculty members.

The following are recommended for prospective students in addition to the standard admissions requirements of the College:

  1. Rank in the top 20% of high school class.
  2. Complete four units or more of college preparatory mathematics, one unit of chemistry, and one unit of physics. A course or other preparation in computer programming is also helpful, but not required.
  3. Earn a combined SAT score (Math, Verbal) of 1200 or higher or a composite ACT score of 27 or higher. A minimum mathematics SAT score of 600 or ACT score of 25 is required.

Progression in the Engineering Major

Students are directly admitted to the Engineering program but must meet progression criteria to advance into a specific concentration and enroll for upper division (300- and 400-level) courses. The following progression criteria will be enforced prior to registration for upper division coursework:

  1. The student must have an earned grade of C- or better in each of the following courses: MATH 111, MATH 112, CHEM 105, PHYS 211, PHYS 212, ENGR 231, ENGR 236. Transfer courses are acceptable.
  2. The student’s GPA across the seven courses listed in (1) must be at least 2.50
    1. In instances where one course from the list has not yet been attempted, a GPA across the remaining courses of at least 2.60 shall be sufficient for progression
    2. In instances where two courses from the list have not yet been attempted, a GPA across the remaining courses of at least 2.70 shall be sufficient for progression
    3. Courses for which credit has transferred into Messiah College will not be counted in the GPA calculation
    4. For purposes of this GPA calculation (different than the College-wide calculation) courses may be retaken and the new course score will replace the previous course score regardless of the grades in each of the two attempts
    5. Students may attempt each of the courses listed in (1) only twice – an initial attempt and one re-attempt. Withdrawals after the College add/drop deadline shall count as the initial attempt. Extenuating circumstances, such as medical withdrawal, will not count against the student’s attempt quota.
  3. Students who fall short of the progression criteria may appeal the decision and will be asked to provide evidence that they can succeed in the upper-level coursework. The appeal will be processed by a sub-committee in the Engineering department (the Admission and Progression Committee) that will be composed of the department chair and two faculty appointed by the department. The student should submit their appeal, in writing, to their assigned academic advisor. Appeals will be reviewed in January (related to previous fall performance and upcoming spring progression) and May (related to previous spring performance and upcoming fall progression).

Transfer students

Internal transfers (from another Messiah College program) will be held to the same progression standards as indicated above. External transfer students (anyone taking 2 or fewer of the courses listed in (1) at Messiah College) will be asked to submit grades in relevant coursework at other institutions to the Admission and Progression Committee. A decision from that committee will be rendered to the student and may include admission to the concentration of choice, or some remedial actions that will be expected (such as re-taking a course in question).