Architectural Engineering Programs: Finding Common Ground
- Conference
- Location
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Honolulu, Hawaii
- Publication Date
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June 24, 2007
- Start Date
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June 24, 2007
- End Date
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June 27, 2007
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Architectural
- Page Count
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13
- Page Numbers
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12.251.1 - 12.251.13
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--1966
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/1966
- Download Count
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347
Paper Authors
Allen Estes California Polytechnic State University
Allen C. Estes is a Professor and Head for the Architectural Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. Until January 2007, Dr. Estes was the Director of the Civil Engineering Program at the United States Military Academy (USMA). He is a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia. Al Estes received a B.S. degree from USMA in 1978, M.S. degrees in Structural Engineering and in Construction Management from Stanford University in 1987 and a Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1997.
Hector Estrada University of the Pacific
Hector Estada is currently Professor and Chair of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of the Pacific; a position he has held since August 2006. Prior to joining Pacific, Professor Estrada was chair of the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. While at Texas A&M Kingsville, he was instrumental in establishing a new program in Architectural Engineering and a regional division of the Texas Transportation Institute. Professor Estrada received his B.S. (with honors), M.S., and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1993, 1994, and 1997, respectively.
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
Architectural Engineering Programs: Finding Common Ground Abstract
There are currently 17 ABET accredited Architectural Engineering programs in the United States. This paper presents curriculum data for these Architectural Engineering programs and discusses the challenges of finding common ground and conveying program needs to the rest of the academic community – especially when the programs are so small in number and so diverse in their structure and course offerings.
I. Introduction
There are currently 17 ABET accredited Architectural Engineering (AE) programs in the United States. Most are four year undergraduate programs, but almost 25% are five year programs (4 out of 17). Some offer masters degrees, while others do not. A couple of programs offer Ph.D.s in Architectural Engineering or Building Systems. About half of the AE programs are located within departments of civil engineering, while the other half are departments in their own right. Most fall under the college of Engineering, but two of the programs are housed in the School of Architecture. One is located in the College of Engineering, but admits students through the College of Architecture. The ABET program accreditation criteria require coverage in two of the three areas of structures, electrical/ mechanical systems, and construction. Some programs are very balanced and offer a full complement of courses in electrical, mechanical, acoustical and lighting design. Others focus heavily on the structures area and offer little in at least one of the other categories. Two of the programs are very focused on architecture, with nearly half of the AE content concentrated in architecture. This paper will examine the undergraduate curriculum data on the 17 ABET accredited Architectural Engineering programs and will discuss the challenges of finding common ground and conveying program needs to the rest of the academic community – especially when the programs are so small in number and so diverse in their structure and course offerings.
II. The Nation’s Architectural Engineering Programs
Because there are so few AE programs, many incoming students are confused about the major and how it differs from Architecture or Civil Engineering. Architectural Engineering involves the engineering design, construction and operation of safe, functional, efficient, economical, aesthetically- pleasing buildings. AE deals with all engineering aspects of a building’s performance that support the architectural and functional requirements. These engineering aspects commonly include structural systems; mechanical systems such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and plumbing; electrical systems such as lighting, power distribution, control and communications; and other systems such as acoustics and fire safety.
Table 1 shows a listing of the 17 Architectural Engineering programs in the United States that are currently accredited by ABET. Geographically, seven of the programs are located in the Midwest and three are in the South. There are two programs in the Southwest, Rocky Mountain, and Northeast regions, with only one program located on the West Coast. All of the AE programs reside in a College/School of Engineering, with the exceptions of Oklahoma State and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo,
Estes, A., & Estrada, H. (2007, June), Architectural Engineering Programs: Finding Common Ground Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--1966
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