Pre-Engineering Program
The Pre-Engineering non-degree Program is designed to enable you to complete your general education and foundational mathematics and science requirements prior to enrollment in a recognized school of engineering. Concordia’s three-year, non-degree, Pre-Engineering Program will allow you to receive the necessary transfer units in a personalized and caring environment.
While there are many foundational courses that are appropriate for any engineering field, your area of specialization should be considered when registering for classes. Assistance in the selection and transfer process to a school of engineering will be offered.
Program Requirements
- General Education (54-55 Units)
- The following courses are recommended:
- Integrated Biology
- CHE 221: Chemistry 1 (4 units)
- CMTH 101: Nature of Mathematics (3 units)
- Major Requirements
- Since pre-engineering is a non-degree program and is designed for transfer to an established engineering school for conferral of degree, there are no requirements for completion of an approved major.
- Course Requirements: (43-60 Units)
- Required core courses and selection of emphasis.
| Core |
32 units |
CHE 222: Chemistry 2 As a continuation of Chemistry 1 the major topics of this course will include solubility products, chemical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, and qualitative analysis. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisite: Che 221. |
4 |
MTH 271: Calculus 1 A study of differential and integral calculus with applications including an emphasis on using calculus to solve problems. Lab time is included in the schedule. A graphing calculator is expected. |
5 |
MTH 272: Calculus 2 A continuation of Calculus 1, this course will include a study of integral calculus with and emphasis on the definite integral, transcendental functions along with applications, sums and sequences, and an introduction to differential equations. A graphing calculator is expected along with the ability to use appropriate computer software. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisite: Mth 271 or acceptable AP examination credit. |
5 |
MTH 373: Calculus 3 A continuation of Calculus 2, this course will include the study of vector calculus, three-dimensional calculus, partial derivatives, multiple integrals, differential calculus, and other selected topics in vector calculus. Prerequisite: Mth 272 or appropriate advanced placement (AP) examination grade. |
3 |
MTH 471: Linear Algebra This course will study matrices, determinants, vector spaces, inner products, linear transformations, eigenvectors, including matrices, linear programming, difference equations, and other techniques from discrete mathematics. Prerequisite: Mth 373 or approval of instructor. Offered in alternate years. |
3 |
MTH 484: Differential Equations This course will cover the classification of differential equations along with first order equations, exact differentials, integrating factors, higher order differential equations, method of undetermined coefficients, variation of parameters, operator methods, solution by infinite series, and Laplace transformations. Prerequisite: Mth 373 or approval of instructor. Offered in alternate years. |
3 |
PHY 211-H: Physics 1: Honors (Calculus Based) |
4 |
PHY 212-H: Physics 2: Honors (Calculus Based) |
4 |
Emphasis: Choose one of the following
| Bio-Medical: Pre-Medical |
35 units |
BIO 112: General Biology 2 As a continuation of General Biology 1, this course will examine cellular structure, metabolism process, genetics, DNA function and genome expression, biotechnology, and molecular biology in medicine. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisite: Bio 111 or equivalent or consent of instructor. |
4 |
BIO 308: Genetics Basic principles of heredity including Mendelian, cytogenetics, population theory, gene regulation, and an introduction to molecular genetics will be discussed in this course, emphasizing classical laboratory experimentation and molecular techniques. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisite: Bio 350 or concurrent registration or consent of department chair. |
4 |
BIO 345: Evolutionary Zoology This course will study evolutionary principles and methods of analysis using the natural history, anatomy, and systematics of the animal kingdom, protozoans through mammals. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisites: Bio 101, 111/ 112, or CBio 101, Che 221 and 222 or consent of instructor. Offered in alternate years. |
4 |
BIO 350: Molecular and Cellular Biology A study of plant and animal molecular and cellular structures, biochemistry, and function is included in this course with an emphasis on the molecular level of cells, cellular metabolism, and the structure and function of the major organelles. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisites: Bio 111 and 112, Che 221 and 222 or Sci 115, or concurrent enrollment, or consent of division chair. |
4 |
BIO 496: Research in Biology As an introduction to research methods and skills in the field of biology, this course will require library research, biological abstracts and journals, field and laboratory research, and statistical analysis be used in the writing of research papers. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisite: restricted to senior standing. |
4 |
CHE 321: Organic Chemistry 1 This course will examine the fundamental concepts relating to organic compounds with an emphasis on structure, nomenclature, theory, bonding, stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, and physical and chemical properties of the principle classes of compounds. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisite: Che 222 |
4 |
CHE 322: Organic Chemistry 2 As a continuation of Organic Chemistry 1, this course will focus on aromaticity, advanced synthesis and reaction mechanisms, kinetics, organometallic chemistry, and bio-organic chemistry. Prerequisite: Che 321 |
4 |
CHE 421: Introduction to Biochemistry An introduction to the principles of chemistry that govern life systems, including topics in pH and buffers, enzymes, amino acids, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and metabolic pathways with exercises emphasizing protein purification and characterization techniques, plus kinetic modeling. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisites: Che 321 or consent of instructor. |
4 |
SCI 455: History and Philosophy of Science An historical overview course of the development of science and its philosophy, concentrating on Western thought from Augustine and the Greek influence through today's cosmology (the Big Bang) and evolutionary synthesis. Emphasis will be placed on the evolutionary synthesis, its development and controversies including the distinction between material naturalist, philosophical naturalist, and the philosophical problems of consciousness, rationality, and reductionism. |
3 |
Courses suggested to strengthen competencies: Bio 345, Sci 455.
| Chemical (31 Units) or Materials Science (27 Units) |
Units |
CHE 321: Organic Chemistry 1 This course will examine the fundamental concepts relating to organic compounds with an emphasis on structure, nomenclature, theory, bonding, stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, and physical and chemical properties of the principle classes of compounds. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisite: Che 222 |
4 |
CHE 322: Organic Chemistry 2 As a continuation of Organic Chemistry 1, this course will focus on aromaticity, advanced synthesis and reaction mechanisms, kinetics, organometallic chemistry, and bio-organic chemistry. Prerequisite: Che 321 |
4 |
CHE 354: Inorganic Chemistry Through a systematic exposition of major trends in structure, bonding, reactivity, and spectroscopy across the periodic table, this course will include main group chemistry, transition metal and coordination chemistry, lanthanide/actinide chemistry, organometallic chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, solid state chemistry, electron transfer processes, and generalized concepts of acidity. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisites: Che 222 or consent of instructor. Offered in alternate years. |
4 |
CHE 421: Introduction to Biochemistry An introduction to the principles of chemistry that govern life systems, including topics in pH and buffers, enzymes, amino acids, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and metabolic pathways with exercises emphasizing protein purification and characterization techniques, plus kinetic modeling. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisites: Che 321 or consent of instructor. |
4 |
CHE 424: Analytical Chemistry Theory and fundamental techniques of qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis via classical and advanced instrumental methods is the focus of this course. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisites: Che 222 and 3.0 GPA in chemistry or consent of instructor. Offered in alternate years. |
4 |
CHE 431: Physical Chemistry 1 This course will cover classical thermodynamics: 0th, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd laws, gas laws and kinetic molecular theory of gases, colligative properties, solubilities, equilibria, phases and phase transitions, and electrochemistry. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisites: Che 222, Mth 272 and Phy 211; co-requisite: Mth 373 or consent of instructor. Offered in alternate years. |
4 |
CHE 432: Physical Chemistry 2 This course will examine quantum mechanics, atomic and molecular orbital theory, symmetry, atomic and molecular spectroscopy, statistical thermodynamics, and philosophical/scientific implications of quantum mechanics. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisite: Che 431 or consent of instructor. Offered in alternate years. |
4 |
SCI 455: History and Philosophy of Science An historical overview course of the development of science and its philosophy, concentrating on Western thought from Augustine and the Greek influence through today's cosmology (the Big Bang) and evolutionary synthesis. Emphasis will be placed on the evolutionary synthesis, its development and controversies including the distinction between material naturalist, philosophical naturalist, and the philosophical problems of consciousness, rationality, and reductionism. |
3 |
Courses suggested to strengthen competencies: Che 354, Che 421, Che 424, Sci 455.
| Civil (24 units), Environmental (33 Units), Mechanical (16 Units) or Aerospace (16 Units) |
Units |
BIO 112: General Biology 2 As a continuation of General Biology 1, this course will examine cellular structure, metabolism process, genetics, DNA function and genome expression, biotechnology, and molecular biology in medicine. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisite: Bio 111 or equivalent or consent of instructor. |
4 |
CHE 321: Organic Chemistry 1 This course will examine the fundamental concepts relating to organic compounds with an emphasis on structure, nomenclature, theory, bonding, stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, and physical and chemical properties of the principle classes of compounds. Lab time is included in the schedule. Prerequisite: Che 222 |
4 |
ECO 201: Macroeconomics A survey course of the scope and methods of the study of economics; the principles underlying the production, exchange, distribution and consumption of wealth; various economic problems. The systematic investigation of the market structure of American capitalism, encompassing the production and distribution of income, welfare economics and current domestic problems. |
3 |
ECO 202: Microeconomics An introductory course to specific aspects of the economy such as households, firms, and markets, including the investigation of supply and demand in the product market, the perfectly competitive market, monopoly and imperfect competition, and the role of government in private economy. Emphasis will be given to economic challenges of the future. |
3 |
MTH 265: Introduction to Statistics A basic statistics course applicable to education, business, and the hard sciences, this course will include topics such as descriptive statistics, the normal, binomial, F-, and Chi-squared distributions, and hypothesis testing. Optional topics might include additional non-parametric tests and ANOVA. A TI-83 graphing calculator or Microsoft Excel is required. |
3 |
MTH 295: Mathematical Notation and Proof This course will introduce standard mathematical notation, methods, truth tables, and principles of symbolic logic for use in determining the validity of arguments, dealing with proper notation and structure in mathematical proofs including direct and indirect proofs, mathematical induction, and construction of counter-examples. Application will be made to a field of mathematics such as set theory, algebra, or geometry. |
3 |
MTH 387: Theory of Probability This course will look at the probability and combinatorics; discrete and continuous random variables; the normal, gamma, Chi-square, Poisson, and binomial distributions with applications. Prerequisite: Mth 373 or approval of instructor. Offered in alternate years. |
3 |
MTH 473: Modern Algebra This course will study the properties and operations within groups, rings, integral domains, fields, normal subgroups, quotient groups, homomorphism's and isomorphism's. Prerequisite: Mth 373 or approval of instructor. Offered in alternate years. |
3 |
MTH 489: Real Analysis This course will introduce the topics of real analysis by studying the topology of Rn, continuity, differentiability, integration, and how these topics are related. Included will be proofs of the Heine-Borel and Bolzano-Weierstrass theorems, the intermediate value and mean value theorem, as well as the fundamental theorem of calculus. Prerequisite: Mth 373 or consent of instructor. Offered in alternate years. |
3 |
MTH 495: Topics in Mathematics This capstone course will meet weekly to review major competencies in the math major, take group-wide assessments, and complete a written project including a presentation to a committee of peers and selected faculty. Prerequisite: mathematics major with senior standing. |
3 |
SCI 211: Geology This course will present a study of the origin and composition of rocks and minerals; landscape development by water, ice, and wind; earthquakes; the earth's interior; the nature of mountains and their development; the drift of continental and oceanic plates; and environmental aspects of geology. One-two weekend field trips may be required. Lab time is included in the schedule. Offered in alternate years. |
3 |
SCI 318: Ocean Science This course will study the characteristics of the marine biotypes and physical characteristics; the organisms indigenous to each; physical, chemical, and biological parameters affecting the productivity of each biotype; the geological composition of the ocean flood, and air-sea interactions. Lab time is included in the schedule. Two weekend field trips are possible (Friday afternoon through Sunday). Prerequisites: Bio 101, 111 or CBio 101 and Sci 115. Offered in alternate years. |
3 |
Courses suggested to strengthen competencies: Mth 295, Mth 473, Mth 489, Mth 495.
Contact Information
If you have questions regarding the Pre-Engineering Program, please contact the Director, Dr. Bret Taylor, at bret.taylor@cui.edu or (949) 214-3294.