Engineering

Engineering at Dordt will teach you how to engage the field from a Christian perspective so you can enter your career prepared to make a difference for Christ using your technical skills in a biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, or mechanical engineering concentration.

To learn more, you can also view the program strengths and learning outcomes for this program.

As an engineering major at Dordt, you'll have access to these labs and more:

• Computational labs: design and analyze 3D objects using solid modeling (CAD), finite element analysis (FEA), and computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

• Machining and Manufacturing lab: Machine and fabricate precision parts using computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer numeric control (CNC) mills and lathes

• Solar energy lab: monitor solar collector and wind turbine performance

• 3-D Prototyping lab: Print polymer, composite, and silicone mechanisms, fixtures, and parts 3-D printing lab

• Mechanics and materials lab: measure material behavior under impact and loading

• Chemical reactor lab: experiment with combustion and gasification

• Civil engineering lab: analyze soil and concrete samples and test beams of reinforced concrete

• Biomechanics lab: dynamically measure acceleration, velocity, and force on the human body while lifting, throwing, or running

• Thermodynamics lab: test air-foils in a wind tunnel and measure the impact of a high-speed fluid jet on a vane

• Electronics lab: build, design, and test circuits and microprocessors

• Computing Cluster lab: Program computational models and conduct collaborative engineering research with other universities using our parallel processing computing cluster

• Chemical and Biological labs: Conduct interdisciplinary bio-chemical engineering research in the newly remodeled Chemical and Biology research labs

• Industrial Automation and Control lab: Configure, calibrate, program, and tune industrial controllers that drive modern robotic manufacturing systems

As an engineering major at Dordt, you'll gain:

• Faithfulness and responsibility: An ability to articulate and faithfully practice responsible engineering that grows out of Christ’s all-encompassing work as Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer.

• Fundamentals: An ability to identify, formulate, critically evaluate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics faithful to the analytical, sensory, biotic, physical, kinematic, spatial, and numeric aspects of creation.

• Design skills: An ability to holistically design systems, components, or processes that flow from a vision of responsible engineering, giving consideration to models of normative technology faithful to the fiduciary, ethical, juridic, aesthetic, economic, social, lingual, and cultural aspects of creation.

• Communication skills: An ability to openly, honestly, and effectively communicate with a broad range of audiences using a variety of oral, written, and graphical forms.

• An appreciation for context: An ability to recognize how professional and ethical engineering grows out of our faithful response to the cultural mandate and therefore must be grounded in an understanding of contemporary issues within the broader context of historical, cultural, societal, global, economic, and environmental development.

• Teamwork: An ability to function effectively on a team by serving alongside others to provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.

• Experimental development and analysis: An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experiments, analyze and interpret data, and use holistic judgment to draw conclusions.

• Lifelong learning: An ability to humbly acquire and apply new knowledge, insights, and skills as faithful stewards of creation.

The engineering curriculum is designed around four essential curricular building blocks.

• • Engineering Technical Core: Engineers will be asked to solve a wide range of problems. Most of these problems are multi-disciplinary and stretch the engineer outside their specific discipline of study. Building a solid interdisciplinary foundation is essential for engineering education in our ever-changing technological landscape. The common core of engineering courses is designed to prepare you for today’s complex engineering challenges.
  • Engineering Disciplinary Courses: Each engineering concentration contains all the specific coursework to serve effectively and responsibly as a biomedical, chemical, civil, construction, computer, electrical, environmental, mechanical, or mechatronics engineer. This disciplinary content provides the necessary foundation to become professionally licensed in each particular field of study.
  • Core Curriculum: We see the core curriculum at Dordt to be essential for training engineers who understand their work to be more than just a job, but part of their larger life calling to shape their work, play, and service as an expression of faithful discipleship as followers of Jesus Christ.
  • Engineering Perspectival Courses: Multiple courses throughout the curriculum focus more extensively on developing a Biblically-guided perspective on engineering in a philosophical and historical context. These courses are the mortar that connects and holds together all the core and disciplinary building blocks.
  • Illustrations of the courses and typical sequencing in each program of study are provided below.

See the course catalog for more information.