Undergraduate Program in Architectural Engineering (B.S./MAE)

The Architectural Engineering (AE) undergraduate program is a four-year program requiring 129 credit hours, leading to a Bachelor of Science degree. A one-year Master of Architectural Engineering (MAE) program of 36 credits is also offered to students who complete the AE undergraduate program.

Architectural Engineering is the engineering design of buildings. Students have the option to specialize in either the design of (1) building structural systems, (2) building mechanical and acoustical systems, or (3) building lighting and electrical systems.

The first two years are common to all three and include the same math and science courses common to all engineering programs. Students take an introductory course in AE in their first semester. This course exposes the students to the materials and systems that make up a modern building. It also provides a preview of the work they can expect to do after graduation. This first AE course helps the student decide if this is the right career path to pursue.

In the second semester, the AE student begins the first of a four-course sequence of courses in architecture. The purpose of these courses is to familiarize the engineering student with the thought and design process of architects and to develop an appreciation of the architectural features of buildings. This exposure to architecture is an important part of the student's education. It develops creativity and gives AE graduates the ability to work effectively with their professional colleagues in architecture.

The intent of the AE program is to develop both breadth and depth. This is done by requiring students to have a good understanding of all the systems that make up a building while also giving them a specialized education in their chosen option areas. The breadth is provided in the 5th and 6th semesters, with all students taking courses in each of the three areas of specialization. The depth is provided in the 7th and 8th semesters, as the program splits into the three option areas.

The final year of the AE undergraduate program features a one-semester senior design course, within each of the three options. The projects in each senior design course require the students to hone their skills in designing systems specifically in their option area, building upon previous coursework in the AE program.

Master of Architectural Engineering (MAE)

A one-year Master of Architectural Engineering (MAE) degree follows the four-year undergraduate program. During this fifth year, students continue to develop depth in their selected option area and are also introduced to professional practice.

Students demonstrate mastery of a technical topic through a two-semester Graduate Project course sequence (AE 8010 and 8020) that culminates in a written MAE report. They also take AE 8090 “AE Interdisciplinary Team Design Project” in which they are assigned to be a member of an interdisciplinary team where they develop and design the structural, mechanical/acoustical, or lighting/electrical systems for an actual building, from programming through construction documents. All student teams are mentored by a team of industry design professionals.

The five-year Architectural Engineering (AE) program encompassing the Bachelor of Science degree followed by the Master of Architectural Engineering degree is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), http://www.abet.org.

B.S./MAE Program Educational Objectives

ABET requires all accredited engineering programs to have Program Educational Objectives, which ABET defines as “broad statements that describe what graduates are expected to attain within a few years of graduation. Program educational objectives are based on the needs of the program’s constituencies.”

The Program Educational Objectives for the Architectural Engineering program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are:

• Professional Accomplishment: The AE program will prepare graduates to become licensed professional engineers
• Career Accomplishment: The AE program will prepare graduates to contribute to society by working in an occupation related to the built environment

These program educational objectives were defined and are periodically reviewed with input from all constituencies of the AE program: faculty, students, alumni, and employers of our graduates. AE alumni and employers of our graduates are represented by the AE Industry Advisory Committee; students are represented by the AE Student Leadership and Advisory Committee.

B.S./MAE Student Outcomes

ABET requires all accredited engineering programs to have Student Outcomes. As defined by ABET, “student outcomes describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. These relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that students acquire as they progress through the program.” The Student Outcomes for the Architectural Engineering program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are:

• an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
• an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
• an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
• an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
• an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
• an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
• an ability to communicate effectively
• the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
• a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in lifelong learning
• a knowledge of contemporary issues
• an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

These student outcomes were defined and are periodically reviewed with input from the AE faculty and the AE Industry Advisory Committee.