Mar 28, 2024  
University Catalog 2023-2024 
    
University Catalog 2023-2024 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Undergraduate Programs: College of Engineering and Science


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Administration

Dean
Hisham E. Hegab

Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies
Heath Tims

Associate Dean, Graduate Studies
Collin Wick

Associate Dean, Research
Jim Palmer

Associate Dean, Strategic Initiatives
Katie Evans

Biomedical Engineering
James D. Palmer, Director
Steven A. Jones, Program Chair

Chemical Engineering
Daniela Mainardi, Interim Director
Eric Sherer, Program Chair

Chemistry
Lee Sawyer, Director
Marilyn Cox, Program Chair

Civil Engineering
Leland Weiss, Director
Jay Wang, Program Chair

Computer Science
Galen Turner, Director
Jean Gourd, Program Chair

Construction Engineering Technology
Leland Weiss, Director
VACANT, Program Chair

Cyber Engineering
Galen Turner, Director
Miguel Gates, Program Chair

Electrical Engineering
Galen Turner, Director
Davis Harbour, Program Chair

Instrumentation and Control Systems Engineering Technology
David Hall, Director
David Hall, Program Chair

Industrial Engineering
David Hall, Director
Jun-Ing Ker, Program Chair

Mathematics and Statistics
Katie Evans, (Interim) Director
Dave Meng, Program Chair

Mechanical Engineering
Leland Weiss, Director
Kelly Crittenden, Program Chair

Nanosystems Engineering
Daniela Mainardi, Interim Director
Sandra Zivanovic, Program Chair

Physics
Lee Sawyer, Director
Steven Wells, Program Chair

Address

More information about the College of Engineering and Science can be obtained by writing:

College of Engineering and Science
P.O. Box 10348
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA
71272
(318) 257-2842

and/or visiting https://coes.latech.edu/

Purpose

The purpose of the College of Engineering and Science is building engineers and scientists for tomorrow.

Vision

We will be the best college in the world at integrating engineering and science in education and research.

Mission

  • We provide a quality undergraduate and graduate education that responds to the needs and challenges of our ever-changing world, includes an international perspective, and stimulates social and ecological awareness.
  • We promote the knowledge, skills, ethics, creativity and critical thinking necessary for professional competence and life-long learning.
  • We conduct quality research throughout the college and world-class research in key focal areas.

Guiding Principles

  • We consider the success of our students to be the primary standard for our success.
  • We will provide an exciting environment that allows all students, faculty, and staff to attain their maximum potential.
  • We will exhibit integrity, respect, and dignity in every aspect of our conduct.
  • We will instill a spirit of pride, cooperation, and accountability in all that we do.
  • We believe that teaching, research, and professional service are mutually supportive in the search for excellence.

History

Engineering education at Louisiana Tech University began in 1895 with a two year program in Mechanic Arts. In 1910 this program was expanded to a Bachelor of Industry degree in General Engineering. Four year engineering curricula developed as follows: 1921-BS in General Engineering; 1927-BS in Mechanical Electrical and BS in Civil Engineering; 1938-BS in Mechanical and separate BS in Electrical Engineering; 1940-BS in Chemical Engineering; 1948-BS in Petroleum Engineering; 1957-BS in Industrial Engineering; and 1972 BS in Biomedical Engineering.

Other BS degrees developed as follows: 1953-Geology; 1968-Construction Engineering Technology; 1968-Computer Science; and 1972-Electrical Engineering Technology.

In 1996 the School of Science, which included Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics, was merged with the College of Engineering to form the College of Engineering and Science. In 2005, the University began offering a BS in Nanosystems Engineering (the first in the nation). In 2012, the BS in Cyber Engineering was established.

Accreditation

The Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Nanosystems Engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org. The Computer Science program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET www.abet.org. The Construction Engineering Technology and Electrical Engineering Technology programs are accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org. The Chemistry program is approved by the Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society.

Undergraduate Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Science
  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Physics

Bachelor of Science Biomedical Engineering
Bachelor of Science Chemical Engineering
Bachelor of Science Civil Engineering
Bachelor of Science Computer Science
Bachelor of Science Construction Engineering Technology
Bachelor of Science Cyber Engineering
Bachelor of Science Electrical Engineering
Bachelor of Science Electrical Engineering Technology
Bachelor of Science Industrial Engineering
Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor of Science Nanosystems Engineering

Dual Bachelor of Science Degrees with Grambling State University

Students at Louisiana Tech University and Grambling State University have the opportunity of simultaneously pursuing two Bachelor of Science degree programs, one at Tech and one at Grambling. Grambling’s BS degree in Drafting Technology is coordinated with Tech’s BS degree in Civil Engineering. Grambling’s BS degree in Electronics Technology is coordinated with Tech’s BS degree in Electrical Engineering.

Students who wish to enroll in either of these dual programs may do so by declaring their intentions when applying for admission. Transfer students are allowed to enter these programs at any registration at either of the universities.

To qualify for a BS degree at Grambling and a BS degree at Tech, a student must complete all courses required by the Department of Industrial Education at Grambling and the courses required by the appropriate engineering department at Tech. Courses that are common to both degree programs and that are offered at both universities may be taken at either university.

Minors Offered

Students may earn minors in one of the following discipline specific areas:

  • Actuarial Science
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Mathematics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Physics

A student must earn a grade of “C” or better in each course applied toward meeting the requirement of a minor.

Admissions

Students who meet the University admissions criteria will be admitted to the College of Engineering and Science.

Transfer Students

Candidates for admission to the College of Engineering and Science who have studied at another institution of higher education must submit an official record of that study to Louisiana Tech University. This record will be evaluated by the program in which the candidate wishes to major. The evaluation will determine which curricular requirements of the intended program of study at Louisiana Tech have been satisfied by the student’s prior study. Students must have an overall grade point average of at least 2.0 out of 4.0 in all courses for which transfer credit is allowed.

Scholastic Requirements

Students in the College of Engineering and Science are subject to the scholastic standards of the University regarding probation, suspension, and readmission. Program chairs may require workload restrictions intended to restore the quality of the student’s work to the standards required by the College of Engineering and Science.

Students in the College of Engineering and Science must earn a grade of “C” or better in any math course; any statistics course; ENGR 120 , ENGR 121 , ENGR 122 ; CHEM 100 , CHEM 101 , CHEM 103 ; and PHYS 201  prior to taking courses for which these are prerequisites.

Students on scholastic probation and those returning from a period of suspension are limited to a maximum of 9 semester hours per quarter.

Cumulative Mathematics Grade Point Average (GPA) Policy

The mathematics for engineering and science classes (MATH 240 -MATH 245 ) are fundamental for every engineering program. Success in these classes tends to predict success in later engineering classes. For this reason, each engineering program has identified at least one upper level class for which a cumulative MATH 240  series GPA of 2.0 is a prerequisite.

Some requisite classes only require the GPA to include grades through MATH 242 , while some include grades through MATH 245 . Regardless, the cumulative GPA includes all attempts, including hours that were transferred to Louisiana Tech as credit for any of the MATH 240  series classes. Grades in earlier mathematics classes (e.g., MATH 101 , MATH 112 ) are not included in this GPA.

If a student does not meet the cumulative mathematics GPA requirement for a certain class, he/she must retake one or more of the MATH 240  series classes until his/her cumulative mathematics GPA reaches a 2.0. The classes retaken cannot be ones in which the student made an A or B in a previous quarter, ensuring that students obtain review where they need it most. To retake an earlier mathematics class and discuss a plan for improvement, students should contact the Undergraduate Studies office in the College of Engineering and Science.

The purpose of this policy is to further improve the preparation of students who enter upper level engineering classes, which will improve their performance in these advanced classes. Not only will this policy influence the quality of current students, but it will also produce better graduates who are prepared to enter the workforce as qualified engineers.

Electives

All electives must be approved by the appropriate program chair.

Credit by Examination

Students of exceptional scholastic achievement are allowed to take subject credit examinations in some of the courses required for a degree. A student in the College of Engineering and Science may earn up to a maximum of 30 semester hours by credit examination. Consult with the staff members in the office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, College of Engineering and Science, before registering or paying for any type of credit exam.

Correspondence Courses

Students in the College of Engineering and Science are permitted to include no more than six semester credit hours of correspondence courses for credit toward graduation in any curriculum. Prior to pursuing the correspondence work, the student must obtain written approval of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies of the College of Engineering and Science.

Graduation Requirements

All requirements listed in the General Information section of this Catalog apply. In addition, a student majoring in a program in the College of Engineering and Science must have at least a 2.0 grade point average in courses bearing the specific rubric of the major program (e.g., computer science, civil engineering). In order to graduate from a baccalaureate program in the College of Engineering and Science, a student must complete 27 of the last 36 hours in the curriculum while enrolled in the College of Engineering and Science.

Ethical Standards

Students in the College of Engineering and Science are preparing to enter a profession which demands high ethical standards of its members. Honesty and high ethical standards are demanded of these students and all others taking courses conducted in the College of Engineering and Science. It is the student’s right and responsibility to discourage and report academic misconduct. The failure to do so is a breach of ethical standards.

Academic misconduct is a serious breach of ethics in academic activities, such as examinations, reports, and homework. It may occur in any of the following forms:

  1. Giving or receiving unauthorized aid;
  2. Stealing or plagiarizing the substance, work, or ideas of others;
  3. Lying, using evasive statements, or concealing the truth behind technicalities.
  4. Student written computer programs and data are not to be shared with other students without the specific authorization of the responsible faculty. Students are responsible for protecting their disks from unauthorized access.

The determination of academic misconduct will be made in accordance with the University’s “Academic Misconduct” section of this Catalog.

Repeated occurrences of academic misconduct are specifically contrary to the standards of personal integrity required by the professions connected with the programs in the College of Engineering and Science. Therefore, a stronger penalty may be awarded for repeated commissions of academic misconduct, including dismissal from the College of Engineering and Science.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Academically qualified undergraduate students have an opportunity to gain experience on campus by working part time as a member of a research team including faculty and graduate students. Compensation is competitive with most local employment and entails the major advantage of providing on campus stimulating work experience to enrich the student’s total educational experience. The qualifications required for participating include the following:

  1. Students must be enrolled in a degree program in the College of Engineering and Science, and must be in good academic standing.
  2. Students must have an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better.

Students are selected by the faculty responsible for the various research projects offering the employment. Applicants will be considered for suitable employment on research projects throughout the college regardless of the department in which they are enrolled.

Student Organizations

The following national organizations have student chapters on campus:

  • American Chemical Society
  • American Institute of Chemical Engineers
  • American Society of Civil Engineers
  • American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers
  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers
  • Association for Computing Machinery
  • Associated General Contractors of America
  • Association of Business, Engineering, and Science Entrepreneurs
  • Biomedical Engineering Society
  • Engineering and Science Association
  • Engineers Without Borders
  • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
  • Institute of Industrial Engineers
  • National Society of Black Engineers
  • North American Society for Trenchless Technology
  • Society of Automotive Engineers
  • Society of Physics Students
  • Society of Women Engineers

Student Honor Societies

The following honor societies are available to those students who excel academically and are elected to membership:

  • All Engineering: Tau Beta Pi
  • Biomedical Engineering: Alpha Eta Mu Beta
  • Chemical Engineering: Omega Chi Epsilon
  • Chemistry: Phi Lambda Upsilon
  • Civil Engineering: Chi Epsilon
  • Computer Science: Upsilon Pi Epsilon
  • Electrical Engineering: Eta Kappa Nu
  • Industrial Engineering: Alpha Pi Mu
  • Mathematics: Pi Mu Epsilon
  • Mechanical Engineering: Pi Tau Sigma
  • Physics: Sigma Pi Sigma

Engineering and Science Scholarships

The following scholarships are administered by the College of Engineering and Science and its individual programs. All scholarships are dependent on availability of funding and subject to cancellation or modification by the sponsor.

  • Albert J., Jerri H. & David S. Dunn Endowed Scholarship
  • American Petroleum Institute Scholarship
  • Associated General Contractors of America Scholarships (Civil)
  • Ben F. Freasier Memorial Scholarship (Chemistry)
  • Ben T. Bogard Scholarship
  • Birdie Carroll and Jewel Roberts
  • Brooks Endowed Engineering Scholarship
  • Bruce Tucker Memorial Scholarship (Civil Technology)
  • Buford Echols Gatewood Scholarship (Mechanical)
  • Butros Aukar Memorial Scholarship (Mechanical)
  • C. C. Whittelsey Scholarship
  • C. J. Williams Endowed Scholarship
  • Calvin Watts Scholarship (Civil)
  • Cengiz Topakoglu Outstanding Biomedical Engineering Student Scholarship
  • Charles and Nelwyn Spruell Endowed Professorship and Scholarship
  • Charles G. Tullis Scholarship
  • Charlie Earl Scholarship (Mechanical)
  • Chemical Engineering Scholarships
  • Chesapeake Energy Corporation Scholarship
  • Chevron Scholarships (Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical)
  • Chip & Carolyn Woodard Endowed Scholarship
  • Citgo Petroleum Chemical Engineering Scholarship
  • Civil Engineering Faculty Scholarship
  • Civil Engineering Scholarship
  • Computer Science Scholarship
  • Copolymer Rubber and Chemical Scholarship (Chemical)
  • David E. Hogan Endowed Scholarship
  • David Michael Baker Scholarship (Chemical)
  • Don & Ann Metz Endowed Scholarship in Engineering
  • Donald Ruffin Endowed Scholarship
  • Dr. and Mrs. P. K. Smith, Sr. Endowed Scholarship Fund (Mathematics)
  • Dr. Walter E. Koss Mathematics Scholarship
  • Eastman Scholarships
  • Edward C. Darling Endowed Memorial Scholarship (Civil)
  • Electrical Engineering Scholarship
  • Folk Civil Engineering Scholarship
  • Frank Bogard Scholarship
  • Gorman Memorial Endowed Scholarship
  • H. E. Ruff Physics Scholarship
  • Harrell R. and Lenore S. Smith Scholarship
  • Harry J. Gaston, Jr. Memorial Endowed Scholarship
  • Harry Talbot Scholarship
  • Henry E. and Margaret A. Stamm Scholarship
  • Hilburn Memorial Endowed Scholarship
  • J. L. Orr Scholarship (Chemical)
  • J. R. Harrelson Memorial Engineering Scholarship
  • Jack A. Terrill Memorial Scholarship (Civil)
  • Jack T. Painter Scholarship (Civil)
  • Jack Thigpen Scholarships (Mechanical)
  • Jacques Robinson Endowed Scholarship
  • James Pickens Ford Endowed Scholarship
  • Jeffrey N. Beasley Scholarship
  • Jeneanne Krause Memorial Scholarship (Civil)
  • Jerry R. Sawyer Mathematics Scholarship
  • Jerry W. and Marianna Box Scholarship
  • Joeleene McBride Endowed Scholarship
  • John R. Horton Scholarship (Mechanical)
  • Johnny Roland Memorial Scholarship (Biomedical)
  • Kaiser Aluminum Company Scholarships (Chemical, Mechanical)
  • Leonard Cooper Long III Endowed Scholarship
  • Mark David Hill Scholarship (Mechanical)
  • Maryanne Scogin Memorial Scholarship (Chemical, Mechanical)
  • Mattie Black Gaston Memorial Endowed Scholarship
  • McDermott Incorporated Scholarships (Civil)
  • Mechanical Engineering/Industrial Engineering Scholarship
  • Mendal Heller Memorial Scholarship (Mechanical)
  • Mercedes Benz Scholarship (Mechanical)
  • Mike Thompson Memorial Endowed Scholarship
  • O. W. Hogan, Jr. Engineering Endowment
  • Oliver Woodrow Fisher Memorial Scholarships (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical)
  • Patricia Ann Bell Henley Endowed Scholarship
  • Phil Israel Engineering Scholarship
  • Pipes Foundation Scholarship
  • PRAESES, LLC Scholarship
  • R. A. McFarland Memorial Scholarship (Civil)
  • Raymond Bailey Endowed Scholarship (Chemical)
  • Rentrop & Stroud Endowed Scholarship
  • Richard H. Byrd Scholarship
  • Riverwood Scholarship (Chemical)
  • Robert E. McFadden Endowed Scholarship
  • Robert V. Byrd Scholarship
  • Ronald E. Cannon Endowed Scholarship
  • Rose T. and Roy E. Hogan Endowed Scholarship
  • Roy T. Sessums Memorial Scholarships (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical)
  • Roy Wayne Vining - Dow Chemical Company Memorial Scholarship (Chemical)
  • Samuel McCain Young Memorial Scholarship (Civil)
  • Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Freshman Scholarship
  • Tech’s Best Scholarship
  • Terrill and Henry Families Scholarship
  • The William Ardis Marbury, Sr. Scholarship in Biomedical Engineering
  • Thomas E. Landrum Memorial Scholarship (Biomedical)
  • Thomas Harper Goodgame Scholarship
  • Thomas J. and Elizabeth B. Wilson Scholarship
  • Timothy L. Petrus Endowed Scholarship
  • Tom & Amy Hazelwood Industrial Engineering Scholarship (Industrial)
  • Tommy J. Folk, Sr. Construction Student Award
  • Underground Telecommunications Damage Prevention Scholarship
  • Whetstone Scholarships (Mechanical)
  • William & Sue Calgreen Engineering Scholarship
  • William C. Thurmon Endowed Scholarship

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