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Engineering

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The University of Hawaii at Hilo offers a pre-engineering program where the student may take courses at UH Hilo and then transfer to an engineering program at another university.

Engineers apply scientific and mathematical principles to design, create, and operate useful devices, structures, or processes in an efficient and economical manner. Many branches of engineering exist within this broad definition. Examples are the following:

  • Electrical Engineering: Electrical engineers deal with the capture and transmission of energy and information (think of fuel cells, solar panels, hydroelectric plants, satellite transmission, TV, your cell phone).
  • Mechanical Engineering: Mechanical engineers harness power and mechanical forces to develop all sorts of machines (think of supersonic jets, automobiles, robots, and even artificial organs). They also design and build heating and cooling systems, manufacturing facilities, and machine tools.
  • Civil Engineering: Civil engineers design and supervise construction of visible infrastructure items (think of bridges, highways, airports, skyscrapers, or waste-water treatment facilities).
  • Systems Engineering: Systems engineers help integrate many different components of a project to see that they work together smoothly and still meet performance, scheduling, and cost goals.

Pre-Engineering At UH Hilo

Students can complete almost everything needed for the first two years of an engineering degree right here at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. UH Hilo Pre-Engineering gives a solid background in the mathematics, physics, and chemistry needed for any engineering degree. In the second year of the program, three foundational engineering courses are offered - CE 270 and 271, commonly known as statics and dynamics, and EE 211, a basic electrical engineering course. Additional required courses such as English, Speech, and Economics round out the program.

Students who finish this two-year program can transfer with a very good start to a four-year accredited engineering program in Civil, Electrical, or Mechanical engineering.

Suggested Schedule

Year 1 Suggested Schedule

Semester I (15 semester hours)

  • ENG 100 - Composition
  • CHEM 124, 124L - Chemistry I plus lab
  • CHEM 125D - Chemistry Discussion
  • COM 251 - Speech
  • MATH 205 - Calculus I

Semester II (16 semester hours)

  • CHEM 125 - Chemistry II
  • CHEM 125D - Chemistry Discussion
  • CS 150 - Introduction to Computer Sci I
  • MATH 206 - Calculus II
  • PHYS 172 (formerly 170), 170L - Physics I plus lab

Year 2 Suggested Schedule

Semester I (17 semester hours)

  • CE 270 - Applied Mechanics I
  • HIST 151 - World History I
  • Hum/SocSci Elective
  • MATH 231 - Calculus III
  • PHYS 173 (formerly 171), 171L - Physics II plus lab

Semester II (16 semester hours)

  • CE 271 - Applied Mechanics II
  • ECON 100 - Introduction to Economics
  • EE 211 - Basic Circuit Analysis I
  • HIST 152 - World History II
  • MATH 232 - Calculus IV

High School Background

  • Mathematics through pre-calculus
  • Chemistry
  • Physics

Engineering Faculty and Staff