The Decline of Design Across the Curriculum

Design across the curriculum has been a cornerstone of mechanical engineering education for well over a decade. The movement was an attempt to balance the tendency of most programs to over-emphasize engineering science. Over the course of that decade, many public universities have undergone a 7%–10% reduction in the number of credits required for graduation; usually in response to legislative pressure or competitive market conditions. In some instances, these reductions were not reflected in the general education content. Although the number of technical electives within the curriculum may have been reduced, seldom have they been completely omitted. Engineering science is considered the analytical foundation upon which new knowledge and engineering design are based. In addition, new frontiers in mechatronics, nanotechnology and alternative energy sources are becoming “must teach” subjects so that the discipline can evolve. The indication is that the “Design Across the Curriculum” concept either is, or will soon be in decline. This paper will present some historical perspective, a small sample of both common “solutions,” and a few unique approaches for maintaining design across the curriculum. The primary objective, however, is to initiate a dialog among engineering educators to begin to address the balance between engineering science and engineering design.