First‐Year Integrated Curricula: Design Alternatives and Examples*

Abstract

Abstract The National Science Foundation has supported creation of eight engineering education coalitions: ECSEL, Synthesis, Gateway, SUCCEED, Foundation, Greenfield, Academy, and SCCME. One common area of work across the coalitions has been restructuring first‐year engineering curricula. Within some of the coalitions, schools have designed and implemented integrated first‐year curricula. The purpose of this paper is fourfold: 1) to review the different pilot projects that have been developed; 2) to abstract some design alternatives that can be explored by schools interested in developing an integrated first‐year curriculum; 3) to indicate some logistical challenges; and 4) to present brief descriptions of various curricula along with highlights of the assessment results that have been obtained.