At A Glance

Engineering at Carthage is focused on learning how to design, analyze, and test devices and processes that solve human problems. Students learn through real projects partnered with real stakeholders to address real needs of our community. Our programs incorporate early design and project experiences to provide real-world contexts and early authentic practice to promote the development of skills employers seek.

Major

  • Bachelor of Science in Engineering 
  • Bachelor of Arts in Applied Engineering

View Degree Requirements

Special Programs

Earn your engineering Degree at Carthage

Engineering at Carthage is rooted in the liberal arts, designed to emphasize student self-discovery and exploration and provide opportunities to grow in all facets of life. Whether seeking to earn the Bachelor of Science or the Bachelor of Arts, students’ engineering pathway builds on a solid science and mathematics base to teach students the engineering processes through the practice of engineering in design under the guidance of faculty mentors and industry partners.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

The Bachelor of Science in Engineering is an interdisciplinary engineering degree based on ABET accreditation standards allowing students to pursue a breadth of engineering topics necessary to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and enter a wide variety of engineering disciplines unconstrained by typical engineering disciplinary structures.

Bachelor of Arts in Applied Engineering

The Bachelor of Arts in Applied Engineering is an applied science degree with an engineering emphasis allowing students to pursue an area of specialization in areas such as business, arts, and humanities through a tailored course of study following the second year of coursework.

See which engineering degree is right for you

Your experience as an engineering major

Undergraduate studies in engineering feature small classes, hands-on experiences, engagement in faculty research, and close partnerships with local industries. Through your studies at Carthage, you will graduate with two years of engineering project experience or three if you opt into a year-long paid cooperative learning experience at an engineering firm. At Carthage, you will gain the engineering training and practice necessary for early and life-long career success.

  • Shelldyn Earnest '25

    “Consider majoring in engineering if you like to be challenged but equally rewarded. The critical thinking skills you gain from the required classes become worth the stress of finishing a project on time or studying for exams.”

  • Kelly Steele '26

    “Carthage faculty helped plan out my four years as a double major and make my workload not seem so stressful. My relationships with professors have helped me in understanding homework, and it feels easy and convenient going to them for extra help.”

  • Hunter Stout '25

    “Carthage offered me the opportunity to stay close to my family and loved ones while also allowing me to pursue my dreams of studying engineering early on.”

  • Iris Toney

    “I think that the combination of a very rigorous engineering core and Carthage’s liberal arts curriculum work together to create engineers who are not only well versed in math and science, but who also have a broader range of knowledge and a larger skill set than your average engineer.”

  • Trevor Milne

    “Carthage is a college that provided me with a great education in multiple areas of study. While most other schools are known for either their music or STEM programs, Carthage has great programs for both.”

 

Special academic options for engineering majors

summer undergraduate research experience

The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience at Carthage offers engineering majors the opportunity to engage in collaborative full-time research with professors. Students work closely with faculty mentors on a new or developing line of research.

Summer Research Opportunities

CONDUCT RESEARCH WITH NASA


The space sciences program at Carthage is a nationally recognized undergraduate program that provides students with hands-on opportunities in technology development and atmospheric sciences through partnerships with NASA and academic researchers worldwide. Carthage students and faculty regularly conduct research aboard NASA’s zero-gravity aircraft as part of ongoing experiments and technology development for space hardware. Students also participate in NASA’s RockSat and CubeSat programs, with students designing and building experiments to be flown on NASA spacecraft. This work makes Carthage an excellent choice for students interested in aeronautical and space sciences. 

SPACE SCIENCES AT CARTHAGE

 

Careers for engineering majors

Through at least 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that engineering job growth will be highest “in various areas such as the rebuilding of infrastructure, renewable energy, oil and gas extraction, and robotics.” 

Careers in engineering

 

Where Carthage graduates go

Although the engineering program is new, alumni have put their engineering skills to use for employers, such as:

  • NASA
  • Google
  • GE Healthcare
  • Benchmark Space Systems
  • Northrop Grumman
  • Boeing

Carthage students have also gone on to top graduate engineering programs at:

  • Purdue University
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Colorado Boulder

Hear from Carthage engineering alumni


undergraduate engineering degree Scholarships

Carthage is now offering a full-tuition Engineering Scholarship that will be awarded to one incoming student majoring in engineering. This scholarship is awarded yearly to a student who most exemplifies the values of the Engineering Department: community, curiosity, ingenuity, integrity, sustainability, and tenacity. Carthage awards more than $2 million each year in its various scholarship competitions.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY!

 

Project Lead the Way

High school students who receive a “Distinguished” Achievement Level Descriptor in Introduction to Engineering Design or Principles of Engineering AND complete a final project in Engineering Design and Development may receive credit toward Carthage’s Engineering degree EGR 1100 Introduction to Engineering Design (4 cr.). Such received credit is considered provisional until the student’s subsequent Carthage course work confirms that they are sufficiently prepared for subsequent courses.

Additional AP / IB Credit OpTIONS