State of the art of architectural engineering education as a contribution to the foundation for the National Agenda: A snapshot of four programs

Architectural Engineering education is a major component of the national agenda for the American Society of Civil Engineers. Well-educated graduates of architectural engineering programs are in high demand regionally, nationally, and internationally. The degree programs offered by universities are constantly evolving to remain current with, and ahead of, leading design firms and their design practices. This paper presents a brief look at four different undergraduate architectural engineering programs. The programs from Milwaukee School of Engineering, Kansas State University, University of Nebraska, and The Pennsylvania State University are presented. The programs range from a small, undergraduate focused program to a large, doctoral granting program. Each of these programs have been accredited by ABET for a long period of time, and each program has weathered changes to their undergraduate curriculum in recent years. Three focal points will be included in the comparison. First, the background of departmental faculty will be discussed. The universities considered are diverse, and the attraction, retention, and focus of the faculty differs among the programs evaluated. Next, examples of course offerings and course structure will be compared. The four universities offer very different degree program structures, and each structure presents its own advantages and difficulties. Finally, each program's senior capstone experience will be discussed and compared. The senior capstone experience is often a major component of an AE degree program, and it is also often a primary source for assessment of student outcomes. The capstone experience is a venue for showcasing students' educational maturity and professional readiness. Each university approaches the capstone experience in a different way, and both similarities and differences will be discussed.