The university announced that The School of Arts and Sciences is developing plans to introduce an Engineering Science major beginning in the 2026-27 at the latest, according to a university page.
“In order to participate in an increasingly technological world, an increasing number of research universities like Brandeis are offering degrees in engineering, a discipline that connects science to society through the use of technology,” reads the university’s page.
The university, according to the webpage, has the “core elements” to establish engineering research and education on campus. The university believes there could be a successful engineering science major due to the fact there has been “success of our basic science programs,” according to the webpage.
The addition of an engineering science major will strengthen the university’s interdisciplinary learning, according to the webpage. The university has other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs including the NSF funded Brandeis Materials Science Research and Engineering Center (MRSEC)—a research center looking at understanding basic components and applying it to the role in larger systems—and the Maker Lab—a center on campus which encourages effective innovation.
“Leaning on the School of Arts and Sciences’ strengths in interdisciplinary learning, our interdepartmental program will offer a distinctly Brandeisian experience in Engineering Science, capitalizing on the vibrant synergy between our life sciences and physical sciences departments,” reads the university’s Engineering Major webpage.
The introduction of the new major will create a “re-imagining” of the university’s sciences department. The major will be incorporated into pre-existing programs and it will align with the university’s science faculty and students, according to the page. Community members in the School of Arts and Sciences, Heller Graduate School and the International Business School (IBS) can explore the university’s, “new approaches to issues of ethics, design, equity, sustainability and entrepreneurship.” To do this the university intends to offer collaborations, capstone projects and courses teams—which involves courses taught with interdisciplinary faculty from various departments including creative arts, humanities and social sciences. This will allow for the material to be covered in a liberal arts context, according to the page.
The proposed Engineering Science major curriculum will including training on how, “engineers think, design and solve problems,” according to the page. The major will incorporate the university’s strengths, which according to the webpage include bioengineering, materials science and neuroengineering. The university hopes to blend its pre-existing undergraduate and graduate programs with its new Engineering Sciences major.
Dorothy Hodgson, Dean of Arts and Sciences, announced the approval for the Engineering Sciences in an email to community members on Jan. 18. According to Hodgson’s email The School of Arts and Sciences is in the works of developing the major and raising funds for it.
