New strategies to help students find their passion and meet their goals

Engineering college implements common first year curriculum in fall 2025

May 19, 2025

Beginning Fall 2025, first-year students of the William States Lee College of Engineering will be the first to experience the new “common first year” curriculum. 

This unique approach to college entry is designed to set the new students up for success from day one. Unlike many other universities that require new students to decide which area of engineering to pursue as they enroll, Charlotte offers new Niner Engineers more time to decide which major to declare. Many students will use their first two semesters to explore the various disciplines before committing to a major.  

During the first year, a common set of foundational courses allow each student to learn core skills in problem definition, logical evaluation and solution formulation. Students are provided the opportunity to explore different engineering focus areas and participate in hands-on projects to help them determine their area of interest. Although the curriculum is standardized, each student’s schedule is tailored based on individual background and needs, such as readiness in math, physics or other topics. 

“Our faculty have re-imagined the first year experience for our students,” said Brett Tempest, associate dean for academic affairs for the W.S. Lee College of Engineering. “Now in this new academic platform, we are leaning into pedagogy that will empower the students to unleash their curiosity and think creatively about their professional goals. This is just one more way we are leading our Niner Engineers to contribute meaningful value in the world.”

In order to design the new curriculum, a multidisciplinary planning committee of engineering science and technology faculty spent 12 months analyzing options and agreeing upon the best structure. The committee incorporated expert guidance from various sources, including the University’s Teaching and Learning Innovation team and The Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network. The goals of the extensive curriculum development exercise centered on student retention and success, including:

• establish a strong base in math and science
• encourage exploration of different majors before committing
• simplify changing majors within the first year
• use innovative methods of teaching and learning activities, and more.

All the engineering majors, including civil, environmental, electrical, computer, mechanical and systems, along with most of the engineering technology majors share the same common first-year curriculum. To ensure quality, the planning committee directed that all courses be taught by teams combining faculty with practical industry experience and faculty with specialized expertise in engineering education research, in collaboration with faculty from all engineering and engineering technology fields. This strong foundation helps the students transition seamlessly into the specialized courses of their chosen major at the beginning of their sophomore year. 

For those incoming students focused on construction management or fire & safety, specialization in discipline-specific courses begins during the first year. These classes are tailored for the field, allowing students to dive quickly into the major.

Students enrolling in UNC Charlotte engineering for fall semester 2025 will be the inaugural group to experience the new common first year.

Stay tuned to William States Lee College of Engineering for more information on the new common first year curriculum, becoming available soon.