Want to experience a confluence of religion and technical education? Here is a list of the top 10 Christian institutions in the United States that offer excellent engineering programs.
During the colonial days, most of the institutes in America were founded by and had the backing of various Christian denominations. Higher education in the US was largely possible due to these efforts.
Religion and science have locked horns for a long time. A trend that had begun in the days of Copernicus and Galileo continued for a long time. Even today, the two thought factions have not completely to come to terms with one another. The differences, though, have not been as pronounced for a long time now, as they were in the past. Today, religion has accepted and accommodated science to an extent. Science, on the other hand, for the many things that it cannot account for, has turned to God. There are many scientists and scholars who believe in the existence of a divine, supreme being.
There are many institutions that have been able to successfully merge Christian beliefs into education. These are known as Christian institutions. The scope of the programs offered here is not limited to religion, but extends way beyond. They also offer, what can be termed as secular degree programs, like engineering. In such courses, religious teachings are introduced to the students through classroom discussions and extracurricular activities. These institutions expect their students to be committed to the Christian way of life. They believe that religious beliefs, faiths, and practices should be in tandem with and blended into the learning experience of the students. Most of these colleges are run by Christian denominations. Here is a list of some good Christian engineering colleges in USA, in no particular order.
Baylor University was chartered in 1845, and it the oldest operating university in Texas. The huge 1,000-acre campus is located in Waco, on the banks of the Brazos river. The College of Engineering of this university offers courses in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering, besides bioinformatics and computer sciences. Other options available in engineering include biomedical, environmental, geo/petrol, and humanitarian engineering. Their focus is to produce engineers who can excel in interdisciplinary fields.
The engineering program offered here has consistently been one of the best programs offered in the field. Students here can also offer to be a part of various projects in the community undertaken by the university. They can be a part of the various on-campus organizations. They are also encouraged to take part in football and other athletic events.
WEBSITE: Baylor University
The 55-acre campus of Geneva College was founded in 1848 in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. This institute is around 35 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. The engineering courses on offer here are biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, mechanical, and interdisciplinary engineering.
The engineering program offered here is considered to be one of the top 100 engineering programs in the country. Geneva College also provides students with exposure to professional environment through their ‘Pinkerton Center for Technology Development‘. Not to forget, it is also one of the institutes with the best job placement percentage over the last decade. Teams from this institute also take part in various sports and athletic events.
WEBSITE: Geneva College
Wheaton College, established in 1860, was founded by Jonathan Blanchard, and is located in Wheaton, Illinois. Courses in aerospace, chemical, civil, architectural, electrical, computer, and mechanical engineering are offered here. These courses are offered as dual degree programs in which the students can complete their foundation courses for engineering in the branch of their choice. After completing three years from this college, students are transferred to an engineering school that is accredited by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Here, the students get a B.S. or B.A. Degree in Liberal Arts Engineering, along with a B.S. Degree in the chosen concentration of engineering and engineering school.
As mentioned in the post ‘Liberal Arts/ Engineering, The Best of All Worlds’, on the college blog, students have had the opportunities to opt for internships and jobs abroad through ‘Engineers Without Borders‘, where engineering students and professionals work in tandem on economically viable projects. This organization works towards establishing development programs in disadvantaged communities.
WEBSITE: Wheaton College
This college was founded in 1876, and is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The institute is named after Protestant reformer John Calvin. The courses on offer in this college are in chemical, electrical and computer, civil and environmental, and mechanical engineering.
The institute has various international opportunities to offer to the students. Students have the option to take an international engineering interim course, international internship, or a summer engineering program in Germany. Various scholarships are also provided to students here to aid in this endeavor. The college also takes part in many sports at the varsity level.
WEBSITE: Calvin College
This university was founded in 1842, and was officially chartered in 1844. It is located near South Bend, Indiana, and is about 90 miles east of Chicago. Aerospace, mechanical, chemical, biomolecular, civil, environmental, computer science, and electrical engineering courses are offered here.
The engineering program has been offered here since 1873, making it the first Christian university to offer an engineering program. It is also one of the foremost research institutions. There are no on-campus organizations in the university, and the various activities and events take place in residence hall. The university also has long standing ties with the peace corps.
WEBSITE: University of Notre Dame
This is a part of the California Baptist University which was founded in 1950, and is located in Riverside, California. The courses offered here are in biomedical, chemical, civil, computer science, construction management, electrical and computer, software, and mechanical engineering. The institution is also directing its efforts towards research.
Students here have to work on design-oriented projects in all four years of the course. They also have to undergo an internship program in the industry or from a non-profit organization. They are given exposure to the business side of engineering, with training in project management, and are also encouraged to take up international projects or internships.
WEBSITE: California Baptist University
This institute is a part of the Loyola Marymount University founded in 1911. The 142-acre campus of this institute is located in Los Angeles, California. Civil, electrical and mechanical, computer science, and engineering management courses are offered in this college. The college has its focus on promoting self-learning among students. Students can also be a part of the various clubs of the institute, or they can be a part of media-outlets that are run by fellow students. These media-outlets include a radio-station and a television network.
This institute, spread over 130 acres, and located in Santa Barbara, California, was founded in 1937. The courses on offer here are engineering physics, and a dual degree program in physics and engineering. Here, students can work in tandem with the faculty for research in experimental nuclear physics, cosmic ray physics, superconductivity, and astronomy. They can also work on engineering projects through internships with various high-tech firms in Santa Barbara. There are various sports clubs in this institution, and students can be a part of various teams that take part in athletics and an array of sports.
WEBSITE: Westmont College
This university was founded in 1885, and its 108-acre campus is located in Newberg, Oregon. The university is the second-largest private university in Oregon, with its campuses located in Portland, Salem, and Redmond, along with the campus in Newberg. The engineering courses on offer in this university are civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering.
Students have to sign a lifestyle agreement with the university. They are also encouraged to volunteer and increase global awareness by taking part in an all-campus ‘Serve Day‘. The institution has teams taking part in various sports at the varsity level. Football has been recently reintroduced in the university.
WEBSITE: George Fox University
It was founded in 1890, and the 200-acre campus is located in Spokane, Washington. Similar to Westmont College, this university offers a course in engineering physics, along with a dual degree program. The students of the dual degree program have the option to complete the first two or three years of their five-year program from the university campus, and then completing the rest of it from a partner engineering school.
The university encourages students to engage in research. They also have various opportunities to study abroad, for which they are provided with scholarships. The institution has teams for athletics and various sport disciplines.
WEBSITE: Whitworth University
There is a Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, which is an international organization. It is a body of Christian institutions that provide higher education, and its headquarters is located at Capitol Hill, Washington D.C.