Special session - inventive courses: Blending engineering and the liberal arts

Union College hosted a symposium on Engineering and a Liberal Education in May, 2008. This Symposium brought together scholars and administrators from several academic institutions interested in better integrating engineering and the liberal arts. One of the trends discussed at the symposium was a move away from a focus on content - specific knowledge that a student should learn - and toward a focus on abilities or capabilities. A second Symposium is scheduled for June, 2009. This special session follows the theme of the Symposia and addresses C. P. Snow´s “two cultures” problem in the context of the undergraduate curriculum. The goal of the session is to foster discussion about multidisciplinary learning using a course design exercise as the vehicle. Session participants will work in small groups to develop a new upper-level undergraduate course that would appeal to both engineering and non-engineering students. While there are many examples of introductory courses that are available to mixed groups of students, this session will explore ideas for courses beyond the introductory level. The session will result in ideas for innovative courses which develop students´ capacity for multidisciplinary work.