Engineering/EGR Prerequisite and General Education Recommendations
Note to Faculty and Course Submitters working with IAI Courses:
Before submitting to the IAI Engineering major panel, please review the panel criteria and other important documents which are available at
Engineering Prerequisite Recommendations
The courses listed below are recommended for students who plan to begin their studies at one Illinois institution and transfer to another to complete a bachelor's degree in Engineering. These courses are intended to maximize transferability and support timely progress toward an engineering degree. Students should consult with an academic advisor early and regularly when planning their coursework. Some of the recommended courses may also fulfill general education requirements; these are identified in the General Education section below.
Prerequisite Courses (28-36 semester credits)
Mathematics Courses
M1-900-1/MTH 901 - Calculus I, M1-900-2/MTH 902 - Calculus II, and M1-900-3/MTH 903 - Calculus III (11-13 semester credits)
MTH 912 - Differential Equations (3-4 semester credits)
Science Courses
CHM 911 - Chemistry I with lab (4-5 semester credits) - This course can count as the physical sciences course for the general education in transfer
P1900L/PHY 911 - Calculus-based Physics I with lab (4-5 semester credits) - This course can count as the physical sciences course for the general education in transfer
PHY 912 - Calculus-based Physics II with lab (4-5 semester credits)
Optional: EGR 913 - Calculus-based Physics for Engineers III-Fluids (3-4 semester credits)
**Students should complete the full calculus and physics sequences at the same institution whenever possible, as topics may be taught in different orders at different schools. Additional coursework may be required at some institutions to ensure all prerequisite content is covered. Students should work closely with their advisors to select the courses most appropriate for their intended transfer institution and engineering discipline.
Computer Sciences Courses
CS 911 - Computer Science I (3-4 semester credits) - A computer programming course, in Fortran or C or C++, depending on the specialty you are interested in. Talk with your advisors to ensure you take an appropriate course for your plans.
Orientation/Introduction to Engineering
Several Colleges of Engineering offer or require Orientation/Introduction to Engineering (0-1 semester credit) for students in all Engineering specialties.
Engineering General Education Recommendations
Completion of the Associate in Engineering Science (A.E.S.) degree does not satisfy the full requirements of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) General Education Core Curriculum (GECC). Students will need to complete the remaining general education requirements after transferring, either through the IAI GECC or the receiving institution's general education program.
To learn more, review the general education requirements associated with the A.E.S. degree and the shortened general education recommendations for engineering students.
Important Note to Engineering Students: The Engineering Major Panel recommends completing the shortened General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) rather than the full package. Students who complete the full GECC may accumulate excess transfer credits and/or be unable to complete important mathematics, science, and engineering prerequisite courses before transfer, which can delay progress toward a bachelor's degree.
Because a traditional Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree requires completion of the full GECC, the Associate in Engineering Science (A.E.S.) is often a better option for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in Engineering. The A.E.S. is specifically designed to balance general education requirements with the technical coursework needed for successful transfer and timely degree completion.
Traditional IAI General Education Package Recommendations (Minimum 37 hours)
Communication: 3 courses (9 semester credits)
Select a two-course sequence in writing (6 semester credits) with a grade of "C" or better and, Select 1 course in oral communication (3 semester credits). Students choosing to follow the shortened general education package would only take the two-course writing sequence and leave the oral communication course for after transfer.
Mathematics: 1 course (4/5 semester credits)
additional courses in mathematics are required by the major.
See the list of mathematics courses above in the list of prerequisite courses.
M1-900-1/MTH 901 - Calculus I (4/5 semester credits).
Physical and Life Sciences: (7/8 semester credits)
P1900L/PHY 911 - Calculus-based Physics I with lab (4-5 semester credits) - additional courses in physical sciences are required by the major. See the list of mathematics courses above in the list of prerequisite courses.
Select 1 course from Life Sciences.
Humanities and Fine Arts: Up to 3 courses (9 semester credits)
If 2 courses are selected in a field, a two-semester sequence in the same discipline is recommended. - Courses can be taken from the same identifier as long as the course outcomes are different. Students choosing to follow the shortened general education package might wait to take these courses in this section until after transfer.
Social and Behavioral Sciences: Up to 3 courses (9 semester credits)
Select from Social and Behavioral Sciences - S3 902: Principles of Microeconomics (3 semester credits). (S3 902 is required in Industrial Engineering and recommended for other Engineering disciplines).
If 2 courses are selected in a field, a two-semester sequence in the same discipline is recommended. - Courses can be taken from the same identifier as long as the course outcomes are different.
Students choosing to follow the shortened general education package might wait to take these courses in this section until after transfer.
**Students are encouraged to select 1 course in either the Humanities and Fine Arts or the Social and Behavioral Sciences that emphasizes non-Western cultures or minority cultures within the United States.
Check the worksheet to see what courses you can take to fulfill your general education requirements. The worksheet allows you to see what courses to take to fulfill the IAI Gen. Ed. package (Illinois Transferable General Education Core Curriculum) at any participating college or university in the State. You will find it helpful to use the major recommended general education courses shown above. You may want to print or copy a hard copy of this page.
Return to IAI Majors: Engineering.
Return to the Illinois Baccalaureate Majors' Recommendations (IAI Majors).