Engineering
In addition to world-class facilities and personal interaction between faculty and students, our hands-on curriculum develops the skills you need for the future of engineering.
This major is coordinated by the Engineering program, which is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (http://www.abet.org) under the General Criteria.
Explore Engineering at RWU
Undergraduate Research
Hands-On Projects
State-Of-The-Art Facilities
Broad Experience and Specialization
4+1 Master's Program with UMass Dartmouth
Faculty Experts
Successful Alumni
Ways to Get Involved
Praise from Employers
Engineering Program Educational Objectives
Three to five years after graduation, we expect our graduates to:
- Possess an inquisitive mind, demonstrate excellence in technical knowledge and skills, achieve success as a practicing engineer or graduate student, and apply the highest ethical standards in all pursuits.
- Value the concept of, and demonstrate through practice, activities and actions that contribute to continual intellectual growth.
- Advance the engineering profession by becoming actively involved in professional associations and societies, serving in professional and community volunteer positions, acting as a role model for the future generation of engineers, and assisting the SECCM Engineering Program in achieving its mission and goals
NASA-Funded Undergraduate Research
Two undergraduate Engineering students spent the summer working on cutting-edge lasers research, funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Senior Santiago Armas and junior Hunter Phillips, both Engineering majors with Electrical specializations and minors in Mathematics, received prestigious summer research scholarships from the NASA Rhode Island Space Grant Consortium. Assistant Professor of Engineering Ahmet Akosman, whose areas of expertise include lasers and fiber optics, served as their advisor. This valuable hands-on research experience will set the students apart when applying for jobs or graduate school after Roger.
Success By The Numbers
Placement of Graduates
Through the years, our graduates consistently find success in employment or graduate schools within six months of graduation.
First Job, Dream Industry
SECCM graduates land their first jobs in their targeted industries, such as engineering, defense, construction, manufacturing, technology, or consulting.
Average Starting Salary
of 2022 SECCM graduates.
Degree Requirements
Custom Specialization
In consultation with an academic advisor, students may design a Custom Specialization to prepare for emerging fields not immediately definable with traditional specializations.
Roger Williams University and UMass Dartmouth have partnered to create three joint 4+1 master's programs. The educational partnership agreement between the institutions will provide undergraduate students at RWU with the opportunity to earn accelerated graduate degrees in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and civil engineering at UMassD.
During their senior year, RWU Engineering students can begin taking courses toward a master's degree at UMassD, allowing them to complete both degrees in five years. This unique opportunity offers students an efficient and cost-effective pathway to reach their academic goals and begin careers in high-demand fields.
Eligibility & Application
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Students may apply to the accelerated pathway upon achieving classification as juniors with the Engineering major Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering Specializations.
To apply, students must:
- Have a 3.2 or better GPA overall after completion of the fall semester of their junior year.
- Complete a short application to be reviewed by the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at UMassD, including unofficial transcripts.
- Provide one letter of recommendation from an RWU faculty member in Engineering.
Students will apply during the spring semester of their junior year or when they have completed all the required courses for the first five semesters of study in the major. The RWU program coordinator will be responsible for sending applications to the Graduate Program Director in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at UMassD by March 31st.
A preliminary decision on conditional admission to the accelerated pathway will be communicated before the end of April during the applicant's junior year. As a result of preliminary admission to the accelerated pathway, formal application and matriculation to the Computer Engineering master's program at UMassD will be expedited. A formal application to the master's program will be required. An official acceptance into the master's program at UMassD will be conveyed to the student no later than May 31st of their junior year.
Civil Engineering
Students may apply to the accelerated pathway upon completing 75 credits with a major in Engineering and a Specialization in Civil Engineering.
To apply, students must:
- Have a 3.0 or better GPA overall.
- Meet with the UMassD CEN Graduate Program Director in the spring of their junior year to discuss course selection for their senior year.
- Provide one letter of recommendation from a RWU Engineering faculty member.
Students should apply to the accelerated program during the spring of their junior year no later than May 1st. Students may apply directly to the program through the UMassD Graduate Application portal.
Students may choose to take graduate level courses at UMassD during their senior year after consulting with the UMassD CEN GPO. Students may then register for graduate classes during the usual UMassD class registration period on or around March of their junior year after meeting with the UMassD CEN Graduate Program Director.
Accelerated Pathways
Computer Engineering
Accelerated Pathways
- RWU students who complete any two RWU Computer Engineering Specialization courses from the list can apply six credits to the Computer Engineering MS degree at UMassD. The required grade is B or better for each course.
- RWU ENGR 424 - Digital Signal Processing (3 credits) to UMassD ECE475 Digital Signal Processing (3 credits)
- RWU ENGR 450 - Mechatronics (3 credits) to UMassD ECE403 Special Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
- RWU ENGR 479 - Special Topics in Engineering VLSI (3 credits) to UMassD EGE 413 - Introduction to VLSI Design (3 credits)
- RWU ENGR 479 - Special Topics in Engineering Power Electronics (3 credits) to UMassD ECE403 Special Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
- RWU students may opt to take one graduate-level ECE course at UMassD during their senior year at RWU. The course should be chosen in consultation with the ECE graduate program director. The required grade is C or better.
- An RWU student may opt to take one of the following Cybersecurity-related courses at RWU as part of their full-time load, which counts as a 500-level free elective in the ECE graduate program. The required grade for the Cybersecurity-related course at RWU is (B-, B minus) or better.
- RWU SEC 600 - CyberSecurity Essentials (3 credits) to UMassD ECE591 Special topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
- RWU SEC 615 - Intrusion Detection: Firewalling and Defense (3 credits) to UMassD ECE591 Special topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
- RWU SEC 620 - Ma/ware Analysis and Malicious Software (3 credits) to UMassD ECE591 Special topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
- RWU SEC 625 - Pen Testing and Incident Response (3 credits) to UMassD ECE591 Special topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
Double counting
- With option (1) only, a maximum of 6 credits may be double counted toward the Engineering BS degree at RWU and Computer Engineering MS degree at UMassD from the following set:
- ENGR 424, ENGR 450, ENGR 479 (VLSI), ENGR 479 (Power Electronics).
- The student will have 6 credits invested toward the 30 credits required for the Computer Engineering MS degree.
- With options (1) and (2) only, a maximum of 9 credits may be double counted toward the Engineering BS degree at RWU and Computer Engineering MS degree at UMassD from the following sets:
- two courses from ENGR 424, ENGR 450, ENGR 479 (VLSI), ENGR 479 (Power Electronics), and one graduate-level ECE course at UMassD.
- The student will have 9 credits invested toward the 30 credits required for the Computer Engineering MS degree.
- With options (1) and (3) only, a maximum of 9 credits may be double counted toward the Engineering BS degree at RWU and Computer Engineering MS degree at UMassD from 3 of the following sets:
- two courses from ENGR 424, ENGR 450, ENGR 479 (VLSI), ENGR 479 (Power Electronics), and one course from SEC 600, SEC 615, SEC 620, SEC 625.
- The student will have 9 credits invested toward the 30 credits required for the Computer Engineering MS degree.
- With options (1), (2) and (3), a maximum of 9 credits may be double counted toward the Engineering BS degree at RWU and Computer Engineering MS degree at UMassD from the following sets:
- two courses from ENGR 424, ENGR 450, ENGR 479 (VLSI), ENGR 479 (Power Electronics), and one course from SEC 600, SEC 615, SEC 620, SEC 625.
- By (3), the student will earn 3 credits for a standalone graduate-level ECE course at UMassD, which is excluded from the double counting scheme. All in all, the student will have 12 credits invested toward the 30 credits required for the Computer Engineering MS degree.
Electrical Engineering
Accelerated Pathways
- RWU students who complete any two RWU Electrical Engineering Specialization courses from the list can apply six credits to the Electrical Engineering MS degree at UMassD. The required grade is B or better for each course.
- RWU ENGR 424 - Digital Signal Processing (3 credits) to UMassD ECE475 Digital Signal Processing (3 credits)
- RWU ENGR 445 - Dynamic Modeling and Control (3 credits) to UMassD ECE403 Special Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
- RWU ENGR 450 - Mechatronics (3 credits) toUMassD ECE403 Special Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
- RWU ENGR 479 - Special Topics in Engineering VLSI (3 credits) to EGE 413 - Introduction to VLSI Design (3 credits)
- RWU ENGR 479 - Special Topics in Engineering Power Electronics (3 credits) to UMassD ECE403 Special Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
- RWU students may opt to take one graduate-level ECE course at UMassD during their senior year at RWU. The course should be chosen in consultation with the ECE graduate program director. The required grade is C or better.
- RWU students may opt to take one of the following Cybersecurity-related courses at RWU as part of their full-time load, which counts as a 500-level free elective in the ECE graduate program. The required grade for the Cybersecurity-related course at RWU is (B-, B minus) or better.
- RWU SEC 600- CyberSecurity Essentials (3 credits) to UMassD ECE591 Special topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
- RWU SEC 615 - Intrusion Detection: Firewalling and Defense (3 credits) to UMassD ECE591 Special topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
- RWU SEC 620 - Ma/ware Analysis and Malicious Software (3 credits) to UMassD ECE591 Special topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
- RWU SEC 625 - Pen Testing and Incident Response (3 credits) to UMassD ECE591 Special topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (3 credits)
Double counting
- With option (1) only, a maximum of 6 credits may be double counted toward the Engineering BS degree at RWU and Electrical Engineering MS degree at UMassD from the following set:
- ENGR 424, ENGR 445, ENGR 450, ENGR 479 (VLSI), ENGR 479 (Power Electronics).
- The student will have 6 credits invested toward the 30 credits required for the Electrical Engineering MS degree.
- With options (1) and (2) only, a maximum of 9 credits may be double counted toward the Engineering BS degree at RWU and Electrical Engineering MS degree at UMassD from the following sets:
- two courses from ENGR 424, ENGR 445, ENGR 450, ENGR 479 (VLSI), ENGR 479 (Power Electronics), and one graduate-level ECE course at UMassD.
- The student will have 9 credits invested toward the 30 credits required for the Electrical Engineering MS degree.
- With options (1) and (3) only, a maximum of 9 credits may be double counted toward the Engineering BS degree at RWU and Electrical Engineering MS degree at UMassD from the following sets:
- two courses from ENGR 424, ENGR 445, ENGR 450, ENGR 479 (VLSI), ENGR 479 (Power Electronics), and one course from SEC 600, SEC 615, SEC 620, SEC 625.
- The student will have 9 credits invested toward the 30 credits required for the Electrical Engineering MS degree.
- With options (1 ), (2) and (3), a maximum of 9 credits may be double counted toward the Engineering BS degree at RWU and Electrical Engineering MS degree at UMassD from the following sets:
- two courses from ENGR 424, ENGR 445, ENGR 450, ENGR 479 (VLSI), ENGR 479 (Power Electronics), and one course from SEC 600, SEC 615, SEC 620, SEC 625.
- By (3), the student will earn 3 credits for a standalone graduate-level ECE course at UMassD, which is excluded from the double counting scheme. All in all, the student will have 12 credits invested toward the 30 credits required for the Electrical Engineering MS degree.
Civil Engineering
Accelerated Pathways
- RWU students who complete two of the courses listed with a grade of B or better can apply up to six credits to the MS in Civil Engineering at UMassD.
- ENGR 405 Air Pollution and Control to UMassD CEN 430 Topics in Civil & Environ Eng
- ENGR 407 Solid and Hazardous Waste Management to UMassD CEN 430 Topics in Civil & Environ Eng
- ENGR 418 Construction Engineering to UMassD CEN 430 Topics in Civil & Environ Eng
- ENGR 428 Open Channel Hydraulics to UMassD CEN 430 Topics in Civil & Environ Eng
- ENGR 419 Highway Bridge Design to UMassD CEN 430 Topics in Civil & Environ Eng
- RWU students may opt to take one graduate-level CEN course at UMassD during their junior or senior year at RWU. The course should be chosen in consultation with the CEN GPO. They may also apply three credits to the MS in Civil Engineering at UMassD for taking the following course.
- CNST 540 - Sustainable Construction to UMassD CEN 530 Topics in Civil & Environ Eng
Provided that the student meets the grade requirements for the two courses selected under (1) and completes the course under (2) with a B or better grade, the student will have 9 credits invested toward the 30 credits required for the CEN MS degree.
Cooking Up a Pizza Robot
The Senior Design Project is a fundamental element of senior year. Much like the cross-discipline work that will be in their future careers, the design of our students’ senior projects integrates math, science, computer science, and engineering principles into a comprehensive, client-based engineering design project. Student teams work with faculty advisors to design and fabricate solutions to open-ended problems and present their projects at professional conferences and competitions.
Past Senior Design Projects have included:
• Arthroscopic surgery suturing device
• Bike path bridge and foundation design
• Human powered vehicle competition
• Wearable blood oxygen meter
• Stormwater modeling and retention design
Seniors Innovate Medical Device
Engineering State-of-the-Art Facilities
The newest building on the Bristol campus, the Richard L. Bready Applied Learning Laboratories is designed to foster collaboration and innovation while offering high-tech resources for experiential learning. The three-floor, 27,325-square-foot building features seven cutting-edge laboratories, senior design project rooms and open spaces dedicated to hands-on education.
Train for the Future of Engineering
Our program is unique: by providing a broad Engineering education, students are well-versed in a variety of areas, allowing them to work with engineers from all backgrounds and fields. This is the future of the Engineering industry.
Learn more from Dean Robert Griffin:
Tailor Your Expertise with a Specialization
Once you have a broad background in Engineering practices, beginning in your third year, you will have the flexibility to tailor your education to your own Engineering interests by selecting a specialization. Students may choose from Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, or Mechanical, or can consult with their faculty advisor to create a custom specialization.
Civil Specialization
From the roads, highways and bridges we drive on to the clean water we drink and the buildings we see in the skyline, Civil Engineering makes modern life possible.
Computer Specialization
The rapid advances in today’s computer technology are largely the result of the research, development, and design efforts of computer engineers.
Electrical Specialization
In a world where technology is constantly growing and evolving, Electrical Engineering is becoming more essential, from lighting and wiring in buildings to electric motors for automobiles.
Environmental Specialization
Environmental engineers work on solutions to water and air pollution, design water supply and wastewater treatment systems, and study the effects that acid rain, global warming, and automobile emission have on our everyday lives.
Mechanical Specialization
From power-producing machines like wind turbines, hydroelectric generators, and internal combustion engines to power-using machines like cars, planes, robots, and medical devices, mechanical engineers are constantly designing and developing life-changing mechanisms.
Custom Specialization
Students interested in more than one type of Engineering, or those who want to prepare for an emerging field not defined by a traditional specialization, can work with their faculty advisor to design a custom specialization perfectly tailored to their interests.
4+1 Master's Program Partnership with UMass Dartmouth
RWU and UMass Dartmouth have partnered to provide joint accelerated master's programs in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Civil Engineering.
RWU engineering students can take two courses their senior year and apply those 6 credits to one of 3 UMass master’s in engineering degrees – civil, computer or electrical, allowing them to complete both degrees in five years.
This unique opportunity offers students an efficient and cost-effective pathway to reach their academic goals and begin careers in high-demand fields.
Students interested in the accelerated BS/MS programs may consult their program coordinator or dean about eligibility and the application process.
Receive Professional Recognition
Our students are encouraged and supported to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and become an Engineer In Training (EIT), a professional designation from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) and a key step toward licensure as a Professional Engineer.
Learn from Faculty Experts
Janet Baldwin, Ph.D., P.E.
Professor of Engineering
Janet Baldwin has more than 30 years’ experience in environmental and civil engineering. She has applied her skills to solving water-related problems in Rhode Island as well as internationally. These projects include stormwater and drinking water projects in Bristol, R.I., as well as in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador, and have all been completed with student collaboration. Through these projects, students have traveled internationally as well as within the U.S., and many have won awards at professional conferences. Dr. Baldwin’s love of water extends to her teaching as well as to making full use of the waterfront kayaking on campus.
“I love the location of the Roger Williams campus. Being right on the water gives us a huge laboratory right in our backyard,” she said. “We take field trips walking around campus to take samples and test the water quality. It’s great to learn by actually applying the concepts learned in class.”
Alumni Share Their Experiences
“By the time I was in advanced classes there were only 10-12 students in each class. We were all really close with our professors. I remember one professor who would stay late after class helping students with projects, working on robotics, having fun and always being there for support. You could tell he really cared."
Jared Ramos '18
Major: Civil Engineering
Project Engineer at Gilbane Building Company in Providence, R.I.
"The Electrical Engineering courses I took gave me a very good basis to build off, and I like that I was able to get an interdisciplinary engineering experience. I won't be working on a project that's strictly electrical. There will be mechanical components, and having that background of knowing how things work is really helpful. That's one of the reasons I chose Roger."
Daniella Giannotti '22
Major: Electrical Engineering
Integration and Test Engineer at L3Harris Technologies in North Amityville, N.Y.
"All my Engineering professors were attentive, supportive, and genuinely cared about whether we were learning the material. Dr. Maija Benitz has always been an inspiration for me as a woman in Engineering. She really cares about her students and is very approachable and accessible. She gave me the push and encouragement I needed to pursue my Ph.D."
Hannah Darling '22
Major: Environmental Engineering
Ph.D. candidate in UMass Amherst's Mechanical Engineering program
Ways to Get Involved
Society of Women Engineers
RWU's chapter of the Society of Women Engineers provides opportunities for women students to build community and connect with faculty mentors and industry professionals to advance women in engineering. Students travel to the Society of Women Engineers Conference, making industry connections that lead to success after graduation.
Each year, SWE brings scores of fourth-grade girls to campus for a hands-on engineering lesson that helps them earn a Girl Scouts badge.
- In Fall 2020, women students accounted for 49% of all students in STEM majors, which includes the sciences, math, engineering, and computer science
- 41% of tenured and tenure-track Natural Science, Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics professors are women, ahead of the national average of 36%
Engineers Without Borders
RWU's Engineers Without Borders chapter focuses on community based projects by providing an engineering solution. Throughout the school year, students and faculty collaborate to plan, design, and prototype for upcoming projects. They also take part in various local engineering projects. In recent years, EWB has traveled with The Foundation of the International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC); their first trip was in 2016 to Dajabon, Dominican Republic.
American Society of Civil Engineers
RWU's chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers competes in the American Institute of Steel Construction's Steel Bridge Competition in which students will plan, design, construct, and compete with various schools to see how fast they can assemble their bridge and how much load it can withstand.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The mission of RWU's chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers is to inspire the application of engineering techniques, assist with the development of curious minds, and embrace the diverse benefits of calling one's self a mechanical engineer. ASME membership offers students a variety of benefits to help build their careers.
Electrical and Computer Engineering Club
As part of RWU's Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers, members participate in professional development, social outings, basic electronic activities, and discussions about technology. IEEE is the world’s largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity, and its members are engineers, scientists, and allied professionals whose technical interests are rooted in electrical and computer sciences, engineering, and related disciplines.
Robotics Innovation
The goal of the Robotics Innovation club is to gather passion-driven students of all academic years who wish to innovate and gain hands-on experience in the fundamentals of building robots with kits and previous pre-existing projects. Students can participate in robotics/innovation competitions, conferences, and more. Robotics Innovation encourages both engineers and technology-interested non-engineers to share the passion for robotics and innovation.
Multicultural STEM Alliance
The Multicultural STEM Alliance aims to strengthen the sense of community among students of color in STEM majors at RWU by offering activities, mentorship, and networking opportunities at and outside of the university.
Praise from Employers
“We couldn’t have a better partner in developing the most talented professionals for our industry than Roger Williams University, with its outstanding and nationally-ranked programs in construction management and engineering.”
Les Hiscoe
CEO of Shawmut Design and Construction