TECHNICAL PAPERS
Oct 1, 1990

Need for “Professional” Education for Professional Engineers

Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering
Volume 116, Issue 4

Abstract

A profession is defined as “an occupation or vocation requiring advanced study in a specialized field.” The urgent question facing the engineering profession today is how much longer we can continue to lay claim to being “professionals” given the increasingly complex natures of technology and our society and the lack of adequate curriculum adjustment to meet the demands of this changing environment. Within the past 20, even 10, years, our world has changed drastically. All of these technological advances have mandated inclusion in the engineering curriculum of related coursework. However, much of this additional coursework has been added in the postbaccalaureate curriculum, and the addition of this technical material, which has been accomplished in the undergraduate curriculum, generally has been implemented at the expense of the “nontechnical” courses in the curriculum. This paper presents ideas regarding the expansion of the basic engineering curriculum and the courses necessary to provide a complete education for professional engineers.

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References

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Cheit, E. F. (1975). The useful arts and the liberal tradition. McGraw‐Hill Book Co., New York, N.Y., 21–22.
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“Engineering curricula to get NSF‐funded revamps.” (1988). Engrg. Times, 10(12), 5.
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For engineers, 4 years college not enough, says MIT dean.” (1988). Engrg. Times, 10(12), 5.
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Reed, I. B. (1983). “Putting professionalism in a professional career.” J. Professional Issues in Engrg., ASCE, 109(3), 242–247.
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Schein, E. H. (1972). Professional education. McGraw‐Hill Book Co., New York, N.Y.
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The American heritage dictionary of the english language. (1976). P. Davies, ed., Dell Publishing Co., Inc., New York, N.Y.
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Information & Authors

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Published In

Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering
Volume 116Issue 4October 1990
Pages: 345 - 350

History

Published online: Oct 1, 1990
Published in print: Oct 1990

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Authors

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T. E. Fenske, Member, ASCE
Assoc. Prof., Dept. of Civ. Engrg., Univ. of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292
S. M. Fenske, Student Member, ASCE
Grad. Student, Dept. of Civ. Engrg., Univ. of Louisville, Louisville, KY

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