Engineering Science

Where Disciplines Meet and Innovation Lives

The engineering science major is a multidisciplinary honors program for students who demonstrate superior academic potential or achievement. The program provides a broad foundation in the sciences, associated mathematics, and computing that underlies engineering, such as mechanics, materials, thermodynamics, wave phenomena, machine learning, quantum information technology, sensors, additive manufacturing, neuro-engineering, and much more.  

Engineering science students are not satisfied with breadth; they obtain a depth of knowledge through technical electives, a capstone research and design project, and a senior thesis that requires oral presentation and defense—something most other engineering students only encounter in graduate studies.  

Equipped with a vast array of skills and experience, ESM students have the potential to make impressive impacts on academia, industry, and beyond. They begin their studies by gaining a foundational understanding of engineering basics and continue to hone their technical and professional skills in the space where disciplines meet—and innovation lives.  

Engineering science graduates lead such innovation by speaking the language of several disciplines—overcoming the barrier of a learning curve between them. They are the glue of multi- and inter-disciplinary engineering teams; they are the ones that facilitate communication among team members and other stakeholders. They translate ideas into research discoveries and industrial applications. They identify, explore, and create fundamental scientific understanding to solve society’s greatest challenges. They recognize the limitations of today’s technologies and drive advancements at the leading edge of the future. Engineering scientists who earn their degree from Penn State are unlike any other engineers. They are the engineers of engineering! 

—Vincent Meunier