International Engineering Certificates
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As
technology expands our horizons and connects the world with
increasing speed, tomorrow’s engineer must be able to work
internationally. This means understanding not only science and
technology, but also languages and cultures.
The College of Engineering and
Applied Science offers an International Engineering Certificate
that enhances the bachelor of science degree in
all engineering fields. Certificates are currently available in
German, French, Spanish and Italian; about 65 students are
enrolled in these programs. Certificates
in Chinese and Japanese were approved in Spring 2008..
Purpose of
Certificate
The purpose of
the certificate, first introduced in 2003, is to provide
engineering students training in language and culture, giving them the
skills necessary to work effectively with engineers in multi-national
teams and to succeed during overseas assignments in today’s global
marketplace. Receipt of an international engineering certificate is an indication to prospective employers that the
student has a certain degree of proficiency in a language and an
understanding of the culture. Furthermore, it indicates that the student developed the necessary intellectual tools to decipher any language and
culture they might encounter during their professional lives.
Advantages include:
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better employment opportunities;
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higher salaries;
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leadership positions;
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an edge over other job candidates;
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the chance to travel and explore; and
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experience in a new culture.
Curriculum
Requirements
The certificates
in German and Italian feature a curriculum that can be individualized for
students who have no prior experience in these languages, as well as
students who have intermediate or advanced proficiency. Students
interested in obtaining the French and Spanish certificates, however, need to have
intermediate proficiency upon entering the program.
The
International Engineering Certificate includes:
-
three courses in
language;
-
two courses in
culture or literature;
-
an engineering
design course or equivalent; and
-
a corporate
or university co-op in Europe or additional areas as approved. (The
certificate also can be obtained without a co-op experience.)
Specific requirements for each certificate are as follows:
The requirements
in humanities and social sciences
for the bachelor of science degree in engineering can be fulfilled by
taking language, culture, and literature classes. With careful planning,
students in most majors should not have to take any additional coursework.
Admission Requirements
To
be admitted to the International Engineering Certificate program, students must:
-
be admitted to the College of Engineering and Applied Science;
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be a student in good standing with a minimum 2.5 GPA;
-
be enrolled or have taken foreign language courses at CU; and
-
complete a certificate enrollment form with the director.
International Co-ops
Co-ops
in Europe, or other areas as approved, are available for students who
choose to participate and who have:
-
junior or senior standing;
- a
2.75 GPA or better;
-
foreign language proficiency; and
-
completion of a
U.S. internship or co-op before their international experience (highly
recommended).
Students may do semester, year, or summer co-ops;
however, summer placements are more difficult because of the European
university academic calendar. Students are advised to see and begin
working closely with the director of student programs at least six
months prior to going on an international co-op. Placements can be made
to companies or university research labs, such as:
-
Abengoa - Madrid and Sevilla, Spain
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Airbus Deutschland GmbH - Bremen,Germany
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BMW - Munich, Germany
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Carlo Gavazzi Space S.p.A. - Milan, Italy
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Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft und Raumfahrt (DLR)
- Cologne ,Germany
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Infineon - Regensburg, Germany
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IP Design - Munich, Germany
-
Klebl GmbH - Neumarkt, Germany
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Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen - Regensburg,
Germany
-
Raytheon - Germany
-
Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya - Barcelona, Spain
(university)
-
Politecnico di Torino - Turin, Italy
(university)
-
TU Munich - Munich, Germany (university)
To learn more about CU Engineering's Co-op Program, visit
the Co-op website.
Business/Industry
Information
International engineering builds on connections
between CU-Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science and the College of
Arts and Sciences Study Abroad program and our collaborative research with universities
abroad and European companies.
Companies
can get involved by:
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lending their expertise as members of the board;
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offering co-ops in the United States or abroad to certificate
students;
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offering scholarships;
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providing speakers for courses or events; and
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contacting the director.
“Global diversity is
staring us in the face. The more global our company becomes, the more
critical our cross-cultural awareness, skills, and behaviors are. If you
succeed at educating students to operate in globally diverse environments,
we succeed too.”
—Alma Vigo-Morales, Agilent Technologies
More Information
For more information, visit our
Frequently Asked Questions page, or contact:
Sherry Snyder
Director of Student Programs
College of
Engineering & Applied Science
303-492-5071 or
snyders@colorado.edu
For additional work/study abroad opportunities hosted by other
departments or universities visit our
Additional Opportunities page. |
