Engineering Introduction in Pre-Calculus Courses

The freshman engineering program at the University of Tennessee consists of two 4 hour courses, Physics for Engineers I and II. Calculus I or higher is a co-requisite for Physics for Engineers I. The content of the Physics for Engineers courses is an introduction to engineering physics (approximately the first 20-25 chapters of an introductory engineering physics textbook), and an introduction to elements of successful engineering practice (teamwork, engineering design, and communication). Significant effort has been put into these courses, and the courses have been shown to increase retention in engineering (Parsons et al, 2002; Parsons et al, 2008).