Dartmouth Thayer School of Engineering Undergraduate Program Guide 2026

Dartmouth Engineering Program Overview

The Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth represents a fundamentally different approach to undergraduate engineering education. While most universities organize engineering into siloed departments — electrical engineering here, mechanical engineering there, civil engineering in another building — Dartmouth operates a single, integrated Department of Engineering Sciences. This structural decision carries profound consequences for students: instead of declaring a narrow specialization at admission, Dartmouth engineering students explore the full breadth of engineering disciplines before choosing their path. The result is graduates who think across boundaries, a quality that employers and graduate schools increasingly prize.

Founded on the principle that engineering problems don’t exist in isolation, the program weaves technical rigor with the liberal arts education that defines Dartmouth College. Students don’t just learn to build systems; they learn to consider the social, economic, and environmental contexts in which those systems operate. This “human-centered, by design” philosophy attracts students who see engineering as a means of addressing complex real-world challenges rather than an end in itself. The program’s tagline isn’t marketing — it’s a curriculum design principle that shapes every course, project, and research opportunity.

The numbers tell a compelling story. Dartmouth was the first comprehensive U.S. university to award undergraduate engineering degrees to a majority-women class, with women earning more than half of BE and MEM degrees in 2024. Over 63% of engineering majors participate in graduate-level research, and more than 54% of engineering faculty have founded companies, holding over 300 U.S. patents collectively. For students seeking a program that combines Ivy League academic rigor with hands-on engineering experience and genuine career outcomes, Dartmouth’s approach deserves serious consideration alongside institutions like Princeton’s engineering programs.

AB vs. BE Degree Pathways Explained

Understanding the distinction between Dartmouth’s two undergraduate engineering degrees is essential for prospective students. The Bachelor of Arts (AB) in Engineering Sciences is an undergraduate liberal arts degree awarded by Dartmouth College. Designed for breadth, the AB requires no specific engineering concentration and emphasizes systems-based problem-solving across all engineering disciplines. Students completing only the AB have a strong technical foundation combined with full participation in Dartmouth’s liberal arts curriculum, making them versatile candidates for careers in consulting, finance, technology management, and graduate programs in both engineering and non-engineering fields.

The Bachelor of Engineering (BE) is a professional degree awarded by the Thayer School of Engineering, accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The BE requires nine additional engineering courses beyond the AB requirements and is designed for depth within a chosen engineering concentration. This accreditation matters: it qualifies graduates for professional engineering licensure, a requirement in many states for engineers who sign off on designs affecting public safety. The BE also provides the technical depth that many graduate programs and research-focused employers expect.

The most attractive pathway for many students is the dual AB + BE, which approximately 40% of students complete within four years. Students who begin engineering prerequisites early — taking advantage of AP, IB, or A-Level credits to skip introductory math and chemistry courses — can pace their engineering coursework across all four years without overloading any single term. Those who prefer a more relaxed timeline can complete both degrees in five years, often using the additional time to pursue study abroad, research, or extracurricular leadership. Students who entered Dartmouth focused on physics or computer science can also transition to the BE pathway with approximately one additional year of coursework.

Curriculum Structure and Core Courses

The engineering curriculum at Dartmouth is built on a carefully sequenced foundation of prerequisites, common core courses, distributive core courses, gateway courses, and electives, culminating in a capstone experience. Prerequisites include three mathematics courses (through multivariable calculus), two physics courses, one chemistry course, and one to two computer science courses. These prerequisites ensure that all students entering the engineering core have a common quantitative and scientific foundation, regardless of their high school preparation.

The common core consists of three mandatory courses: ENGS 21 (Introduction to Engineering), ENGS 22 (Systems), and ENGS 23 (Distributed Systems and Fields). Introduction to Engineering, typically taken in the sophomore year, immediately immerses students in project-based learning with real engineering challenges. Students then choose two distributive core courses from five options spanning materials science, thermodynamics, control theory, discrete and probabilistic systems, and embedded systems. This distributive requirement ensures breadth while allowing students to begin steering toward their interests.

Gateway courses represent the first point of genuine disciplinary focus. Students choose two courses from different engineering disciplines: electrical (digital electronics, linear and digital circuits), mechanical (solid mechanics, fluid dynamics), chemical/biochemical (biological physics, biotechnology, chemical engineering), or environmental engineering. Two additional electives in engineering sciences or approved science and math courses round out the required coursework. The culminating experience can take the form of a thesis (independent project or honors thesis), a design project (the ENGS 89/90 sequence), or an advanced course with a significant design or research component — giving students the flexibility to conclude their degree in a way that aligns with their career goals.

Majors, Minors, and Modified Majors

Dartmouth offers three engineering-related majors: Engineering Sciences (the broadest option), Biomedical Engineering, and Engineering Physics. The Engineering Sciences major provides the most flexibility, allowing students to sample courses across all engineering disciplines without committing to a narrow track. Biomedical Engineering appeals to students interested in the intersection of engineering and health sciences, while Engineering Physics serves those drawn to the fundamental physical principles underlying engineering applications.

Three minors complement the major options: Engineering Sciences (for students majoring in other departments who want formal engineering credentials), Human-Centered Design (emphasizing the user-focused design philosophy central to Dartmouth’s engineering identity), and Materials Science. The Human-Centered Design minor is particularly distinctive, reflecting the program’s commitment to engineering that serves human needs and considers the full context of technology deployment.

Modified majors represent one of Dartmouth’s most creative academic offerings. Students can pursue Engineering Sciences modified with another discipline — Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Public Policy, Studio Art, or another department of their choosing. These modified majors formally integrate two fields of study, producing graduates with interdisciplinary expertise that is increasingly valuable in a world where engineering challenges rarely respect disciplinary boundaries. A student pursuing Engineering Sciences modified with Public Policy, for example, is uniquely prepared for careers in technology regulation, infrastructure planning, or science policy. Students interested in comparing engineering approaches across universities may find our guide to Vanderbilt’s interdisciplinary programs useful.

Fast-Track Graduate Degree Options

One of the most compelling advantages of starting engineering at Dartmouth is the seamless pathway to graduate degrees. Students who complete the BE can apply graduate courses taken during their BE toward a Master of Engineering (MEng), Master of Engineering Management (MEM), or Master of Science (MS), potentially earning a master’s degree within one year of completing the BE. The MEng is a course-based professional degree with tracks in biological and chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, computer and electrical engineering, energy, materials science, and mechanical, operations, and systems engineering. A fully online MEng in computer engineering is also available for students who need geographic flexibility.

The Master of Engineering Management integrates engineering and management coursework, with focus areas in data analytics, product management, and entrepreneurship. Students can even design their own MEM program, tailoring coursework to specific career goals. The MS is research-focused, requiring a thesis and faculty sponsor, with limited spaces that include reserved spots for current BE students — giving Dartmouth undergraduates a genuine admissions advantage.

For students with the strongest research aspirations, Dartmouth offers direct undergraduate-to-PhD pathways. The traditional PhD program provides deep research training, while the PhD Innovation Program — the nation’s first doctoral-level fellowship supporting research translation and entrepreneurial pursuits — is specifically designed for students who want to turn research discoveries into real-world impact. The fact that undergraduates can apply directly to these doctoral programs, without an intermediary master’s degree, accelerates the path to advanced research careers and positions Dartmouth engineering graduates competitively for academic appointments.

Research Opportunities and Student Projects

Research participation is not an exception at Dartmouth Engineering — it’s the norm. With 63% of engineering majors engaging in graduate-level research, the program has built an infrastructure that makes meaningful research accessible even to first-year students. The First-Year Research in Engineering Experience (FYREE) program provides early exposure to hands-on research and mentorship, placing undergraduates in active graduate labs where they contribute to ongoing discoveries alongside faculty, PhD students, and post-doctoral researchers. This early research experience is transformative: students like Moses Matanda ’25, who participated in FYREE, went on to win the Brieanna S. Weinstein Engineering Design Prize for improving a neonatal continuous positive airway pressure interface.

Student projects at Dartmouth go beyond academic exercises. In the Introduction to Engineering course, student teams tackle real problems with practical applications — one team won the Phillip R. Jackson Award for designing an improved respiratory system for welders that was affordable, comfortable, and easy to use. The Dartmouth Humanitarian Engineering (DHE) group organizes service initiatives worldwide, with the “DHElios” team working to improve solar-powered stoves for rural schools in Sub-Saharan Africa. These projects embody the program’s human-centered philosophy, connecting technical skills with genuine human needs.

The Dartmouth Formula Racing team exemplifies the hands-on, project-based learning culture. Team Captain Joe McInnis ’24 described how the experience of building a competition-grade race car inspired his pursuit of automotive engineering — a career direction he might never have discovered in a lecture-only curriculum. With faculty holding over 300 U.S. patents and more than 54% having founded companies, students have access to mentors who understand both academic research and commercial application, a combination that enriches every research and project experience.

Campus Facilities and the West End District

Dartmouth’s West End District serves as the epicenter of technological and entrepreneurial innovation on campus. This concentrated area houses the Thayer School of Engineering, the Department of Computer Science, the Tuck School of Business, the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Irving Institute for Energy and Society. The physical proximity of these institutions creates organic opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration — an engineering student walking to the machine shop might pass a Tuck MBA student heading to the Magnuson Center, and the resulting conversation could spark a venture that neither would have conceived in isolation.

The maker and fabrication facilities available to engineering students include the Machine Shop (MShop), project labs, and a general makerspace. The MShop, managed by Lee Schuette, is available to students of all skill levels — from complete beginners to experienced machinists. This accessibility ensures that hands-on fabrication is not limited to advanced students; first-year students participating in DEE (Dartmouth Emerging Engineers) receive machine shop tours as part of their orientation to engineering. The project labs provide dedicated spaces for team-based work on capstone projects, research experiments, and student organization activities like Dartmouth Formula Racing.

The physical infrastructure supports a pedagogical philosophy: the best way to learn engineering is to do engineering. Lecture halls are supplemented by fabrication spaces, testing facilities, and collaborative work areas designed for the kind of messy, iterative, hands-on work that produces genuine engineering competence. Students don’t just study thermodynamics — they build, test, and refine thermal systems. They don’t just analyze circuits — they design, solder, and debug real electronic devices. This integration of theory and practice is facilitated by facilities that are designed for student use, not just faculty research, making Dartmouth’s physical plant a genuine competitive advantage.

Admission Requirements and Application Process

A critical distinction at Dartmouth is that students are admitted to the college, not to engineering specifically. There is no separate application process for the Thayer School of Engineering at the undergraduate level. Students apply through Dartmouth’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions and declare their interest in engineering after enrollment. This means the admissions process evaluates the full range of qualities that Dartmouth values — intellectual curiosity, leadership, community engagement, and personal character — rather than narrowly assessing technical aptitude.

For students arriving with advanced preparation, AP, IB, and A-Level exam credits can allow placement out of introductory mathematics and chemistry courses, accelerating progress toward the engineering core. Placement exams provide an alternative path for students whose preparation doesn’t align with standardized testing formats. The prerequisites — three math courses, two physics courses, one chemistry course, and one to two computer science courses — can typically be completed during the first year and a half, with engineering core courses beginning in the sophomore year.

The absence of a separate engineering admissions process means that students who discover their interest in engineering after arriving at Dartmouth can pursue it without bureaucratic barriers. A student who enters Dartmouth expecting to major in economics can shift to engineering sciences after taking an inspiring introductory course — and the integrated department structure means they won’t face the capacity constraints and internal transfer challenges that plague engineering programs at other universities. This flexibility is particularly valuable for students from backgrounds where engineering was not a visible career path, supporting the diversity that has made Dartmouth the first comprehensive university to award engineering degrees to a majority-women class.

Career Outcomes and Alumni Success

The career outcomes data for Dartmouth engineering graduates is exceptional even by Ivy League standards. More than 25% of engineering alumni reach C-suite or chief-level executive leadership positions within 5-10 years of graduation — a statistic that reflects both the quality of the education and the leadership skills embedded throughout the curriculum. Dartmouth ranks fourth nationally for venture-backed alumni start-up companies per capita, and with over 54% of faculty being entrepreneurs themselves, students learn from mentors who have navigated the journey from research to market.

Engineering Career Services provides dedicated support beyond what most university career offices offer. Tailored advising helps students identify career paths that match their skills and interests, while engineering-specific career fairs connect students directly with employers seeking engineering talent. Job and internship search support, graduate school application assistance, and networking opportunities through the Dartmouth alumni network create a comprehensive career development ecosystem. The Dartmouth name carries weight in boardrooms and venture capital meetings alike, and engineering graduates benefit from both the technical credibility of the Thayer School and the broader prestige of Dartmouth College.

The entrepreneurial culture at Dartmouth Engineering is not theoretical — it’s practiced. The proximity to the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship and the Tuck School of Business creates a support ecosystem for students who want to launch ventures. The PhD Innovation Program, the nation’s first doctoral-level fellowship supporting research translation and entrepreneurship, extends this culture to the highest academic levels. Whether graduates enter established companies, launch start-ups, pursue graduate research, or enter public service, the combination of technical depth, liberal arts breadth, and leadership training gives them an unusually versatile foundation for long-term career success. For another perspective on engineering career preparation, see our guide to Rochester’s graduate business programs.

Student Life and Global Programs

Student life at Dartmouth Engineering extends well beyond the classroom and lab. The Dartmouth Emerging Engineers (DEE) program supports all first-year students interested in engineering with peer tutoring, mentoring, group study sessions, special events, machine shop tours, and — in a characteristically Dartmouth touch — snacks. DEE creates a community from the first weeks on campus, helping students navigate the transition to college-level engineering and connecting them with upperclass mentors who can share insights about course selection, research opportunities, and career planning.

Student organizations like Dartmouth Formula Racing and Dartmouth Humanitarian Engineering provide opportunities for hands-on engineering work in team settings outside the formal curriculum. These organizations are student-led, giving participants genuine leadership experience and project management skills. The humanitarian engineering projects — like the DHElios solar stove initiative — connect technical work with global development challenges, embodying the program’s human-centered philosophy in action.

Global programs through the Frank J. Guarini Institute for International Education allow engineering students to study abroad without falling behind in their technical coursework. The Green City Program in Germany, co-directed by Professor Petra Bonfert-Taylor, offers an interdisciplinary engineering and language program focused on sustainable engineering based in Berlin. International exchange partnerships with universities in Denmark, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Thailand provide additional global perspectives. These programs recognize that modern engineering challenges are inherently global, and that engineers who have lived and studied in different cultural contexts bring more creative and more appropriate solutions to the problems they tackle. The combination of Dartmouth’s intimate campus community with genuine international exposure creates an experience that few engineering programs can match.