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Introduction
Full-time undergraduate enrollments continue to increase, up 21% to
383,109 in Fall 2002 from the minimum in Fall 1996. Bachelor's degrees
in AY2002-03 grew to 75,031, a 20% increase from the minimum in
AY1998-99. The degree growth is impressive considering the prolonged
decline (also 20%) since the maximum in AY1985-86.
This rapidly changing situation prompted a review of student
interests in specific engineering disciplines. Engineering Trends
studied the relative enrollments (fractions of engineering as a whole)
of full-time undergraduates in seventeen disciplines since Fall 1980.
Trends for Larger Engineering Disciplines
The graph below indicates that during the current period of
enrollment growth, the relative numbers of civil and industrial
engineering students has remained constant. Biological (bioengineering
plus biomedical) and aerospace engineering enrollments have continued
their sustained growth patterns. Electrical and mechanical engineering
appear to have terminated their long-term enrollment declines. Chemical
engineering has continued to decline from a maximum in Fall 1994 through
Fall 2002.
The striking trend for "computer" (engineering plus science in
engineering colleges) is worthy of special consideration. From Fall 1996
through Fall 2002, 67% of the overall engineering enrollment increase
was due to "computer". It now appears that the formerly strong
preference for "computer" is waning.
(The data in the graph above came from the
annual surveys of the Engineering Workforce Commission. Their first-year
enrollment data for "computer" also indicate a decline. American Society
for Engineering Education data confirm the onset of the new trend for
"computer".)
Trends for Smaller Engineering Disciplines
Among the smaller disciplines shown in the graph below, only systems
engineering exhibits a continued increase in interest (excluding the
Fall 1999 data point). Materials science and engineering, marine/naval
engineering, geological/mining engineering, management engineering and
manufacturing engineering continue to decline as discipline preferences.
Nuclear engineering has shown a slight preference increase in recent
years. Petroleum and environmental engineering show a very slight
preference increase in Fall 2002
Acknowledgment
The bachelor's degree data for this study originated from the annual
surveys of the Engineering Workforce Commission of the American
Association of Engineering Societies. Engineering Trends acknowledges
their efforts in providing credible data and expresses its gratitude for
their services to the engineering profession
Footnotes
Engineering Trends data are compiled mainly from information
submitted by universities to the annual surveys of EWC and ASEE. On the
very rare occasions where errors in data appear, Engineering Trends
corrects the error, if possible, or deletes the data if the error is
large enough to alter significantly the trend of the university or the
US total.
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