Freshmen Engineering curriculum revised to 4-year program

All College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology (CEAT) Bachelor of Science (BS) in Engineering programs starting this AY 2018-2019 have been reduced from five to four years due to curriculums adapting to the K-12 program, as per Engineering Department Chair Engr. Natalie Pineda.

“’Yong mga basic Mathematics, like Algebra, Advanced Algebra, Trigo[nometry], [and] Geometry were already [taken] in senior high,” Pineda said, pertaining to the subjects already covered in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) track of the Senior High School (SHS) curriculum.

However, Pineda said that this will not differ from the 5-year education from previous academic years (AY), as there had already been specializations offered before the curriculum was revised.

Following the Commission on Higher Education’ Memorandum Order (CMO) and Policies, Standards, and Guidelines on updated engineering curriculums, Pineda furthered that the curriculums were revised accordingly upon approval of the departmental, collegiate, and institutional curriculum committee.

The programs affected by the curriculum shift include all engineering courses in the University, such as BS in Civil Engineering, BS in Computer Engineering, BS in Electrical Engineering, BS in Electronics Engineering, BS in Industrial Engineering, BS in Mechanical Engineering, and BS in Sanitary Engineering.

Bridging courses

            Following CMO No. 105 Series of 2017, stating that “All Grade 12 graduates beginning AY 2017-2018 are eligible to enter college regardless of the track or strand taken in the Senior High School,” the University allowed the acceptance of freshmen enrollees regardless of their SHS track.

Vice Chancellor for Academics and Research Dr. Marco Saez clarified that it is upon the discretion of colleges whether bridging courses shall be offered for K to 12 graduates who have a different SHS curriculum track from their academic programs.

As such, CEAT freshmen who graduated with a different SHS strand from the STEM track shall take bridging courses during the summer of their first year for the Mathematics and Science subjects they were unable to take in SHS.

“Kailangan [nilang] mag-summer [during their first year in the University], para makasabay during the second year,” Pineda furthered.