Associate in Engineering Science (A.E.S.) Degree #1775

Degree Requirements for Associate in Engineering Science (A.E.S.)

The following sections list the program requirements to earn an Associate in Engineering Science degree at Rock Valley College. This degree is designed to provide graduates a smooth transition to a four-year baccalaureate engineering degree program. Students who complete the A.E.S. degree can transfer to an engineering program and complete a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in an additional two years of full-time study. However, this depends strongly on the requirements of the four-year institution. 

Find out more about NIU's 2+2 Plan (2 years at RVC, 2 years at NIU)

Who can help me discuss my options?

The student should identify his/her engineering major and target institution as soon as possible. The RVC Engineering Department (815) 921-3101 would be happy to discuss your decision, choices, and most effective options. Students who are unsure of a major in engineering may wish to pursue an Associate in Science (A.S.) degree. Although students completing an A.S. degree can complete all of the general education requirements at Rock Valley College, they may be required by the program prerequisites at the transfer school to take three years to complete the baccalaureate engineering program.
 

College Requirements

General Education Requirements

The completion of the A.E.S. degree does not fulfill all general requirements of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) General Education Core Curriculum. Consequently, students must complete the remainder of their general education requirements at the institution to which they transfer. Given the rigor associated with most four-year engineering programs, this helps to provide students with more balanced semester course loads during their junior and senior years.

(A.E.S.) General Education Core: 22 credits
NOTE: The Associate in Engineering Science (A.E.S.) requires 22 general education credits. Students will also need to complete general education credits at the transfer institution.

A.E.S. Communications: 9 credits

• ENG 101 - Composition I – 3 Credits
• ENG 103 - Composition II – 3 Credits
• SPH 131 - Fundamentals of Communication – 3 Credits
  

A.E.S. Social & Behavioral Sciences/Humanities & Fine Arts: 9 credits
Students are encouraged to complete a two-course sequence in either the Social and Behavioral Sciences or the Humanities and Fine Arts categories.

Students who plan on majoring in Industrial Engineering are required to take:
ECO 111- Principles of Economics: Micro (IAI: S3 902) . 

ECO 111 is permissible, but not required, for all other engineering majors.

Please note: Students are required to select one course that emphasizes non-Western cultures.

A.E.S. Physical Science: 4 credits

• CHM 101 – General Inorganic Chemistry – 4 Credits

A.E.S. Engineering Specialty Courses: 32 Credits
The following courses are required for all students seeking the A.E.S. degree, regardless of the specific major branch of engineering desired:

A.E.S. Calculus-based Physics: 10 credits

• PHY 215 – Mechanics, Wave Motion, and Thermodynamics - 5 Credits
• PHY 225 – Electricity, Magnetism, Light, and Modern Physics – 5 Credits
  

A.E.S. Mathematics: 20 credits

• MTH 135 - Calculus with Analytic Geometry I - 5 Credits
• MTH 235 - Calculus with Analytic Geometry II - 4 Credits
• MTH 236 - Calculus with Analytic Geometry III - 4 Credits
• MTH 240 – Differential Equations - 3 Credits
• MTH 164 – The Computer in Mathematics, C/C++ - 4 Credits
  

A.E.S. Engineering & Technology: 2 credits

• EGR 101 – Introduction to Engineering - 2 Credits

A.E.S. Engineering Electives: 11 – 13 Credits
The selection of the appropriate elective engineering courses to meet this requirement will depend on the student’s desired major/engineering discipline and the specific requirements of the intended transfer institution. Electives should be determined in consultation with an engineering advisor.

The abbreviations given below indicate the primary engineering disciplines from which the students may select a major field; the elective courses listed below appropriate to that discipline are marked with this abbreviation.

• Civil Engineering (CE) - 13 credits
• Electrical/Computer Engineering (EE) – 11 credits
• Industrial Engineering (IE) – 12 credits
• Chemical Engineering (ChE) – 12 credits
• Mechanical Engineering (ME) – 13 credits