Senior Design
Bucknell University College of Engineering students learn by doing, experimenting and interacting with others. These experiences coalesce in senior design, the college's capstone course for all engineering majors in which teams of seniors develop original solutions to authentic engineering challenges provided by real industry, government and nonprofit partners.
Students taking part in senior design work in teams to tackle a challenge drawn from the real world — typically sponsored by an external partner. Project sponsors — who may be small business entrepreneurs, local and state government bodies, nonprofits or multinational corporations — enjoy the technical expertise, fresh perspectives and innovative approaches senior design teams bring to their challenges.
Types of Senior Design
Engineering students can participate in a discipline-specific senior design experience or apply to join an interdisciplinary project with students from across engineering majors.
- Discipline-specific Senior Design projects are undertaken by teams of engineering seniors from a single major, who collaborate to solve a challenge, typically with an external project partner. Discipline-specific senior design experiences last for one semester in chemical engineering and for two semesters in the departments of biomedical engineering, civil & environmental engineering, computer & electrical engineering, computer science & engineering and mechanical engineering.
- Interdisciplinary Senior Design projects involve teams of students from different engineering disciplines whose majors align with the needs of a challenge presented by an external project partner. These projects provide the experience of working on a real-world multidisciplinary engineering team within a company or organization. Students must apply for a spot in the Interdisciplinary Senior Design course. Interdisciplinary Senior Design is a two-semester experience.
What You'll Do
Senior design projects arise from real-world challenges, so each one is different. No matter the project, senior design students have the same opportunities for impactful, focused and unique project-based learning.
- Learn from a diverse group of industry experts.
- Interact and build connections with high-level executives, government and nonprofit leaders, small business entrepreneurs and passionate Bucknell alumni.
- Work with other engineering majors to conceive, develop, test and refine a prototype or process of an original design.
- Present your prototype or process improvement and a written report to your project partner by the end of the academic year.
- Showcase your solution to the University community and project sponsors at the annual Senior Design Expo on campus.
- Deliver a final prototype, plan or improvement to your sponsor and make a real and lasting impact.
