Engineering Communications Minor

College of Engineering

Program Website

Program Description

This minor promotes the core belief that engineering and technical work is more useful, understood, deployed, and engaging when the communication that supports and surrounds it is as carefully crafted as the technical work itself. Within the technical and engineering fields, students will explore the concepts of communicative practice, communication design, communicative context, and professional identity via not only written words but also by the plethora of multimodalities available to the technical expert. Our target population is undergraduates who are skilled in their engineering studies that understand that communication is a core complimentary skill that supports technical endeavors at all levels.

Policies, Eligibility, and Program Requirements

All College of Engineering undergraduates are eligible; students must be affiliated with the College of Engineering in a specific undergraduate major. Pre-approval is required, with an application process to begin. Students intending to earn this minor should seek early guidance (as soon as their sophomore year) by contacting the Director of the Engineering Communications Program. Send an email to engrcomm_info@cornell.edu for more information.

Note: Students undertaking a minor are normally expected to complete the requirements during the time of their continuous undergraduate enrollment at Cornell. Courses at graduate-level (5xxx) cannot be considered for the minor, even via petition. As well, pursuant to an agreement with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS), students will not be permitted to declare both the Engineering Communication Minor and the CALS Science Communication and Public Engagement minor (known as SCoPE or SciComm).

Students must complete the Engineering Communication Minor's 18 minor credits with a minimum GPA of 2.00 (not overall GPA); all courses for the minor must be finished with a letter grade of C or better. For the EC Minor, an application by an interested student begins the process. Each application will be reviewed for its completion plan, a statement of intent, and the student's College of Engineering advisor consent. Forms will be provided by the EC Minor Advisor. A reviewed e-portfolio will be required before the minor is granted.