VAGELOS INTEGRATED PROGRAM IN ENERGY RESEARCH (VIPER) CURRICULUM OVERVIEW Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3 First Semester Recommended VIPER Schedule ............................................................................................ 3 VIPER Contacts .............................................................................................................................................. 4 A checklist for the summer before freshmen year ....................................................................................... 5 A Brief look at the VIPER Curriculum ............................................................................................................ 6 Advance Placement and Advanced Placement Credits ................................................................................ 7 Which Math, Chemistry and Physics courses should you start with? .......................................................... 8 Math Placement........................................................................................................................................ 8 Chemistry Placement ................................................................................................................................ 9 Physics Placement ................................................................................................................................... 10 Appropriate 100-level engineering course for the SEAS major .................................................................. 11 Social Science or Humanities Elective/Writing Course/College Sector/Foundational Approach Course ... 12 The Basics of the Majors ............................................................................................................................. 13 Physics ..................................................................................................................................................... 14 Chemistry ................................................................................................................................................ 15 Biology..................................................................................................................................................... 16 Environmental Science............................................................................................................................ 18 Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE) ....................................................................................... 19 Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) .............................................................................................. 20 Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM) ..................................................................... 21 Electrical Engineering (EE) ...................................................................................................................... 22 Sample Curricula ......................................................................................................................................... 23 Important Notes about Sample Curricula ............................................................................................... 23 Sample Chemistry and CBE VIPER 4 Year Schedule ................................................................................ 24 Sample Physics and Materials Science and Engineering VIPER 4 Year Schedule.................................... 25 Sample Environmental Science and CBE VIPER 4 Year Schedule ............................................................ 26
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A checklist for the summer before freshmen year ....................................................................................... 5
A Brief look at the VIPER Curriculum ............................................................................................................ 6
Advance Placement and Advanced Placement Credits ................................................................................ 7
Which Math, Chemistry and Physics courses should you start with? .......................................................... 8
Math Placement ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Appropriate 100-level engineering course for the SEAS major .................................................................. 11
Social Science or Humanities Elective/Writing Course/College Sector/Foundational Approach Course ... 12
The Basics of the Majors ............................................................................................................................. 13
June View the Freshman Videos and familiarize yourself with the College and SEAS websites.
Set up your PennKey account. The Office of Information Systems and Computing sends incoming freshmen a PennKey set-up code by email if you provided an email address to admissions, and by mail if you did not. If you did not receive this mailing, or if you need further information, see PennKey Set-up Code Service.
Once you have your PennKey, create your School of Arts and Sciences AND School of Engineering and Applied Sciences email address.
Complete the Advising Questionnaire . Use the on-line resources for selecting courses especially courses recommended
for freshmen. Pay particular attention to freshman seminars and writing seminars, and the Course Search and Mock Schedule tool.
View Penn's Advanced Placement Policies.
June 25-
July 20
Advance
Registration
Review the Registration Tutorial. If you have questions about how to register, contact your peer-advisors (see list
below). This is when we will be talking on the phone and/or Skype to discuss your fall
classes. Select potential courses. Identify five primary and several alternate courses you
would like to request during Advance Registration. Enter your requests on Penn InTouch between June 25 and July 20. Your
chances of obtaining the courses you request are the same regardless of when during this period you register.
Tune in to the live advising webcast with the Dean of the College, Dean of Freshmen and faculty and College advisors. See the webpage for dates and times.
August-
September
Check your schedule on Penn InTouch in early August. Let Dr. D. know if there are any issues you need to discuss.
Check the New Student Orientation schedule for College and SEAS activities and events including the Penn Reading Project. I will send out a list of events not to miss for VIPER students in August.
Take Placement exams for Chemistry, Math, and/or Language. (We can discuss this during our phone/Skype advising session.)
Move-in and New Student Orientation
In addition to those above, here are some good reference websites to help you get started thinking
Which Math, Chemistry and Physics courses should you start with? One of the most difficult things to determine before your freshmen year is which Mathematics, Physics
and Chemistry courses to take. Hopefully the information below will help.
Math Placement
Detailed placement information is listed on the Mathematics website:
http://www.math.upenn.edu/ugrad/advising.html
Passing the external Advanced Placement BC Exam administered by the College Entrance
Examination Board with a score of 5 gives credit for Math 104. Lower scores on the BC
Exam receive no course credit. No credit is given for the AB Exam.
Students who plan to enroll in a Math course in their first year at Penn are expected to take the Penn
Math Diagnostic first. This test will guide you in your choice of the appropriate entry course.
To take the diagnostic, go to the website: https://upenn.instructure.com/courses and sign in using your
PennKey and password. You will see a "course" called "Penn Math Diagnostic Group x" where x is a
number between 1 and 9. Click on this to enter the course. You will see a link to the Math Diagnostic
Placement Test and a date by which you are asked to complete it. Follow the instructions, including that
you make sure to take the diagnostic test during an uninterrupted time block. The test is timed for 90
minutes but you may complete it in less time depending on your previous math experiences.
The problems on the diagnostic test cover a broad range of topics and skills. You
should expect to encounter problems that you cannot solve. The idea is to solve
what you can within the timeframe. Remember that the purpose of the test is to
guide you in finding a starting place, not to evaluate your ability to achieve your
math potential.
If you need an extension because you are unavailable during your assigned testing period, please
request an extension by clicking on this link:
http://www.math.upenn.edu/diagnostic-extension
If you encounter any technical trouble, please email [email protected]. For further information
The details, restrictions and policies of the Biology Major are listed online here. Always consult
with your faculty/major advisor.
The Basics:
Introductory biology: Track 1: BIOL 121 with 123 and BIOL 124 (lab course) Track 2: BIOL 101 and BIOL 102 Note: BIOL 091 (assigned for AP credit) does not fulfill requirements in the Biology major.
Two semesters of biology lab requirement:
2 semesters of lab or field experience, normally met by labs associated with introductory courses. (Students with credit for the departmental placement exams, transfer credit, or a waiver for Introductory Biology, see Section 6.) Two cu of chemistry, chosen from the following:
CHEM 101 or 115 with 53 (1.5 cu; first semester of general chemistry) CHEM 102 or 116 with 54 (1.5 cu; second semester of general chemistry) CHEM 241 (1.0 cu; first semester of organic chemistry) CHEM 242 (1.0 cu; second semester of organic chemistry) CHEM 245 (1.0 cu; organic chemistry lab)
Two additional cu of chemistry and/or physics, from the above list and/or the following: PHYS 101 or 150 or 170 (1.5 cu; first semester of introductory physics) PHYS 102 or 151 or 171 (1.5 cu; second semester of introductory physics)
(Students interested in Graduate School are advised to take a full year of both physics and organic chemistry. Premeds should see: www.upenn.edu/careerservices/gradprof/gradprofmain.html)
Two cu of calculus and/or statistics, chosen from the following: MATH 104 MATH 114 or 115 BIOL 446 or STAT 111 or STAT 102
(MATH 115 is recommended for students who do not plan to take further math courses, other than a statistics course. MATH 114 is recommended for students who plan to take additional math courses.)
Intermediate biology courses must be selected from the following groups: Track 1: must take four courses from four different groups Track 2: must take three courses from three different groups
Group 1: BIOL 202 - Cell Biology and Biochemistry Group 2: BIOL 221 - Molecular Biology and Genetics Group 3: BIOL 215 - Vertebrate Physiology or BIOL 231 - Animal Behavior
Group 4: BIOL 230 - Evolution or BIOL 240 - Ecology: from individuals to ecosystems All Biology Majors are strongly encouraged to take BIOL 221, since molecular biology and
genetics play a central role in modern biology. Four additional course units selected from:
Additional BIOL 200-level courses BIOL 300, 400, or 500 level courses (listed in Section 3) BIOL 109 or 140 (see additional restrictions below) Up to 2 courses given in other departments selected from the list in Section 4 and seen
addtional restrictions below) Students are encouraged to seek out advanced courses covering topics of current research interest.
Such courses often have small enrollments. Students will take a total of 16.0 cu to meet the requirements for the major. Most relevant biology courses are 1.0 cu, but BIOL 251 is 1.5 cu and BIOL 476 is a 0.5 cu course.
The details, restrictions and policies of the Environmental Science Major are listed online here.
Always consult with your faculty/major advisor.
The Basics:
ENVS and GEOL Core Courses (2 CU’s): Students must take 2 of the 5 courses below, GEOL100 and/or ENVS 200 is required: ENVS 200: Introduction to Environmental Earth Science (1 CU), GEOL 100: Introduction to Geology (1 CU), ENVS 301: Environmental Case Studies (1 CU), ENVS 400: Environmental Studies Seminar (1 CU), GEOL 103: Natural Disturbances and Human Disasters (1 CU) Math, Physics and Chemistry courses (3 CU’s): Students must take three course units from the following list, with at least one course from two different groups (Math, Physics, Chemistry): (Note that 3CU's is the minimum requirement. More is certainly encouraged, and may be required for admission to graduate school. Please see your advisor for recommendations.) Math: MATH 104: Calculus, Part I (1 CU) , MATH 114: Calculus Part II (1 CU), MATH 115: Calculus Part II with Probability and Matrices (1 CU), STAT 111: Intro Statistics (1 CU) Physics: PHYS 101/150 or 170 and corresponding lab: General Physics I (1.5 CU), PHYS 102/152 or 171 and corresponding lab: General Physics II (1.5 CU), GEOL 420: Introduction to Geophysics (1CU) Chemistry: CHEM 101 or CHEM 001 and corresponding lab: Chemistry I (1.5 CU), CHEM 102 or CHEM 002 and corresponding lab: Chemistry II (1.5 CU), GEOL 418: Geochemistry (1CU) Earth and Environmental Systems Courses (5 CU’s): Students must take five course units from the list of Earth and Environmental Systems Courses (at least 2 CU’s should be 300-level or above and at least 1 CU of the 5 must be ENVS and at least 1CU GEOL): Living Systems Courses (5 CU’s): Students must take the following 4 course units: BIOL 101 Introduction to Biology A lecture and lab (1.5 CU) AND BIOL 102 Introduction to Biology B lecture and lab (1.5) OR BIOL 121 + AP BIOL credit AND BIOL 240: Ecology: from individuals to ecosystems (1 CU) Plus, 1 elective course from the List of Living Systems Courses: Honors distinction in the major. Students will follow the regular Environmental Science curriculum above, and in addition take 2 CU’s from any of the following categories: Earth and Environmental Systems Living Systems Math, Physics and Chemistry Plus, complete a senior thesis while taking the following senior thesis seminars: GEOL 399 Environmental Research Seminar (1CU) and ENVS 498a and b (0.5 CU each; 1.0 CU total)
Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM)
The details, restrictions and policies of the Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics major are
listed online here. Always consult with your faculty/major advisor.
The Basics:
(5.0 CUs) Mathematics Be sure to see also the Mathematics section of the SEAS Undergraduate Handbook
(1.0) MATH 104-007 Calculus I (1.0) MATH 114 Calculus II (1.0) MATH 240 Calculus III (1.0) MATH 241 Calculus IV or ENM 251 Analytical Methods for Engineering (1.0) Additional Math Course (5.0 CUs) Natural Science
Be sure to see also the Natural Science section of the SEAS Undergraduate Handbook (1.0) MEAM 110 Introduction to Mechanics (0.5) MEAM 147 Introduction to Mechanics Lab (1.5) PHYS 151 Principles of Physics II (1.0) CHEM 101 General Chemistry I (0.5) CHEM 053 General Chemistry Laboratory I (0.5-1.0) Additional Natural Science Course (10.0) Core MEAM (1.0) MEAM 203 Thermodynamics - Spring (1.0) MEAM 210 Statics and
Strength of Materials - Fall (1.0) MEAM 211 Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics - Spring (0.5) MEAM 247 MEAM Lab I - Fall (0.5) MEAM 248 MEAM Lab I - Spring (1.0) MEAM 302 Fluid Mechanics - Fall (1.0) MEAM 321 Vibrations of Mechanical Systems - Fall (1.0) MEAM 333 Heat and Mass Transfer - Spring (1.0) MEAM 347 Mechanical Engineering Design Lab - Fall (1.0) MEAM 348 Mechanical Engineering Design Lab - Spring (1.0) MEAM 354 Mechanics of Solids - Spring (10.0) Professional Electives
Maximum of three 100-level courses in this section (including programming course) (1.0) EAS 105 Intro to Scientific Computing (1.0) MEAM 445 Mechanical Engineering Design Projects - Fall (1.0) MEAM 446 Mechanical
Engineering Design Projects - Spring (3.0) MEAM Upper-Level Electives (4.0) General Professional Electives (7.0) GENERAL ELECTIVES
Depth requirement - Two general electives (below) must be taken in the same department (e.g., two Music courses).
Writing requirement - One general elective (below) must be a Writing course. (2.0) Social Science electives (2.0) Humanities electives (1.0) Social Science or Humanities
elective (2.0) Social Science, Humanities or Technology, Business and Societies electives (3.0) FREE ELECTIVES (3.0) Free electives - Every course at Penn is considered a Free Elective except those on this list.
The details, restrictions and policies of the Electrical Engineering Major are listed online here.
Always consult with your faculty/major advisor.
The Basics:
EE suggests EE freshmen take EE111 and CIS110 in first year.
Electrical Engineering students are required to take:
MATH 104, MATH 114, MATH 240
ESE 301 or STAT 430 or MATH 430
1 Mathematics Elective
Natural Sciences: 5.5 CU
PHYS 150 or PHYS 170
PHYS 151 or PHYS 171
CHEM 101/053 or BIOL 101 or BIOL 121 1 Elective: Mathematics or Natural Science
Engineering : 14 CU
CSE 110, ESE 210, ESE 215/205, ESE 216/206, ESE 450, ESE 451 A: Circuits and Architecture course: Choose 1 from 170/171, 319, 350, 419, or 570 B: RF, Photonics and Devices course: Choose 1 from 218, 310, 460, 509, 511, 521, 525, or 529 C: Signals, Communication and Control course: Choose 1 from 250, 303, 304, 313, 325, 404, 406, 408, 500, 531 or 539 2 Electives from lists A, B or C above Specialization Electives: Choose 2 ESE courses1
Technical Electives: 6 CU
5 Mathematics, Natural Science or Engineering Electives
1 Engineering Elective
Social Science and Humanities: 7 CU:
2 Social Science Electives
2 Humanities Electives
1 Social Science or Humanities Elective
2 Social Science or Humanities or Technology in Business and Society Electives
Free Electives: 3 CU 3 courses meeting the requirements for Free Electives
Sample Physics & Mechanical Eng. and Apld. Mechanics VIPER 4 Year Schedule
Freshmen Fall Freshmen Spring
CHEM 115 (Sector VI/QDA) Honors Chemistry I
CHEM 116 Honors Chemistry II
MATH 114 (Formal Reasoning) Calculus II
MATH 240 Calculus III
PHYS 150 Principles of Physics I PHYS 151 Principles of Physics II MEAM 110/147 Intro to Mechanics & Lab VIPR120 Seminar A (Sector VII) VIPER
Research Seminar
Writing Requirement/ HSS elective EAS 105 Intro to Sci Comp and/or MEAM 101 Intro to Mech Design
Sector I/HSS elective
Sophomore Fall Sophomore Spring MEAM 210 Stats & Strengths of Materials MEAM 203 Thermodynamics I MEAM 247 Mech. Engineering Lab I MEAM 211 Eng. Mechanics: Dynamics Energy Course I PHYS250 Physics Priciples IV: Modern
Physics
CD-Cultural Div in US/HSS elective Sector IV/HSS elective/CCA
VIPR121 Seminar B (Sector VII) VIPER Research Seminar
MEAM 248 Mech Engineering Lab I
MATH 241 Calculus IV Independent Research
PHYS230 Physics Priciples III
Junior Fall Junior Spring MEAM 302 Fluid Mechanics MEAM 333 Heat & Mass Transfer MEAM 321 Vibrations MEAM 354 Mechanics of Solids MEAM 347 Mech Eng Design Lab MEAM 348 Mech Eng Design Lab PHYS361 Electromagnetism I PHYS362 Electromagnetism II