Acoustics in an undergraduate engineering curriculum

Abstract

The current status of acoustics in typical undergraduate engineering curricula, difficulties associated with increasing the exposure of undergraduate engineering students to acoustics, and strategies for doing so are discussed. Engineering undergraduates are often exposed to selected acoustical topics in an introductory physics course. Most undergraduate engineering curricula do not require formal coursework in acoustics. As a result, typical exposure to acoustical topics occurs either in elective courses that are devoted primarily to acoustics or in required courses such as vibrations or fluid mechanics where acoustics is of secondary importance. Typically, only a small percentage of engineering undergraduates select acoustics courses as electives. A practical strategy for increasing students' exposure to acoustical topics is to make appropriate elective courses available and attractive. In addition to conventional methods for making electives attractive to students and advisers, acoustics courses can be attractive from an engineering accreditation point of view. The potential for design project work, computational work, laboratory experience, and increased basic science background is present in all acoustics courses.