Engineering Design Minor FAQsHow do I declare the Engineering Design Minor? (New remote submission instructions)

• 1) Fill out the Undergraduate Declaration and Change of Major Form, available to you via ESTHER. If you desire to additionally declare a minor (or a UG university certificate), you can do so via the Declaration of Minor Form (or the Declaration of UG University Certificate Form).  Instead of printing them out, you can save electronic PDF versions.  

• 2) We recommend that you then send an electronic copy of your Declaration Form to your advisor with a cc to registrar@rice.edu.  You may also upload the form to our Virtual Front Desk at: https://registrar.rice.edu

• 3) Please encourage the Major, Minor or Certificate Advisor to simply e-mail registrar@rice.edu with their approval. (Their e-mail needs to come from their official Rice e-mail address.). We will match the approving Advisor e-mail to the submitted Declaration Form and then update the student’s records. With questions, please feel free to contact us at registrar@rice.edu

How do I get on the EDES list to receive updates and notices? Fill out the EDES Information Form.  We will use this list to send email updates occasionally. We pledge not to send too many emails to this group. Signing up on this form DOES NOT officially register you for the minor.

How should I prepare for the advising session? Please review the courses that are required for the minor (above). There will be a form to fill out to list the course you have taken and you can discuss any special circumstances with the advisor. We do not expect the session to take long but it is important to do this each semester to be sure you are on track.

When can I declare the Engineering Design (EDES) minor? At the advising session, bring the paperwork (described below) to get signed by the faculty advisor. Be sure to keep a copy of the form for yourself in case the registrar’s office loses it. We will also keep a copy for our records. 

What is the procedure for proposing substitution of BIOE 392 for ENGI 350 for the EDES Minor?

Who: All who have/will take BIOE 392 may receive credit for ENGI 350 if, they submit documentation of design transfer or implementation for a design project that was completed as part of a course or internship.

The technical memo should address and demonstrate your experience in transfer or implementation of a design solution. The memo should describe the project, including the project goals and a brief description of the prototype/solution. Then the memo should describe in detail two of the following steps that have been taken with this project and your role in creating/completing those steps. In an appendix include additional documentation with supporting evidence of the two steps (e.g. patent application, charts/graphs of testing, user manuals, etc.). It should be clear that this is not an additional assignment or task, but a documentation of tasks that were completed and evaluated as part of a class or internship. Clarifying questions should be directed to Dr. Hunter at hunterd@rice.edu. Submitted materials will be reviewed by the EDES Minor faculty advisory board who will make the decision for substitution approval.

1. Testing (description of the test design, test results, and analysis)

2. Cost analysis or economics for manufacture (bill of materials, quotes for manufacture/assembly)

3. Intellectual property analysis (compelling feature, patent search, provisional patent application, invention disclosure)

4. Refined Design for Manufacture (technical drawings, spec sheet, assembly instructions)

5. Safety & Failure analysis (safety manual, regulations/standards, hazard analysis)

6. Manuals (user, maintenance, etc.)

Rice University Distinction in Research and Creative Works

Students who spend considerable amounts of time at the OEDK often participate in activities that go above and beyond the standard set of course requirements for their undergraduate degrees. Examples include but are not limited to extensive and continuous participation in club activities resulting in field work or competitions (e.g., Eclipse, Engineers Without Borders, Electric Car, Design for America); undergraduate research experiences at Rice or at other universities that result in presentations (oral, poster) and/or publications in conference proceedings or in journals; creative endeavors or commercial realization resulting in patents or start-up companies; capstone design projects that extend beyond the academic year for additional testing, validation or delivery requirements imposed by the customer; or similar activities that demonstrate extended and continuous commitment to creative or research endeavors that are not within the scope of degree requirements.

Distinction in Research and Creative Works is a university award for these select undergraduates, granted at commencement, which appears on the transcript and diploma. Students must apply to be considered for the award, and the application must be supported by a letter from a faculty member. The student must provide evidence of the research or creative work via electronic format (documents, slides from presentations, copies of publications or patents, or videos documenting efforts). It must be clear that the student engaged in a prolonged and continuous effort that resulted in the showcased output.

Students must declare their intent for the distinction, and submit the application materials including a support letter from a faculty member plus a copy of the creative work (publication, patent, poster, presentation) in electronic form by April 28, 2020.

A link to the application is HERE.