2025-2026 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Seymour and Esther Padnos College of Engineering (PCE)
About the College
PCE Administration
Dean: Adebayo Ogundipe
Associate Dean: Tim Born
Associate Dean: Lindsay Corneal
Assistant Dean: Mary VanPopering
Website
The Padnos Legacy
Grand Valley State University has named the Padnos College of Engineering in honor of Seymour and Esther Padnos to recognize their commitment to creating an environment where students and faculty can reach their full potential in the fields of engineering and occupational safety and health. It is the aim of the university to inspire these future professionals to live up to the personal and professional ideals of the Padnos family.
Mission
The mission of the Seymour and Esther Padnos College of Engineering is to prepare undergraduate and graduate students in engineering and occupational safety and health to become accomplished professionals; to contribute to our professions through active scholarship in all of its forms; and to support the university and society with expertise, leadership, and service.
To achieve our mission, we
- prepare students to compete in today's global economy by emphasizing experiential learning in a contemporary technical environment;
- prepare students for the future by emphasizing sound principles;
- emphasize a strong technical background enhanced by effective communication skills;
- provide working professionals with the opportunity for continuous professional development;
- imbue students with a strong sense of "the public good" and their own professional responsibility to the public good; and
- strive to be an example and an inspiration to develop competence, courage, and compassion with unquestioned integrity.
Experiential Learning
The Padnos College of Engineering is committed to the role of experiential learning in preparing professionals for careers in engineering and occupational safety and health management. All students completing undergraduate degrees in engineering complete the integrated cooperative education program. All students completing undergraduate degrees in occupational safety and health management complete the integrated internship program. All students completing undergraduate degrees in technology project management complete the integrated internship program. Internship opportunities are available, but not required, of students in the Master of Science in engineering program.
Program Information
The college offers undergraduate programs in biomedical engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, interdisciplinary engineering, mechanical engineering, occupational safety and health management, and product design and manufacturing engineering. Master's degree programs are offered in biomedical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, manufacturing operations, mechanical engineering, and product design and manufacturing engineering.
The college also provides courses in support of non-engineering students through minor programs in biomedical engineering, computer science, computer engineering, engineering science, and occupational safety and health management, as well as general education and service course offerings.
Specific information on admission, curriculum, and graduation requirements can be found in each program section.
Academic Units
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: gvsu.edu/ece
Department of Integrated Engineering: gvsu.edu/ieg
Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering: gvsu.edu/mme
Program Descriptions
Admission
Secondary Admission for Undergraduates
All engineering and occupational safety and health management programs require secondary admission as described in their specific academic program information.
Graduate Admission
See appropriate academic program description for information on graduate admission.
Accreditation
- The Biomedical Engineering Major is accredited under the General Criteria and the Bioengineering, Biomedical, and Similarly Named Engineering Programs Program Criteria by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 415 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Telephone: (410) 347-7700, www.abet.org.
- The Computer Engineering Major is accredited under the General Criteria and Computer Engineering Criteria by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 415 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Telephone: (410) 347-7700, www.abet.org.
- The Electrical Engineering Major is accredited under the General Criteria and Electrical Engineering Criteria by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 415 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Telephone: (410) 347-7700, www.abet.org.
- The Interdisciplinary Engineering Major is accredited under the General Criteria by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 415 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Telephone (410) 347-7700, www.abet.org.
- The Mechanical Engineering Major is accredited under the General Criteria and Mechanical Engineering Criteria by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 415 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Telephone: (410) 347-7700, www.abet.org.
- The Occupational Safety and Health Management Major is accredited under the General Criteria and Safety Criteria by the Applied and Natural Sciences Accreditation Commission of ABET, 415 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Telephone (410) 347-7700, www.abet.org.
- The Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering Major is accredited under the General Criteria and Manufacturing Engineering Criteria by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 415 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Telephone (410) 347-7700, www.abet.org.
Student Services
Scholarships
The Padnos College of Engineering offers an extensive list of scholarships to students. Our Scholarship Opportunities page provides a full list of scholarships with descriptions. Please visit myScholarships for a comprehensive list of GVSU and PCE scholarships.
Graduate Fellowships and Assistantships
Qualified full-time fellowship and assistantship candidates are selected on the basis of aptitude, interest, and background.
Industry graduate fellows gain practical experience by working closely with a local company to solve practical problems related to the chosen area of graduate study.
Graduate assistants work with appropriate school faculty and staff members. Graduate assistant positions are available to assist in the Padnos College of Engineering with teaching, research, writing, data collection and analysis, and student services.
Graduate assistantships are typically available in support of the following areas:
- Engineering
- FIRST Robotics
- K-12 outreach
- PCE advising
Advising
Academic advising, including first year and transfer orientations, major selection, meeting secondary admission requirements, career direction, and course scheduling, is provided by the professional staff of the advising center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. Advisors work primarily with presecondary admission undergraduate students. Inquiries from prospective students are welcome. See gvsu.edu/pce/advising for additional information.
K-12 outreach strives to attract the next generation of students to the engineering and occupational safety and health professions. Staff direct summer camps, provide building tours to prospective students, and support curricular and co-curricular activities for students both at Grand Valley and in schools. See gvsu.edu/pce/outreach for more information.
Professional Society Student Chapters
ASME - American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASSP - American Society of Safety Professionals
IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
NSBE - National Society of Black Engineers
SAE - Society of Automotive Engineers
SHPE - Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
SME - Society of Manufacturing Engineers
SWE - Society of Women Engineers
Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honors Society
Casting Club
Engineers for Accessibility
FIRST Alumni Network of GVSU
GVSU Solar Racing Team
Laker Racing (Formula SAE)
Professional Association of Graduate Engineering Students
Student Academic Supports
The Padnos College of Engineering provides numerous student academic supports. These include:
- Padnos College of Engineering Advising Center
- Drop-in tutoring
- Structure Learning Assistance course sections
- Peer Assisted Learning course sections
- Women in Science and Engineering Living-Learning Community
- Engineering Living-Learning Community
Advisory Boards
The advisory boards for the Padnos College of Engineering and each academic program are composed of the dean and many leaders from local, national, and international companies, who serve to create and sustain an active partnership between the college, programs, and industry. The boards provide advice concerning goals, curriculum, and other matters that strengthen the student experience. The advisory boards also work to strengthen the partnerships that benefit industry and the broader community.