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This archived information is dated to the 2008-09 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Individually Designed Majors in Engineering (IDMENS)

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School of Engineering Majors

The B.S. degree for IDMENs is intended for undergraduates interested in pursuing engineering programs that, by virtue of their focus and intellectual content, cannot be accommodated by existing departmental majors or the pre-approved School of Engineering majors. IDMEN curricula are designed by students with the assistance of two faculty advisers of their choice and are submitted to the Undergraduate Council's Subcommittee on Individually Designed Majors. The degree conferred is "Bachelor of Science in Individually Designed Major in Engineering: (approved title)."

Students must submit written proposals to the IDMEN subcommittee detailing their course of study. Programs must meet the following requirements: mathematics (21 unit minimum, see Basic Requirement 1 below), science (17 units minimum, see Basic Requirement 2 below), Technology in Society (one approved course, see Basic Requirement 4 below), engineering (40 units minimum), and sufficient relevant additional course work to bring the total number of units to at least 90 and at most 107. Students may take additional courses pertinent to their IDMEN major, but the IDMEN proposal itself may not exceed 107 units. The student's curriculum must include at least three Engineering Fundamentals courses (choosing from ENGR 10, 14, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50/50M, 60, 62, 70A, 70B, 70X). Students are responsible for completing the prerequisites for all courses included in their majors.

Each proposal should begin with a statement describing the proposed major. In the statement, the student should make clear the motivation for and goal of the major, and indicate how it relates to her or his projected career plans. The statement should specify how the courses to be taken relate to and move the student toward realizing the major's goal. A proposed title for the major should be included. The title approved by the IDMEN Subcommittee is listed on the student's official University transcript.

The proposal statement should be followed by a completed Program Sheet listing all the courses comprising the student's IDMEN curriculum, organized by the five categories printed on the sheet (mathematics, science, technology in society, additional courses, and engineering depth). Normally, the courses selected should comprise a well-coordinated sequence or sequences that provide mastery of important principles and techniques in a well-defined field. In some circumstances, especially if the proposal indicates that the goal of the major is to prepare the student for graduate work outside of engineering, a more general engineering program may be appropriate. A four-year study plan, showing courses to be taken each quarter, should also be included in the student's IDMEN proposal.

The proposal must be signed by two faculty members who certify that they endorse the major as described in the proposal and that they agree to serve as the student's permanent advisers. One of the faculty members, who must be from the School of Engineering, acts as the student's primary adviser. The proposal must be accompanied by a statement from that person giving an appraisal of the academic value and viability of the proposed major.

Students proposing IDMENs must have at least four quarters of undergraduate work remaining at Stanford after the quarter in which their proposals are first submitted. Any changes in a previously approved major must be endorsed by the advisers and re-approved by the IDMEN subcommittee. A request by a student to make changes in her or his approved curriculum must be made sufficiently far in advance so that, should the request be denied, adequate time remains to complete the original, approved curriculum. Proposals are reviewed and acted upon once a quarter. Forms may be obtained from the Handbook for Undergraduate Engineering Programs at http://ughb.stanford.edu. Completed proposals should be submitted to Darlene Lazar in the Office of Student Affairs, Terman 201. An IDMEN cannot be a student's secondary major.

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