About the Course

Principles of Engineering Design

Humanity’s unending quest to find the most efficient and cost-effective means to make life better has created engineering marvels—from the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, to the world’s fastest commercial train, the Shanghai Maglev. In this course, you and your classmates will work primarily in teams to solve real-world and simulated engineering problems. You’ll use mathematical knowledge, scientific thinking, and engineering design skills while analyzing how composite materials are used to make modern vehicles lighter and stronger; how innovations in energy technology make electric vehicles more efficient and viable; and how bridges are made to withstand extreme stress and wind pressure. You’ll design, construct, and test your own working models and prototypes of amphibious vehicles, solar-powered cars, bridges, or skyscrapers. As part of the engineering design process, you’ll weigh economic and ethical considerations along with technological ones and submit written technical reports, and leave the class with a broader view of the field of engineering and the day-to-day work of engineers. 

Typical Class Size: 18-20
 

Learning Objectives

Summer Dates & Locations

Registration deadline:

Session One

Roger Williams University
Bristol, Rhode Island
-
Residential cost: $6,599
Commuter cost: $5,799
Additional fees: $145
Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
-
Residential cost: $6,599
Commuter cost: $5,799
Additional fees: $145
Ursinus College
Collegeville, Pennsylvania
-
Residential cost: $6,599
Commuter cost: $5,799
Additional fees: $145
The Johns Hopkins University
-
Residential cost: $6,819
Commuter cost: $5,999
Additional fees: $145
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California
-
Residential cost: $6,819
Commuter cost: $5,999
Additional fees: $145
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York
-
Residential cost: $6,599
Commuter cost: $5,799
Additional fees: $145
University of California Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
-
Residential cost: $6,819
Commuter cost: $5,999
Additional fees: $145

Session Two

Roger Williams University
Bristol, Rhode Island
-
Residential cost: $6,599
Commuter cost: $5,799
Additional fees: $145
Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
-
Residential cost: $6,599
Commuter cost: $5,799
Additional fees: $145
Ursinus College
Collegeville, Pennsylvania
-
Residential cost: $6,599
Commuter cost: $5,799
Additional fees: $145
The Johns Hopkins University
-
Residential cost: $6,819
Commuter cost: $5,999
Additional fees: $145
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California
-
Residential cost: $6,819
Commuter cost: $5,999
Additional fees: $145
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York
-
Residential cost: $6,599
Commuter cost: $5,799
Additional fees: $145
University of California Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
-
Residential cost: $6,819
Commuter cost: $5,999
Additional fees: $145

Testing and Prerequisites

  Math Verbal
Required Level CTY-Level Not required
Check your eligibility using existing test scores If you do not have existing test scores:

Students must achieve qualifying scores on an advanced assessment to be eligible for CTY programs. If you don’t have qualifying scores, you have several different testing options. We’ll help you find the right option for your situation.

Sign up for Testing Learn More

Cost and Financial Aid

  • Tuition
    • Varies
  • Application fee
    • Nonrefundable Application Fee - $50 (Waived for financial aid applicants)
    • Nonrefundable International Fee - $250 (outside US only)

Financial Aid

We have concluded our financial aid application review process for 2024 On-Campus Programs. We encourage those who may need assistance in the future to apply for aid as early as possible.

Learn More

Course Materials

Students should bring basic school supplies like pens, notebooks, and folders to their summer program. You will be notified of any additional items needed before the course begins. All other materials will be provided by CTY.
 

Course Extras (Lab fee info, etc): Lab and field trip fee: $145

Sample Reading

These titles have been featured in past sessions of the course, and may be included this summer. CTY provides students with all texts; no purchase is required.

  • Engineering Design: An Introduction, John R. Karsnitz, Stephen O'Brien, and John P. Hutchinson
  • The Essential Cosmic Perspective, Jeffrey O. Bennett, Megan O. Donahue, Nicholas Schneider, Mark Voit

About Science and Engineering at CTY

Explore space and our planet

In our Introduction to Astronomy course, we’ll visit a nearby observatory or planetarium, see what the cosmos looks like through various spectra, and immerse ourselves in the science and technology that bring the universe closer to home. In Marine Ecology, we’ll visit local wetlands and tidepools, observe flora and fauna, collect water samples and analyze them for clues about their health and humans’ impact. And in The Global Environment, we will explore the human impact on our environment and generate proposals for addressing climate change.

Bond over chemistry

Our chemistry courses help you see the world differently, starting at the atomic level. The Edible World gives budding chefs and science lovers a glimpse into the chemical reactions that happen when we make food, and the chemical makeup of meals and treats we eat every day. In our Crystals and Polymers course, we’ll synthesize slime, grow rock candy, and isolate strawberry DNA to learn about the molecular structure of naturally occurring gems and human-produced plastics. In Chemistry in Society, we'll consider how the chemicals in products can both enhance and degrade the world around us; produce biodiesel in a lab to understand alternative fuels; and prepare aspirin to learn about the healing and toxic properties of pharmaceuticals.

Meet our instructors and staff