Senior Projects

During their senior year, Interdisciplinary Engineering (IDE) cadets take a two-semester design course called Interdisciplinary Engineering Capstone I and II. The focus of these courses is to teach the skills and concepts needed to succeed as officers in the Coast Guard and as engineers. Working with faculty and Coast Guard units, cadets develop a solution that meets the Coast Guard’s needs. Each student is responsible for a particular aspect of the overall project.  Cadets may work with students in other majors, both within engineering and outside engineering, on the same project. 

Classroom discussions cover the engineering design process, including project definition, needs requirements, budgeting and construction scheduling. Faculty members infuse case studies in both Coast Guard and civilian field applications throughout the curriculum, ensuring students understand the practical application of their studies. Cadets take field trips to Coast Guard units to experience jobs they may be assigned to as junior officers.

At the end of each semester, cadets merge their learning from the classroom and lab to deliver a professional report and presentation outlining their results, emphasizing their technical writing and public speaking skills. Some cadets will go on to present their final papers for these projects at national or regional conferences.