Ever since I had learned about the field of engineering, my favorite aspect has always been its incredibly hands-on nature. Learning concepts and processes in class are essential to understand fundamentals, but it’s applying these concepts where the true growth and learning really occurs… at least in my opinion. To be able to observe concepts taught in class in real-world examples is both exciting and validating as a student and an engineer.
Viterbi’s Emphasis on the Hands-On Experience
At Viterbi, the curriculum promotes an effective balance between hands-on experience and in-class learning. As engineering students, we will all get to experience at LEAST one form of hands-on learning throughout each year of our time at USC. These hands-on experiences will often be linked to the concepts learned in class or important concepts that will be learned further down the road.
The lab components of the science classes like physics and chemistry often a plethora of hands-on experiences for each student. Currently, in my Physics 152 – Electricity and Magnetism class, concepts about circuits and attractive forces that we learn in class are observed in our lab sessions. We build circuits, supply them with power, and see the relationships between components as well as see physical representations of laws and processes that we learn in class. Last year, we did a variety of kinematic-related experiments using a few very complex apparatuses.
A snippet from one of my PHYS 152 experiments where we were observing electron path!
In my chemistry class, the lab component is directly related to topics reviewed in class. Chemistry 105A, or General Chemistry I, is one of the required credits for engineering (or Materials Science) and the experiments done in lab were some of my favorites. Just like physics lab, the experiment is done completely by the students, so you really get the authentic hands-on experience. These experiments included acid-base titration, gravimetric analysis, and more! Organic chemistry is also a higher-level elective for mechanical engineering students which offers more opportunity to gain more hands-on lab experience!
Besides the traditional science classes with lab components, the Viterbi curriculum for mechanical engineers offers a multitude of opportunities to learn by doing specifically related to engineering. In my Introduction to Mechanical Engineering course, we had two projects where students had to brainstorm, build, revise, and finalize their models! These projects were amazing examples of the application of the engineering process and also offered more enjoyable and effective ways to understand what the professor was teaching in class. I am currently a sophomore, but it is widely known that MechOptronics (MechOps) is a really fun (wink wink) engineering class for mechanical engineers in their junior year where the entire class is project based. Students pick a group of peers and work together to construct a project that meets the criteria of what the class is looking for. This class is a true test as to whether the student can properly apply concepts and techniques learned in-class to a semester-long project!
In all, Viterbi’s emphasis on hands-on learning truly proves to be effective in learning and growing as engineers. Nearly every semester—depending on your schedule—offers a few opportunities to put down your pencil or Apple pencil and get your hands “dirty.” It truly is one of the many reasons as to why Viterbi is a one-of-a-kind institution!
