미국의 공학교육

Abstract

The objective of this paper is not to present a comprehensive overview of the structure and process of engineering education in the US, but focus on those elements that illuminate the similarities and differences with respect to Korean engineering education. For example, the American engineering education is depicted as being comprised of three eras encompassing a century -- the curricular reform in the early 1900's, the strengthening of research capability and graduate programs post wwⅡ and Sputnik, and the current focus on educational experience with the arrival of knowledge society. This contrasts well with Korean engineering education in which the elements of all three eras seem to be compressed in just one short decade. Additional differences exist in that US engineering colleges mostly belong to research universities and engineering students represent less than five percent of all students, whereas in Korea most universities operate engineering colleges and one in four students are pursuing engineering. Similarities do exist, especially in curriculum, accreditation process and criteria, and teaching methodology. However, this paper points out that the key difference may lie in an intangible human element. In the US, a substantial number of students pursue engineering not merely for job security but as lifelong interest, faculty not just teach but practice engineering, and engineers are concerned not only with the business at hand but with the preparation of next generation of engineers as well. For Korea to advance further, it is imperative for Korean engineering community to actively recruit people whose hearts, in addition to brains, are fully engaged in engineering.