So you are interested in pursuing an engineering degree in college – that’s great! In order to be well prepared to start an engineering degree, you should take the most challenging courses possible in math and sciences offered at your high school. This usually means having taken calculus by your senior year of high school. To accomplish this will take some planning, such as having taken algebra before high school and geometry early on in high school.

If you didn’t quite make it into the higher math and science classes in high school, Red Rocks Community College can help. We offer courses to prepare you for Calculus I such as College Algebra, Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus. Talk to an advisor today to begin your engineering transfer degree!

Suggested High School Courses

There are no set courses you have to take in high school in order to become an engineer.  These are merely some suggestions for courses you can take in order to pursue engineering in college.  Here are some high school courses that will help you get started on an engineering path.

English – four years.  Engineers need very good communication skills in order to work on teams, give presentations, and interact with clients.

Math – four years.  Math is needed for solving problems in engineering.  Take as many rigorous math courses as you can at your high school.

Sciences – at least three courses in chemistry, biology, and physics.
Engineering Technology:  Most high schools offer an introduction to engineering course. Through this course you learn about how engineers design, plan and build projects. This is a great way to decide whether you want to be an engineer.

Social Studies – two-years.  Engineers solve problems in complex political, social, and economic contexts. Having an understanding of local and global challenges will make you a better engineer.

Foreign Language – two years.  Engineers travel abroad, especially when the projects they work on require interacting with industries and research centers from around the globe. Understanding at least one foreign language can help develop an awareness of cross-cultural communication, an important skill for today’s workforce.

More information for high school students who would like to attend RRCC can be found here.