Welcome to the IMPULSE program, a learning community that combines an integrated curriculum with active collaborative learning, teamwork, and the latest technology.

This innovative and successful program at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth was developed under an NSF grant in collabortation with eight other universities across the United States. Together these universities have shown that an integrated curriculum helps students gain skills needed to succeed as engineering majors and later in their careers. This program has helped to improve retention rates, and can raise test scores and GPAs.

Freshmen in the IMPULSE program take three courses: engineering, physics, and calculus. Although students in most first-year engineering programs will also take these courses, the IMPULSE program is different. Here, students must apply their newly-learned skills in a cross-functional manner. For example, the engineering professor will ask students to use physics and calculus for a design project.

Active Collaborative Learning

Class structure is a second important difference between the IMPULSE curriculum and a traditional first-year engineering program. Instead of relying solely on lectures, professors ask students to work together. They perform experiments, ask and answer questions, solve problems, debate and brainstorm. All students are expected to take an active role in the class.

Working as a Team

As a member of the IMPULSE program, each student becomes a team member. Teams are assigned and changed at the discretion of the instructors, giving students an opportunity to meet and work with new people. Each student is immersed in the "team ethic", and the entire team is responsible for ensuring each member contributes and learns.

From each student, the team expects:

• Support
• Commitment
• Motivation
• Cooperation
• Collaboration
• Teamwork
• Individual Accountability
• Constructive Criticism

Of course, each student expects these from their colleagues as well. Many assignments are graded individually, but some are graded on team productivity.

Teamwork Has Many Benefits

Student team members:

• Form a network of friends and colleagues
• Develop communication skills
• Learn to work with those whose ideas and skills differ from their own
• Learn from teammates in a supportive environment

These are important for the student as a student, and also as a young engineer. Employers consider team skills a valuable asset, and most professional environments will require employees to work in teams.

The Latest Technology

A special classroom, reserved specifically for this program, is equipped with the newest engineering workstations having the latest math, physics, and engineering software.

Students use these computers, along with additional equipment to conduct experiments, collect data, and analyze the results to solve problems. These networked computers allow students to easily and quickly share information.

The Faculty

Just as the students work in teams, the faculty will also be a team. The faculty works together delivering a multi-disciplinary curriculum that helps students succeed as engineering majors. Each student is assigned a faculty advisor from the IMPULSE team, but students having difficulty are encouraged to approach any instructor.