Freshman engineering physics in the foundation coalition at the University of Alabama

For the past two years, the University of Alabama has taught pilot sections of freshman engineering physics as part of the Foundation Coalition (FC) program. The FC is one of several NSF-supported coalitions of colleges and universities which are using innovative methods to improve undergraduate engineering education. In addition to physics, the freshman-year curriculum at UA consists of calculus, chemistry and general engineering studies. Most students also take English composition although it is not a part of the FC curriculum. The emphasis within the FC is on curriculum integration, technology-enabled learning, and human interface development.