An English 101 or Technical Writing/Communication or equivalent is a mandatory requirement for a Canadian engineering program to be accredited. That requirement was added when I was in undergrad and I agree whole-heartedly with it.
I've been pretty heavily influenced by professors who viewed engineering less as technical skills and more as "a way of thinking" [about problems]. They believed that technical competence (which becomes obsolete quickly) was necessary but not enough. They believed that an engineer had to have a broader perspective and ethical/philosophical orientation so that they could apply engineering thought processes to multidisciplinary problems and make a difference in the world. Given I was reading "The Existential Pleasures of Engineering" (by Samuel C. Florman) for pleasure then... it wasn't hard to get me to buy into this world view.
Some of my classmates disagreed and acted like their souls had been pierced with flaming bamboo splinters by being forced to learn something with no practical value. I understand some of their objections. Written communications courses were *additional* requirements on top of all the other requirements... and we already had schedules that excluded sleep.
no subject
I've been pretty heavily influenced by professors who viewed engineering less as technical skills and more as "a way of thinking" [about problems]. They believed that technical competence (which becomes obsolete quickly) was necessary but not enough. They believed that an engineer had to have a broader perspective and ethical/philosophical orientation so that they could apply engineering thought processes to multidisciplinary problems and make a difference in the world. Given I was reading "The Existential Pleasures of Engineering" (by Samuel C. Florman) for pleasure then... it wasn't hard to get me to buy into this world view.
Some of my classmates disagreed and acted like their souls had been pierced with flaming bamboo splinters by being forced to learn something with no practical value. I understand some of their objections. Written communications courses were *additional* requirements on top of all the other requirements... and we already had schedules that excluded sleep.