Summer TRACK (Teaching Research and Career Knowledge)

Summer Track

Summer TRACK (Teaching Research and Career Knowledge) assists students who want to take summer courses in starting their second year “on track” in the engineering curriculum. Participants may take Introductory Mechanics (PHYS 141) and Calculus II (MATH 129) together with a small group of peers, similar to Catapult. Students also take a Career Development course together to learn about professional competencies while previewing prospective employers in industry.

“One of the things I liked about the Summer TRACK program was that I was able to build a community while studying. Being involved in Summer TRACK was very helpful as I was able to take the core engineering classes I needed, all while creating a new community of friends who were there to help and support each other. Although taking these summer classes together could be difficult at times, it was fun to struggle and solve homework problems together. Even today I still stay in contact with some of our cohort. I don’t think I would still be in engineering without the Summer TRACK program, the friends I was able to make, the amazing research opportunities I have been provided, and [the staff’s] unwavering support.”

– Jennifer Galvan-Garcia, Summer TRACK 2021, Software Engineering

Linked Courses: Students in Summer TRACK take a physics and/or a math class with a small group of peers over the summer between their first and second year.

Career Development Course:

Students spend the afternoons learning from engineers in industry about their jobs and how they developed professional skillsets. Summer TRACK completers report having a stronger understanding of the career they want to pursue. The Career Development Course has three tracks based on discipline-specific career interests.

Computer and Hardware Systems: Careers with a strong integration of electrical, computer, and software systems are emphasized through visits to IBM, Garmin, and other companies that focus on emerging technologies.

Infrastructure and Spatial Engineering: Construction, utility management, and mining operations are the focus of the Infrastructure and Spatial Engineering track through visits to Sundt, the San Xavier Mine, and the WEST Center. The Infrastructure and Spatial Engineering track is part of the Building Pathways program.

Manufacturing and Fabrication: The growing manufacturing industry in Arizona is centered in the Manufacturing and Fabrication track, featuring a pre-session visit to the Phoenix metro area to visit companies like Boeing and the Salt River Project, as well as local visits during the summer session with World View.

A company visit schedule will be posted later this spring as it is finalized.

Scholarships Available:

Students who are eligible to receive a Pell Grant may have the remainder of their tuition and fees covered by the College of Engineering. Students who are ineligible for Pell can apply for scholarships after admittance to the program.

Summer Tuition Fee Schedule

Please keep in mind that the College of Engineering is committed to lowering this substantially for participating students. Students using a Pell Grant will have their entire remaining cost after Pell covered by the College of Engineering. The table below is based on Summer 2022 tuition is subject to change with the Summer 2023 tuition schedule.