Exploring Student Experiences and Perspectives in Interdisciplinary Engineering Education

Abstract

Engineering challenges span social, economic, technological, and environmental domains, requiring graduates who can integrate and apply knowledge across disciplines. To address this need, many programs incorporate interdisciplinary elements, yet little is known about how engineering students perceive and experience interdisciplinary education in practice.  This qualitative study explores how senior undergraduate engineering students perceive interdisciplinary education and how their experiences influence learning and skill development. Third- and fourth-year students (n=7) representing 7 disciplinary programs participated in semi-structured interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically, resulting in three key themes related to student perception and experience of IEE: (1) students perceive interdisciplinarity as preparation for professional practice; (2) students value interdisciplinary engagement despite tensions between disciplinary depth and interdisciplinary breadth; and (3) students develop interdisciplinary competencies primarily through hands-on, social, and contextual experiences rather than through formal instruction alone. Findings suggest that students understand and develop interdisciplinary competencies primarily through applied, collaborative contexts (e.g., design projects and extracurriculars), and view communication and translation across expertise as central. Implications for maximizing impact of IEE through program design emphasize the need for structured opportunities for integration across the curriculum while maintaining strong disciplinary foundations.