Quadrivium Engineering & Design

This full year course introduces students to engineering as a multidisciplinary practice. Students will learn about multiple engineering disciplines; develop engineering professional skills like teamwork, communication and engineering ethics; and practice problem solving in engineering. By putting on the engineer hat, students develop and apply these skills in a hands-on, authentic, self-selected engineering design project. Students will design for a client, collect and analyze user data, and finally present their design. This is a student-centered course where one may engage in engineering in a fun way, have a chance to interact with engineers, and get a better sense of what engineering really is.

Prerequisite: Engineering 1, 2 and 3, Integrated Math 43 or equivalent or by instructor permission. (Exceptions may be made for students joining in the 4th or 5th form year)

In this course, students will analyze engineering disciplines such as aerospace, mechanical, civil, energy, biomedical and electrical engineering in a college-level training. Each term, students will select one engineering discipline as their exploratory field. Working through a scenario-based project, students will take a deeper dive into that discipline, work with industrial equipment, conduct industry-level engineering experiments in that discipline. They will have opportunities to interact with engineers of various fields and learn from their real-world experiences. This class may be taken as a seventh, graded course – no homework will be assigned.

Prerequisite: Engineering 1 and 2

This full-year course is an integration of engineering, design, project management and marketing. This course advances students’ knowledge and skills within the engineering design process of product design and user experience. They will learn about advanced multidisciplinary engineering approaches such as human-centered design, bio-inspired design, design aesthetics, material processing, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Managing a given budget, students have the option to work for an actual local or non-local client, or to be their own client. They will conduct research on various existing creative and smart products, identify the needs and problems in society, ideate and prototype solutions, and finally design, test and manufacture a marketable solution. This is a collaborative course which allows students to practice effective and professional communication skills. This class may be taken as a seventh, graded course – no homework will be assigned. 

Prerequisite: Engineering 1

In this course, students will explore the essential skills needed for designing smart products. Students will gain advanced 3D modeling skills in CAD, and be introduced to rapid prototyping using 3D printing, laser cutting and CNC machinery. Additionally, through engaging and collaborative hands-on projects, they will learn about the internet of Things (IoT), explore fundamentals of electronics with Arduino kits, and engage in coding to create smart products. Finally, working in small groups, students will engage in the engineering design process to define a need in the toy industry. They will experience building a prototype and testing the toy to address the identified need. This class can be taken as a seventh, graded course – no homework will be assigned. 

Note: Students who have mastered the skills listed in this course will need to speak with the department chair, for a potential placement test for Engineering 3, if approved.

In this full-year course, students will develop and practice engineering habits of mind and thinking competencies through collaborative, hands-on, engineering design projects. Students will be introduced to the core of engineering design practices, including problem scoping, ideation, prototyping, and troubleshooting. They will also explore the fundamentals of engineering science and learn how to apply those principles to engineering design projects. This class may be taken as a seventh, graded course – no homework will be assigned.

Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in or completion of Integrated Math 31 or higher

This year-long class utilizes a version of Harvard University’s CS50 curriculum to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of computing with a programming-centric focus, while simultaneously preparing students for the AP Computer Science Principles exam. Topics covered in this class include algorithms, abstraction, data, global impact, and internet technologies, among others. Students will also develop competence in several programming languages including Python and C. By the end of the year, students can expect to have a foundational understanding of core computer science principles, be comfortable programming in multiple languages, and most importantly be better problem solvers and computational thinkers. This class will prepare students to take the AP Computer Science principles exam. Students who successfully complete this course can be recommended to take Computer Science 3 the following year.

Prerequisite: Computer Science 3 and departmental approval of project proposal

This full-year course is an open research and development time for highly motivated and creative students looking to explore complex projects. Students must submit project proposals for approval prior to acceptance into this course.

Prerequisite: Computer Science 2, Integrated Math 42 or higher

This college-level course expands students' knowledge and understanding of the field of technology with a focus on artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and cybersecurity, and their practical and real-life applications. The course also examines the design and programming principles of unmanned aerial vehicles (such as drones).

Students will delve into the challenges of image analysis and reinforce their knowledge through machine learning and augmented reality applications. They will collect and create datasets to train machine learning algorithms and learn about the concepts of cybersecurity, including the ethical implications of sharing data through digital networks. The mathematical concepts and computer science principles of cryptography will also be evaluated. As a final project, students will have the opportunity to apply AI and data science to multidisciplinary projects such as virtual reality, engineering design, sports, and neuroscience.

Prerequisite: Intro to Web Design or Computer Science 1

This college level, year-long class delves into the fundamentals of computing with a focus on programming in Java. The curriculum covers a broad range of topics including abstraction, algorithm development, memory allocation, and basic computer architecture. The course places a strong emphasis on both procedural and object-oriented programming using the Java language. Upon completion, students will be well-prepared to take the AP Computer Science A exam in May.

This full-year course provides an introduction to computer programming. Students will learn programming concepts and commands through block-based coding before transitioning to the study and mastery of Python. This class integrates algebraic thinking, programmatic knowledge, and the use of scenario abstraction. As an applied course, students will see the practical applications of programming and how it can be used to solve real-world problems. The course also integrates programming with hardware such as drones and robots.