In addition, the Kansas State University architectural engineering program is one of five programs nationally funded by the Robert J. Besal Memorial Fund for lighting education. Because the curriculum is primarily engineering, you should have a good background in mathematics and science, particularly physics, and should also develop a talent for creative design and art. An architectural engineer must be aware of the practical, functional, and aesthetic possibilities of contemporary materials and mechanical, electrical, and structural systems. As an important member of the building design team, the engineer must be able to create designs that will answer the economic, safety, and aesthetic requirements of a project, and must have a feeling for the total design. In their final semester, the students take a Senior Project course.
Capstone courses are now an ABET accreditation requirement.
Because of the stated aim of the program, the staff is very profession-oriented. Practically all the faculty are licensed professional engineers or architects. Most have had considerable experience in a professional office. The demand for K-State architectural engineering graduates is increasing each year and now far exceeds the number of graduates. Perhaps this is the reason for the continued high enrollment in the program.