GCU’s College of Engineering and Technology Rankings
The College of Engineering and Technology at Grand Canyon University honors a higher education system that helps you find the right school for you. To achieve this goal, GCU focuses on hands-on quantitative measures, lower student-teacher ratios, inspiring teacher-student relationships and providing educational practices that focus on the opportunities and experiences students can acquire.
As of Fall 2022, GCU's 162,653 square foot engineering building offers a variety of hands-on experiences to its students via 21 labs that are paired with their scheduled classes and an additional nine labs that can be used by students outside of their classes.
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Parents often send their children to college with the hopes of them walking away with a solid job and prepared to pursue a rewarding career.1 A little-known treasure within the engineering and technology programs is our Lopes Live Labs. These labs provide an open-maker space accessible at all times to all students starting on their first day at GCU.
Students in engineering and technology programs at GCU can feel the impact of the GCU experience on their first day of class freshman year.
Our degree programs are designed to provide the skills and credentials to help you position yourself for possible career advancement. Find a degree that aligns with your career goals.
According to Engineering Expectations, two of the top 10 factors students consider when choosing which engineering college to attend are internship opportunities and campus clubs.2 GCU understands the weight this has on a student’s decision, which is why there were over 1,200 student leaders across six Student Affairs departments during the 2023-24 academic year.
I’m involved with the IDEA Club, where you get to pitch the business that you’re working on. I started a venture where I made keychains from scratch and I got to present that at the Canyon Challenge. Now I’m working on a project to redesign a coffee maker so that all the plastic parts are replaced with stainless steel because a lot of people are worried about the plastics getting into the heating components of what they’re drinking.
GCU engineering and technology labs are available to all students — no matter their degree or year of study.3
Between 2009 and Sept. 2023, GCU invested over $1.8 billion in campus expansion through new classrooms, laboratories, athletic facilities and student amenities.
Accessibility of hands-on labs, clubs and technology and engineering-related Research and Design Programs (RDPs) are a key strength of GCU’s mission with a goal to prepare students to graduate as innovative and entrepreneurial leaders. Our faculty places a strong emphasis on technology and engineering research but an even stronger emphasis on teaching. You won’t find brick and mortar research professors in the College of Engineering and Technology at GCU.
Teaching professors at GCU operate with a mindset of using their expertise and ability in a particular field to teach, rather than teaching based on their research accomplishments. Faculty at GCU place value on keeping their office hours open, helping you understand the content being taught and sharing their wisdom with upcoming engineers. Professors at GCU make it easy to build relationships, see your goals and help you envision where you want to end up after graduation.
Someone is always there to help you learn specific machines and equipment, whether it’s faculty or experienced students who work in the labs. From helping entrepreneurial scientists and engineers develop medical devices and earning research patents in the Labellelabs to utilizing RDPs to refining skills and fostering connections beyond the classroom, students can engage in hands-on research to develop practical application abilities.
GCU programs are awesome. They’re new, innovative, growing and supportive. I feel like 40% of my decision to attend GCU was based on the support you receive from faculty, students, ACE center, career center, clubs, etc. You never feel like you’re alone.
Internships, Career and Job Opportunities
In addition to learning from the college faculty connections and their ability to help you build your resume through hands-on experiences, GCU also has resources available to you through Career Connections. Here you’ll find information about resume tips, internships, networking and job listings.
Right after my freshman year, I interviewed and got a job in the engineering shops at GCU. You get to work with students on their projects and see them progress while learning the machines yourself. It’s been a lot of fun being part of the shops because you get to experience engineering in a very different way. You get that hands-on experience that you don’t get in the classrooms.”
Showcase and Awards
At GCU, we think it is important to acknowledge the successes that our students, faculty and staff have achieved. Here are just a few of many accomplishments of the College of Engineering and Technology.
Emmy Tomforde, who teaches thermodynamics, statics and more in the College of Engineering and Technology, is GCU's 2023 KEEN Engineering Unleashed Fellow. She was one of 30 educators honored with the fellowship by the Kern Family Foundation, recognizing her leadership in undergraduate engineering and entrepreneurial spirit. The award includes a $10,000 grant to further enhance her classroom work.4
In April 2023, technology students wrapped up the academic year with the Technology Capstone Showcase at GCU Arena. The event featured around 70 projects, including gaming apps, self-care tools and home security systems. Organized by the College of Engineering and Technology and Career Services, the showcase highlighted the graduating seniors' yearlong capstone work to the campus community and potential employers.5
At GCU, Dr. Kyle Jones, honored with the 2022 Campus KEEN Rising Stars award, fosters innovative thinking among his biomedical engineering students, creating an environment that promotes human flourishing. Dr. Jones emphasizes understanding end-users and the societal contexts, instilling in his students a sense of purpose and responsibility. His industry experience drives curiosity and problem-solving skills, inspiring students to tackle complex engineering challenges with a focus on societal impact. In summary, Dr. Jones is dedicated to shaping future engineers who are technically skilled, think critically, and whose engagement with the world demonstrates sound character.
Dr. Janet Brelin-Fornari, previously the associate dean at GCU’s former College of Science, Engineering and Technology, was recognized by the prestigious Society of Women Engineers with the Distinguished Engineering Educator Award in 2020. This award recognizes women who have made substantial contributions to engineering education.6
Based on the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology: Cybersecurity degree, the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security awarded GCU the National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) designation. This designation ensures GCU meets rigorous national standards and gives university students the right to participate in virtual career fairs and other places where the Air Force Civilian Service and the NSA, amongst others, recruit for employment.7
GCU’s robotics team, Thunderbots, won the Judges Award at the 2019 VEX U Fall Tournament at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. The award recognized the team’s overall efforts and outstanding character at the tournament.8
Trevor Baines, the founder of Arcane Security, established the GCU Technology Club as a student in 2021 with Diego Briceno taking over the GCU Technology Club in 2022. By pooling their talents, these students were able to create Arcane Security as it is known today. Arcane Security is dedicated to providing reliable and affordable security consulting to businesses and people that need it most. These students achieved their goal of creating a company with innovative, transparent, accessible and flexible offerings that allow clients to have a security solution tailored to their needs.9
1 Dimeo, J. (2021, April 8). Survey: 45% of Parents Want More Options Than College for Their Children. Route Fifty. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
2 Engineering Expectations. (n.d.). 10 Factors for Choosing the Best Engineering College for You. Retrieved Aug. 12, 2024.
3 Labs include GCU’s technology labs, metal shop, wood shop, 3D printing areas and Labellelabs. This does not include labs in classroom environments.
4 Sweeten-Shults, L. (2023, Sept. 29). KEEN Engineering Unleashed Fellow a Force in Teaching. GCU News. Retrieved Aug. 12, 2024.
5 Sweeten-Shults, L. (2024, Feb. 22). Technology a Hit at End-of-Program Event. GCU News. Retrieved Aug. 12, 2024.
6 Society of Women Engineers. (n.d.). SWE Awards Program. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
7 Cision PR Newswire (2019, Oct. 29). Grand Canyon University Awarded Designation From National Security Agency And Department Of Homeland Security. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
8 Vacek, R. (2019, Nov. 25). Thunderbots earn award at robotics tournament. GCU News. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
9 Arcane Security (n.d.). Retrieved May 26, 2023.