Welcome to the First-Year Engineering CoRe Experience

The Cornerstone Engineering and Residential Experience (CoRe) at Michigan State University provides academic and professional resources, as well as co-curricular activities for first-year engineering students and is aimed at building the whole engineer. What makes MSU First-Year Engineering special is the emphasis on the Living Learning Community in South Neighborbood. Incoming first-year students who select an engineering major preference are automatically considered part of the CoRe Experience. To learn more about housing options for engineering students, refer to Frequently Asked Questions.  

CoRe seeks to demonstrate to students the importance of engineering and the positive impact that engineers make on society and the world around them. Along with community and corporate partners, we bring real-world expertise and challenges into the classroom and residential environment, reinforcing the relevance of studies in engineering to solving global challenges.

Our Mission:

• To provide early engineering students with unmatched learning opportunities within a supportive community that encourages academic, professional and personal achievement
• To foster life-enriching connections between students and their peers, faculty members, advisors, and corporate representatives
• To cultivate students' skills that encourage lifelong learning
• To demonstrate to the students the critical roles of engineers in contributing to society

Find out more about CoRe in the Annual Report:

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Frequently Asked Questions- New Information for 2022-2023

Where will I live?

CoRe offers residential housing for engineering students in South Neighborhood. First-year engineering students who choose to LIVE and LEARN within the Living-Learning Community (LLC) are housed in either Wilson or Wonders Hall, with other engineering students. To reside in those spaces, you will need to be a first-year student with an engineering major preference. At this time, our housing is for engineering students only. ***Because of the increasing size of our First-Year Engineering class, we are unable to guarantee placement in the designated living space. The Housing Assignments Office staff will do their best to place first-year engineering students in Wilson and Wonders Hall. Learn more about South Neighborhood here: liveon.msu.edu/neighborhoods

Beginning Fall of 2022, students are required to live on campus for their first two years at MSU. The Engineering Living Learning Community will expand to offer select rooms for second-year engineering students who wish to reside in the Engineering LLC. Second year students who choose to reside within the Engineering Living Learning Community will have designated living space in Shaw, Wonders or Emmons Halls, with other second-year engineering students. Like the First-Year designated LLC, we are unable to accomodate non-engineering roommates.

Do you have an Honors Floor?

First-Year Engineering Honors Students have the option of living on a designated Honors Floor, with other Engineering Honors Students, in Wilson Hall. Students who wish to live on a different Honors College floor, outside of CoRe, will need to request to opt out of CoRe Residential Housing. Honors housing questions, outside of CoRe, can be directed to honors@msu.edu

Is it a requirement to LIVE in the CoRe LLC?

While residing in the First-Year Engineering Living-Learning Community is recommended, it is not a requirement. Students may choose to live anywhere on campus and still take advantage of CoRe resources and participate in our programs and events.

Second year students who do not wish to reside in the designated locations should "do nothing" during the housing sign-up period, and they will automatically receive a new date for selection outside of South Neighborhood.

Can I live with a non-engineering roommate?

We are unable to accomodate non-engineering roommates in the designated living space.  If you elect to reside with a roommate who has not selected an engineering major, you will need to request to opt out of living in CoRe Residential Housing.

How do I opt out of living in the CoRe LLC?

Incoming First-Year Students may request to opt out of living in CoRe Residential Housing, before June 3rd.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW BEFORE CHOOSING TO OPT-OUT:

1. We are unable to honor any changes after June 3rd.

2. If you change your mind about opting-out and want to return, you will need to add your name to the Room Change Wait-list via your MyHousing Account in late August.

3. If you opt-out of living in the CoRe designated living space, you will be placed outside of South Neighborhood.

4. Make sure your perspective roommate checks to see if their selected major is part of a residential program or Living Learning Community. Most residential programs and Living Learning Communities are unable to accommodate roommates outside of their major. For more information about Living Learning Community Housing Guidelines: https://liveon.msu.edu/LLC-Guide

Second-year students who wish to opt-out of the Engineering LLC will do nothing when given a room selection date in mid-March. By not selecting a room during the initial sign-up period, students will automatically receive a new date to select a room outside of the Engineering Living Learning Community. The new selection date will fall between March 23^rd and March 30^th.

***Students who do not complete their preferences in their MyHousing account, or request to opt-out, by June 3rd, will be assigned a room by the Housing Assignments Office and will receive their room information in July. Any room change requests after the June 3rd deadline will need to be made by adding your name to the Room Change Wait-list via your MyHousing Account in late August.

For additional information or questions, please contact our office at (517) 355-6616, ext. 2

For more information about the housing sign up process, visit: https://liveon.msu.edu/new-sign-up-process

CoRe Courses

CoRe’s academic program is based on the principle that engagement in meaningful engineering experiences early in students’ undergraduate careers supports their success and persistence to graduation. Through our courses, EGR 100: Introduction to Engineering Design and EGR 102: Introduction to Engineering Modeling, we strive to engage students across the disciplines in team-based projects that pique their interest and give them a window into what professional engineering really is.

EGR 102: Introduction to Engineering Modeling

Introduction to Engineering Modeling provides an introduction to engineering problem solving and numerical modeling. The course focuses on advanced applications of Excel and structured programming in MATLAB. Instructor, Jason Smith has made an exerted effort to create a fun and effective virtual learning exprience for his students this year. 

CoRe Tutoring  

Spring tutoring will begin on Sunday, January 22nd. CoRe will again offer free in-person tutoring in C105 Wonders Hall, Sunday through Thursday, from 6 to 10 pm, in the following subjects:

PHY 183- Physics I

PHY 184- Physics II

MTH 103- College Algebra (includes MTH 103A and MTH 103B)

MTH 114- Trigonometry

MTH 116- College Algebra and Trigonometry

MTH 132- Calculus I

MTH 133- Calculus II

MTH 234- Calculus III

MTH 235- Differential Equations

CEM 141- General Chemistry

CoRe tutors are undergraduate engineering students with excellent academic records. First-Year students find CoRe tutoring to be helpful and beneficial to their academic success.

CoRe Advising

Perhaps the most valuable resource we provide to you is our academic advisors.  You should visit your advisor each semester to check your progress toward your degree and get valuable insight and information on your academic and life goals.  The College of Engineering  employs academic advising professionals with advanced degrees in counseling, education, university administration and related fields. Our academic advisors  are available to help you plan an academic program that meets your educational and professional goals and to provide you with information you need to make wise educational and personal decisions. Advisors can help you explore engineering majors and career options and direct you to important campus resources for assistance with test-taking, study skills, career planning and much more.

To find your academic advisor, select the Majors tab on the following webpage: Advisors | College of Engineering (msu.edu)

How to set up an advising appointment:

The appointment system opens up 14 days in advance. If you do not see anything open, it means that the advisor is full for the next 14 days. You must schedule an appointment 24 hours in advance. 

To schedule an appointment with your advisor:

1. Go to https://student.msu.edu/ and log in with your MSU NetID and password.
2. Click the "Academic Progress" tile from the Students homepage. 
3. Click the tab on the left, labeled "Advising/Tutoring Appointments."
4. To schedule a new appointment, click "Create New Appointment."
5. Fill out the "New Appointment" section details. 
6. Select an advisor meeting your criteria. 
7. After reviewing the appointment details, click "Book It!"

You will receive an email with an appointment confirmation once you click “Book It!”

You also need to make sure you are registered for two-factor authentication (2FA). Students who are not registered will be prompted to do so before logging in. Register or learn more at these links.

Note: If the appointment is successfully created, a green box will show at the bottom confirming. If the appointment was not successfully created, a red box and pop-up will occur notifying you the appointment was not created. Visit the Student Guide for Scheduling Advising/Tutoring Appointments for additional assistance with scheduling appointments and viewing drop-in availability.

If you need assistance please email your advisor with any questions. For further academic advising information, please visit: Academic Advising for Undergraduate Engineering First Year Students

Corporate Partners

The CoRe Experience benefits from a strong connection to industry, giving students insight on engineering in the "real world". Building connections with our corporate partners helps CoRe students visualize the impact they can make in their careers. Our partners also support "theme floors" that teach students about 21st-century engineering practice, while providing collaborative spaces where students can work and play together.

Theme Partners

Career Opportunities

The CoRe Experience benefits from a strong partnership with the Center for Spartan Engineering. Through this partnership, CoRe students are prepared to network with engineering recruiters interested in hiring interns and co-ops. Students are taught how to build professional resumes, prepare for career workshops and job fairs, and how to get the most out of experiential education opportunities.

Community

CoRe works to create a sense of community for engineering students who live and learn together in South Neighborhood. It is important that students understand that these are not just classmates but also their friends. We want students to grow by experiencing the interesting, diverse, vibrant community of first-year engineers. The living-learning environment also facilitates social connections that broaden students’ Spartan experience.

Peer Leaders

CoRe Peer Leaders are upperclass engineering students live with CoRe students and serve as role models for success as engineering students. Through relationship building and group activities, Peer Leaders create a strong, connected support network that fosters academic, professional, and personal success for CoRe students.