Since its beginning, Project Lead The Way has been committed to offering a high school pre-engineering program which addresses the needs of schools and communities across the nation.  In fact, a recent decision by our Board of Directors focused on increased flexibility while maintaining our quality standards in every school, in every PLTW classroom. 

We have learned from schools in the PLTW network that there is a lot more flexibility (and benefit) in the sequence schools choose to offer their PLTW courses.

PLTW’s original course sequence, which is still viable for many students, is:

1. Introduction to Engineering Design (IED)

2. Digital Electronics (DE)

3. Principles of Engineering (POE)

4. Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)

5. Civil Engineering and Architecture (CEA) 

6. Engineering Design and Development (EDD) 
    

A number of schools in the PLTW national network have pointed out that there is a strong alignment between the IED course and Geometry. There is also a strong alignment between DE and Algebra 2.  School counselors and teachers of PLTW found that by concurrently scheduling IED & Geometry and DE & Algebra 2, students experience more success in both courses. This was particularly helpful for those students needing support to master mathematics.

Our ongoing research tells us that by beginning with POE female participation increases.  The POE course utilizes many team-structured activities that emphasize communication skills.  We are also finding that when females begin the PLTW program with POE they are more likely to continue in the program.

For these students the sequence may be as follows:

1. Principles of Engineering (POE)

2. Introduction to Engineering Design (IED)

3. Digital Electronics (DE)

4. Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)

5. Civil Engineering and Architecture (CEA) 

6. Engineering Design and Development (EDD) 

A third option may also be POE, DE, IED, CIM, CEA, and EDD. 

• Engineering Design and Development (EDD) is typically viewed as the capstone course taken last in the sequence.  However, some schools offer the EDD capstone course in grade 11 for several reasons: 

• The project and research paper that are outcomes of EDD enable juniors to significantly enhance their portfolios when they apply to colleges.

• CIM is not a pre-requisite to EDD. 

• CIM may be taken anytime after IED is completed.

• Because some students have no additional time in their senior year to take the fifth PLTW course, EDD may be more important than CIM particularly for 4-year college bound students.

 Over the next few years, PLTW will also be increasing the number of courses offered, such as Biotechnical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering (grades 3 – 12).  These courses address the varied interests of students and the unique needs of schools.   In the future, schools may choose to offer every course in the PLTW program while others may choose to offer only five.  Because schools will have the choice, they may offer students Biotechnical Engineering and not CIM, for example, or any combination appropriate to meet students’ and school needs. 

PLTW’s commitment is to offer schools high quality curricula that are continually updated. In doing so we believe that the program must provide schools with as much flexibility as possible to meet the needs of their students.  It is this commitment to you, combined with your commitment to excellence, that has made Project Lead The Way the premier pre-engineering program in the United States.