This paper describes the genesis and evolution of the philosophy of the Harvey Mudd College general engineering program. This program was established with a sound theoretical base strongly coupled to the realism of engineering practice. Thus, the paper also describes the development of the Harvey Mudd Clinic program -Harvey Mudd's three-semester capstone experience -to bring professional practice to on-campus students, as well as the first-year design course (E4) that exposes students to

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... based design work as the cornerstone of its program. The emerging concept of engineering as the "liberal education of the 21st century" is also cited to emphasize the centrality of the engineering design paradigm -that is, design as the cornerstone or the backbone -in defining the discipline of Engineering. The implications of this analysis for undergraduate engineering education are discussed. The paper concludes with suggestions for realizing an undergraduate program in Engineering that is current, vital, distinctive and consistent with the idea of engineering being a single discipline.