Courses

Customized Pathways – Personalized Academic Planning

Our guidance counselors and engineering department head work directly with students and families to create optimal pathways. Take middle school math sequences, access online university courses, or accelerate through summer programs—we customize education to match ambition.

Engineering Courses

• Intro to Engineering Dual Credit
  Students will learn how to model, improve, and develop products, both in and out of the classroom, through design challenges and a distinct problem-solving model. Students will learn to sketch solutions by hand and to illustrate solutions using sophisticated three-dimensional modeling software. Emphasis in class is placed on documenting the design process when analyzing and considering solutions. 
• Principles of Engineering Dual Credit
  Students explore a broad range of engineering topics, including mechanisms, the strength of structures and materials, and automation. Students develop skills in problem solving, research, and design while learning strategies for design process documentation, collaboration, and presentation. Students will become leaders in terms of identifying and solving problems. 
• Digital Electronics Dual Credit
  Digital Electronics introduces students to the fundamentals of electrical engineering, electronics, and circuit design. From smartphones to appliances, digital circuits are all around us. Students study topics such as combinational and sequential logic and are exposed to circuit design tools used in industry, including logic gates, integrated circuits, and programmable logic devices. 
• Aerospace Engineering Dual Credit
  Students are introduced to the fundamentals of atmospheric and space flight. As they explore the physics of flight, students bring the concepts to life by designing an airfoil, propulsion system, and rockets. Students also learn basic orbital mechanics using industry-standard software and explore robot systems through projects such as remotely operated vehicles.
• Civil Engineering & Architecture Dual Credit
  Students are introduced to important aspects of building and site design and development. Students apply math, science, and standard engineering practices to design both residential and commercial projects and document their work. Students progress from completing structured activities to solving open ended projects and problems that require them to develop planning, documentation, communication, and other professional skills.
• Capstone
  Capstone is the course that brings together the knowledge and the skills that students have acquired throughout the PLTW Engineering curriculum. Students identify an issue and then research, design and test a solution, ultimately presenting the solution to a panel of engineers. Students apply the professional skills they have developed to document a design process to standards, completing engineering design and development ready to take on any post-secondary program or career.

Computer Science and Robotics Courses

• Computer Science Principles AP/Dual Credit
  Students work in teams to develop computational thinking and solve problems. The course does not aim to teach mastery of a single programming language but aims instead to develop computational thinking, to generate excitement about the field of computing, and to introduce computational tools that foster creativity. The course also aims to build students’ awareness of the tremendous demand for computer specialists and for professionals in all fields who have computational skills. Each unit focuses on one or more computationally intensive career paths. The course also aims to engage students to consider issues raised by the present and future societal impact of computing, including AI.
• Computer Science A AP/Dual Credit
  Students cultivate their understanding of coding through analyzing, writing, and testing code as they explore concepts like modularity, variables, and control structures. Fundamental topics in this course include the design of solutions to problems, the use of data structures to organize large sets of data, the development and implementation of algorithms to process data and discover new information, the analysis of potential solutions, and the ethical and social implications of computing systems. The course emphasizes object-oriented programming and design using the Java programming language. 
• Beginning Robotics, Carnegie Mellon Certificate class offered through Carmel Catholic
  Robotics 1 Honors is a hands-on course where students build and code robotic devices. Students will learn basic coding logic to complete a variety of in-class robotic challenges with a robot they build and modify themselves. Interested students should enjoy a challenge, want to work with their hands, and approach every class with energy and enthusiasm.
• Advanced Robotics, Carnegie Mellon Certificate class offered through Carmel Catholic
  Robotics 2 Honors is a second course in hands-on building and coding robotics devices. This course introduces students to situations where technicians receive multiple components of a robotics system that require assembly, installation, and debugging. Students learn how to integrate components such as a vision sensor (camera) system, breadboard, servo motors, and embedded microprocessor from multiple hardware vendors. The learner will “unpack and test” components and refine “robot navigation programming” through this curriculum.

Universities That Accept PLTW Credit

• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Milwaukee School of Engineering
• Missouri S&T

Middle school STEM programs on Saturday mornings and Monday nights work around busy schedules. Summer courses in robotics and engineering principles let motivated students jump ahead.

• Engineering Exploration Day
  Shadow multiple engineering classes throughout a full day. Watch out for future days at carmelhs.org/admissionsevents/.
• Middle School Programs
  • Saturday and evening STEM classes: Students have the opportunity to earn high school credit while in middle school! These courses are offered tuition-free to our Catholic partner school students. Registration will open in the spring. Stay tuned for more information.
    • Algebra 2 H Middle School - Grade 8
    • Geometry H Middle School - Grade 8
    • Algebra 1 H Middle School - Grades 7 and 8
    • Introduction to Engineering DC Middle School - Grades 6, 7 and 8

• • Summer courses: Robotics and engineering options are available. Stay tuned for course and registration information for 2026 posted at carmelhs.org/summer/.
• Direct Access
  Meet with Department Chair Mr. John Titterton to discuss your engineering pathway. Set up a meeting by contacting [email protected].