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Where Disciplines Intersect

Explore Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

Discover how Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies (LAES) can expand your engineering education through interdisciplinary projects and collaboration. LAES creates opportunities for engineering students to apply their technical skills alongside students from other disciplines while working on projects connected to real organizations and communities.

About LAES

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies brings together perspectives from technology, the arts and culture. While LAES is jointly offered by Cal Poly’s Colleges of Engineering and Liberal Arts, engineering students do not need to change their major to connect with the program. Through project-based courses and collaborative spaces, LAES offers engineering students a chance to explore how technical work intersects with people, creativity and real-world needs.

Explore the LAES Program

LAES Faculty

Project Based Learning

LAES project-based learning courses give students the opportunity to work on open-ended challenges with interdisciplinary teams. In Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies Capstone I, students collaborate with peers who bring different academic backgrounds and skill sets to a shared project. The experience goes beyond a typical class assignment: students practice project planning, communication, research, design, prototyping and presentation while contributing to work with an audience beyond the classroom. 

Students who continue into Capstone II can take on a project-lead role, helping guide the team’s direction, coordinate workflow and support the project through its final presentation.

orchesis dance company

Apply Engineering Skills in Agile Teams

LAES project courses give engineering students the opportunity to apply their technical strengths in a collaborative, real-world setting. Students work in interdisciplinary Scrum teams, using Agile workflows to move projects forward through two-week sprints. Throughout the course, teams share progress with project collaborators, receive feedback and refine their solutions—mirroring the iterative process used in many professional settings. 

Throughout the course, students are able to: 

  • Apply engineering knowledge to real-world projects. 

  • Practice working in Scrum teams and Agile sprints. 

  • Collaborate with students from different academic backgrounds. 

  • Present technical ideas to project collaborators and broader audiences. 

  • Respond to feedback and improve solutions throughout the project. 

  • Build portfolio-ready work and professional experience for future internships and careers.

Featured Collaborations and Projects

Virtuosos Web Development: An interdisciplinary team of students designed and developed a user-centered website for the rhythm game Virtuosos, combining React, AWS and high-fidelity design to create a more intuitive player experience.

Virtuosos Web Development: An interdisciplinary team of students designed and developed a user-centered website for the rhythm game Virtuosos, combining React, AWS and high-fidelity design to create a more intuitive player experience.
FRIDA: Animatronic Droid: FRIDA is a continually evolving animatronic droid that combines theatrical fabrication, mechatronics, programming, facial tracking and AI to create an interactive LAES mascot and platform for student innovation.

FRIDA: Animatronic Droid: FRIDA is a continually evolving animatronic droid that combines theatrical fabrication, mechatronics, programming, facial tracking and AI to create an interactive LAES mascot and platform for student innovation.
Advanced Demonstration of the Expressive Technology Studios: Students produced a multimedia demonstration of ETS capabilities, combining animation, motion capture, cinematography, audio engineering, lighting design, video editing and FRIDA the animatronic droid.

Advanced Demonstration of the Expressive Technology Studios: Students produced a multimedia demonstration of ETS capabilities, combining animation, motion capture, cinematography, audio engineering, lighting design, video editing and FRIDA the animatronic droid.
Ocean Site One Virtual Reality Mini Games: This immersive VR experience invites users to explore the marine ecosystems growing around California offshore oil platforms through interactive, game-based learning informed by real-world ecological research.

Ocean Site One Virtual Reality Mini Games: This immersive VR experience invites users to explore the marine ecosystems growing around California offshore oil platforms through interactive, game-based learning informed by real-world ecological research.
Aerospace Museum of California Virtual Reality Experience: Computer Science and LAES students are collaborating with the Aerospace Museum of California to create a permanent VR exhibit where visitors become astronauts on a mission to repair a space station.

Aerospace Museum of California Virtual Reality Experience: Computer Science and LAES students are collaborating with the Aerospace Museum of California to create a permanent VR exhibit where visitors become astronauts on a mission to repair a space station.
Santa Barbara Zoo Immersive Conservation Video Project: Students created short immersive videos for the Santa Barbara Zoo that help visitors connect with its conservation work and deepen their understanding of the natural world.

Santa Barbara Zoo Immersive Conservation Video Project: Students created short immersive videos for the Santa Barbara Zoo that help visitors connect with its conservation work and deepen their understanding of the natural world.
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More Ways to Connect with LAES

Explore the Expressive Technology Studios, an interdisciplinary creation, exhibition and performance space with professional-grade VR, motion-capture and audio-production technology. Connect with the LAES Club to meet collaborators, share ideas and get involved.

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