During this JHU three-credit course, you will complete activities in civil, chemical, electrical/computer, mechanical engineering, and materials science. Your confidence will grow as you watch college level lectures, solve problems, test theories, and ultimately learn to think like an engineer.

From the convenience of your home or wherever you choose to study, you will complete the same lab activities as our in-person students while collaborating virtually with other students from across the world. You will order a lab kit containing all the supplies needed to participate.

Dates and Times

June 30 – August 1, 2025 (no class on July 4)

Monday – Friday daily class meeting time (choose one):

  • 9 a.m. – Noon Eastern Time
  • 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Eastern Time
  • 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Eastern Time

Costs

Please visit the Cost & Aid page for details.

Course Content and Projects

In this mostly synchronous online course, you will complete the same lab activities as students who attend Explore Engineering Innovation In-Person. Working in small virtual teams, you will test the material properties of spaghetti, design and construct a structurally stable bridge, link concepts of heat transfer and chemical reactions to a small bioreactor, create an electronic device to improve the well-being of the user, and prepare a short presentation to pitch your idea to others in your class.

Want a deeper look? You can review past syllabi for detailed information about what is covered in the course, objectives, schedule, labs, grading deliverables, and more.

Eligibility

Grade and age requirements

You must be a current high school student or recent high school graduate. Our typical student is a rising junior (~35%) or senior (~65%) in high school. Talented ninth-graders (rising sophomores) may be considered; however, when space is limited, priority will be given to older students. Graduated seniors are also eligible to participate during the summer before they begin their college career.  

Academic Prerequisites

  • As and Bs in your high school math and science classes
  • Completed Algebra II
  • Completed a course where the trigonometric functions are taught. You must be able to use sine, cosine, tangent, and the Pythagorean Theorem to determine angles and side lengths for right angle triangles.  
  • Completed a full year of high school chemistry and/or physics, including a lab. Many students feel that knowledge of physics is particularly helpful for the course.  

Computer and Lab Requirements

Computer requirements

As a student enrolled in Explore Engineering Innovation Online, you will need a computer to access the course materials, which are found both in MS Teams and on the Canvas learning management system.   

  • Canvas works best with Firefox or Chrome web browsers. You should install the most recent version of either Firefox or Chrome web browser. For the best experience using Canvas you may consider enabling third-party cookies on your browser.   
  • MS Teams is a cloud-based application that you will access using the JHU login credentials that you will receive when you accept an offer of admission.   

Additionally, the computer should have:  

  • Ability to videotape course projects and upload the footage to the course Canvas site or MS Teams
  • USB port to communicate with an Adafruit Circuit Playground Express microcontroller
  • Reliable internet access

Required lab supplies

Information on how to order the required lab supplies from our official vendor will be provided when you receive your offer of admission to the program.

Please see the Cost & Aid page for lab kit fees. Shipping fees and US sales tax will be added by the vendor when you order your kit.

Students outside the United States: you are also responsible for taxes, tariffs, or duties that are charged by customs to clear the package in addition to international shipping fees. Please expect international shipping to take two weeks, although it can take much longer if the package is delayed in customs. Please track your package based on the information provided by the vendor, so you know if you need to go pick it up from customs or the shipping company.

Time Commitment for EEI Online Students

EEI is a college-level course requiring you to commit approximately 28 hours per week for the online format. It is offered to first-year engineering students at Johns Hopkins University over the 16-week fall semester, while as a pre-college high school student, you will cover the same material in just 5 weeks online. Therefore, we strongly discourage you from taking other courses while enrolled in EEI. If you participate in the commuter or online versions of the course, you will have more flexibility with your time, but you should still consider any other commitments you have (such as jobs, internships, other courses, sports, etc.) when deciding whether to enroll.

  • 1 hour – Independent study

    Watch pre-recorded presentations or read short documents that explain new content.

  • 3 hours – Virtual class meeting

    Join the synchronous, three-hour video call with your class at the same time each weekday.  

  • 1.5 hours – Homework

    Demonstrate your understanding of the content through individual activities.  

“The structure of the program surprised me: how it was less like a class you would take at school, where the teacher would lecture, you do the assignment, then maybe you do a group project. It was more like a job, where we were being assigned tasks to work as a group to create solutions to the problems that we were faced with and all… it’s more like solving problems with my peers.  ”

Nikhil An Explore Engineering Innovation Online Alum

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