Technology Requirements
Requirements for all undergraduate (and transfer) students entering the School of Engineering:
Each student is required to have a laptop, and the laptop configurations given below represent minimum hardware and software requirements that enable students to run the core software required by Engineering. Students are strongly recommended to choose a Windows-based laptop.
Typically, Engineering students run into software issues when they use an Apple computer. In almost all classes, the Engineering software requires Windows.
Engineering has partnered with Liberty’s IT Marketplace to offer a device that meets the requirements of the degree program and can expand to fit future needs. The recommended G-series unit can be found at our Dell Purchase Program link.
Since Apple computers use the same Intel chips, they can be configured either to boot up in Windows (using free software, such as Bootcamp that is provided by Apple) or utilizing VMware Fusion to run Windows in parallel with Mac OS. However, some engineering software used in our department may not perform well under those conditions; a full partition and dual boot environment on the Apple machine is recommended if you choose to use an Apple computer for all of the Engineering software in our program.
If you choose to dual boot Apple and Windows on an Apple laptop, be sure to specify an HDD twice as large (min. 1TB).
Windows 10 and VMWare Fusion are available to the following majors free of charge via the Dreamspark and VMWare Academic Alliance.
- Engineering
- Masters of Science Cyber Security
- Information Systems
- All Sciences
- Mathematics
- Other Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Programs
Labs are provided for courses needing higher computing capabilities or access to Liberty licensed software.
Computer Type: PC-Intel
Operating System: PC: Windows 10 or newer operating system
Processor: Minimum i5 (or equivalent) – i7 (or equivalent) preferred
Memory (RAM): Minimum 16 GB – 32 GB recommended
Hard Drive: Minimum 500 GB Hybrid or Solid State (SSD) – 1TB GB Hybrid or Solid State (SSD) recommended
Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW (or External)
Network: Wireless 802.11ac
Additional:
- Built-in webcam, USB hard drive (not required, but recommended)
- The video card is highly recommended for it’s GPU to accelerate computations especially for Mechanical Engineering Software
Warranty: 3-year warranty with accidental damage (4 years recommended)
Ideally, the computer you select will at most have only one area that is the minimum acceptable for the Computer Type above.
Free Student Software
Microsoft Azure Dev Tools for Teaching
You will receive professional developer and design tools free of charge
Microsoft Office
Liberty University, in partnership with Microsoft, offers Microsoft Office 365 to all enrolled students, free of charge. (Receiving Microsoft Office 365 is contingent on enrollment. Access is removed if the student unenrolls.)
VMWare Program
You will receive professional virtualization tools for Mac, PC, and Linux computers free of charge
Exclusive Computer Savings
Visit the IT Marketplace to view manufacturers we’ve partnered with for additional savings. You can order a device online, or visit us on campus at DeMoss Hall 2414 to see what we have in stock. Our staff can also assist in finding a machine that meets your needs.