School of Foundational Studies
Laying the Foundation for Innovation and Impact
The School of Foundational Studies emphasizes a connected, human-centered approach to the classroom. It integrates a STEM focus with early professional development and ethical decision-making, preparing students to navigate complexity with intellectual agility. As one of the centers for Kettering’s new University-wide Core Curriculum, the School fosters collaboration across fields and equips students with the critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills required for leadership in every industry.
More than 75% of employers say they want more emphasis on 5 key areas including: critical thinking, complex problem-solving, written and oral communication, and applied knowledge in real-world settings.
School of Foundational Studies Programs
Acoustics Minor
Are you intrigued by how things sound? Through our acoustics minor, you’ll learn how to apply your interest in the art and science of sound while studying vibration, acoustics and signal processing. Sound quality metrics, modal analysis, and test & measurement techniques are examples of common industry-standard built into our courses.
Applied and Computational Mathematics Minor
With this math minor, you’ll explore theoretical applications in the classroom. In labs and projects, you will gain hands-on experience implementing this theory. You will then put this knowledge to work within your major and during your co-op. Completing this math minor prepares you to design the next video game, help develop a life-saving medicine or tackle complex problems in business and industry.
Economics Minor
Economic decisions are crucial to the success of any professional, and increasingly significant in the fields of computing, engineering, and technology. This minor adds enormous value to your degree. Through our economics minor you’ll study how individuals, businesses, governments and societies make decisions about money, time, and risk, among many other choices and challenges. Such insights, combined with a working knowledge of economics, will give you an advantage over your peers in the job market — regardless of your major.
Physics Minor
Do you appreciate the elegance and clarity found in theoretical physics? Are you curious about the most essential laws of the universe? A Physics minor will take you deeper into the fundamentals of classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, or thermodynamics and statistical physics, to explore the rules by which everything happens in the physical world.
Pre-Med Minor
If you’re aiming to follow your Kettering degree program with medical school, this course of study will help prepare you. Coupled with an immersion in the healthcare industry as a scribe in our co-op program, and peer mentoring in our Pre-Med club, the Pre-Med course of study includes all the essential courses in biochemistry, chemistry, biology, physics, math and more.
Statistics Minor
This minor was designed for the student who has a passion for numbers and data, and wants to understand how to use this information to make decisions. If you’re interested in honing your skills to pursue roles that require statistical analysis, such as data scientist or digital marketer, the statistics minor is worth exploring.
Meet the Founding Head of the School of Foundational Studies
Dr. Ronald J. Tackett was appointed in 2025 as the Founding Head of Kettering University's new School of Foundational Studies. This new academic unit will serve as a hub for faculty innovation across disciplines, allowing for collaboration on a more cohesive, human-centered approach to foundational learning, one that integrates academic knowledge with professional development from the start.
in the country by The Economist in producing alumni who hold patents.
in career preparation nationally, according to a Data shared by CNBC in September of 2017 ranked Kettering first in Michigan among colleges and universities for producing the highest earning graduates. The Wall Street Journal ranked Kettering first in the country in career preparation. survey conducted by The Wall Street Journal.
Starting salaries in Michigan