Physics - Engineering

DUAL DEGREE PRE-ENGINEERING PROGRAM

At Wabash, we like to say, “It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.” Students who wish to pursue our dual degree program in engineering know this motto well. It’s hard work to earn a Wabash diploma and a bachelor of science degree in engineering from schools like Purdue, Columbia, and Washington-St. Louis. But the results are, indeed, worth it!

Wabash offers joint programs (known as dual degree programs) with Purdue University, Columbia University and Washington University-St. Louis. In these programs, you will study the liberal arts at Wabash for three years and engineering or applied science at Purdue, Columbia or Washington, typically for two years. When you’ve completed the program, you’ll have the distinction of earning both the bachelor of arts degree from Wabash and the bachelor of science degree in engineering or applied science from Purdue, Columbia or Washington.

The best part is that you don’t have to major in physics, chemistry, or mathematics to participate in the program. Actually, both Columbia and Washington seek out applicants who major in non-technical fields, feeling that the technical depth of an engineering degree and the breadth of a liberal arts degree make a valuable combination.

And when you finish Wabash with a strong background in science and mathematics, you can be admitted to any number of engineering programs — not just at Purdue, Columbia or Washington. Lots of Wabash graduates have pursued engineering degrees without participating in the dual degree program, including David Woessner ’01, who not only earned a degree from Wabash, he received a master’s degree in engineering and an M.B.A. at Georgia Tech.

The exact requirements for the three schools differ, so you should talk with your Wabash advisor and someone from the Pre-Engineering Committee. Completing the requirements for both degrees requires careful planning, and you should begin taking the appropriate courses right out of the gate in your freshman year.

The Alternatives
At times, the student chooses to complete a full four-year program at Wabash and then to attend the engineering school or university. In some fields of engineering, particularly nuclear engineering, a physics major prepares the student to begin work toward his Masters of Science or Ph.D. In other areas, like electrical engineering, the student will have to take some undergraduate engineering courses before he can begin work on an advanced degree. Some engineering schools strongly encourage the student to earn a B.S. in engineering on the way to an M.S., even if he has completed a B.A. at a liberal arts college like Wabash.

The Curriculum
Through the years, most of the Wabash students who have gone into engineering have majored in physics. However, a major in mathematics or chemistry (particularly for chemical engineering) is quite appropriate as long as the necessary physics courses are taken.

The Graduates
Wabash students have pursued engineering degrees at such universities as Columbia, Illinois, Kansas State, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, Purdue, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Stanford, Washington (Seattle), Washington (St. Louis), and Wisconsin.

 
Wabash Requirements
All requirements listed in the Curriculum section of the Academic Bulletin must be satisfied except the minimum of 34 semester courses. Thus, you must complete a regular Wabash major and minor, and must satisfy all other distribution requirements. Senior comprehensive and oral exams may be taken during the junior year, or may be arranged to be taken during your enrollment in engineering school. The oral exam must be taken on the Wabash campus. With approval of your major department and by special arrangements, the comprehensive exam may be taken off campus, but must be taken during your first year in engineering school.

Pre-Engineering Requirements to be Satisfied at Wabash

Certain science and mathematics courses must be taken at Wabash to be eligible for admission into the programs at Columbia, Washington U., or Purdue. In addition, each school has slightly different required GPAs (overall and in required dual degree courses): Washington U.: 3.25, Columbia: 3.30, and Purdue:  3.3-3.5.   Since each program is different, you need to check the exact requirements.

General Requirements for Columbia University

• Calculus I & II, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Multivariable Calculus.
• Two semester sequence of introductory physics.
• One course in general chemistry.
• One course in computer programming.
• One course in economics.
• Additional courses depending on engineering major.

General Requirements for Washington University

• Calculus I & II, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Multivariable Calculus.
• Two semester sequence of introductory physics.
• One course in general chemistry.
• One course in computer programming.
• Additional courses depending on engineering major.

For more information including detailed requirements, click Washington University Dual Degree Program

• Calculus I & II, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Multivariable Calculus.
• Two semester sequence of introductory physics.
• One course in general chemistry.
• One course in computer programming.
• Additional courses depending on engineering major (see table below).

Purdue's program includes Mechanical Engineering (ME), Chemical Engineering (CHE), Multi-disciplinary Engineering (MUEN), and Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE).  Note: Unless courses are taken during a summer semester, the ME program requires 2.5 years to complete.

Here are the courses needed for these programs:

            X = Course is required                 # = Number of required courses for category

If you plan to participate in the 3-2 program, during your freshman year you should take Math 111 and 112, at least two physics or chemistry courses, and possibly CS 111.

OTHER PROGRAMS
Columbia and Washington also offer "4-2" programs, in which the student completes his undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree in four years (satisfying the pre-engineering requirements outlined above), and then enrolls at Columbia or Washington in their Bachelor of Science or Masters of Science degrees, completing them in two years. However, financial aid is less available for these 4-2 programs. On a less formal basis, a number of engineering schools will admit students with strong science and mathematics backgrounds into a Bachelor's or Master's degree program in engineering. A number of Wabash students have pursued degrees and careers in engineering without participating in one of the 3-2 programs.

You should be aware that a Master's degree in engineering is not necessarily preferable to a Bachelor's degree. The Bachelor's degree is much more applied and "hands on" than the Master's degree and many employers prefer applicants with Bachelor's degrees. In addition, an engineering license is more readily obtained by those with a Bachelor's degree than by those with a Master's degree, but not a Bachelor's.

If you are interested in pursuing an advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in engineering, you should major (and probably minor) in physics, chemistry, or mathematics. In some fields of engineering, particularly nuclear engineering, the physics major prepares one to begin work toward a Masters of Science or Ph.D. In other areas, like electrical engineering, you will have to take some undergraduate engineering courses before beginning work on an advanced degree. Some engineering schools strongly encourage the student to earn a B.S. in engineering on the way to a M.S., even if he has completed a B.A. at a liberal arts college like Wabash.

For further information, you should consult a member of the Pre-Engineering Committee, or request information about the 3-2 programs from Columbia or Washington.

Washington Mailing and Web Addresses: Director, Dual Degree Program, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Campus Box 1176, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899.  (800) 487-0744.

School of Engineering: www.engineering.wustl.edu/

Dual Degree (3-2,4-2) Homepage with Requirements: www.engineering.wustl.edu/DualDegreeProgram.aspx

Columbia Mailing and Web Addresses: Director, Combined Plan Program, Office of the Combined Plan, School of Engineering and Applied Science, 533 Seeley W. Mudd Building, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027. (212) 854-2981.

School of Engineering and Applied Science Home Page: http://www.engineering.columbia.edu/

Engineering 3-2 and 4-2 Programs: http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/admissions/engineering/combined

For information contact:

Nathan Tompkins (tompkinn@wabash.edu) or Colin McKinney (mckinnec@wabash.edu)
Pre-Engineering Committee