Dual Degree Engineering Programs

Wabash College offers joint programs (known as dual degree programs) with Purdue University, Columbia University and Washington University-St. Louis. In these programs, students may study the liberal arts at Wabash for three years and engineering or applied science at Purdue, Columbia or Washington, typically for two years. These programs lead to both the Bachelor of Arts degree from Wabash and the Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or applied science from Purdue, Columbia or Washington. Any student interested in a dual degree program should contact the Pre-Engineering Committee as early as possible to ensure that all requirements will be met. More information can be found on the Pre-Engineering webpage: www.wabash.edu/academic/physics/engineering.

Wabash students who participate in the joint program may qualify for the A.B. degree by completing all of the Wabash requirements for graduation (listed in the curriculum section) other than the 34-course minimum, and by successfully completing the appropriate number of courses at Purdue, Columbia or Washington. Senior comprehensive and oral examinations may be taken during the junior year or during the first year of work at the engineering school, either on the Wabash campus or, under a program approved by the Wabash faculty, at the engineering school administered under supervision of the dean’s office of the School of Engineering. If the oral exam is taken after the junior year, it must be taken on the Wabash campus sometime during the two years of engineering school.

In addition to the requirements for Wabash, certain courses in physics, chemistry, mathematics, and computer science must be taken at Wabash for admission into Purdue, Columbia or Washington. Each university also has a minimum GPA requirement. The exact requirements for the three schools differ somewhat, and the student should consult with his advisor and a member of the Pre-Engineering Committee. Completing the requirements for both degrees requires careful planning, and the student should begin taking the appropriate courses in his freshman year.

Students do not need to major in physics, chemistry, computer science, or mathematics to participate in the program. In particular, both Columbia and Washington seek 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.

Many Wabash students graduating with a strong background in science and mathematics have been admitted to engineering programs, not necessarily at Purdue, Columbia, or Washington, without participating in a dual degree program.