Combined Course Plan In Engineering

The combined course plan in Engineering is a dual-degree program that gives the student the best of two worlds - Liberal Arts and Engineering.

Under the Dual-Degree Course Plan, the student usually spends 3 years at Albion, receiving a strong background in the basic sciences and mathematics that underlie all of engineering while gaining this knowledge in the context of the liberal arts tradition. Following the 3 years at Albion, the student completes engineering training at an engineering school of his/her choice. This typically takes 2 to 2-1/2 additional years. After the successful completion of the required number of units at the engineering school, an A.B. degree is granted from Albion College. After the second year, a B.S. degree in engineering is received from the engineering school. Formal agreements exist with Case Western Reserve University, Columbia University, Michigan Technological University, and the University of Michigan.

Albion's requirements for the dual degree program are: 

•  completing at least 4 units toward a major, with most students choosing physics;
• passing Albion College's writing competency examination;
• applying to the Petitions Committee through the Registrar's Office during the Junior year showing that admission to an engineering school has occurred;
• fulfilling Albion's core course requirements1;
• earning a 2.5 cumulative GPA; and
• completing 23.5 units of Albion credit, including possible transfer credit.

Note: A student must take a full load of courses at the engineering school in order to finish the program in two years. Albion College requires that you earn a total of 32 equivalent units at both schools before the Albion degree is granted.   

Other options for the student are: 

• staying at Albion for 4 years and receiving the A.B. degree, and then going to the engineering college for the B.S. in engineering; or
• staying at Albion for 4 years and receiving the A.B. degree, and then going to the engineering graduate school for an M.S. degree in engineering. 

The various engineering schools have different course requirements and grade point averages for program participation. The student, with his or her advisor, should carefully plan a course of study that fulfills the requirements of the intended engineering school. A pamphlet that gives details on this program and the requirements of all the engineering schools, as well as the engineering fields of study, is available from the Physics Department. Contact the department for a copy of this pamphlet.

1 Students in the dual degree program are exempt from the gender, environmental, global and ethnic studies requirements.