Physics and Engineering Programs

Engineering: Dual Degree

No matter what field of engineering a student chooses, more than half of the courses taken will be the same. All students take physics, math, chemistry, and computer science, in addition to the general education requirements. For this reason, at major universities these courses have enormous numbers of students in each class. It is also true that no small private school is large enough to provide the resources necessary for good majors in all the various engineering fields. In response to this situation, many smaller schools offer a dual-degree program (sometimes called pre-engineering or "3-2''). Students spend three years at a small school taking all of the necessary basics and then transfer to a university to spend two years working on the specialty courses in aeronautical, chemical, civil, mechanical, or electrical engineering. After five years the student graduates with two degrees: one from the engineering school and a B.A. from the smaller school. Since the average engineering major at any school takes at least five years to graduate, the "3-2'' provides twice as many degrees, and all the advantages of small class sizes, in the same amount of time.

Bethel students can complete their dual-degree at most engineering schools, but we also have official relationships with two excellent institutions: the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities and Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio.  The majority of our students choose the U. of Minnesota, and we have a close relationship with their Institute of Technology. Typically, 12 to 15 of our students are at "IT" at any given time; some choose to continue living in Bethel Residence Halls. To date, virtually all students prepared at Bethel have done well academically upon transferring to the school of their choice.

In our experience, dual-degree graduates have had great success in obtaining job offers. Employers really do appreciate students who have received the broader education inherent in a B.A. degree. A big part of any engineer's success lies in his or her ability to communicate results to other engineers and the public. Liberal arts classes train people to communicate well both orally and in writing---skills which often receive only minimal attention in the standard engineering curriculum. In addition, the broad course load offered at Bethel will provide more intensive work in mathematics and the sciences than the typical engineering major receives. Such training can have a very positive long term impact on an engineer's potential, both in the ability to adapt to a changing technical environment, and as a leader or manager of other engineers.

Because the curriculum for the first three years is the same, many dual-degree students at Bethel take advantage of this time to learn more about themselves and their interests before being forced to decide on a particular area of engineering. Sometimes students decide to work a little bit harder and achieve their Bethel B.A. with a major in physics to go with the engineering degree. This combination is particularly strong in the job market. It is even more advantageous for those anticipating future graduate work in engineering research, since research efforts often build on the broader perspective of an undergraduate science major.