To be considered for admission to Columbia University's School of Engineering an applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. full-time college enrollment for at least three years, with the last two years at the University of Redlands;

2. provide three favorable recommendations: one each from the program liaison, a math professor, and a science professor;

3. complete your Redlands major and general education requirements for a BS degree*;

4. and complete the specific prerequisite courses for your intended major—see below, and consult with the program advisor.

For students who entered before Fall 2019, admission is guaranteed if they successfully complete all of the requirements above and earned an overall and a pre-engineering GPA of 3.3 or higher and achieved at least a B, on the first attempt, in each pre-engineering science or math course. Applicants who do not meet the above criteria may apply, but admission is not guaranteed and students will be considered in a competitive review process. The requirements of guaranteed admission are used as guidelines for this review process.

For students entering in Fall 2019 or later, Columbia recommends that students maintain an overall minimum GPA of 3.3 and a B or higher in all math and science courses.

* Students do not need to earn 128 credits while at the University of Redlands because credits will be transferred back from Columbia University. Also, students only need to complete the BS degree requirements, even if they are completing a BA degree at Redlands.  The Student Planning app may show the BA requirements.  Under the LAF requirements for the BS degree, one foreign language course at the 102 level or higher must be completed (instead of a two-course sequence at the 100 or 200 level or one course at the 300 level or higher) and courses in two of the humanities categories (HH, HL, and HP) must be completed (instead of all three).

Prerequisite Courses

• Foundational: The following pre-engineering courses are required for all engineering majors.
  
  MATH 121 (or  MATH 118 and MATH 119), MAT 122, MATH 221 Calculus I-III
  PHYS 231-233 General Physics I-III
  CHEM 131 General Chemistry I
  CS 110 Intro. to Programming
  ECON 101 or ECON 250 (not ECON 100)

• Major-specific: In addition to the Foundational Pre-Engineering Courses, students must take courses specific to their engineering major. The approximate numbers of courses required are listed below.
  
  Applied Math or Applied Physics (1 course)
  Biomedical Engineering (6 courses)
  Chemical Engineering (3 courses)
  Civil Engineering (3 courses)
  Computer Engineering (4 courses)
  Computer Science (3 courses)
  Earth and Environmental Engineering (4 courses)
  Electrical Engineering (3 to 4 courses)
  Engineering Management Systems (5 courses)
  Engineering Mechanics (2 courses)
  Industrial Engineering / Operations Research (5 to 6 courses)
  Material Science and Engineering (2 courses)
  Mechanical  Engineering (4 courses)
   

To be considered for admission to Washington University's School of Engineering you must:

1. have an overall and pre-engineering GPA of 3.25 or higher;

2. complete your Redlands major and general education requirements for a BS degree*;

3. complete the specific prerequisite courses for your intended engineering major (see below and consult with the Program Advisor).

* Students do not need to earn 128 credits while at the University of Redlands because credits will be transferred back from Washington University.  Also, students only need to complete the BS degree requirements, even if they are completing a BA degree at Redlands.  The Student Planning app may show the BA requirements.  Under the LAF requirements for the BS degree, one foreign language course at the 102 level or higher must be completed (instead of a two-course sequence at the 100 or 200 level or one course at the 300 level or higher) and courses in two of the humanities categories (HH, HL, and HP) must be completed (instead of all three).

Prerequisite Courses

• Foundational: The following pre-engineering courses are required for most engineering majors (See exceptions under major-specific requirements).
  
  MATH 121 (or 118 and 119), 122, 221 Calculus I-III
  MATH 235 Differential Equations (not required for Computer Science)
  PHYS 231-233 General Physics I-III
  CHEM 131 General Chemistry I (not required for Computer Science)
  CS 110 Intro. to Programming

• Major-specific: In addition to the foundational pre-engineering courses, students must take courses specific to their engineering major. Possible majors and numbers of additional courses required are listed below.
  
  Biomedical Engineering (2 courses)
  Chemical Engineering (3-5 courses)
  Computer Engineering (1 course)
  Computer Science (1 course, also MATH 235 CHEM 131 are not required)
  Data Science (MATH 235 CHEM 131 are not required)
  Electrical Engineering (no additional courses)
  Environmental Engineering (3-5 courses)
  Mechanical Engineering (no additional courses)
  System Science and Engineering (no additional courses)

At the end of the program, what degrees would I have?

The most common combination is a B.A. from Redlands and a B.S. from Columbia or Washington. Students can choose to complete a B.S. from Redlands, however, that generally means spending a fourth year here before moving on to the engineering program. Washington offers the option to either stay a third year and also complete an M.S. or to directly enroll in a three-year M.S. program upon leaving Redlands.

What are the minimum and maximum times that the program can take?

It’s often referred to as a "3-2 program" since students typically spend three years at the University of Redlands, and then another two years in one of the engineering programs – Columbia’s or Washington’s. However, the “three” is flexible. A student can choose to spend more time at the liberal arts college, perhaps to take advantage of one more year’s eligibility in an athletic program or to complete a BS rather than a BA. It is also possible for a student with sufficient AP experience or time at a junior college to spend only two or two and a half years at Redlands (our partner schools require a minimum of two years here.) As for the “two” in the engineering program, the exception is that strong students at Washington can choose to stay a third year to complete an masters degree, in addition to the bachelors from Washington and the bachelors from Redlands.

Why participate in a combined-degree program rather than going straight for an engineering bachelor's?

Few small schools can afford to have strong engineering departments of their own, and few large schools can offer the personalized education that a small school can. So a combined-degree program allows you to go to a small school for three years, take your introductory math and science courses in classes of 20 to 40 instead of 200 to 400, learn from professors rather than graduate students, and develop the ‘soft' skills that a liberal arts education is known for but are actually invaluable to scientists and engineers. But it also allows you to spend two years at a high-caliber school of engineering.

What are the advantages of participating in the engineering combined-degree program vs. getting a science degree and then an engineering master's?

For many engineering positions, a Bachelor’s degree is what’s required. Through the combined-degree program, you earn that degree from a highly-respected school of engineering in five years, rather than the six years it would take for a science bachelors and then an engineering master's. Also, you are eligible for undergraduate financial aid for the whole period since you’re earning two bachelor’s degrees. Note that at Washington, you can stay a third year to also complete a master’s degree.

What are the advantages of getting a science degree and then an engineering master's vs. participating in the engineering combined-degree program?

A master's degree generally makes you more competitive on the job market than a bachelor's; you have a wider range of institutions to choose from; and staying at Redlands four (rather than just three) years makes it easier to study abroad, take a wider range of courses, continue participating in athletics, and otherwise complete your undergraduate experience. Note that while most students who participate in the engineering combined-degree plan will leave Redlands after three years, some might require a fourth year (for example, if they didn't place into Calculus I their first year); then it would take just as many years to participate in the combined-degree plan as to get a science degree and then an engineering masters.

How difficult or rigorous is the program?

From Columbia and Washington's perspective, it makes sense to recruit only the proven, top science students; so they've set a high bar. It's doable, but you will have to work hard to earn at least a B (3.0) in each of the science and math courses that make up the ‘pre-engineering' requirements and maintain a 3.3 average. Historically, the top half of our physics graduates would have qualified; that may translate into the top third or quarter of students in General Physics I.

How many students participate in the program?

The program's too new for us to say how many students will typically complete it, but most schools that offer combined-degree options report that 0-3 students move on to a school of engineering after three years and an equal number move on after four years. Rather than 'declaring' themselves in the program (as one 'declares' a major), students simply indicate interest and receive advice for keeping the option open. Taking for example the entering class of 2012, of the fifteen first-year students who expressed interest in the program in Fall 2012, three concluded their studies at Redlands Spring 2015, with one headed to Washington and the other two headed to Columbia for Fall 2015. Another seven of them decided to complete physics degrees in four years and some will likely pursue engineering or physics graduate programs the following year.

Why do so few students follow through to the end?

Some students decide to go on in engineering, but outside of the combined-degree partnership, by completing a science BS and then pursuing an engineering MS at one of any number of institutions. Some students decide they prefer the related science to the engineering that had initially attracted them, for example, Chemistry rather than Chemical Engineering. And some students pursue completely unrelated interests: theater, history, etc. In general, a lot of students enter college with interest in going into medicine, law, business, and engineering – these are well known and respected professions. However, once at college, students discover a wide range of fields, some of which are better fits than what they'd initially considered.

Would I be able to have a study-abroad experience?

It's easy to have a month-long travel experience during Redlands' May Term, but more challenging for science and combined-degree students to have a semester-long experience. Generally science majors, and especially combined-degree students, can't take a semester off from their science and math courses, so their study-abroad options are limited to schools where they'd be able to take courses that are comparable to the one's they'd be missing here. Some students do manage this, often in countries where their native tongue is spoken, but it takes some long-term planning. Alternatively, since core science and math courses are not offered during May Term, it's relatively easy to take a travel course in May. While in a Redlands-approved study-abroad program, students are still considered to be enrolled with Redlands for the purposes of Columbia's and Washington’s requirement that participating students have been full-time Redlands students for at least two years.

How do I learn about the differences between the many subfields of engineering?

One easy way to get a feel for the differences is checking out the descriptions of courses and research projects of the faculty teaching in the different sub-fields at Columbia, Washington, and other institutions.

When do I have to officially decide whether or not I'm doing the combined-degree program?

You don't have to officially decide until the last year that you'd be at Redlands, generally your Junior year. At that point, there's paperwork to notify Columbia or Washington that you're interested in coming, to demonstrate that you're eligible, and to start the financial aid process. That said, you do need to decide very early on that you want to keep the option open. As early as the first semester of your first year at Redlands, there are conscious decisions you'll need to make to keep this an option – take General Physics I and Calculus I, and if you're interested in doing it as a "3+2" (three years here and two years at one of our partner institutions), then you need to be planning efficient semesters or you can find yourself needing to stick around an extra semester just to get everything done. So you don't need to commit to doing the combined-degree program very early, but you should contact the program director as soon as you begin thinking about participating so you get help making the decisions that will keep that option open.

What's the financial side of going from Redlands to Columbia or Washington?

At the time you leave Redlands for one of our partner institutions, you essentially become a student of that new institution, and financial aid is worked out with them. They use the same kinds of metrics to determine need, and thus aid, as Redlands does, and their tuitions and average financial aid packages are comparable to Redlands.

What should I major in at Redlands if I'm doing the combined-degree program?

In principle, you can pair any undergraduate degree at Redlands with an engineering degree. In practice, and especially if you're planning on doing the combined-degree program as a "3+2" (just three years at Redlands followed by two at one of our partner institutions) then you'll be interested in the degrees that overlap the most both with your interests and the ‘pre-engineering' math and science courses; these depend on engineering sub-field. The Physics BA has the greatest overlap with the core courses that are required for all engineering sub-fields, and it makes particular sense for many of the sub-fields, but the Biology BA and Environmental Studies BA, with particular choices of electives, may be good fits for others. Alternatively, the Johnston program enables students to design their own Redlands majors.

What are the general education requirements for the combined-degree program?

Students in the combined-degree program only need to satisfy general education requirements for a BS degree.  Although they will receive a BA degree from Redlands, they will ultimately earn BS degrees from our partner institutions.  However, a Physics BA student who ultimately does not get a BS degree at a partner institution must complete the general education requirements for a BA degree to earn a Redlands degree

Are there any issues for transfer students?

A transfer student can participate, but you would likely need to be a full-time student at Redlands for two to three years to fulfill the requirements of your Redlands degree. Each of our partner schools requires full-time enrollment at the University of Redlands for two years (note: study-abroad time counts toward the two years). Aside from that though, are the specific courses required for a chosen major, and given their sequencing, you may take two to three years to complete them, depending on how many you'd already taken at your previous institution. For example, beginning with General Physics I and Calculus I, it takes three years to complete the Physics BA, which many students choose to accompany their engineering degrees. Note that Redlands does not include the grades in your transferred courses on your transcript, but Columbia or Washington would consider them for admission.

Do AP courses count?

Yes. If you get a good enough AP score that Redlands allows it to replace a ‘pre-engineering' course, then Columbia and Washington will honor that as well. To learn more about the process for obtaining AP credit, see the relevant departments' Catalog entries.

What should I take at Redlands if I don't want to do a combined-degree, but go for a master's in engineering after I graduate?

As a general rule, major in the related science (like Chemistry for Chemical Engineering) but also make a point of taking the pre-engineering courses that are recommended for the engineering sub-field you're interested in. Note that it means taking the three-semester, calculus-based introductory physics sequence rather than the two-semester algebra-based sequence even though your major may allow you to take the latter.

If you're an entering student who's interested in the engineering combined-degree plan, it is important that you take or place out of General Physics I (PHYS 231) and Calculus I (MATH 121) your first semester, get at least a B (3.0) in them, and contact the program director, Eric Hill, prior to Spring registration so that he can work with you to identify appropriate courses.

Please note that General Physics I is offered during only the Fall semester, so a student would have to wait an entire year for it to be offered again. Also, only one section is offered (MWF 11-12:20 plus a choice of lab times). If this conflicts with your current First Year Seminar, your advisor and the program director, Eric Hill, can work with you to determine whether changing seminars would be recommended. If the course is full when you register, email the instructor. We will do our best to accommodate all qualified students who are interested in engineering.

Calculus I is a co-requisite for General Physics I, but we strongly encourage you to enroll in the highest calculus course for which you are qualified since Calculus II and III are core pre-engineering courses (and required for General Physics II and III which are also core pre-engineering courses.) If you place into Integrated Calculus I (MATH 118) or lower, you should contact the program director to discuss options. The soonest you could take General Physics I and II would be next year (or you may take comparable summer courses.) Since the math placement exam evaluates your preparation to take Calculus by testing your algebraic skills, particularly those associated with Algebra II, we strongly encourage you to practice these skills over the summer. 

Suggested first-year courses for students interested in engineering:

• Fall

  • First-year seminar

  • General Physics I (PHYS 231) AND lab (PHYS231L)

  • Highest possible Calculus class (at least MATH 121)

  • General Education*

• Spring

  • General Physics II (PHYS 232) AND lab

  • Highest possible Calculus class (at least MATH 122)

  • General Education

  • General Education

Students are required to have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in the General Physics (PHYS 231-233) and Calculus (MATH 121,122, and 221) sequences in order to declare a physics major.

An alternative path into engineering (outside of the combined-degree plan) is earning a science degree and then pursuing an MS in engineering. The courses required for the combined-degree plan are still highly recommended for this option. The program director can help you choose appropriate courses for this option.

* If you're interested in Chemical or Biomedical Engineering, you should take General Chemistry I (CHEM 131 and 131L) your first semester. Otherwise, it may be postponed a year or two.