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2019-20 Undergraduate Academic Catalog | School of Natural and Social Sciences | Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics

Cooperative Engineering Programs

Program Description

Typical Cooperative Engineering programs are partnership programs between a two or four-year college and an engineering school. In such a program students complete introductory science and general education requirements at the college and subsequently transfer to the engineering school to complete the engineering specific requirements of their chosen engineering degree. If, between the courses taken at both schools, the student completes all of the requirements for a related major at the home school, they may graduate with two degrees – one in the chosen major at the home school and one in engineering from the engineering school. These are known as dual-degree programs. Students graduating without completing requirements for the major at the home school are only granted a degree from the engineering school. Programs tailored to this type of experience are referred to as transfer programs.

Transfer programs (often referred to as 2+2 programs) can be completed with most engineering schools in most disciplines. In this case, the student’s course of study is tailored through consultation with the Engineering Advisor to the needs and interests of the student and the requirements of the engineering school to which he or she wishes to transfer. Typically a student in a transfer program will remain at Roberts for two years and subsequently transfer to the engineering institution where they will complete their engineering degree. Before choosing this option, students should become familiar with the requirements of the schools to which they might transfer. Nearly all schools require general physics, general chemistry, and calculus. Most also require a course in English composition. Other courses that meet the requirements of many engineering schools are Mechanics, Differential Equations, Numerical Analysis, Physical Chemistry, and a variety of liberal arts electives.

Unlike transfer programs which only result in a single degree, dual-degree programs are aimed at broadening the education and experience of the student by providing a solid scientific liberal arts background on which to build their engineering expertise.  Roberts has official dual-degree (often referred to as 3+2) programs with RIT, Clarkson University, and RPI. Many students pursue a Bachelors of Science from Roberts and Bachelors of Science from the engineering school through this option, though paths to higher degrees are possible with excellent performance. Dependent upon the requirements for the chosen major at Roberts and the engineering major and degree at the engineering institution, a dual-degree program typically takes a minimum of five years to complete, often consisting of three years at Roberts and two or more years at the engineering institution. Actual time frames are dependent upon the students’ level of preparation, chosen Roberts major and performance in the program.

At Roberts Wesleyan College, we offer individually tailored programs for each student desiring to pursue an engineering education through a cooperative agreement. Through consultation with the Engineering Advisor the student selects a major offered by Roberts to complement his/her chosen engineering degree and discipline. In order to minimize the time necessary to complete the dual-degree program, each engineering specialty is best suited to a specific Roberts B.S. major: typically Physics, Mathematics, or Chemistry.  If the Engineering Advisor is not in the same major discipline as the student, an advocate within the major will be assigned.  In this case, consultation with both advisor and advocate is essential to ensure program requirements for both the engineering program and Roberts major are met.

Transferring to the engineering institution is a crucial part of the engineering program. In order to be eligible to transfer out as part of the dual-degree program the student must complete at least 92 total hours towards his/her chosen Roberts degree where the last 31 semester hours must be taken at Roberts. These hours must include 15 semester hours in the chosen Roberts major, where at least 6 of those credits taken at the 300 level or above. In order to successfully transfer into the engineering school the student must meet the criteria established by the partnering institution which often include successful completion of specific courses for transfer credit in the engineering major, a B or better in science, math and engineering courses and a 3.0 overall GPA. Meeting these requirements will typically result in junior status at the engineering institution upon transfer.

The remaining courses to be taken after transfer are determined by the school to which the student transfers. The student’s transcript will be reviewed by registration and with input from a department advocate the student will be awarded credit for the courses he/she has taken at Roberts. At that point, a course load will be assigned for subsequent semesters until all requirements for the engineering program are met. It is the student’s responsibility to work with the Engineering Advisor at Roberts to ensure that all requirements for the chosen Roberts degree are completed prior to graduation. Depending upon the courses successfully completed prior to transfer, this may require specific courses to be completed at the engineering school beyond those required by the engineering major. Once all courses are complete the student must request a transcript be sent back to Roberts to complete the Roberts requirements for the dual-degree through approved transfer credit. The student is eligible to graduate from Roberts Wesleyan College in the dual-degree program only after the requirements for both degrees are completed.

Once a student has become part of the engineering program, he/she will work closely with the Engineering Advisor in order to ensure he/she remains on track. Any student who does not meet the transfer requirements for the chosen engineering institution will be notified. If a student does not want or is unable to complete the engineering program, the Engineering Advisor will work with the student to determine alternative options for completing his/her education.

For more information about the program, including how to become a part of the program, contact the Roberts Engineering Program Coordinator through the Department of Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics office 585.594.6310.

Cooperative Engineering Schools

The schools with which we have formal dual-degree programs are Clarkson University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Our official agreement at RIT is directly with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, though we have successfully managed programs with Electrical and Microelectronic Engineering. See the websites for Clarkson www.clarkson.edu, RPI www.rpi.edu, and RIT https://www.rit.edu/kgcoe/mechanical/ for more information about the degrees and disciplines offered by these institutions.

If a student is interested in completing a dual-degree program with an institution not listed here, we have a flexible engineering program which allows the student to complete the dual-degree in a shortened time frame (typically five years). In this program, students work closely with the engineering program advisor to plan their program of study. Students complete general education and major requirements at Roberts prior to enrolling at the engineering school. Students then transfer back elective credits from the engineering institution to complete the 124 credit hours required for graduation.

Dual-Degree Transfer Requirements

In addition to major and cumulative GPA requirements, each engineering degree has specific requirements imposed by the engineering institution that may affect the coursework taken at Roberts prior to transfer. Below is a sample listing of such requirements for each institution with which we have formal agreements. These requirements are subject to change and will be reviewed for each individual pursuing an engineering degree through our dual-degree program.

Clarkson 

  • General Education 
    • Fulfilled by the RWC General Education Program requirements
    • An economics course should be chosen to fulfill the history, economics, or social sciences elective requirement.
  • Additional Transfer Requirements
    • Chemistry courses (8 hours): CHM 111*, 112;
    • Computer science courses (5 hours): CSC 140, 180;
    • Mathematics courses (18 hours): MTH 281*, 282, 283, 301, 302;
    • Physics courses (12 hours): PHY 201*, 202, 203.
  • Program Specific Additional Requirements
    • Chemical Engineering
      • Required chemistry courses (12 hours): CHM 211, 212; 221
      • Recommended chemistry courses (8 hours): CHM 311, 304.
    • Civil Engineering
      • Required physics courses (6 hours): PHY 210, 211;
      • Recommended biology course (4 hours): BIO 111.
    • Computer Engineering
      • Required physics course (3 hours): PHY 211.
    • Electrical Engineering
      • Required physics course (3 hours): PHY 211.
    • Environmental Engineering
      • Required physics course (6 hours): PHY 210, 211;
      • Recommended biology courses (4 hours): BIO 111.
    • Industrial Engineering
      • Required physics courses (6 hours): PHY 210, 211.
    • Mechanical Engineering
      • Required physics courses (6 hours): PHY 210, 211.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

  • General Education
    • Fulfilled by the RWC General Education Program requirements
  • Additional Transfer Requirements and Recommendations*
    • Chemistry course (4 hours): CHM 111*;
    • Computer science courses (5 hours): CSC 140, 180;
    • Mathematics courses (18 hours): MTH 281*, 282, 283, 301, 302;
    • Physics courses (18 hours): PHY 201*, 202, 203, 210*, 211*.
  • Program Specific Additional Requirements
    • Some specialties listed above have additional requirements and recommendations specific to the program.  For a current list of these requirements and recommendations, contact the Program Coordinator through the Department of Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics office.

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) - Mechanical Engineering

  • General Education
    • Fulfilled by the RWC General Education Program requirements
  • Additional Transfer Requirements
    • Chemistry course (4 hours): CHM 111*;
    • Computer science course (4 hours): CSC 140;
    • Mathematics courses (15 hours): MTH 281*, 282, 283, 301;
    • Physics courses (18 hours): PHY 201*, 202, 203, 210, 211.
  • Cross Registration - In this program, students are required to cross-register for specific RIT courses prior to transfer.  Please consult with the Engineering Advisor.
  • Other Requirements
    • Science Elective Credits
      • Choose two of the following: BIO 111, CHM 112, MTH 302, select an approved 300- or higher level course in physics or mathematics to satisfy this requirement.
    • Recommended Courses
      • CSC 180
    • Co-ops
      • Industrial undergraduate experiences are included in the RIT portion of the program, typically in the summer following the second, third, and fourth academic year of the program. See the Mechanical Engineering program co-op requirements for transfer students on RIT’s website for details.

Cross Registration

Students pursuing an engineering education may take engineering courses beyond those which we offer internally through cross-registration, an inter-institutional registration agreement between Rochester area colleges. A full-time student may take a course at RIT or another local area college through this agreement provided they meet the criteria which include the following: there is space in the class, they complete and submit the Inter-Institutional Undergraduate Student Enrollment Form with the required signatures on the first day of classes at the partnering institution, and they provide their own transportation to and from the class. Students in a cooperative program with RIT are required to take specific courses through this method in order to be eligible to transfer into RIT as part of our dual-degree program. Any student is welcome to take courses through cross-registration so long as they meet the necessary criteria as stated on the Inter-Institutional Undergraduate Student Enrollment Form. This opportunity can help engineering students decide whether engineering is right for them or help them obtain the necessary background for success in the engineering program.