Major

3+2 Pre-Professional Program in Engineering

Download 3+2 Pre-Professional Program in Engineering Declaration Form

Whether you want to improve the present or build the future, there’s a place for you in engineering! If you want to start your path to solving problems in the world in a way that’s personally supportive and socially relevant, Pre-engineering at Earlham is the place for you. Our program gives you plenty of flexibility and advantages, including formal affiliations with four different engineering schools and the opportunity to complete up to three different degrees in six years or less. Feel free to reach out to program liaison, Seth Hopper with any questions. 

Earlham’s official relationships with affiliate institutions mean they have approved our courses for transfer and that our program liaison is ready to help you craft a plan for success in earning both an Earlham B.A. and a B.S. in engineering from one of our partner schools; in one case, there are also options to earn an MS in one additional year. You will apply for transfer to affiliates after spending three at Earlham. Following transfer, you will spend two years earning the remainder of both the B.A. and B.S. degrees at the engineering school.

Program Details

Our 3-2 program in engineering includes a sequence of courses that you take over three years at Earlham.

Earlham’s 3-2 pre-professional engineering option provides a wonderful opportunity if you’re considering a career in engineering but also want the experience of a broad, liberal arts education that is seldom available in engineering schools.

By combining three years at Earlham with two years at an engineering school, you can emphasize the liberal arts as well as the technical aspects of your education.

The Earlham pre-engineering program permits you to complete the B.A. degree requirements at Earlham and the engineering requirements at a professional engineering school with the aim of becoming a practicing engineer in industry, government or at a university.

Typically this type of program involves three years at Earlham studying fundamental science and the liberal arts, followed by two years of specialization at an affiliated engineering school. At the end of those five years, you will receive two degrees: a B.A. from Earlham in pre-engineering studies and a B.S. from the engineering program.

Pre-engineering requirements in the sciences depend on the engineering program to which you transfer, but most programs have requirements such as these:

  • One year of physics (PHYS 125, 235)
  • One year of chemistry (usually CHEM 111, 331)
  • Mathematics through Differential Equations and Multivariate Calculus (MATH 180, 280, 320 and 350)
  • One semester of computer programming (CS 128)

Some programs include additional courses such as economics (required by Columbia) or additional courses in biology, chemistry or electronics (if you have a particular interest such as biomedical or electrical engineering).

Below is our recommended three-year plan for most majors, but you should connect with your 3-2 adviser early and often to make sure you are on the right track for your goals.

Year 1

We recommend that you take:

  • Calculus sequence (MATH 180 (Fall, 5 credits) and MATH 280 (Spring, 5 credits))
  • Physics sequence (PHYS 125 and PHYS 235)
    • If you are interested in Chemical Engineering, you may want to take CHEM 111 instead of physics
    • You could also take CS 128 instead of physics

The physics sequence is recommended for the first year because of alternate year courses that are required for some programs/majors. This schedule makes it very difficult to take a language in your first year, because of required Earlham Seminar courses. If you are uncertain whether you want to major in pre-engineering, we encourage you to take at least the calculus sequence and something that satisfies one of the general education distribution requirements.

Year 2

We recommend that you take:

  • MATH 320 (Differential equations, Fall, 3 credits) and MATH 350 (Multivariate calculus, Spring, 4 credits)
  • Depending on what you took your first year, one of the following:
    • PHYS 125 and PHYS 235
    • CHEM 111
    • CS 128
  • If you have not placed out of it, you are encouraged to complete your language requirement
  • ECON 103 Introduction to Microeconomics (offered every year)
  • PHYS 350 Electronics and Instrumentation (alternate years).

Year 3

We recommend that you take:

  • MATH 310 (Linear Algebra, Fall, 3 credits)
  • Depending on what you took your first two years, one of the following:
    • PHYS 125 and PHYS 235
    • CHEM 111
    • CS 128
  • ECON 103 Introduction to Microeconomics (offered every year)
  • PHYS 350 Electronics and Instrumentation (alternate years, requires Physics 125 and 235).