Pre-engineering
Central College offers a dual degree program in engineering with the nation’s foremost engineering institutions: Washington University, Iowa State University or The University of Iowa. The program culminates in a Bachelor of Arts degree from Central College and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the engineering institution.
Students spend three years at Central and then enroll at the engineering institution. Credits transfer back to Central so the students receive a B.A. from Central. The students may opt to spend four years at Central, complete the B.A. degree at Central and continue with engineering studies at the graduate or undergraduate level thereafter.
Faculty
Courses
Students usually major in physics, chemistry, computer science or mathematics at Central, depending on their specific field of interest. The following courses must be included:
- CHEM 131: General Chemistry
- MATH 131: Calculus I
- MATH 132: Calculus II
- MATH 250: Differential Equations
- PHYS 111: General Physics I
- PHYS 112: General Physics II
Benefit
Central’s dual degree engineering program is an excellent way for students to obtain both an engineering degree and a liberal-arts degree in a small classroom setting taught by exceptionally well-qualified faculty devoted to their teaching. A broad background in science, mathematics and the liberal arts, as well as our emphasis on communication skills, helps students to establish themselves as thoughtful, creative, productive engineers.
Career Center — a helpful resource
Staff of the Career Center, located in the Maytag Student Center, provides the following:
- Individual appointments to help students identify career options in the health field
- Job shadowing opportunities with local professionals or Central alumni
- Career mentoring through the use of a database of Central alumni in a wide variety of health and medical careers
- Advertising for and transportation to health-related events and open houses at universities
- Assistance with finding and applying for internships and summer opportunities, including specific internship programs in Chicago and Washington, D.C.
- An annual graduate school conference with representatives from regional universities and presentations about being successful in graduate school
- Help with graduate school essays and related application materials
- Workshops on résumé-writing, interviewing and etiquette
- “Meet the Pros” events where alums return to campus to talk to students about careers in health and medicine
Recent Graduates of the Program
- Seth Sojka, graduate student, Iowa State University, mechanical engineering, Ames, Iowa
- Curtis Carroll, graduate student, Iowa State University, mechanical engineering, Ames, Iowa
- Melanie Koskamp, audio development engineer, Shure, Inc., Evanston, Ill.
- Darrin Meyer, manufacturing engineer, Deere & Co., Des Moines, Iowa
- Joseph Ritzert, graduate student, Iowa State University, mechanical engineering and biorenewable resources, Ames, Iowa
- Timothy White, chemistry research assistant, The University of Iowa, chemical engineering, Iowa City, Iowa
