Stockton, Rowan to Offer Five-Year Dual Degree Program in Engineering

On Oct 24, 2014

Students will be able to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Mathematics, or Physics from The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and a Bachelor of Science  Engineering degree from Rowan University in five years under an agreement announced today by both institutions.

Qualified students would typically attend Stockton’s School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NAMS) for the first three years and then spend two years at Rowan’s College of Engineering, ultimately earning degrees from both institutions. The program gives students the opportunity to experience a liberal arts institution in their first three years and then move into a career-oriented engineering sequence.

“Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are increasingly the key to jobs in education and industry in our global economy,” said President Herman Saatkamp of Stockton. “This agreement offers students the opportunity to increase the value of their education while reducing the cost by receiving degrees from two prestigious New Jersey institutions of higher learning.”

Said Dr. Ali A. Houshmand, president of Rowan University: “Stockton’s strengths in the sciences mold well with our engineering programs to the great benefit of students and the region. This joint venture will increase access to prominent programs, enabling some of the best and brightest college students to stay here to earn degrees that open doors for them in high-demand fields.  With two degrees, they will be uniquely prepared to work for leading technology-driven companies in New Jersey.”

Three of Stockton’s programs and five of Rowan’s programs are participating in the agreement, which is limited to the dual degree combinations that can be completed in five years. Stockton’s programs are in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics, and Rowan’s programs are Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Electrical and Computer, and Mechanical Engineering. Some programs may require taking summer courses at one or both schools, according to the agreement.

Qualified students already enrolled in a dual degree Engineering program at Stockton would be able to opt for admission to Rowan University for September 2015.

Incoming students would be admitted to Stockton as freshmen or transfers and remain there for three years or until their transfer requirements are completed. The Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics typically would be awarded by Stockton after the completion of the fourth year of the program at Rowan, and the Bachelor of Science in Engineering would be awarded by Rowan when the program is successfully completed.

High school seniors interested in the program would apply as undergraduates and select the engineering dual degree, with no need for an additional application to the program. Students admitted to the program must meet the SAT math requirements set by the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and be prepared to take Calculus I in their first semester at Stockton.

Transfer students or Stockton students who did not join the program as freshmen may be considered for admission if they have completed all “pre-engineering” required courses with an overall Stockton GPA of 3.0 or higher, and at least a 3.0 GPA in Stockton science and mathematics courses. Transfer students must be enrolled for at least one academic year at Stockton before they become eligible for the transfer to Rowan through the agreement. It may take students who did not join the program as freshmen more than five years to complete the program.

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