Charleston Southern University and The Citadel Collaborate on Dual-Degree Engineering Program

CHARLESTON, SC – March 14, 2011 – Charleston Southern University and The Citadel are pleased to announce they have finalized a Dual-Degree Engineering Program agreement, which will make it easier for engineering graduates to stand out among college students looking for employment.

This collaborative agreement is a 3 + 2 program with students completing the three-year pre-engineering program at Charleston Southern and finishing the next two years at The Citadel Graduate College.

“There is no other opportunity like this one in the Lowcountry. This agreement provides a great opportunity for students to obtain a BS in applied mathematics and a BS in engineering in only five years,” notes Dr. Andrew Blauch, associate professor of science and mathematics and director of the pre-engineering program at CSU. “They will receive the benefits of a Christian college while here at CSU, as well as the high tech facilities at The Citadel.”

Dennis Fallon, dean of the School of Engineering, said The Citadel is committed to partnering with other educational institutions to support the Lowcountry professional community’s need for a highly educated and trained technical workforce.

“This is an excellent example of combining the strength of The Citadel and Charleston Southern University to provide this opportunity for individuals to achieve two highly rated Bachelor of Science Degrees: one in applied mathematics from CSU and one in engineering from The Citadel. We are absolutely delighted to be working with CSU in this important endeavor,” Fallon said.
Students can apply now.

Here’s how the program works:

A student choosing pre-engineering at CSU takes three years of general education classes, science, math and general engineering courses. After successfully completing those requirements, which include a C or better in all the pre-engineering courses and an overall 2.5 GPA, he or she can transfer to The Citadel to complete a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

The dual-degree program affiliation guarantees admission to The Citadel if required coursework has been successfully completed at Charleston Southern. During the next two years, the student completes coursework in his or her chosen engineering field and receives two degrees.

In addition to guaranteed admission to The Citadel, the dual-degree program offers other advantages. The academic load per semester is less at 14-16 hours a semester as opposed to 16-18 hours per semester to complete a bachelor’s degree in engineering in four years. Also, The Citadel and Charleston Southern offer smaller classes allowing for more personal attention.
“The Citadel Graduate College is excited to be able to work with Charleston Southern to create a unique public-private educational opportunity for our students. This collaboration expands the audience for our outstanding engineering programs and enhances the capacity for our evening undergraduate programs to impact the economic development of the region,” said Steve Nida, dean of The Citadel Graduate College. “CSU students will not only have access to top-notch engineering professors but will benefit from the School of Engineering’s outstanding national reputation.”
The Citadel School of Engineering is ranked No. 21 out of 600 accredited engineering schools in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual best colleges rankings.

Students who complete the three years at CSU will be considered juniors and seniors in The Citadel Graduate College. Those students are separate from the Corps of Cadets. They will, however, have the benefit of using the same facilities and the expertise of the same instructors.

“We are very excited to be partnering with The Citadel, and the timing couldn’t be better. With Boeing and other high tech companies coming to the Charleston area, there will be an increased need for highly qualified engineers. Having degrees in both applied math and engineering will give our graduates a competitive advantage when seeking these jobs,” said Dr. Todd Ashby, chair of the department of mathematical sciences.

There are only three schools of higher learning in South Carolina that offer the bachelor of science in engineering degree: The Citadel, Clemson University and the University of South Carolina. With the addition of The Citadel, Charleston Southern now has Dual-Degree Program agreements with all three.

For more information, contact CSU enrollment services at 843-863-7050.