Many students come to Union to study engineering because they have many interests and want to be in a liberal arts college setting where they can pursue several of their passions. Our curriculum offers several ways to do this.
A 6-course focus on a discipline or topic
Students who want to gain more depth in a discipline or topic can complete a minor, which appears on the transcript. All majors at Union offer a minor, and there are several interdisciplinary minors such as Energy Studies, Digital Media, Film Studies, and Nanotechnology.
Two disciplinary majors and a single degree
Students with passions in engineering and another discipline can complete majors in both disciplines. This normally requires students to take course overloads, depending on the majors that are combined. Double majors are indicated on the transcript and diploma. Example double majors that students have completed in the last few years are Mechanical Engineering/German, Electrical Engineering/Economics, Mechanical Engineering/Philosophy and Electrical Engineering/Mathematics.
Two bachelor degrees
Students who want to have two degrees, can earn them in the following combinations: engineering and bachelor of science or bachelor of arts, or two engineering degrees. This is normally a 5-year program and requires at least 9 courses beyond the requirements for the engineering degree. One recent double degree example is BS Mechanical Engineering and BA in Philosophy.
12 courses from engineering and one other discipline focused on a theme
Students who do not plan to work as engineers, but want to study a theme that involves engineering, can apply for a customized major around a theme such as “Smart Design” or “Energy and Environment” or “Acoustics”. A selection of 12 courses from engineering and another discipline form the core of the major, along with a senior thesis or project that integrates knowledge and skills contributed by various courses in the major.