Colleges partner on engineering program

Charleston Southern University and The Citadel have finalized a dual-degree engineering program agreement, which officials say will make it easier for engineering graduates to stand out among college students looking for employment.

The collaborative agreement is what’s known as a 3+2 program, in which students complete a three-year pre-engineering program at Charleston Southern and then finish the next two years at The Citadel Graduate College.

“There is no other opportunity like this one in the Lowcountry,” said Andrew Blauch, associate professor of science and mathematics and director of the pre-engineering program at CSU. “This agreement provides a great opportunity for students to obtain a Bachelor’s of Science in Applied Mathematics and a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering in only five years.”

The dual-degree program guarantees admission to The Citadel if required coursework has been successfully completed at Charleston Southern. That requires a C or better in all pre-engineering courses and an overall 2.5 GPA.

Officials said that having these two degrees is an invaluable asset to Lowcountry students in the current work force.

“We are very excited to be partnering with The Citadel, and the timing couldn’t be better,” said Todd Ashby, chairman of the department of mathematical sciences. “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.”

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.

Officials say they are committed to partnering with other educational institutions to support the Lowcountry professional community’s need for a highly educated and trained technical work force.

“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,” said Steve Nida, dean of The Citadel Graduate College. “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.”