University of Massachusetts College of Engineering

An Innovative Collaboration with the University of Massachusetts College of Engineering

Mount Holyoke’s collaboration with the University of Massachusetts College of Engineering allows you to earn a first-rate liberal arts degree and a world-class professional degree in five years.

This five-year program allows students working toward a bachelor of arts degree in mathematics or one of the sciences at Mount Holyoke to also earn a bachelor of science degree in chemical, industrial, mechanical, civil and environmental, electrical, or computer systems engineering from the university. Through this program, students experience both the intimacy of a liberal arts college and the resources of a world-class research university. Because Mount Holyoke and UMass are only a few miles apart and connected by the Five College bus, students find it easy to maintain their friendships at both schools.

Dual-degree program participants work with two advisors, one at Mount Holyoke and one at UMass, each a member of the program advisory committee at their institution. Normally, an MHC student commits to residence at UMass in the junior year and registers in the appropriate engineering courses through Five College cross-registration. She returns to Mount Holyoke for her senior year and graduates with her class with an MHC major, upon completion of her MHC requirements. She then spends a fifth year at UMass completing the requirements for her B.S. in one of several engineering majors.

A student pursuing the dual-degree program must have an MHC advisor from the program advisory committee and a UMass advisor no later than her sophomore year. In consultation with her advisors, the student maps out a plan of study for her sophomore, junior, senior, and postsenior years. The plan must satisfy all graduation requirements at both schools and be approved by both advisors.

In addition to the MHC Application for a Dual Degree in Engineering, the student submits her proposed five-year course of study on the MHC/UMass Engineering Dual Degree Program form. This MHC/UMass form is available in the MHC Dean of the College’s Office. Admission is by the MHC Engineering Committee in consultation with the UMass advisors. Students seeking financial aid apply to MHC for an Engineering Scholarship for the third year (tuition, fees, room and board) and for the fifth year (tuition and fees). Currently, students may apply to UMass for aid toward room and board costs in the fifth year.

See sample programs...