Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Fundamentals taught in the freshman year are of prime importance in the more advanced classes, and every effort is made to place all freshman students in appropriate courses.

It is strongly recommended that students avoid the likelihood of later scheduling problems by carefully following the recommended curriculum in their major or in the open option program.

Advising

All students are advised by professional staff advisors and faculty mentors from their respective major department or program. Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor at least once a semester. Academic advising information and a list of contacts may be found at www.colorado.edu/engineering/academics/advising-and-registration.

Advisors are readily available to assist students with academic, vocational, or personal concerns. Students are assigned departmental advisors for academic planning and should consult with the department chair or designated faculty or staff representative if there is uncertainty over who is the student’s advisor or if the student wants a change in advisor. 

Four-Year Graduation Guarantee

For academically prepared freshmen who do not wish to extend their studies beyond eight semesters, the University of Colorado extends a guarantee that required or essential courses, or acceptable alternative courses, will be available to allow each student to complete all course work required for a bachelor of science degree from the College of Engineering and Applied Science no later than the end of eight consecutive semesters of full-time enrollment. In the event the University of Colorado is not successful in meeting the terms of this guarantee, the university will reimburse the student all tuition and course fees for those courses remaining to successfully complete the previously designated bachelor of science degree. 

Full details regarding the guarantee and qualifications may be found at www.colorado.edu/engineering/academics/policies/four-year-graduation-guarantee-and-flexible-first-year.

Degree and Graduation Requirements

To be eligible for the baccalaureate degree from the College of Engineering and Applied Science on the Boulder campus, a student must meet all of the following minimum requirements:

• The satisfactory completion of the prescribed and elective work in any curriculum as determined by the appropriate academic department. A student must complete a minimum number of semester hours, not less than 128, of which the last 45 must be Boulder coursework earned after admission to the university and this college.
• A University of Colorado cumulative grade point average of 2.250 (2.000 for new students prior to fall 2011) for all courses attempted.
• A cumulative grade point average, separately computed, of 2.250 (2.000 for new students prior to falll 2011) in courses taken from the student’s major department is also required. For students in the applied mathematics program, the major department shall be the Applied Mathematics Department; for students in the engineering physics program, the major department shall be the Physics Department. For students majoring in environmental engineering, all chemical, civil, environmental, and mechanical engineering courses will be considered in lieu of those from a single department.
• The recommendation of the faculty of the academic department (or program) offering the degree. The campus designation on the diploma and transcript shall correspond to the campus designation of the academic department initiating the degree recommendation.
• The recommendation of the faculty of the college.
• The satisfactory completion of all Minimum Academic Preparation Standards (MAPS) deficiencies.
• Some majors require the successful completion of an outcome measurement prior to graduation (e.g., the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination).

Students should meet with their academic advisor to discuss progress towards degree requirements, and then if appropriate, apply for graduation via the online Student Center according to the timelines posted on the Registrar’s web site at registrar.colorado.edu/students/graduation.html.

See www.colorado.edu/engineering/academics/policies/graduation-requirements for more information.

Double Majors / Double Degrees

A student in the College of Engineering and Applied Science may be able to major in two engineering disciplines or obtain one degree in engineering and obtain one in another field, such as business, music, or one of the arts and sciences disciplines. Full degree requirements must be met for each college/major. The degrees are awarded concurrently.

Minors

The college offers a number of minors. For more information, visit www.colorado.edu/engineering/academics/degrees-minors-certificates/minors.

Premedical Option

Students interested in meeting requirements for entry into medical or other health professions schools while earning a degree in engineering should consult with a prehealth academic advisor (advising.colorado.edu/prehealth). Students should also discuss their plans with their major department's academic advisor, since some of the required course work may fulfill electives in their engineering curriculum.

Concurrent BS and MS Degree Program in Engineering

Students with strong academic records who plan to continue in the Graduate School usually find it advantageous to apply for admission to the concurrent BS/MS degree program. Application is made to the Graduate School through the appropriate academic department. Application and admission may occur during the junior year; consult individual departments for their exact timing. The College of Engineering and Applied Science requires a minimum GPA of 3.250 for admission to this program; some departments may have higher requirements.

Requirements for the two degrees are the same as those for two degrees taken separately: 128 credit hours for the BS degree and 24-30 hours including thesis (Plan I) or 30 credit hours (Plan II) for the MS degree. In some departments, up to 6 hours of graduate course work may be applied to the undergraduate degree. Students are allowed to structure their senior and graduate years in an order that is optimal for their program, as long as all requirements for both the BS and MS degrees are completed by the end of the joint BS/MS program. The BS and MS degrees must be awarded concurrently at the completion of the degree program. The tuition rate for students in this program will be at the undergraduate rate until the student is converted to graduate status, which will automatically happen when the student has 145 credit hours in the undergraduate career.

For additional details on this program, contact the appropriate engineering academic department or the Graduate School.