Colby College Engineering Program: A Liberal Arts Approach to Engineering
Are you interested in engineering but also drawn to the broad intellectual exploration offered by a liberal arts college? Colby College offers a unique path, allowing you to combine these two passions. While Colby doesn't have a traditional, standalone engineering department, it provides exceptional opportunities to pursue engineering through dual-degree programs with prestigious institutions like Dartmouth College and Columbia University.
Dual-Degree Programs: The Best of Both Worlds
Colby's dual-degree programs are designed to give students the "best of both worlds"-a comprehensive liberal arts education at Colby combined with focused engineering studies at a partner institution. Typically, 8-10 students are admitted to these programs each year, making them competitive but highly rewarding.
Program Structure
Both the Dartmouth and Columbia programs require students to complete a set of foundational courses at Colby before transitioning to engineering-focused coursework at the partner institution. This ensures a strong base in critical thinking, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary perspectives - skills highly valued in the field of engineering.
Dartmouth Program
The Dartmouth Engineering's Partner School Dual-Degree Program is designed for undergraduate students enrolled at other liberal arts colleges who are interested in expanding their education with engineering studies at Dartmouth. In the Dartmouth program, students typically spend their first two years at Colby, followed by their junior year at Dartmouth, taking general engineering courses. As a Dual-Degree student, you'll enjoy the opportunity to earn a professional, nationally-accredited Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degree while also gaining a broad liberal arts experience from Dartmouth and your home institution. Admission to the Dual-Degree Program is limited and competitive, and we encourage students interested in pursuing engineering studies at Dartmouth to plan ahead.
Columbia Program
The Columbia program offers two options: a 3/2 program (three years at Colby, two years at Columbia) or a 4/2 program (four years at Colby, two years at Columbia). For either Columbia option, students must complete their Colby major and all distribution requirements before beginning their studies at Columbia.
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Application Process
If you’re interested in the Dartmouth program you would apply in January of your sophomore year. The Columbia program applications are due in January of your junior year for the 3/2 option, and in January of your senior year for the 4/2 option.
Degree Awarded
Upon successful completion of either the Dartmouth or Columbia program, students earn two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Colby and a Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from the partner institution.
Preparing for the Dual-Degree Program at Dartmouth
Dual-Degree students, upon arrival, should be prepared to take the core courses in Dartmouth's undergraduate engineering sciences major. The courses must all be at a level appropriate to majors in those subjects. They must be taken for letter grades unless Pass/Fail or Credit/No credit is the only option. Because Dartmouth's BE degree requires at least nine courses in math and science, preparing for your fifth year requires planning ahead. We strongly encourage you to include upper-level courses that support your engineering interests in your studies at your home college.
Recommended Courses
Examples include:
- Linear algebra and differential equations
- Electromagnetism and atomic physics
- Organic and physical chemistry
- Cell, molecular, or environmental biology
In addition, Dartmouth's BE degree requires a full year's worth of courses in the liberal arts (eg. Dartmouth holds classes year-round over four 10-week terms (summer, fall, winter, spring). A full academic year course load consists of approximately nine courses taken over three terms.
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Dartmouth Engineering Course Requirements
The Dual-Degree program requires planning and coordination with the partner school to ensure students are able to meet requirements for both degrees.
Common Core (3 courses):
- ENGS 21: Introduction to Engineering
- ENGS 22: Systems
- ENGS 23: Distributed Systems and Fields (Requires ENGS 22)
The BE degree requires two distributive core courses from ENGS 24-28 and two gateway courses from ENGS 30-37.
During the BE year, students take up to nine courses to fulfill the requirements for the BE degree, including an applied math course and elective courses to build proficiency within an engineering concentration.
Engineering and Computer Science Electives (6 courses):
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- Three to four of the six courses must form a coherent disciplinary concentration, with one course having significant design content.
- Depending on your undergraduate preparation, you may have to take additional mathematics and natural science courses to meet BE degree requirements. The BE degree also requires coursework in the arts, languages, humanities, and social sciences.
Dual-Degree students may count up to 11 STEM courses from their home institutions in partial fulfillment of the BE degree requirements. These courses must be suitable for inclusion in a technical and applied science program.
Recommended Enrollment Patterns
The recommended enrollment patterns for Dual-Degree students are: summer-fall-winter and summer-winter-spring, as well as fall-winter-spring (fall-winter-summer or winter-spring summer is recommended only if the student cannot schedule one of the other three).
Internship Opportunities
Following your first year, you may pursue an industrial internship.
First Year at Dartmouth: Tuition & Expenses
Students applying for the first year of the Dual-Degree program should consult with their home institution's registrar regarding tuition. See expenses at Dartmouth for a projected break-down (including meals or other costs not billed by Dartmouth) for the current year.
Financial Aid
During the first year, eligible Dual-Degree students receive financial aid through their home institutions. At many of our partner schools, the student's financial aid will transfer to Dartmouth for the exchange year. Before applying, we encourage students to who receive financial aid from their home institutions to check with their school's administrator to see if aid will follow them to Dartmouth.
Housing
Dual-Degree students live on campus for their first year in Dartmouth's undergraduate housing.
Second Year at Dartmouth (BE Year): Tuition, Expenses, and Financial Aid
Dual-Degree students returning for the BE year are considered Dartmouth students and pay tuition and fees to Thayer School of Engineering. Expenses vary greatly depending on the student's choice of living arrangements.
During the BE year, Dual-Degree students are eligible for need-based financial aid from Thayer School of Engineering in the form of partial-tuition scholarships, employment as teaching assistants, fellowships, or loans. No aid is available for room and board, books, etc., in the second year. Loans may be available, depending on financial status and citizenship.
During the BE year, Dual-Degree students are responsible for making their own off-campus housing arrangements.
STEM at Colby: A Foundation for Engineering
Even without a direct engineering major, Colby provides a strong foundation for students interested in STEM fields. The college emphasizes problem-solving, flexible learning, and interdisciplinary approaches, all crucial for success in engineering.
Thematic Requirements
Every Colby student must fulfill thematic requirements to graduate, which allows for exploration across various disciplines. Students can choose courses like quantitative reasoning, computer science, or logic classes from the philosophy department, building a well-rounded skillset applicable to engineering.
Interdisciplinary Computation Programs
Colby offers interdisciplinary computation programs that combine computer science with other fields like theater, dance, or psychology. These programs encourage creative thinking and demonstrate how computational approaches can be applied to diverse areas of study. For example, students can combine biology and computer science to research how biomechanical engineering affects the human body or explore how psychology influences our understanding of computation.
Pre-Med Advising
While Colby doesn’t have a premed major, there is an advisory center that helps students plan out the courses they need to take to be part of the premed track. While there isn’t an official premed track, this advisory center will ensure students interested in medicine are taking the necessary classes to follow a career in medicine after Colby. The premed advisory will also help make sure students have access to opportunities through internships or laboratory research. These opportunities will help premed students learn soft skills, such as bedside manner and communication skills, or they can relate to a student’s specific area of interest.
Colby's Strengths: Problem-Solving and Flexible Learning
Colby College as an institution values problem-solving and flexible learning. Colby College values creative thinking, and this is the main reason why they developed these programs. This emphasis on critical thinking, adaptability, and innovation makes Colby graduates well-prepared for the challenges of the engineering field.
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