Engineering Requirements

Engineering Requirements:

Students entering the University of Dallas (UD) as physics majors have the opportunity to pursue a cooperative degree in electrical engineering through the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) Electrical Engineering Department.  The dual degree program is designed for the well-prepared student to be able to complete two degrees, a B.A. in physics from UD and an electrical engineering degree from UTA, in five years.  The program is rather unique in that students take classes from both institutions beginning in their freshman year.  This allows students to establish early in their undergraduate education that they desire to be an electrical engineer with a firm grasp of the Western intellectual tradition, to have extensive reading and writing abilities, and to understand the physical nature of our world, which are characteristics offered by the completion of the physics degree and core curriculum at UD.  This dual degree program also offers the liberally educated UD student the opportunity to understand the advances in technology noted on the UTA electrical engineering webpage, "more than ever, electrical engineering demands a multidisciplinary approach to address challenges of the future and problems of today," and it demands that engineers must have the ability to communicate well their ideas to others.  It is the goal of this program to educate liberally engineers and physicists who meet these challenges.  

The entrance requirements for this dual program are the same as the entrance requirements for a physics major at UD.  Students expected to do well in this program will have completed a rigorous high school program,  which included courses in upper level mathematics, advanced chemistry, and advanced physics.  Students not having such a background may still complete the program, but the completion time may be more than five years.  The suggested course sequence includes the Rome Program during the second semester of the sophomore year. 

Admissions Policy and Process:

• Apply to UD as a dual-degree physics/electrical engineering student as a freshman and make sure Dr. Olenick is your advisor
• Apply to UTA by December 1 of your freshman year after completing an application form available from Dr. Olenick
• Once admitted to UTA, contact a UTA undergraduate engineering advisor (Dr. Saibun Tjuatja or Ms. Pauline Mason) to complete your registration requirements for the spring semester.  Students must see an advisor before they can register for classes at UTA and they must also complete an orientation class before enrolling in January classes.
•  Normal UTA admissions standards will apply, but students must indicate they are a dual-degree student. Although the student will have completed less than 24 hours of college work by the beginning of the spring semester of the 1^st year, the student's academic advisor will be the undergraduate advisor in EE and not the University College (UCOL) advisor (i.e., the student's major should be coded as EE_INT and not EE_UCOL).
• The student's home institution shall remain UD for years 1-3 and UT Arlington for years 4-5. Normal standards for continuation will apply.

Program Description:

• The student enters the curriculum designed by UD that shall include the minimal course requirements.
• The undergraduate advisor in EE at UTA will provide the personal contact needed to navigate the enrollment and advising processes.
• For the determination of tuition, fees, room and board costs, and financial aid, students in this program are considered full-time students at UD during years one through three and full-time students at UT Arlington during years four and five. Tuition and Fees for students taking classes at UT Arlington during years one through three and at UD for years four and five will be based on the per course rates. The institution in which the student has full-time enrollment is responsible for calculating financial aid, disbursing aid, monitoring satisfactory progress and other student eligibility requirements, keeping records, and returning funds in the event of withdrawal from the program.
• Normally at the end of the fifth year upon the completion of all of the core and major degree requirements at UD and the completion of all of the degree requirements at UT Arlington, students will be granted a BA degree in Physics from UD and a BS degree in EE from UT Arlington. Students who withdraw from this program and who have completed the undergraduate degree requirements at UD will be granted a BA degree in physics.
• Students who do not fulfill the requirements of this dual degree program are in no way precluded from applying to the EE Program at UT Arlington through the usual process.

University of Dallas Contacts

University of Texas at Arlington Contacts

Suggested 5-year Curriculum

Students are encouraged to apply to UD's O'Hara Chemical Sciences Institute.  This rigorous program is offered during the summer prior to their freshman year to students who meet the entrance requirements.  The O'Hara program is not a requirement for the dual-degree program, but it does ease scheduling requirements for completing the program in five years.

Summer Prior to Freshman Year - O'Hara Program

1^st  Year 

                                                                                                                                    ^{Courses in bold font must be taken at UTA.}

2^nd  Year

                                                                                                                                     ^{Courses in bold font must be taken at UTA.}

3^rd  Year

                                                                                                                                    ^{Courses in bold font must be taken at UTA.}

4^th  Year

                                                                                                                                   ^{Courses in bold font must be taken at UTA.}

5^th  Year

                                                                                                                                    ^{Courses in bold font must be taken at UTA.}

Physics and Engineering Requirements 

1 This is three more hours than required for the BA in Physics degree from UD.
2 UTA Course equivalent

Additional Comments:

• Students will qualify for a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the University of Dallas by completing a research thesis and by giving a talk at a professional meeting; they must also satisfy the UD core curriculum.
• Students must complete the physics comprehensive examination from the University of Dallas.
• The 5^th year could be completed entirely at the University of Texas at Arlington.
• The above curriculum assumes students enter the O'Hara Summer Chemistry Institute and that they place at the Intermediate language level when entering UD.  Additional semesters or summer work will be needed if these are not true.
• AP or IB credit will be assessed according to the UD code.  Students may place out of some of the above classes with appropriate scores on AP and IB examinations.
• Total number of Hours = 172 semester hours.
• The distance between UD and UTA is 19.4 miles and is a 28 minute drive under normal driving conditions.  Students are expected to provide their own transportation to UTA.  It may also be possible to take some UTA courses online.
• EE requirements are subject to change by the Electrical Engineering Department at UTA, as are graduation requirements for the B.S. in Electrical Engineering.  

Responsibilities of Student Participating in UTA/UD Dual Degree Program:

• Apply and obtain admission to both programs (UD for Fall of Y1 and UTA for Spring of Y1; UTA applications are due Dec. 1 of your freshman year.)
• Provide UD with copy of admission to UTA Electrical Engineering program
• Submit a FAFSA and any other requested financial documentation if applying for need based aid. 
• Register for the appropriate classes at each institution
• Meet with advisor each semester at both institutions
• Follow all applicable rules and regulations of both campuses while enrolled
• Follow withdrawal protocol of each school if intention to withdraw occur
• Notify both schools if complete withdrawal is required
• Notify both schools of change of address or demographic information
• Pay semester/term balance in full at each institution (or arrange payment plan if available) by required deadline
• Student is responsible for transportation/ transportation costs between campuses
• Student is responsible for obtaining and meeting Merit Scholarship requirements. Merit Scholarship funds will be applied to tuition charges only
• Sign the Information Release Authorization available the UD Registrar.

Things we have learned that are not written in the original agreement:

• Once you apply to and are accepted by UTA, you will receive email notification with things that you must address.  Make sure you do so.
• If you are not listed in the special UTA/UD Dual-Degree Program, please let the UTA admissions director or engineering advisor know.
• You will need to go through UTA's orientation before you can take classes in the spring and meet with the UTA Engineering advisor Dr. Saibun Tjuatia.
• Once you are enrolled in classes, please give the UD registrar and engineering advisor a copy of your classes.
• ARAMARK runs food services at both institutions, please talk to the Aramark office  about our shared arrangement.
• Please meet with the UD Director of Financial Aid to make sure you qualify for as much financial aid as possible. 
• The calendars of the two institutions do not always completely align, please talk to the Director of Student Affairs to work out living arrangements for non-overlapping periods.