Some1 explain U.S university system to me!!

ceecee
Wed, 26 Apr 2006 03:49:29 +0000

I’m not familiar with the pre-engineering/engineering program, BUT I am a pre-nursing student. I imagine that it’s the same general idea behind the two.

Ok, so you’re admitted to the pre-engineering program. That really, in essence, means nothing. Right now you could be an “undecided” major-- it wouldn’t matter much. I think, the two reasons why they have you listed as a “pre-engineering major” (really, it is NOT a major at all) is that it 1) gives the engineering department a warning, so to speak, that you are probably going to apply for the engineering major soon (i’ll explain that part later) and 2) allows you have an academic advisor that’s knowledgeable about the engineering requirements.

Again, I’ll emphasize one thing: as you stand now, as a pre-engineering student, you CANNOT get a degree in engineering.

Before you get the degree in engineering, you have to first complete a few steps.

a) complete engineering prerequisites. I don’t know what yours are, but my nursing prerequisites are 7 classes, mainly in science and some in psychology. I have to complete them with a 2.5 GPA, I believe. The engineering department will have their prerequisites posted on their website.

b) once you complete the prerequisites (or most of them, anyway), you can apply to the department of engineering. If they admit you, then you have the engineering major. You can now officially start working towards the degree. For example, for the nursing program, I’ll have to complete 4 of the 7 prerequisites before I can apply for admission into the nursing program. My deadline to apply to the nursing program is in March, although different programs have different deadlines. Make sure you know when the engineering deadline is!

c) complete engineering degree requirements and UW-Madison requirements. The engineering courses you’ll be taking are more advanced classes. The UW-Madison requirements are more basic classes like reading and writing and humanities. You could actually start working on those classes while you’re doing the prerequisites. At the end of it all, you’ll need about 124 credits total to get your degree (including the prerequisites, UW-Madison requirements, and engineering requirements). Once those are done, you’re graduated with a degree in engineering!

I hope I made some things clearer for you. I’d really study the department’s website, though. In my experience, some advisors don’t know what they’re talking about. so be careful! know what you need to take yourself! Good luck!