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Pre-Engineering

Foundational knowledge and skills in applied physics, mathematics, and other relevant subjects, to prepare you to pursue an engineering degree.

physics laboratory equipment
physics laboratory equipment

Types

Pre-Professional

Location

On-Campus

Credits

38*

Cost

$9,875

Build a world you want to live in.

In the pre-engineering program at Cumberlands, you’ll build the foundation you need to succeed in engineering school and prepare for a career at the forefront of innovation. You'll cover programming, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, strengthening your skills in critical thinking, creative problem-solving, forethought, time management, and more. Completion of this degree program ensures that you will be well prepared for the engineering school of your choosing. 

Anchor: Stats

By the Numbers

$79,840

Average Salary

4%

Industry Growth

3+2

Partnership with UK 

5

National Distinctions
Anchor: Programs & Requirements
Programs & Requirements

Programs & Requirements

* The credit hours listed on this page only reference the specific program requirements and is not reflective of the total hours necessary to receive your degree. Cumberlands requires all students obtain a minimum of 60 hours for an associate’s degree and a total of 120 hours for a bachelor’s degree. Transfer and prior learning credits may be counted toward those totals.

To learn more about our General Education Requirements, please visit the page referenced below or explore our Academic Catalog. 

General Education Requirements

Pre-Engineering Degree

If you want to be prepared for an engineering program, you need high-quality labs to work in and professors who are focused on your success. Our labs offer the equipment and space you need to practice your skills and test your math. Small class sizes will ensure that you get the individualized attention you need in class while you study complicated topics like classical physics, chemistry, calculus, and programming. 

Course Requirements

*To receive a Bachelor of Arts, you will need to complete the required courses for a Bachelor of Science in addition to completing foreign language classes through the intermediate level. 

  • FREN 131     Elementary French I
  • FREN 132     Elementary French II
  • FREN 231     Intermediate French I
  • FREN 232     Intermediate French II
     
  • SPAN 131     Elementary Spanish I
  • SPAN 132     Elementary Spanish II
  • SPAN 231     Intermediate Spanish I
  • SPAN 232     Intermediate Spanish II

3+2 Pre-Engineering Partnership with UK

Cumberlands students have the option to pursue the dual-degree (3+2) engineering option, which leads to two bachelor’s degrees through a formal agreement between University of the Cumberlands and the University of Kentucky (UK). Other ABET-accredited engineering schools may be acceptable on a case-by-case basis. Different engineering schools and individual branches of engineering may require different core courses; you, as the student, are responsible for being familiar with these specific requirements and tailoring your class schedule at Cumberlands (and potentially your engineering school of choice during summer semesters) as best you can to meet your goals. 

If you want to pursue a dual-degree program, you should announce your Cumberlands major as “Applied Physics,” as that is the degree program which includes the courses that will lay the groundwork best for engineering school.

The 3+2, dual-degree program’s curriculum nominally requires three years at UC followed by two years at UK; however, a variety of situations may affect this timeframe. UC recommends that students complete introductory engineering courses during the summer between UC and UK. Many pre-engineering students are able to complete a bachelor’s degree from Cumberlands and engineering degree from UK in 5 years. Some engineering branches, however, require additional (and maybe extensive) background in programming, chemistry, or biology that are beyond the required curriculum, thus requiring more than five years of schooling to complete the desired engineering degree.  

General Education Requirements: For students transferring to University of Kentucky through our 3+2 program, the entire UC general education curriculum should be completed in order to become UK Gen Ed Certified. Students who intend to transfer without completing all of UC’s general education can still be accepted into UK but will have to complete some general education requirements at UK in order to graduate.

Take the Next Step

Anchor: Mission & Goals

Program Mission

University of the Cumberlands wants to provide you with a strong background in foundational engineering concepts – namely mathematics, physics, chemistry, and programming – so you are prepared to enter the engineering school of your choice.

The fundamentals of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and programming.
Important critical-thinking, time-management, and problem-solving skills.
A broader and deeper understanding of the world as seen through the lens of engineering.
Humility to accept when you don’t know the answers, and confidence to ask questions to find them.
Better oral and written communication skills, especially pertaining to engineering topics.
Anchor: Career Outcomes

Pre-Engineering Careers & Outcomes

All stats from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Civil engineers: $88,050

Civil engineers: $88,050

Plan, design, and supervise the construction and maintenance of building and infrastructure projects. 

Electrical engineers: $101,780

Electrical engineers: $101,780

Design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment. 

Materials engineers: $98,300

Materials engineers: $98,300

Develop, process, test materials that are going to be used to create a wide range of products. 

Mining engineers: $97,090

Mining engineers: $97,090

Design mines to safely and efficiently remove minerals that will be used for manufacturing and utilities. 

Agricultural Engineers: $82,640

Agricultural Engineers: $82,640

Solve problems involving power supplies, machine efficiency, the use of structures and facilities, pollution and environmental issues, and process as well as store agricultural products.

Industrial Engineers: $95, 300

Industrial Engineers: $95, 300

You would devise efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service. 

Anchor: FAQs

Common Questions

Engineers design, develop, build, and test a variety of materials for many industries around the world, relying heavily on math, physics, and their own foresight to develop the best possible solutions to problems.

No worries! We’ll give you the foundational knowledge and skills to carry you into the vast world of engineering. Upon completing the pre-engineering degree program at Cumberlands, and doing more research on your own into the different kinds of engineering available in the workforce, you’ll be ready to choose a specific engineering path and pursue the appropriate engineering degree program to prepare you for it. 

There are engineering careers available in a vast number of industries. You can find engineering jobs in fields like aerospace, healthcare, electrical, environmental, industrial work, mechanical, nuclear, and computer technology. 

In short, there is a formal agreement between Cumberlands and the University of Kentucky (UK) to ensure that students who want to pursue careers as engineers have a seamless pathway from a pre-engineering degree at Cumberlands into an engineering degree program at UK. It’s dubbed our “3+2 program” because it requires 3 years’ worth of education from Cumberlands followed by 2 years’ worth from UK. In the end, you have two bachelor’s degrees: an applied physics degree from UC, and an engineering degree from UK. For more details about the program, contact the Office of Academic Affairs. 

You’ll learn valuable knowledge and skills in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and programming – the foundation of engineering. Additionally, a pre-engineering degree from the Cumberlands will teach you useful skills like critical thinking, creative problem solving, forethought, and time management. 

Yes! As with any degree program, you’ll need to be resourceful with your time. But this degree program is not so consuming that it becomes your whole life. You will be able to pursue extracurriculars like sports, clubs, and a social life, while still managing your schoolwork.  

Anchor: Faculty

Faculty Experts in Pre-Engineering

Learn more about the pre-engineering professors you will interact with.

Amy Bowman

Amy Bowman

Adjunct Professor
Mathematics

Amy Bowman

Contact Information

amy.bowman [at] ucumberlands.edu
Remote
Debbie Pierce

Debbie Pierce

Adjunct Professor
Mathematics

Debbie Pierce

Contact Information

debbie.pierce [at] ucumberlands.edu
Remote
Kenny Siler

Kenny Siler

Associate Professor
Mathematics

Kenny Siler

Contact Information

606-261-5119
kenneth.siler [at] ucumberlands.edu
Available by appointment only
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