Student academics at Webster University are advancing. There is a new partnership between Webster and Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Mo. and it will make available options that students would not have had access to previously.
Webster and Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) are now offering a brand new 3-2 pre-engineering dual degree program for students who come to Webster seeking a degree in engineering.
As the name implies, three years are spent at Webster studying general education, as well as an additional degree of your choice which you receive at the end of the program. The final two are spent at Missouri S&T studying one of the 15 engineering fields offered.
Webster already shares a 3-2 pre-engineering program with Washington University (Wash. U). While there are benefits to both schools, there are some engineering programs at Missouri S&T that are not offered at Wash. U, Director of Mathematics Carol Schwab said.
“This means there are more opportunities for our students, and advances our students options in the STEM fields,” said Schwab.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It is commonly used to refer to the scientific fields that many leaders point to as vital for the world’s future.
Webster student Juan Granizo said that there was previously not an option available for him to pursue the civil engineering degree that he’d hoped to get until this new partnership.
“Wash. U doesn’t have a civil engineering program, they canceled it, like, five or six years ago. But now that this link has been established between (Missouri S&T) and Webster I’m really excited that I’m going to be able to pursue both of my degrees in like 5 years,” Granizo said.
Debra Anderson, the assistant director of transfer admissions at Missouri S&T, said it was a desire to open up access to degrees that Webster students could not get otherwise that spurred the partnership.
Missouri S&T is one of the nation’s premier technological research universities and only 14 other institutions in the nation boast the same pedigree, Anderson said. Of the 14 universities, Missouri S&T is the only university from Missouri.
Schwab said the benefits exist for both Webster and Missouri S&T students. By attending a university like Webster for initial undergraduate courses, students can avoid the large lectures commonly associated with state schools.
“By the time they get to the upper level courses where the numbers are going to be smaller anyways they get to transfer to the engineering school, and get that specialized education,” said Schwab.
Schwab also said that there has been a noteworthy increase in the amount of prospective students coming to Webster and inquiring specifically about these 3-2 pre-engineering programs. She anticipates the interest to continue growing.
“We have gone between 1-3 students per year, and it’s been a little more consistent in the last few years. We really expect some growth for this and we think (Missouri S&T) will increase that,” Schwab said.
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