Physics/Engineering ACCEND Program

A new program that provides qualified students the opportunity to earn both a Bachelor of Science in Physics and either an MS or MEng in an appropriate Engineering discipline in five years.  Several pathways are possible with the appropriate pathway dependent on the academic preparation and academic goals of the student.

We expect most students to follow the same general pattern of the other ACCEND programs in which students are permitted to take graduate coursework prior to completing the undergraduate degree.  In the Physics / Engineering ACCEND program the undergraduate course work is completed in the first four years of the program with a few graduate courses beginning prior to completion of the undergraduate degree.  Students will finish the undergraduate coursework at the completion of the 8^th academic semester and receive the undergraduate degree. 

Students do not need to apply for the engineering graduate program, rather during their final undergraduate term they submit the ACCEND transition forms.  Students then complete the requirements of the graduate degree, either MS or MEng, and graduate with the graduate degree when all graduate requirements are satisfied.

We expect most students will enter the Physics program with some advanced standing (typically through AP, PSEO or dual enrollment).  Students may choose to work ahead in the curriculum by taking 18 credits some terms or courses over the summer.  These students would likely take up to 15 graduate engineering credits prior to the completion of the Physics undergraduate degree. Students who do not have advanced standing are still permitted to participate in ACCEND; they will simply take longer to complete the graduate degree and therefore they should carefully consider whether the ACCEND program or a traditional program is most advantageous.

Academic Considerations

Students in the ACCEND program are required to meet all the requirements of the undergraduate program to earn the undergraduate degree and to meet all the requirements of the graduate program to earn the graduate degree.  The same course cannot count toward both meeting an undergraduate requirement and a graduate requirement.  A student in the program must work with the academic advisor for their undergraduate program and the graduate academic advisor to develop an appropriate course of study based on the amount of advanced standing the student has.

Typically students will be undergraduate status for 8 academic semesters and graduate students for 1-3 academic semesters depending on the graduate degree sought. 

Students in the program will be advised both by an academic advisor in Physics and an academic advisor in CEAS.  Depending upon the student’s academic interests, it may be advantageous to take certain engineering undergraduate courses to satisfy some of the free elective requirements.

Not all engineering graduate programs may be appropriate for a student with an undergraduate degree in physics unless specific undergraduate engineering coursework is also completed.  It is expected that these engineering graduate programs are generally accessible:  Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, and possibly Aerospace Engineering.  It is expected that the following programs will be inappropriate without engineering undergraduate coursework: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Biomedical Engineering.

Students will be advised on appropriate graduate coursework that can be taken while they are still classified as an undergraduate student.

Admission / Good Standing

Students will be admitted into the program after the completion of the freshman year or sophomore year.  In order to be admitted to the program students must have a 3.2 or higher cumulative gpa and be on-track or ahead in the undergraduate curriculum.  A copy of the draft ACCEND application is included with this proposal.  The application requires the undergraduate program director to sign verifying the student’s academic credentials.  The application also requires the graduate program director to sign verifying that the expected preparation of the student will be appropriate to allow them to succeed in the specific graduate engineering program.  In some cases the graduate program director will require students to complete certain undergraduate engineering casework.

Students must remain in good standing with the College of Arts and Sciences by maintaining a gpa of 3.0 or higher.  Students who fall below a 3.0 will be transitioned out of ACCEND to the traditional undergraduate program. 

Students in the ACCEND program do not need to apply to graduate school to be admitted into the graduate portion of the program.  Instead, students complete a “Transition to Graduate Status” form that is signed by the undergraduate advisor, the graduate director in CEAS, and the CEAS Manager of ACCEND Programs.  Typically students will transition to graduate status the fall semester of the 5^thyear though students may transition at other times if appropriate (for example a student may transition the summer after the 4^th year if they are actively engaged in graduate research.)  In all cases, a student cannot transition until they have completed at least 90% of the undergraduate credit requirements. A draft of the Transition Form is included.

Alignment with Creating Our Third Century Priorities

The ACCEND programs provide rich academic and career opportunities for students and have helped UC grow in national prominence.  The Physics / Engineering ACCEND program furthers these key areas of Creating Our Third Century:

• Reimagining the student experience – the ACCEND program provides an education for our students that is not available at other universities, providing robust STEM career pathways and preparing this generation for greater opportunities in a global workforce.

• Leveraging Research – the ACCEND program is an innovative, multidisciplinary education initiative that strengthens the connection among STEM disciplines and facilitates collaborative research.

BS Physics with MS Engineering

Representative Schedule

Schedule assumes students come in ahead in MATH 1061, 1 History course, ENGL 1001

The curriculum is only representative of what each student may take each term.  For example, a student may take graduate research hours during the 8^thsemester rather than a graduate course to be better prepared for research over the summer following the completion of the Physics degree.

BS Physics with MEng Engineering

Representative Schedule

Schedule assumes students come in ahead in MATH 1061, 1 History course, ENGL 1001

The curriculum is only representative of what each student may take each term.

Application for Physics-Engineering ACCEND Program