Beginning this fall, DSU students will be able to complete online engineering coursework for one of seven bachelor's degree programs alongside their local coursework.
DSU students will be eligible to transfer to UND's College of Engineering and Mines after two years or graduate with bachelor's degrees from both institutions in four.
"There really is a need for engineers in the western half of the state, and we have a truly extensive distance learning program, so it's a win-win," said Scott Korom, an engineering professor and director of western North Dakota operations for UND.
Under the agreement, students can enroll and take in-person courses at DSU for two years while taking online engineering courses from UND.
After two years, they can either transfer to UND as an in-person or online student or continue online coursework at UND from DSU under a dual enrollment program.
North Dakota's two engineering colleges are located on the eastern end of the state, at UND and North Dakota State University. (The University of Jamestown offers a degree in mechanical engineering.)
Korom said the program allows Dickinson-area students to attend college locally and get an engineering degree at a lower price than available at North Dakota's research institution.
"We've found when we're able to keep students in the region, we're more able to place them in jobs in the region, and that's very important in southwest North Dakota and western North Dakota in general," said DSU Vice President Holly Gruhlke.
Seven UND bachelor's programs — chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, geological engineering, geology and petroleum engineering — are currently included in the memorandum of understanding signed by both schools, though Korom suggested DSU students interested in other engineering degree offerings may be able to pursue a similar arrangement.
Gruhlke said there was "considerable interest" in engineering degree options from both current DSU students and local industry, particularly from oil and natural gas producers.
"With the vibrant oil and gas economy we have on the western edge of the state, these are pretty in-demand degrees," she said.
Gruhlke said she expected only a "handful" of students to enroll this fall due to the late announcement of the program (a news release about it went out on Tuesday) but predicted enrollment would climb in the spring and the next academic year.
Online students have comprised a majority of students at the College of Engineering and Mines for some time.
UND has similar agreements for its engineering programs with Bismarck State College and Williston State College, as well as a handful of private schools.
This is the first agreement between the flagship university and a four-year state school, according to Korom.
©2024 the Grand Forks Herald (Grand Forks, N.D.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
