Saint Joseph's introduces Math/Engineering Dual Degree program

Saint Joseph’s College, traditionally an educational facility focusing on the liberal arts, will open its Mathematics/Engineering Dual Degree program in the fall.

This five-year program creates an opportunity for students to receive their bachelor’s degree in mathematics as well as a second degree in engineering from an accredited program. In order to maintain enrollment, students must keep a 3.0 GPA or higher.

The offering comes from a strategy that the school believes will create more well-rounded individuals working in a field that is increasingly in demand. The demand for skilled individuals in professional fields like infrastructure, defense and communications has caused a bit of a breakdown in social preparation for such careers. Because SJC focuses on a core education in the liberal arts, its engineering and mathematics students aiming for the dual degree will receive knowledge to help them cope with more than just the fundamentals of an engineering career.

Suzanne Zurn-Birkhimer, associate professor of mathematics at SJC, said students in the dual degree program will benefit in the realm of critical thinking and problem solving, as well as attributes such as communication, faith, ethics and sciences. She said this will give them an advantage over other candidates on the market, with the skills required to better serve the field of engineering with a sense of purpose and understanding.