Physics Major - Dual Degree Options (undergraduate 3-2 Engineering and graduate 3-3 and 4-2 Engineering)

We offer several dual-degree options for those students who want to receive a bachelor’s degree in physics and a second degree (bachelor’s or master’s) in engineering. We have partnered with The James McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, which has one of the nation’s oldest and most reputable dual-degree programs in engineering. Through this partnership, we aim to produce high-quality, broadly-educated engineers.

Washington University (WashU) offers the following options for McDaniel students. Because of our affiliation with WashU, all students who enter either graduate option will receive tuition discounts.

1. Undergraduate 3-2 program: Students spend three years at McDaniel and two years at WashU. They receive a BA in physics and a BS in an engineering field at the end of five years.
2. Graduate 3-3 program: After three years at McDaniel, students enroll directly into both an engineering bachelor’s and master’s programs at WashU and earn a BS and MS in engineering as well as a BA in physics. The BS and MS degrees do not have to be in the same engineering discipline.
3. Graduate 4-2 program: Students enroll in the engineering master’s program at WashU after completing a BA in physics at McDaniel. We strongly encourage students interested in this track to follow the Engineering Specialization curriculum within the Physics major.

Due to the accelerated and complementary nature of the 3-2 and 3-3 programs, some of the requirements for the physics major are waived. Specifically, students do not need to take the two required electives within the Physics Department, the elective outside of the major, nor do they need to take Investigations in Physics I and Investigations in Physics II. However, WashU has specific core and discipline-specific requirements, so progress through these program requires close mentorship to ensure all coursework is completed in a timely manner. Dr. Apollo Mian, Professor of Physics, Director of Engineering Dual Degree Programs, will oversee student advising and help students carefully plan their schedules. He will also work to ensure seamless transfer of coursework at the end of the student’s stay at McDaniel College.

Contact: Dr. Mian, Director of Engineering Dual-Degree Programs, Physics Department