3+2 Pre-Professional Program in Engineering
Whether you want to improve the present or build the future, there’s a place for you in engineering! If you want to start your path to solving problems in the world in a way that’s personally supportive and socially relevant, the 3+2 program at Earlham is the place for you. Our program gives you plenty of flexibility and advantages, including formal affiliations with four different engineering schools and the opportunity to complete up to three different degrees in six years or less. Feel free to reach out to program liaison, Seth Hopper with any questions.
Earlham’s official relationships with affiliate institutions mean they have approved our courses for transfer and that our program liaison is ready to help you craft a plan for success in earning both an Earlham B.A. and a B.S. in engineering from one of our partner schools; in one case, there are also options to earn an MS in one additional year. Typically, you will apply for transfer to affiliates after spending three years at Earlham. Following transfer, you will spend two years earning the remainder of both the B.A. and B.S. degrees at the engineering school.
Students may also choose to stay at Earlham for four years to diversify their academic and co-curricular experiences, continue playing with their varsity team, study off-campus, or simply to complete their B.A. coursework and have the option to apply directly to master’s programs alongside the dual degree offerings. Your path is up to you!
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The 3-2 program can prepare graduates for careers as biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, mechanical, aerospace and other types of engineers.
“Physics at Earlham has done a phenomenal job at explaining to me how our universe behaves and it has only further sparked my interest in understanding the fundamentals behind more complex systems and interactions. The universe is a massive entity with so many things to further discover. I’m very determined to know more.”
Vela Mkhonta ’25
Pre-engineering student
“Ten years from now I want to engineer rocket engines and spaceships that will take explorers to distant worlds, making me an astronautical engineer by trade but an explorer at heart.”
John Zamora ’22
Physics major and pre-engineering student
Engineers with a liberal arts foundation
Earlham’s 3-2 pre-professional students gain a foundation in the liberal arts, providing you with the breadth of knowledge and understanding that can make a world of difference in your chosen career.
Affiliate schools
Earlham has transfer or combined programs with Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH), Columbia University (New York, NY), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY) and Washington University in St Louis (MO).
Expert advising
As a 3-2 pre-professional student, you’ll meet early and often with your adviser to ensure you are on the right track to reach your professional goals.
Our faculty
Our faculty come from a variety of fields, including computer science, earth and environmental science, mathematics and physics.
Program details
Our 3-2 pre-engineering program includes a sequence of courses that you take over three years at Earlham.
Below is our recommended three-year plan for most students, but you should connect with your 3-2 adviser early and often to make sure you are on the right track for your goals.
Year 1
We recommend that you take:
- Calculus sequence (Math 180 (Fall, 5 credits) and Math 280 (Spring, 5 credits))
- Physics sequence (Physics 125 and Physics 235)
- If you are interested in Chemical Engineering, you may want to take Chemistry 111 instead of physics
- You could also take CS 128 instead of physics
The physics sequence is recommended for the first year because of alternate year courses that are required for some programs/majors. This schedule makes it very difficult to take a language in your first year, because of required Earlham Seminar courses. If you are uncertain whether you want to major in pre-engineering, we encourage you to take at least the calculus sequence and something that satisfies one of the general education distribution requirements.
Year 2
We recommend that you take:
- Math 320 (Differential equations, Fall, 3 credits) and Math 350 (Multivariate calculus, Spring, 4 credits)
- Depending on what you took your first year, one of the following:
- Physics 125 and 235
- Chemistry 111
- CS 128
- If you have not placed out of it, you are encouraged to complete your language requirement
- Economics 103 Introduction to Microeconomics (offered every year)
- Physics 350 Electronics and Instrumentation (alternate years).
Year 3
We recommend that you take:
- Math 310 (Linear Algebra, Fall, 3 credits)
- Depending on what you took your first two years, one of the following:
- Physics 125 and 235
- Chemistry 111
- CS 128
- Economics 103 Introduction to Microeconomics (offered every year)
- Physics 350 Electronics and Instrumentation (alternate years, requires Physics 125 and 235).