College of Engineering

Rudolph Buchheit, Ph.D., is Dean of the College of Engineering; Kimberly Ward Anderson, Ph.D., is Associate Dean for Administration and Academic Affairs; John Balk, Ph.D., is Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies; Sue Nokes, Ph.D., is Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Facilities.

The College of Engineering offers programs leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science and the following engineering disciplines - biomedical, biosystems, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, materials, mechanical, and mining. The College also offers a highly multidisciplinary master of science in manufacturing systems engineering to address the growing need for enhancing manufacturing productivity and quality.

Creative accomplishment in the career of an engineer or computer scientist depends upon an education that stresses major ideas and fundamental concepts of engineering rather than specific technologies. The academic programs in engineering provide a sound background in the mathematical, physical and engineering sciences blended with the social sciences and humanities to ensure both a thorough education in engineering and a liberal education. Such an approach provides the best preparation for the engineer or computer scientist who must envisage and develop the technologies of the future and deal with scientific advances at present unknown.

The various curricula in the College of Engineering are broad, so that no student is limited to a narrow field of specialized knowledge but receives sufficient technical depth to provide a sound preparation for a professional career.

The College of Engineering produces over 600 graduates per year. Among the alumni of the College of Engineering are those who have distinguished themselves in the major fields of industry, government and education.

Concern for the individual is a most important feature of education in the College of Engineering. Close faculty-student relationships are a meaningful part of the educational process. The faculty, in addition to their duties related to instruction and research, serve as mentors to the student in the preparation of the academic program best matched to the student’s needs and intellectual capabilities. Students are also assigned a professional advisor who works with them on course selection and progress to degree.

Accreditation and Program Assessment

The undergraduate program in Computer Science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.

The undergraduate programs in Biosystems Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Mining Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org. Biomedical Engineering will apply for accreditation through the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET following the first graduating class. If awarded, the accreditation will be retroactive.

In addition, the University of Kentucky is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and therefore all degree programs and certificates including those in the College of Engineering are governed by the rules associated with that accrediting body. All programs are assessed periodically based on achievement of their self-proclaimed student learning outcomes and the results are used in the improvement of those programs and certificates.

Undergraduate Certificates in Engineering

The University of Kentucky grants the following undergraduate certificates in the College of Engineering:

Aerospace Engineering
Biopharmaceutical Engineering
Cybersecurity
Environmental Engineering
Power and Energy
Production Engineering

Information and requirements for the undergraduate certificates are listed after the Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering.

Student certification in Lean Systems is also available.

Undergraduate Programs in Engineering

The University of Kentucky grants the following degrees in the College of Engineering:

Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Biosystems Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering Technology
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Lean Systems Engineering Technology
Bachelor of Science in Materials Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering

While these are the official degrees granted at the bachelor’s level in the college, the prospective student is encouraged to study the wide variety of options available through technical electives, some of which are listed following the degree requirements of each department. Electives are included in each curriculum to allow the student to apply the fundamentals of a particular discipline to an area of special interest during the senior year.

In addition, students have the option to pursue minors in biomedical engineering and in computer science.

Students in a number of our engineering programs have the option to complete pre-medical requirements while pursuing the engineering degree. Interested students should contact their academic advisor.

In response to industry requests, the College of Engineering and the Gatton College of Business and Economics have joined to offer a coordinated Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Masters of Business Administration. The MBA will be taken during a student’s fifth year of study beginning in the summer and finishing the following spring semester. In addition, students in the program will be required to complete an international study on Global Engineering/Business designed specifically for the engineering/business student. This program will be conducted immediately upon completion of the MBA course requirements and the majority of costs will be paid by the program. Admission is highly competitive and is limited based upon the financial resources available.

For engineering students interested in manufacturing, the University offers a dual-degree program. This program allows students pursuing a B.S. in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering to concurrently enroll in the M.S. in Manufacturing Systems Engineering. The BSEE/MSMSE or BSME/MSMSE dual-degree programs can be completed in five years. Students in the program are strongly encouraged to be Co-op students or to do industry internships to supplement their course work with industry experience. During their junior year, students should apply to the Graduate School for admittance into the dualdegree program.

Graduate programs in the engineering fields of study are listed in The Graduate School section of this Bulletin.

Admission Policy

To be accepted to the College of Engineering, high school students must have both:

An ACT math score of 25 or higher, or the SAT equivalent of 590 or higher.
An unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 or higher.

For students who meet the high school GPA requirement but not the ACT or SAT requirement, alternative admission routes include:

3 or above on the Calculus AB portion of the Advanced Placement Exam, or
A score of 61 percent on the proctored ALEKS Placement Exam.

Students who are not initially admitted into the College of Engineering may apply at a later date as a transfer student.

To be accepted to the College of Engineering, transfer students must have a minimum cumulative college GPA of 2.5 and have completed MA 110 or its equivalent (or MA 109 and MA 112 or their equivalencies) with a grade of B or higher. Students who do not receive a B in these courses but who have completed calculus courses required in the Engineering curricula will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Additionally, students must meet the minimum Kentucky statewide academic readiness requirements for Reading and Writing to be admitted to the College of Engineering:

Reading: Students must have an ACT Reading subscore of 20 or above (or SAT subscore of 26 or above in Critical Reading);
English/Writing: Students must have an ACT English subscore of 18 or above (or SAT of 25 or above in Writing).

Students who do not meet the reading/ writing requirements will be required to take the ACCUPLACER exam and receive a score of 244 or better. Students who do not meet the minimum score on the ACCUPLACER will be required to take APP courses (UK 120 for Reading and UK 130 for Writing) and can be considered for admission to the College of Engineering after successful completion of these courses.

International Students

Freshmen:

In addition to meeting the requirements above, international freshman applicants must also obtain a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 71 or above or an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0 or above. Students who received a TOEFL score of 71 but less than 100 (IELTS score of 6.0 but less than 7.5) will be admitted to the College of Engineering but will be required to participate in English for Academic Purposes (EAP).

If students do not meet the IELTS/TOEFL (6.0 or 71) or ACT/SAT requirements, they will be admitted to the College of Engineering after meeting the following criteria: attend ESL, meet EAP requirements, and complete the appropriate math class. They must retake the TOEFL and earn a minimum score of 71 or the IELTS and earn a minimum score of 6.0. Then they would apply for a change of major to Engineering.

NOTE: For the 2022-23 admission cycle, test optional admission will be utilized. Students who do not submit ACT or SAT scores will be considered based on a holistic review. Students are encouraged to submit scores for consideration for College of Engineering scholarships.

Transfer:

In addition to the requirements listed above, international transfer applicants must obtain a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 71 or above (527 paper-based); an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0 or above; or completion of the first and second English composition classes (e.g., ENG 101 and ENG 102 ) from another US college, i.e., institution upon review. If students do not meet these requirements once they have completed UK’s ESL program, they must retake the TOEFL and earn a minimum score of 71 or the IELTS and earn a minimum score of 6.0.

First-Year Engineering Program

All newly admitted students will participate in the First-Year Engineering Program for their first two semesters. During this first year, they will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on engineering activities, explore all the engineering and computer science disciplines and learn about the Engineering Grand Challenges. Based on this experience, students will have the option to change their major or declare their major based on their interests.

Upon declaring their major, students will be designated as pre-major until they meet engineering standing requirements. Every student must be admitted to engineering standing in a specific program prior to taking engineering upper level courses that require engineering standing as a prerequisite.

Engineering Standing Admission

Admission to engineering standing in a degree program is necessary in order to continue in upper level courses and to be granted a baccalaureate degree in engineering or computer science. Specific departmental requirements for admission to engineering standing are noted below and engineering standing applies to a specific program. Hence, receiving engineering standing in one program does not grant engineering standing in another. Students can request admission to engineering standing after completing the required set of pre-major courses in the first three semesters of the published curriculum in their chosen program. In addition to the requirements described below, each program may specify specific procedures for applying for engineering standing, submitting appeals, etc. Students should refer to the departmental handbook or their undergraduate advisor in their program of choice to identify these specific procedures.

For Transfer Students: The same criteria are applied to transfer students with the equivalence of courses reviewed by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. It is important to note if a student receives acceptance of transfer credit for one or more of the below listed courses, the grades earned will be used in the calculation for engineering standing. Transfer students who have not completed all courses listed below may be considered for admission into courses that require engineering standing on a case-by-case basis.

Biomedical Engineering: A cumulative UK GPA of at least 2.5 and successful completion of the following courses with at least a 2.5 GPA: BIO 148 , BIO 152 , BME 201 , CHE 105 , CIS 110 / WRD 110 , CIS 111 / WRD 111 , EGR 101 , EGR 102 , EGR 103 , MA 113 , MA 114 , MA 213 , PHY 231 , PHY 241 , PHY 232 and PHY 242 . If the course is repeated, the best grade will be used for calculation of GPA in the above listed courses.

Biosystems Engineering: A cumulative UK GPA of at least 2.5 and successful completion of all pre-major courses. Successful completion of the following courses with at least a 2.5 GPA: CHE 105 , CIS 110 /WRD 110 , MA 113 , MA 114 , MA 213 , and PHY 231 . Completion of BAE 200 with a grade of C or better. If a course is repeated, the best grade will be used for calculation of GPA in the above listed courses.

Chemical Engineering: A cumulative UK GPA of at least 2.5 and successful completion of all pre-major courses. Successful completion of the following courses with at least a 2.5 GPA: CHE 105 , CHE 107 , CHE 111 , CHE 113 , CIS 110 /WRD 110 , MA 113 , MA 114 , MA 213 , and PHY 231 . Completion of CME 200 with a grade of C or better. If a course is repeated, the best grade will be used for calculation of GPA in the above listed courses.

Civil Engineering: A cumulative UK GPA of at least 2.5 and successful completion of all premajor courses. Successful completion of the following courses with at least a 2.5 GPA: CE 106 , CE 211 , CHE 105 , CHE 107 , CIS 110 /WRD 110 , EGR 103 , EM 221 , MA 113 , MA 114 , MA 213 , PHY 231 , and PHY 241 and a C or better in each course. If a course is repeated, the best grade will be used for calculation of GPA in the above listed courses.

Computer Engineering: A cumulative UK GPA of at least 2.5 and successful completion of all pre-major courses. Successful completion of the following courses with at least a 2.5 GPA: CHE 105 , CIS 110 /WRD 110 , CS 215 , CS 216 , EE 282 /CPE 282 , and PHY 231 . If a course is repeated, the best grade will be used for calculation of GPA in the above listed courses.

Computer Science: A cumulative UK GPA of at least 2.5 and successful completion of all premajor courses. Successful completion of the following courses with at least a 2.5 GPA: CS 215 , CS 216 , CS 275 , and MA 114 . If a course is repeated, the best grade will be used for calculation of GPA in the above listed courses.

Electrical Engineering: A cumulative UK GPA of at least 2.5 and successful completion of all pre-major courses. Successful completion of the following courses with at least a 2.5 GPA: CIS 110 /WRD 110 , CHE 105 , CS 215 , EE 211 , EE 282 /CPE 282 , and PHY 231 . If a course is repeated, the best grade will be used for calculation of GPA in the above listed courses.

Materials Engineering: A cumulative UK GPA of at least 2.5 and successful completion of all pre-major courses. Successful completion of the following courses with at least a 2.5 GPA: CHE 105 , CHE 107 , CHE 111 , CHE 113 , CIS 110 /WRD 110 , MA 113 , MA 114 , MA 213 , PHY 231 , and PHY 241 . Completion of MSE 201 with a grade of C or better. If a course is repeated, the best grade will be used for calculation of GPA in the above listed courses.

Mechanical Engineering: A cumulative UK GPA of at least 2.5 and successful completion of all pre-major courses. Successful completion of the following courses with at least a 2.5 GPA: CHE 105 , CIS 111 /WRD 111 , EGR 101 , EGR 102 , EGR 103 (or EGR 215 in lieu of EGR 101 and EGR 103 ), EM 221 , MA 113 , MA 114 , MA 213 , PHY 231 , PHY 241 , PHY 232 , and PHY 242 and a C or better in each course. If a course is repeated, the best grade will be used for calculation of GPA in the above listed courses.

Mining Engineering: A cumulative UK GPA of at least 2.5 and successful completion of all premajor courses. Successful completion of the following courses with at least a 2.5 GPA: CIS 110 /WRD 110 , CHE 105 , MA 113 , MA 114 , MA 213 , and PHY 231 . If a course is repeated, the best grade will be used for calculation of GPA in the above listed courses.

NOTE: According to Senate Rule 4.3.3, the chair of a department may refuse to allow a student to register in a course a third time. A withdrawal from the course shall not be counted as a registration for these purposes if a student can demonstrate that the withdrawal was for urgent non-academic reasons.

Combined Degree Program

The College of Engineering has transfer agreements with several institutions throughout the state. These programs enable students to enroll in a pre-engineering curriculum at their respective schools and then transfer to the College of Engineering. Upon completion, they can receive two degrees, one from the school at which they originally enrolled and the other a Bachelor of Science in the appropriate field of engineering from the University of Kentucky.

Cooperative Education Program

The nationally recognized engineering co-op program provides students the opportunity to gain practical work experience before graduation. By alternating semesters of academic study with semesters of paid, full-time career-related employment, participants can gain a full year of engineering work experience. Students who wish to participate in the Cooperative Education program in the College of Engineering should contact the Engineering Career Development Office or its co-op director.

To be eligible for this program, students should have a minimum grade-point average of 2.50. In addition, students should be making sufficient progress in their curriculum prior to the first work tour, which typically begins at the end of the sophomore year. Students will remain on a fulltime, continuing student status while they are at work by registering for a one hour, pass/fail course. The grade, assigned by the co-op director, is based on a self evaluation, a work report written by the student, and an evaluation completed by the immediate supervisor. In some states, co-op experience counts towards the practical experience requirement to sit for the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam.

The Cooperative Education program contributes significantly to the student’s academic motivation, career preparation, and success with job offers upon graduation. About a quarter of our graduates obtain co-op experience before graduation, and about 100 employers nationwide participate in the UK Engineering Co-op Program.

Continuing Education and Extension

The College of Engineering recognizes the rapid changes occurring in modern engineering technology. Students in engineering are made aware of the need to continue their studies after graduation. One of the ways to keep abreast of advances in engineering is for graduates and other engineering practitioners to participate in continuing education programs now available through the engineering colleges throughout the country.

The responsibilities of the Technology Exchange Program within the Kentucky Transportation Center, the Lean Manufacturing Program within the Institute of Research for Technology Development at the University of Kentucky and the staff of the former Office for Informational Services and Technical Liaison (OISTL), now administratively housed in the Department of Mining Engineering, are to:

create and manage appropriate intensive noncredit technical courses of interest to and needed by practicing engineers;
develop appropriate video-based courses and materials to be of interest to practicing engineers. Such activity includes taping, live satellite uplinking, and two-way video/audio of engineering-related courses and activities, Web-based instruction; and,
provide assistance in extension activities with other college and University units to be of assistance to engineers throughout the state.

Scholarships

The College of Engineering awards merit- and need-based scholarships to incoming freshmen and transfer students as well as to students already enrolled in the College. Freshman scholarship applications are due December 1; transfer scholarship applications are due June 15 for students incoming in the fall, and November 15 for students incoming in the spring; and continuing student applications are due April 15. Awards are made for the upcoming academic year; no new awards are made for the spring semester for freshmen and continuing students.

For further information, visit https://www.engr.uky.edu/students/undergraduate/ scholarships-and-financial-aid

Engineering Dean’s List

Students enrolled in the College of Engineering can make the Engineering Dean’s List for a fall or spring semester by meeting the following requirements during the semester:

3.6 or better semester GPA;
12 or more credit hours (not including duplicate credit or pass/fail grades);
no E, I or F grades;
no grades out; and
no more than 3 hours pass/fail.

Minimum Requirements for Graduation

In addition to the University graduation requirements listed in the Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin, to be awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in any field of engineering or Computer Science, a student must:

complete the University and College requirements relating to writing and the UK Core.
complete the required number of hours, exclusive of those earned in freshman college algebra and freshman college trigonometry, with a cumulative standing of not less than 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
be admitted to engineering standing in an engineering program for at least the final semester, and complete the requirements of that program.
complete a minimum of 24 credit hours of departmental courses at or above the 300 level.
complete all departmental courses and technical electives with a cumulative standing of 2.0 or higher.
complete any additional departmental graduation requirements that may be listed below.

Additional Departmental Graduation Requirements

In the B.S. program in Civil Engineering, the student must earn a C or better in each CE prefix course, except that a maximum of one D is permitted in a CE prefix course numbered 400 or higher. In addition, a C or better must be earned in EM 302 .

In the Mining Engineering Department, the student must have earned a grade of C or better in the following courses that are valuable for safe operation of mines: MNG 341 - MINE VENTILATION ; MNG 551 - ROCK MECHANICS ; MNG 591 - MINE DESIGN PROJECT I ; and MNG 592 - MINE DESIGN PROJECT II .

Second Bachelor’s Degree Requirements

A student who has earned a bachelor’s degree in the College of Engineering may earn a second bachelor’s degree by meeting the following three conditions on the work applicable to the second degree:

The student must have been admitted to engineering standing in the program leading to the second degree at least for the final semester, or equivalent terms, prior to the completion of the degree requirements, and must be enrolled as a student in that degree program during the final semester or term.
The student must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of departmentally approved courses at or above the 300 level.
To earn a second degree, a student must complete all degree requirements in that program.

Additional Bachelor’s Degrees

A student is eligible to qualify for additional Bachelor’s degrees in different majors. The student must complete all university, college, and departmental requirements for all degrees. Courses taken towards fulfilling one degree may also count towards fulfilling parallel requirements in another degree, but the student must complete at least 24 additional hours for each degree. The student may elect to receive the degrees simultaneously if college and departmental requirements can be met simultaneously.

Academic Advising

Professional staff provide academic advising and support services to entering freshman students through the James and Gay Hardymon Center for Student Success. Sophomores, juniors and seniors are advised by professional advisors and faculty mentors in the department of the student’s major.

It is the students’ responsibility to satisfy University and College requirements with consultation from their advisor.

Probation and Academic Suspension

Students should refer to the Academic Requirements section of this Bulletin for information concerning the College of Engineering’s probation and academic suspension rules.

Programs

Certificate