The School of Engineering is excited to launch a new major in Multidisciplinary Engineering (MDE). As the name implies, this major draws from multiple different engineering disciplines and provides students with a broad background to work in numerous engineering fields.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happened to Undecided Engineering? What if I don’t know what kind of engineering I want to pursue?
A: Since all engineering majors start out with a generally common first-year curriculum, we’ve replaced the Undecided option with Multidisciplinary Engineering. As with Undecided, we anticipate that the majority of students who start in MDE will eventually select one of the specialized majors in the school. The main advantage here is that the MDE major provides a pathway to an engineering degree, whereas Undecided Engineering did not – students in Undecided Engineering were required to select another major to progress toward their degree.
Q: What are the advantages of the MDE major? Why might I want to pursue it instead of one of the other majors?
A: The MDE major was designed with the idea that students with strong interests in fields complimentary to engineering could combine coursework in those disciplines with a broad engineering background to create a specialization that would allow them to pursue specific employment opportunities post-graduation. At this time, the School of Engineering is pursuing ideas for those joint curricula with numerous other schools and colleges around UConn. One of the first will be a Theater/Entertainment Engineering specialization offered jointly with the School of Fine Arts as part of the recently founded Krenicki Institute for the Arts and Engineering. We anticipate others will follow as those conversation progress.
Q: What if I just want to do the MDE program without a partner program? Can I do that?
A: Yes – the MDE degree will be a standalone engineering degree that can be pursued entirely within the School of Engineering. MDE students will work with their academic advisor to select coursework that is reflective of their interests.
Q: Is the MDE degree ABET accredited?
A: As ABET accreditation requires a program to have graduates, and the MDE program is just launching in Fall 2021, it is not ABET accredited at this time. The School of Engineering plans to submit the MDE program for accreditation when it meets the eligibility requirements.
Q: I am a current UConn student, how can I apply for admission to the MDE major?
A: Starting in fall 2021, current UConn students can apply for January 2022 admission review. The request will be made online here: www.request.engr.uconn.edu
Q: What degree will I be awarded if I graduate with an MDE major: B.A., B.S., B.S.E.?
A: You would be awarded a B.S.E. which is a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.