The University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Engineering is one of the best places in the world for an engineering education. Here, you'll be among some of the smartest, most innovative people anywhere. You'll learn directly from many of the world's best professors and teachers. Your classes will prepare you to be exceptional engineers. You'll actually do engineering, work in diverse teams, and design and build solutions to real challenges people experience. You'll gain the technological tools, resources and knowledge to develop solutions to problems in fields ranging from health to energy to materials to communication—and many more. You'll also have the resources (and the prestige of a Badger engineering education) to help you find a great job! Beyond learning and doing engineering in the classroom and in the lab, you can broaden and customize your Badger engineering experience: Study abroad, join a student organization or two, volunteer, share the love of all things Badger engineering as a student ambassador, do real engineering at a company through an internship or co-operative work . and the list goes on. The possibilities are as limitless as your imagination! (Across the university, there also are countless ways to get involved in the campus community—from playing an instrument in the UW Marching Band to playing a leadership role in student government, there's something to interest everyone here.) In a college internationally renowned for its research, you'll have abundant opportunities to contribute. As an undergraduate researcher, you can hone your own research skills alongside professors, graduate students and other undergrads. You may be able to propose and conduct your own research, and to publish and patent your results! Importantly, you'll be a valued member of a strong, supportive community with lots of resources—and people—you can tap to help you succeed. In short, as a Badger engineer, you'll have the time of your life . while you prepare to make an impact on life as we know it.
“In the College of Engineering, we pursue research creating and leveraging new technologies to sustainably power our world, safeguard the environment, design new materials, transform communications, elevate manufacturing and save lives. We work across our eight departments and beyond to bring our discoveries into the classroom, preparing our students for meaningful lives and careers.”
—Dean Ian Robertson
Dean: Ian M. Robertson
Executive Associate Dean: David A. Noyce
Associate Dean and Chief Financial Officer: Adam Whitehorse
Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Educational Innovation: Chris Castro
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Kathy Prem
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs: Oliver Schmitz
Associate Dean for Interdisciplinary Professional Programs: Edward G. Borbely
Associate Dean for Advancement: Cathleen Walters
Students applying to UW–Madison need to indicate an engineering major as their first choice in order to be considered for direct admission to the College of Engineering. Being directly admitted to a major means students will start in the program of their choice in the College of Engineering and will need to meet progression requirements at the end of the first year to guarantee advancement in that program.
UW–Madison students in other schools and colleges on campus must meet minimum admission requirements for admission consideration to engineering degree programs. Cross-campus admission is competitive and selective, and the grade point average expectations may increase as demand trends change. The student’s overall academic record at UW–Madison is also considered. Students apply to their intended engineering program by submitting the online application by stated deadlines for spring and fall. The College of Engineering offers an online information tutorial and drop-in advising for students to learn about the cross-campus transfer process.
With careful planning, students at other accredited institutions can transfer coursework that will apply toward engineering degree requirements at UW–Madison. Off-campus transfer applicants are considered for direct admission to the College of Engineering by applying to the Office of Admissions with an engineering major listed as their first choice. Those who are admitted to their intended engineering program must meet progression requirements at the point of transfer or within their first two semesters at UW–Madison to guarantee advancement in that program. A minimum of 30 credits in residence in the College of Engineering is required after transferring, and all students must meet all requirements for their major in the college. Transfer admission to the College of Engineering is competitive and selective, and students who have exceeded the 80 credit limit at the time of application are not eligible to apply.
The College of Engineering has dual degree programs with select four-year UW System campuses. Eligible dual degree applicants are not subject to the 80 credit limit.
Off-campus transfer students are encouraged to discuss their interests, academic background, and admission options with the Transfer & Academic Program Manager in the College of Engineering: ugtransfer@engr.wisc.edu or 608-262-2473.
The College of Engineering does not accept second undergraduate degree applications. Second degree students might explore the Biological Systems Engineering program at UW–Madison, an undergraduate engineering degree elsewhere, or a graduate program in the College of Engineering.
Official regulations regarding enrollment, scholarship, and graduation for undergraduates in the College of Engineering.
A printer-friendly PDF can be found on the College of Engineering Regulations page.
New students are admitted directly to the degree program (major) of their choice or to the College of Engineering as Engineering Undecided. Progression requirements must then be satisfied as described in Regulations 3–7.
Biomedical Engineering (BME)
Chemical Engineering (CHE)
Civil Engineering (CEE)
Computer Engineering (CMPE)
Electrical Engineering (EE)
Engineering Mechanics (EM)
Engineering Physics (EP)
Environmental Engineering (EnvE)
Geological Engineering (GLE)
Industrial Engineering (IE)
Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)
Mechanical Engineering (ME)
Nuclear Engineering (NE)
To automatically progress in a College of Engineering (CoE) degree program (major) after direct admission or to switch between engineering degree programs, students must complete the following requirements after their first two semesters of residency at UW–Madison:
1. Math: A minimum of two math courses numbered MATH 217 Calculus with Algebra and Trigonometry II or above; or one math course 300 level or above. If the math requirement for the degree program (major) is complete or the student has completed the calculus sequence through MATH 234 Calculus--Functions of Several Variables , then additional math courses numbered MATH 217 Calculus with Algebra and Trigonometry II or above or additional courses from the science requirement in Regulation 3.E.2. can be taken to complete the four core course requirement. Excludes MATH 228 WES Calculus Supplement , MATH/HIST SCI 473 History of Mathematics , special topics, independent study, seminar, pass/fail, and credit/no credit courses.
2. Science: A minimum of two science courses are required for engineering degree programs (majors) as defined below. If the math and science requirements for the degree program are complete, then departmental engineering courses 200 level and above can be taken to complete the four core course requirement. Excludes EPD, InterEGR, special topics, independent study, seminar, pass/fail, and credit/no credit courses.
If the above two requirements are completed, select from the additional science courses below.
Students who do not meet the first-year progression requirements to automatically progress in a degree program (major) can be considered for non-automatic progression (Regulation 4) or extension (Regulation 5).
Students who do not meet progression GPAs but meet all other progression requirements will be considered for progression in degree program (major). The consideration process includes review of written statement, rigor of completed courses, and grade trends.
When the number of non-automatic considerations and/or applications for admission to a degree program (major) exceed the capacity of that program, progression and admission will be limited to capacity. Selection of students under consideration or admission to a program operating at capacity will be based on written statement, rigor of completed courses, and grade trends.
Students are required to submit to the dean’s office an application for progression for a degree program (major) or an application for an extension by the deadline. Deadlines will be posted on the College of Engineering website at Progression Requirements and emailed to students in the College of Engineering.
Each student is responsible for arranging a course list that will permit satisfactory progress toward degree requirements and a class schedule that (a) avoids class and final exam scheduling conflicts, (b) avoids an excessively demanding final exam schedule, and (c) verifies registration in chosen classes.
Departments may specify courses as not open to students who need to complete progression requirements, or as open only to students in a specific degree program (major).
A course taken anywhere other than UW–Madison, or by independent study or resident extension, is transferable to the College of Engineering, in credits only, if it is transferable to the UW–Madison. The course counts toward graduation only if it satisfies a graduation requirement of the curriculum to which it is to be applied and only if it was passed with a grade of C (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better.
Grades for courses taken anywhere other than UW–Madison are not transferable, even if the credits for those courses are transferable.
Students may add full-semester courses only during the first two weeks of classes (Regulation 19). The deadline to add a course is specified on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
Students may drop full-semester courses during the first 12 weeks of classes. Courses dropped after the initial drop deadline are noted on the transcript as DR (Regulations 14, 19, and 22.G.). The deadlines to drop a course are specified on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
A student may substitute courses that deviate from the requirements of a published curriculum of the College of Engineering upon the recommendation of the student’s degree-granting department and with the approval of the college governance committee.
Pass/fail is a student-option alternative way of being graded in a regularly graded course. Credit/no credit describes courses approved for two-level grading and is not a student option.
A student may change the grading option of a full-semester course to or from pass/fail only during the first four weeks of classes. (Regulation 19). These courses must be free electives. Only students in good standing may elect the pass/fail privilege.
The pass/fail agreement is between the student and the Registrar, and is not revealed to the person teaching the course. The person teaching the course submits the appropriate letter grade to the Registrar, who converts C or higher grades to S (Satisfactory) and D and F grades to U (Unsatisfactory).
Courses designated as credit/no credit will not be counted in determining the number of pass/fail courses the student may elect.
A student may audit a course only if the instructor consents. Auditors are expected to attend with a reasonable regularity and to participate in the class, as determined by the instructor. Audited courses carry no degree credit, do not count in determining the minimum number of credits permitted in each term, and are not included in the calculation of the GPA. The only valid grade for audited courses is a grade of S (Satisfactory) or NR (No Report). A student may change to or from credit to audit only during the first four weeks of classes (Regulation 19).
Deadlines for sessions and modular courses are listed on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
Each student is expected to attend all assigned classes during the regular meeting times and take all of the examinations for those courses at the regularly scheduled times. In the case of course or examination absences excused for a reason acceptable to the course instructor, the student is expected to make up the work within a reasonable time, and may do so without a grade penalty.
Course grades are reported by letter only; plus and minus grades are not authorized. The following grades are included in computing grade point average (GPA) and point-credit ratio (PCR).
