Untitled Document Marietta, Ga. (Aug. 12, 2009) – The University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents has approved three new evening engineering degrees to be offered at Southern Polytechnic State University beginning fall 2009: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.
SPSU will join the Georgia Institute of Technology as the only universities in the state offering these degree programs, with Southern Polytechnic being the only one to offer these as evening programs. “The two universities’ programs will complement each other,” said Dr. Zvi Szafran, vice president for Academic Affairs at SPSU. “SPSU’s programs will specifically target non-traditional students who desire to complete an engineering degree and require flexible scheduling on either a part-time or full-time basis.”
The demand for engineering graduates in industry prompted SPSU to offer these new degrees. A National Science Board report stated that while the number of jobs requiring science and engineering education continues to increase, the number of graduates in these fields is steadily decreasing. “Growth in engineering jobs is increasing five times faster than any other industry,” Dr. Szafran explained. “The addition of these degrees to the array of offerings at SPSU directly addresses Georgia’s need for professionals trained in the areas of engineering.”
The curriculum for the new evening engineering degree programs complements SPSU’s current construction, mechatronics, software, and system engineering programs. “The graduates from our engineering and engineering technology programs are already in high demand,” said Dr. Thomas Currin, associate dean of the Division of Engineering. “We are excited to expand our offerings in the core engineering disciplines. These new degree programs will provide students with a broader range of choices in the field of engineering.”
SPSU now offers a total of seven undergraduate engineering degree programs, as well as six degree programs in engineering technology.
“Engineering technology degrees have been the hallmark of an SPSU education for many years. Engineering technologists work closely with engineers in coordinating people, material and machinery to achieve the specific goals of a particular project. We prepare engineers and engineering technologists at our campus to work side-by-side in the industry. SPSU now offers the ideal learning environment for students interested in both engineering and engineering technology,” added Dr. Szafran.
“The three new evening engineering degree programs will be phased in over the next four years. Freshmen level courses will begin in fall 2009, sophomore level courses will begin in fall 2010 and so on,” explained Dr. Currin. “By the 2013 academic year, the programs will be fully implemented, with the first graduates expected in 2014.”
Since 2006 SPSU has added 13 new academic degree programs, bringing the total of undergraduate degrees to 36 and graduate degrees to 11.
For more information, visit www.spsu.edu/engineering .
