New Fairfield University academic alliances give community college graduates with A.S. degrees in Math/Science the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in engineering in minimal time | Press Releases

New academic alliances between Fairfield University's School of Engineering and three community colleges will give community college graduates with an A.S. in mathematics/science the option of transferring their credits to Fairfield, paving the way to a B.S. in computer or software engineering, in a minimal amount of time.

The community colleges in this alliance with Fairfield are Manchester Community College, Naugatuck Valley Community College and Norwalk Community College.

The alliance enables these graduates to pursue a bachelor's degree from Fairfield in as little as two or three years. Under the agreements, community college graduates can transfer their math and science credits to Fairfield, which can amount to nearly half of the total needed to earn a B.S. degree.

Students can pursue their degree completion at Fairfield on a full-time or part-time basis. Two $2,500 scholarships are awarded annually to community college students who transfer. For more information and details on scholarships and financial aid, call the School of Engineering at (203) 254-4147, or visit http://www.fairfield.edu/soe_alliance.html.

The School's mission includes helping students master both theoretical and practical knowledge of engineering skills. An important opportunity is the placement of students in paid internships arranged by the School. From the time that they start studying here, transfer students can take part in the extensive internship program with area industries, offering them the chance to gain technical skills.

Evangelos Hadjimichael, Ph.D., dean of the School of Engineering, said, "This real world experience, combined with learning from our faculty who are also practicing engineers, gives students a strong foundation to become industry leaders, or pursue graduate studies. It also has caused our engineering graduates to be in high demand, especially by the manufacturing, software and financial industries."

The School's faculty believes that engineering isn't simply a set of discrete skills but a way of looking at the world. The faculty assists in transforming their students into professional engineers with an additional sense of ethical and economic values. They employ hands-on teaching techniques, including in-class projects and computer simulations. Class sizes are kept small so that students have the opportunity to work closely with their professors and classmates and benefit substantively from these interactions.

The University's mission includes enriching students academically, professionally and personally. Learning in the classroom is reinforced in state-of-the-art laboratories, which are upgraded annually with sophisticated instrumentation, and updated software tools. The School's tutorial center, open on weekday evenings, is staffed by faculty and offers students personalized guidance and academic support. Career counseling is offered at the University's Career Planning Center.

All bachelor's degree programs at Fairfield's School of Engineering are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).