Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate Study in Mechanical Engineering

Students in Mechanical Engineering (ME) have the opportunity to take advantage of the University’s Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate (IUG) program. In this program, the student combines regular course work with research to obtain both a B.S. and an M.S. degree in mechanical engineering.

Application for IUG status may be made in the fourth, fifth, or sixth semester. IUG status permits students to take on the rigors and research challenges of graduate study at Penn State, coordinating and combining them with their baccalaureate studies. Because some credits earned as an undergraduate may be applied to both degree programs, the time required for completion of IUG studies is expected to be less than that required to complete separate degree programs. The actual time required is determined by the individual student’s objectives, needs, and diligence.

The advantages of IUG status are several: (1) It permits coherent planning of studies through the graduate degree. (2) For most students, the total time required to reach completion of the higher degree will be shortened. (3) The student will have earlier contact with the rigors of graduate study (in some cases substituting graduate courses for undergraduate requirements) and with graduate faculty; the resources of the Graduate School are accessible to IUG students. (4) While still undergraduates, students with IUG status benefit from their association with graduate students whose level of work and whose intensity of interest and commitment parallel their own.

IUG arrangements have been designed for the truly exceptional students: those who have exceptional academic records and those who are ready for the challenge of graduate work. ME students who believe they are among such students are encouraged to apply for IUG status.

For more information about the program requirements and application procedure, please visit the IUG program page.