VCU to launch new graduate engineering programs

By Cari Brunelle
University News Services

RICHMOND, Va. — The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia yesterday (May 25) approved Virginia Commonwealth University’s request to initiate two new graduate level degree programs in its School of Engineering. The new doctoral and master’s degrees in engineering will begin in fall 2000.

The new programs will be interdisciplinary, incorporating chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering with educational and research experiences in manufacturing and business. They will offer students unique course work in manufacturing systems, business, management and entrepreneurial activities and opportunities with Virginia businesses and industry, particularly in the Central Virginia region. VCU already has received 15 applications from students desiring to enroll in the graduate level programs at the School of Engineering for the fall semester.

"We are very pleased and excited about SCHEV's approval, and we expect to have an excellent group of students enrolled in these programs for the 2000 fall semester," said Eugene P. Trani, Ph.D., VCU president. "As was demonstrated at the council meeting, we have significant business and industry support for these programs, which will give our students what they need to succeed in today’s competitive job market, particularly right here in Virginia."

"The industry support is enormous, the faculty are top-notch, and it’s a natural progression for VCU’s undergraduate program. In addition, VCU pledges that the graduate programs will operate without any additional state funding," said Phyllis Palmiero, executive director of SCHEV. "So despite some concerns raised in our meeting, we ultimately recommended approval of the proposal because we found the positives outweighed any concerns."

VCU’s School of Engineering was founded in 1995 in collaboration with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and the first class enrolled in fall 1996. Its $42 million, 113,000-square-foot facility opened its doors in fall 1998. Currently, there are about 500 students enrolled and 35 faculty, who in 1999 received about $2.5 million in research funding and have more than $16 million worth of research proposals under review by funding agencies.

VCU offers bachelor’s degrees in chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering. The university also offers the only undergraduate biomedical engineering degree in Virginia as well as graduate degrees in the field. The school graduated its first class of undergraduate engineers on May 13. Many of those fifty-one students have been accepted to prestigious graduate engineering programs across the country and have been offered jobs with companies such as IBM, Ethyl, Motorola and White Oak Semiconductor, paying from $45,000 to $55,000 with the highest offer at $62,000.

SCHEV, the coordinating board for the commonwealth's higher education system, is made up of members appointed by the governor. The full council approved VCU’s new programs in a 7-1 vote. Currently, graduate degrees in engineering are offered by four other Virginia institutions: George Mason University, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.