Engineering students at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and at Pikes Peak Community College will be able to enroll concurrently at the two schools as well as take advantage of advisers and labs available at both institutions, according to a new agreement.
UCCS and PPCC leaders are scheduled to sign an engineering concurrent program agreement at 10 a.m. Tuesday in ceremonies at the UCCS Engineering Building. The agreement is designed to help students interested in engineering fields to obtain an associate’s degree and to continue their education in a seamless way without losing transfer credits.
“The demand for engineers continues to outpace the number of graduates,” Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak said. “If we are to build a knowledge-based economy in southern Colorado, it is imperative that institutions of higher learning cooperate and eliminate barriers and cooperate wherever possible. I am pleased that UCCS and Pikes Peak Community College share this vision for the future of our region.”
Shockley-Zalabak and PPCC President Tony Kinkel will sign the agreement. During the past three years, administrators and faculty from both schools completed details with the goal of making it easier for freshman- and sophomore-level engineering students at Pikes Peak Community College to take classes at UCCS. By enrolling in the concurrent program, students will be able to take classes seamlessly and make steady progress toward degrees.
R. “Dan” Dandapani , associate dean, UCCS College of Engineering and Applied Science, cited the example of a PPCC student who could take sophomore-level engineering programs at UCCS while completing other requirements needed to complete an associate’s degree. By enrolling concurrently, students can complete a bachelor’s degree in a timely manner and have access to UCCS amenities such as engineering labs, the Kraemer Family Library and a new recreation center.
“We started this project back in 2005 and we knew we needed a deeper relationship with PPCC in order to really meet the needs of those PPCC students who dreamed of an engineering degree,” Jeremy Haefner, dean, UCCS College of Engineering and Applied Science, said. “We are very pleased that this agreement marks the completion of this vision.” Students who successfully complete the program will earn an associate’s degree from PPCC and a bachelor’s degree in a specific engineering discipline from UCCS.
The agreement is the most recent example of cooperation between El Paso County’s largest higher education enterprises. In recent months, UCCS opened its student housing to Pikes Peak Community College students.
For several years, a UCCS University Connection program has assisted students in transferring credits from Pikes Peak Community College to UCCS and provided scholarship support. The engineering concurrent program is unique in that it allows students to attend both institutions at the same time and to select from each institution’s course offerings.
UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs, is the fastest growing university in Colorado and one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The university offers 29 bachelor’s degrees, 18 master’s and four doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 7,700 students.
Pikes Peak Community College is the largest postsecondary educational institution in Colorado Springs, providing an accessible and affordable education to more than 16,000 students every year. The College offers associate degrees and certificates in more than 125 areas of study, focusing on liberal arts and sciences transfer programs and career tech programs. PPCC has three full-service campuses in the north, downtown, and south areas of the city.