Unique Collaborations between Engineering and Engineering Technology Programs

Colorado Mesa University (CMU), located in Grand Junction, and University of Colorado Boulder (CU-Boulder) are partnering to deliver a mechanical engineering (ME) program in its entirety on the CMU campus. The third cohort of ME students is graduating in May 2014. The CMU/CU-Boulder ME Partnership Program enables students to earn a Bachelor of Science in ME degree and complete the entire program in residence at CMU. The first two years of classes are offered by CMU and taught by CMU faculty. Upper-level ME specific classes are offered by CU-Boulder and taught by CU-Boulder faculty on the campus of CMU. The successful student completing all requirements then earns the degree from CU-Boulder. In collaboration with and to complement the Partnership, CMU is offering a 4-year Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) Program. CMU is only one of a handful of universities nationwide that offer both E and ET degrees under a single umbrella. The first two years of the curriculum associated with the ME and MET programs are nearly identical, providing flexibility to students who might be unsure of their career paths. The second cohort of MET students is graduating in May 2014. The purpose of this paper is to provide a description of the collaboration between the E and ET programs, particularly highlighting the curricula, and how a partnership such as this might be used as a template and extended into other venues.