For Prospective Undergraduate Students

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The University of New Mexico provides online applications for Undergraduate, Graduate and International students.

Undergraduate Online Applications

Apply Online: Freshman and Transfer Undergraduate Applicants for the Main Campus in Albuquerque. Select "Albuquerque Freshman/Undergrad" from the drop down list. For Gallup, Los Alamos, Taos or Valencia, please select the appropriate application below.

Apply Online: Non-Degree Applicants. Select "Non-Degree Undergraduate" from the drop down list.

Download: Print, fill out and mail the Application for Undergraduate Admissions, along with the application fee.

Admission Requirements

Students who meet certain criteria may be admitted to the School of Engineering as freshmen in pre-major status; as internal or external transfers or as readmitted students in a pre-major status; or as internal or external transfers or readmitted students in department major status.

Freshman students admitted to UNM who declare engineering or computer science as a major and meet the criteria listed below are eligible for enrollment in the School of Engineering in a pre-major status. Their academic records will be maintained by the Engineering Student Programs Office. To be admitted in pre-major status, a student must have:

1. ACT math scores of 25 or higher;
2. ACT English and Science scores of 19 or higher; and
3. ACT Reading score of 18 or higher.

Freshmen who do not initially meet the above criteria or any student wishing to transfer from University College, from other degree-granting colleges, from non-degree status or from other accredited institutions to the School of Engineering in the pre--major status must meet other requirements. Please contact the Engineering Student Programs Office at 505-277-4354.

More about the School of Engineering

Career-Launching Degree Programs

US News and World Report ranks the University of New Mexico's engineering program among the best programs at schools where the highest degree offered is a doctorate.The UNM School of Engineering is ranked #14 for Engineering Graduate Programs by Princeton Review and #5 for Best Schools for Hispanics by Hispanic Business.

Learn more about engineering and computer science and each of the our undergraduate degree programs. Then get some counsel on financing your education and learn more about the services we provide to help students excel.

Undergraduate Research
For a full understanding of engineering and its interdisciplinary nature, students must apply what they learn in the classroom. That’s why the SOE integrates education and research for undergraduates. Many courses include lab work and research. Every student’s senior year culminates in a capstone project, a semester-long research project that challenges students to use all that they have learned to solve an engineering challenge. UNM’s proximity to national laboratories offers an unparalleled opportunity for students to participate in world-class research with leading scientists. Our students conduct research at Sandia National Laboratory and the Air Force Research Laboratory in Albuquerque; at Los Alamos National Laboratory just two hours away; and at Idaho National Laboratory.

Real World Experience
Because of New Mexico’s booming high tech industry, students have outstanding opportunities for part-time work, co-ops, and internships at area technology companies. That industry interaction gives students hands-on experience, helps them hone communication skills, and familiarize them with the professional workplace. The School of Engineering also encourages students to test their skills in competitive settings by participating in regional, national, and international competitions.

Collaborative Programs
Our faculty and students work with their peers in other departments around the university to solve problems and explore new ideas in science, medicine, art and more. The results are impressive. Engineers and doctors at the School of Medicine teamed up to discovered a cancer gene. Biologists and engineers worked together to examine how biology applies to the spread of internet viruses. Art students and engineers combined their skills to create fantastic digital art. Those creative collaborations continue to grow each semester.

Collaborations are cross-cultural as well. The Office of International Programs and Studies emphasizes global awareness and multicultural sensitivity through international exchange programs. Students can take advantage of short-term study abroad programs, student exchanges, unique international programs through our sister universities around the globe, and special SOE joint study programs. The university also fosters cross-cultural interaction on campus by inviting students from around the world to study at UNM.

Challenging Careers
Because the SOE has an excellent reputation, and because most of our students develop industry connections early on, many undergraduates have full time job offers before they graduate.

Whether they conduct research at top ranked universities, work at a Fortune 100 companies, or become technology entrepreneurs, our students go on to be leaders in their field because they have the solid foundation to excel. In fact, our training is so comprehensive and widely applicable, that many students who ultimately want to pursue law or medicine start with a degree from the SOE.

Degree Programs

• BS, MS and PhD programs in chemical, civil, computer, electrical, mechanical, and nuclear engineering and computer science
• BS in construction engineering
• BS and MS programs in construction management
• Masters of Engineering in manufacturing engineering
• PhD programs in optical sciences and integrative nanoscience and microsystems
• A graduate certificate in scientific and engineering computation in conjunction with any of the graduate degrees
• A dual Masters of Engineering in manufacturing/ MBA program
• A "3 + 2" program of studies leading to the BS and MBA degrees

Accreditation

In the United States, accreditation is a non-governmental, peer-review process that assures the quality of the postsecondary education students receive. Educational institutions or programs volunteer to undergo this review periodically to determine if certain criteria are being met. Accreditation is not a ranking system. It is simply assurance that a program or institution meets established quality standards. Accreditation is important because it signifies adequate preparation for entry into a profession. Many state license boards require applicants to have graduated from an accredited program.

Engineering and Computer Science

Engineers and computer scientists use computers and advanced tools to analyze the smallest particles, create new forms of energy, launch rockets into space, and build ever taller structures to build a better world. They use their ingenuity, technical skills, and the ability to see a problem and solve it. Few professions offer individuals greater challenge, stimulation and satisfaction of creative accomplishment. Engineers and computer scientists have the opportunity to work with inspiring people, travel, and give back to their community. An engineering or computer science education prepares graduates for many different careers. Many use their skills to go into business, medicine, law, or government.

Accredited Undergraduate Degrees at the School of Engineering

Chemical Engineering
Develop environmentally-friendly products
Chemical engineers design, build, operate, develop, improve, implement, and discover processes that change chemical composition, energy content, or the physical states of matter. The products can range from soft drinks to make up to pharmaceuticals. The relatively small size of the program at UNM results in a closely-knit group of 30 to 40 students who develop a strong community network among each other and faculty. About one-half of the undergraduate students are female. Departmental research facilities provide access to such highly specialized equipment as mass spectrometers, scanning electron microscopes, ceramics fabrication, atomic force microscopy, and more. Employment opportunities range from private to national laboratories. Please call (505) 277-2260 or visit the web site at http://www-chne.edm.edu/ and view the Chemical Engineering brochure (PDF).

Civil Engineering
Build a better bridge
The UNM student chapter of the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE) won second place in a regional competition for a steel bridge. Civil engineers build transportation systems such as highway and railway design; water conservation, distribution and treatment systems; environmental pollution and control systems; and structural systems such as buildings and bridges. Concrete design, materials testing, soil mechanics, surveying, environmental engineering, hydraulic engineering, and transportation are examples of CE laboratories.

Learn more about sustainability and green environments
Civil Engineering has a 10-acre lab that provides volunteers for the city and educational opportunities for students. UNM civil engineering students and faculty are learning from the land and using those lessons to help shape strategies that will restore and protect the river and the bosque for generations to come.
For more information on Civil Engineering, please call (505) 277-3222 or visit the web site at http://www.unm.edu/~civil/ and view the Civil Engineering brochure (PDF).

Computer Engineering
Design the Internet of the Future
Computer engineers work with and design computer systems, including the mini and microcomputer and supercomputers. Their work also includes interfacing computers with other devices. It is a profession that puts the engineer in a rapidly growing field with unlimited opportunities in industry, education, and government. The department shares facilities and faculty with the Department of Electrical Engineering. Call (505) 277-1412 or visit the web site at http://www.ece.unm.edu and view the Computer Engineering brochure (PDF).

Computer Science
Make computers smarter
Computer Science (CS) is the study of the structure of information and data and the methods of processing them. Computer scientists create and manipulate computer programming to solve problems, classify and analyze data, and create illustrations. A major focus of CS is to increase the "intelligence" of the computer. Computer scientists find work as programmers, technical support personnel, and researchers in government and private industry in all size ranges. Please call (505) 277-3112 or visit the web site at http://www.cs.unm.edu/ and view the Computer Science brochure (PDF).

Construction Engineering and Construction Management
Manage the construction of projects ranging from residential to commercial enterprises
These are specialized academic disciplines of Civil Engineering. Construction engineers are responsible for devising and designing construction facilities, coordinating and directing the efforts of labor and equipment, and controlling the time and cost demands of field operations. Public utilities, construction contractors, government agencies, public utilities, and Native American tribes employ these engineers. Construction managers combine engineering, management, and field construction skills in the administration and management of construction. They often work for general contractors, design-build firms, and management of constructed facilities. For more information, please call (505) 277-3222 or visit the web site at http://www.unm.edu/~civil/const.html and view the Construction Engineering and Construction Management brochure (PDF).

Electrical Engineering
Design the newest cell phone
Electrical engineering (EE) involves designing such products as lasers, transistors, optical fibers, integrated circuits, communications systems, satellites, electronic medical systems, and electrical power systems. The demand for electrical engineers is excellent and the employment rate for UNM graduates has been near 100%. Employers range from small to large research agencies, both private and government. The department is housed in a state-of-the-art building that has basic and advanced laboratories. There are over 30 EE faculty and they have a wide range of expertise. For more information, please call (505) 277-2436 or visit the web site at http://www.ece.unm.edu and view the Electrical Engineering brochure (PDF).

Manufacturing Engineering and Robotics
Program a robot
Manufacturing Engineering and Robotics (ME&R) is an emerging field of engineering that deals with modern scientific approaches to product manufacturing with the use of programmable robots. These manufacturing techniques are applicable to all areas of manufacturing automation and in particular to the rapid high-quality production of machine and electronic part assembles. For more information, please call (505) 277-2761 or visit the web site at http://www.me.unm.edu/ .

Mechanical Engineering
Design, build, and drive a racecar
A 3-semester, for-credit course in Mechanical Engineering involves students in designing and building a formula racecar and culminates in the world's largest racecar competition. The course integrates automotive engineering and life skills.

Mechanical engineering projects include solar energy and environmental systems, power generation plants, space satellites, rockets, jet engines, automobile design, and designing and building robots for automated manufacturing. Careers are available in robotics, aerospace, drilling industry, heating and air conditioning, computer-aided manufacturing, and automobile and aircraft design. Please call (505) 277-2761 or visit the web site at http://www.me.unm.edu/ and view the Mechanical Engineering brochure (PDF).

Nuclear Engineering

Have you wondered what weightlessness feels like?
UNM's nuclear and chemical engineering students find out by working with NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program. The program provides a rare academic experience for undergraduate students to successfully propose, design, fabricate, fly, and evaluate a reduced gravity experiment of their choice over the course of a school year.

Experiments are conducted aboard the KC-135, a plane that was originally used in support of NASA missions. The Boeing 707 has been retrofit with massive turbo engines and padded walls. As a result, the plane can experience near weightlessness in a free fall. To do so, the plane takes off and climbs to an altitude where it can accelerate downward at the rate of gravity. Then it goes into a climb to regain its lost altitude and dives again. Students from other departments often submit proposals for the NASA experiment as well. This program is one of several offers students the chance to travel and work with inspiring people.

Nuclear engineers are primarily concerned with controlling, monitoring, and using energy released in nuclear processes. They also work on developing a wide variety of applications for radioisotopes, such as food preservation, manufacturing development, processing, quality control, and treating and diagnosing diseases. Career opportunities range from engineering consultants to the U.S. Navy.

UNM Nuclear Engineering Students have received scholarships from the American Nuclear Society, the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations, and the Department of Energy. They have gone to graduate school at MIT, Perdue, and North Carolina State Universities. They have had projects accepted 5 years in a row for the NASA microgravity student research program. During the summer students worked as interns for NASA, Oak Ridge National Lab, Sandia National Labs, and Los Alamos National Labs. For more information, please call (505) 277-2260 or visit the web site at http://www-chne.unm.edu/ and view the Nuclear Engineering brochure (PDF).

Financing Your Education

There are many scholarships available to students in the SOE. These scholarships usually supplement any other general scholarship received at the university level (e.g. Lottery, Regents, Presidential, Amigo, etc).  To be considered for any of the SOE scholarships, you must be officially admitted (or be admissible) into the SOE at the time of application. Each scholarship has specific eligibility requirements. Many scholarships require demonstrated financial need which is established through Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Deadlines are February 1, May 10, June 1 and June 15. In 2006, all students who applied by February 1 received at least one scholarship.

Departmental and other scholarships are available to students needing financial aid.

Engineering Student Services

Engineering undergraduates receive academic and career support, skill development and recognition from the staff in Engineering Student Services. For additional information, please view the ESS brochure (PDF). A pre-engineering program helps prepare high school students and freshmen college students.

There are almost 2000 women enrolled in UNM's engineering, science and math programs. The Women in Science and Engineering Program (WISE) provides workshops, job shadowing, and mentoring, as well as opportunities to volunteer and socialize.

UNM's student body and the demographics of the School of Engineering reflect diversity. The Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP) is designed to support students from diverse heritages to excel. Free mentoring services, one-on-one advising, special scholarship opportunities, professional development workshops, and a computer lab are available. According to Pedro Ramos, a student in the School of Engineering, "The biggest benefit to being involved with MEP is the sense of family you get. The staff is very concerned about our success and they go out of their way to help us achieve our goals."

Admission

For more information on admission to UNM or the School of Engineering, click on the links below.

Transferring to UNM School of Engineering BS Programs

The School of Engineering at UNM welcomes many students who have begun their undergraduate studies at other universities and colleges and would like to complete an engineering degree at UNM. The SOE has already worked out articulation agreements with many colleges and universities in New Mexico to make this process easy. These agreements tell you what courses to take at your college or university, and what courses you will have left for your engineering degree once you get to UNM. Click on the links above to find the articulation agreement for your school. For more information on transferring to SOE at UNM, contact the advisor listed above for the program you are interested in.

School of Engineering Office of the Dean Farris Engineering Center 107 - MSC01 1140 1 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001 Phone: (505) 277-5521 Fax: (505) 277-1422 email: soe@unm.edu