As part of the “Strategy for Statewide Engineering Education in Kentucky,” adopted July 17, 2000 by all the chief executive officers of Kentucky universities and endorsed by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), the vision was expressed that “access to undergraduate engineering education will expand primarily through the creation of joint programs managed by multiple postsecondary institutions.” In response, WKU and UK now jointly offer a baccalaureate degree in Mechanical Engineering on the WKU campus in Bowling Green, Kentucky . By CPE definition, a joint-degree program is “a program that is mutually sponsored by two or more institutions leading to a single credential or degree, which is conferred by both or all participating institutions…. All institutions share responsibility for all aspects of the program’s delivery and quality.”
The joint Mechanical Engineering program is one of only four such joint-degree programs in the Kentucky ; the others include a joint-degree program between WKU and UK in Civil Engineering, between WKU and the University of Louisville (UL) in Electrical Engineering, and between Murray State University and UL in Electrical and Telecommunications Engineering.
The WKU/UK joint programs emphasize a project-oriented educational approach Courses are provided by both WKU and UK faculty. Students are required to complete a minimum of 16 credit hours of engineering course work taught by UK engineering faculty. At present, the UK contribution is provided by distance delivery via interactive television. The curriculum of the joint Mechanical engineering program is under the direction of a joint program faculty, with equal representation from each participating institution. The curriculum for entering students requires 139.5 credit hours, with the General Studies component based on the requirements of WKU. Students who complete the program will receive a B.S. degree conferred jointly by WKU and UK . Under the terms of the agreements between the degree-awarding institutions, WKU provides basic administrative support for students in the joint-degree program, including admission services, registration, and student financial aid. In addition, academic advising, laboratory and equipment support, and library and media resources are supplied by WKU.
The Mechanical Engineering curriculum approved within UK can be found here. Changes to the curriculum are approved by the joint program faculty.