MSU, UMR partner in engineering-degree program

The presidents of both universities signed an agreement Monday at the Rolla campus that allows UMR to offer bachelor’s degrees in civil and electrical engineering to students at MSU.

Producing engineering students in Springfield will allow area firms to hire from the local pool for engineering jobs.

“We believe this is a significant event, both for students and economic development in the Ozarks,” MSU President Michael Nietzel said in a news release. “The engineering degree will meet a significant unmet need in Springfield and the surrounding area.”

Most of the coursework for the degrees will be offered at MSU. Some classes will be delivered online through UMR, and some upper-level classes will require students to travel to Rolla.

Graduates would receive a UMR degree, but diplomas would read “in cooperation with Missouri State University.”

The schools will collaborate on the program’s development, but additional funding from the state will be needed to fund a market study, develop a system to deliver laboratory-based courses online, renovate MSU laboratories and support the program, according to the agreement.

The degree programs will be the same as those UMR offers at its campus and will meet the standards of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Tuition rates will be set at UMR’s rates for major courses and at MSU’s rates for pre-engineering and elective courses.

A date has not been set for the program’s debut, as that will depend on the availability of state funding.