Located in Ann Arbor, MI, the University of Michigan is a highly-revered public research university with an undergraduate enrollment of 32,282 students at its main campus, with an additional 15,377 students enrolled in graduate and postgraduate programs.
The school was founded in 1817, placing it among the oldest public universities in the United States.
Over the course of its centuries-long history, many notable public figures have attended UMich. Playwright and screenwriter Arthur Miller, Academy Award-winning actor James Earl Jones, Google co-founder Larry Page, and former U.S. president Gerald Ford are just a few of the school’s many famous alumni.
No less than 20 Nobel Laureates and dozens of Rhodes Scholars also call University of Michigan their alma mater, providing a testament to the school’s world-class education. Today, UMich has a network of more than 640,000 living alumni in all corners of the world.
The University of Michigan is made up of 19 undergraduate, graduate, and professional colleges and schools, offering students more than 280 different degree programs to choose from.
Students are not required to live on campus for any portion of their time at the school, although a significant majority — 97%, to be precise — of first-year students opt to do so.
For students who are interested in pursuing a career in the field of engineering, earning a degree in engineering from a highly-respected school is the best way to set yourself up for success. If you are interested in learning more about what UMich has to offer engineering students, this article is for you.
Read on to discover the University of Michigan’s acceptance rates for engineering programs, rankings, major offerings, and so much more.
UMich Engineering Acceptance Rate
The acceptance rate into UMich for engineering is about 20% each year, according to the school.
In the fall of 2021, UMich’s College of Engineering received a total 20,782 first-year applications.
The school offered admission to 3,741 students from this pool of applicants, making the acceptance rate for that particular year 18%.
Looking at these statistics, it can be said that the UMich College of Engineering is among the most selective undergraduate institutions.
That being said, it is worth noting that the school’s acceptance rate for its engineering programs is very close to the average acceptance rate for all undergraduate programs.
With engineering being one of the most competitive major programs to get into at many schools, one might say UMich’s engineering program is comparatively less competitive than those of other schools.
In addition, one must consider that UMich is a highly-esteemed school, and therefore it is much more competitive than the majority of universities out there.
In fact, the national average acceptance rate for four-year colleges and universities is 68%, meaning that the majority of schools accept around ⅔ of applicants.
Being a prestigious institution, the University of Michigan requires that prospective engineering students have excellent academic credentials.
The average high school GPA for admitted first-year engineering students in 2021 was a near-perfect 3.9.
The median SAT and ACT scores for this group of students were 1450 and 34, respectively, showing that the school only accepts exceptional students.
UMich Engineering Ranking
According to Niche, the University of Michigan is the #17 best school for studying engineering in the United States, coming in second place among public schools.
Niche has also named UMich #1 in the state of Michigan in terms of best academic offerings, best professors, best value, overall best college, making it a particularly excellent choice of institution for local students looking for a well-respected engineering school to attend.
US News and World Report, however, ranks UMich as the #9 best university for engineering in the country.
Some of the school’s most highly-ranked engineering programs include nuclear engineering, industrial/systems engineering, and environmental health engineering, coming in the #1, #2, and #3 spots in the nation, respectively.
The school’s civil engineering and mechanical engineering programs both ranked fourth nationwide. Other notable program rankings at Michigan Engineering include aerospace, computer, and electrical engineering, placing #6 in the first and #7 in the latter two regards.
Looking beyond their engineering program offerings, UMich is tied for the #3 spot on the 2023 edition of US News and World Report’s annual list of best public colleges in the country.
It has also been named the single hardest college to get into in Michigan, showing how rigorous its academic programs are. In other words, just being admitted to the school is quite an accomplishment.
Students interested in research would be especially wise to choose UMich for their undergraduate engineering experience. The school has been ranked #1 in the country in terms of the volume of research output among national research universities.
What are the Majors Available at UMich College of Engineering?
The University of Michigan’s College of Engineering offers 18 different bachelors of science degree programs.
There are many typical programs one would expect a strong engineering school to offer, such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and chemical engineering. UMich also provides a variety of unique engineering degree programs.
One of these is the BS in naval architecture and marine engineering — one of only five such programs in existence in the US.
In fact, Michigan Engineering is the only school in the country to offer the NAME program all the way from the bachelor’s to the PhD level.
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering was the first engineering department to be established at the University of Michigan, and it offers two different degree programs: the civil engineering BS and the environmental engineering BS. Ironically, the environmental engineering BS is the most recently established degree program offered by Michigan Engineering.
For students who are interested in working toward solutions for major issues in the realm of human health, UMich offers a biomedical engineering major. The school has been ranked #7 in the country in terms of its program offerings falling within this area of study.
The nuclear engineering and radiological sciences BS major is another one of UMich’s most well-revered programs, ranking #1 in the country.
Established in 1914, UMich’s aerospace engineering major is the oldest undergraduate program of its kind in the country.
Other majors offered at Michigan Engineering include space sciences and engineering, robotics, computer engineering, climate and meteorology, and industrial and operations engineering.
UMich Engineering Requirements
The College of Engineering at the University of Michigan has a number of college-specific requirements. For one, to be considered for admission to any engineering program, students must have a GPA of at least 3.0.
In order to successfully earn a degree in one of Michigan Engineering’s BSE programs, students are required to complete no less than 128 credit hours of academic coursework.
Although there are a variety of paths to a degree, in general, this can be achieved by taking 16 credits for eight semesters, thus completing the degree program in four years.
First-year engineering students at UMich have to take a number of prerequisite courses in order to prepare for future required courses.
These vary depending on the particular intended program of study, but all engineering students must take two courses in math, chemistry, engineering, and physics.
During their second year of study, UMich engineering students must take additional courses in math and physics in addition to the core classes students in all majors are required to take.
The plan of study for students in their third year varies considerably depending on their specific major. For this reason, second-semester sophomore students are encouraged to meet with their program advisor in order to determine what courses to take for the remainder of their studies.
Consulting with the Engineering Advising Center to choose courses is advised for students who still need to select a major within the engineering department.
Is UMich the Right Choice for Engineering?
When it comes time to choose a college at which to pursue a degree in engineering, the most important factors to keep in mind are your personal needs, preferences, and professional goals.
Regardless of rankings, all schools have their upsides and downsides, so it is crucial to select the school that best suits your unique strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations, rather than searching for the “perfect” college.
That being said, there is a lot of evidence supporting the University of Michigan’s highly-esteemed status.
In addition to its highly-ranked academic programs and internationally-acclaimed faculty members, UMich has a reputation for providing students with everything they need to have an amazing undergraduate experience.
The school boasts a first-year retention rate of 97%, meaning that nearly all students who choose UMich are happy enough with what the school has to offer to return for a second year of study.
UMich’s College of Engineering is home to many research institutes and labs, from simulated urban environments used to conduct driverless car research to 3D printing labs, facilities for creating prototypes of new batteries, space research centers, and many others.
UMich is also one of the top five employers in the state of Michigan, which offers students a number of employment opportunities — both during their undergraduate studies and after.
Another reason to choose UMich for your engineering degree is that the school has a demonstrated reputation for innovation.
In 2022 alone, the school produced 16 startup companies and 433 new inventions, many of which constitute significant developments in the world of science.
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