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Unfortunately, no schools exist in Connecticut that currently offer an online bachelor’s degree in engineering. That said, a number of neighboring states host institutions that provide these degrees, two of which are detailed below:
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering – Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University in New York offers an online BS in electrical engineering. All courses can be completed online and are taught by faculty members at Stony Brook University, the University of Buffalo, and Binghamton University. Furthermore, students in this program have access to a personal tutor and a personal concierge, who acts as a single point of contact for any questions they may have. This program covers the same coursework as the on-campus degree, and takes four years to complete. Tuition for out-of-state residents is set at $8,000 per academic year, along with $1,640 in additional fees.
Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering – Penn State University
Penn State University has an online campus—the Penn State World Campus—which offers an online BS in software engineering. This program requires students to complete 126 credit-hours, and covers courses on discrete mathematics, probability and statistics, computer programming, object-oriented methodology, software design, software validation and verification, software security, and computer networks. Additionally, students are required to take other core and elective courses. Tuition costs vary depending on the circumstances of the student; the school provides a table of tuition rates to help applicants assess their customized costs.
A master’s degree can help an engineer develop additional specialization in their field, which can translate to a higher salary, management opportunities, and even positions in academia. For anyone interested in continuing their education beyond a bachelor’s degree, the following highlights two viable options, one online degree in Connecticut and one in nearby Massachusetts:
Master of Science in Environmental Engineering – University of New Haven
The University of New Haven offers an online MS degree in environmental engineering. This program requires students to complete 30 credit-hours in order to graduate, and classes are approximately seven weeks in length. Students complete courses such as water quality, water purification, wastewater treatment, solid waste management systems, site remediation, and emission control measures. Graduate online tuition is set at $890 per credit-hour, bringing the total cost of this program to $26,700.
Master of Science in Engineering Management – Northeastern University
Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts offers an online MS in engineering management, which is designed for engineers who are interested in managing technology-based programs. This program includes 32 credit-hours on subjects such as engineering project management, economic decision making, engineering probability and statistics, and deterministic operations research, as well as a number of electives. The total tuition for the 2016-17 school year was $47,072, and the program takes two full-time years to complete.
In addition to the online bachelor’s or master’s degrees in engineering, there are other program pathways such as associate degrees, certificates, and diplomas.
Graduate Certificate in Plastics Engineering Fundamentals – University of Massachusetts at Lowell
The University of Massachusetts at Lowell offers a graduate certificate in plastics engineering fundamentals. Students in this program must complete two core courses on advanced plastics materials and advanced plastics processing, as well as two elective courses on mechanical behavior of polymers, polymer structure properties and applications, or plastic product design, among others. Tuition for online graduate students is $575 per credit-hour; the total cost of this program is $6,900.
Before applying to an online engineering program in Connecticut or one of the surrounding states, future engineers are advised to perform adequate research to ensure they know what to expect. For example, prospective applicants should determine the full cost of the program; how long it generally takes to complete; whether the program can be completed on a part-time basis; if campus visits are necessary; and if the school assists with job placement after graduation. These are just a handful of questions that prospective applicants should pose to the school before applying.
In addition, applicants should also search for schools that retain both accreditation and appropriate state authorization status, the importance of which is detailed below.
Accreditation status is one of the most important considerations in searching for an online engineering degree program in Connecticut or one of the surrounding states. In fact, graduating from an accredited program is often necessary to secure financial aid for further studies, or even as a prerequisite for employment.
That being said, not all accreditation carries the same weight; instead, applicants should search for programs that have been approved by the U.S. Department of Education’s Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). To help with this search, the following includes a short list of various agencies that provide accreditation at the regional, national, and programmatic levels:
National accreditation
Regional accreditation
Programmatic accreditation
Before applying to an online engineering program, prospective applicants must determine if the program is eligible to operate in the state; this is typically referred to as “state authorization status.” Often, this information is generally published directly on a school’s website (e.g., University of New Haven), and for those schools which don’t have it, prospective students should contact admissions staff to determine eligibility.
Although the admissions requirements for online engineering degree programs vary by institution, many programs retain the same criteria for on-campus and online programs. For example, here are the admissions prerequisites for the online master of science in environmental engineering program offered by the University of New Haven:
Other common application materials include specific course prerequisites, candidate interviews, work experience, and test scores.
A number of talented educators currently lead courses in schools that offer online engineering degrees. Here are two professors in the state who are renowned in their field:
Dr. Jean Nocito-Gobel – University of New Haven
Dr. Jean Nocito-Gobel is a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New Haven, where she leads courses on civil and environmental engineering, as well as engineering and applied science. She has participated in a wide array of professional development activities, including a poster presentation at the 2005 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition and the ASCE ExCEEd Workshop in 1999 at the West Point Academy. Her work has also appeared in a number of proceedings such as the 2005 and 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conferences.
Dr. Agamemnon Koutsospyros – University of New Haven
Dr. Agamemnon Koutsospyros is a professor within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New Haven, where he leads courses on sanitary engineering, hydraulics and environmental laboratory procedures, biological treatment of aqueous wastes, contaminant fate and transport, solid waste management, and hazardous waste treatment, among a number of others. His work has appeared in a number of professional publications, including Land Contamination & Reclamation, the Journal of Hazardous Materials, and the Journal of Environmental Quality.
After graduating from UC Berkeley, Jocelyn traveled the world for five years as an English teacher and freelance writer. After stints in England, Japan, and Brazil, she settled in San Francisco and worked as a managing editor for a tech company. She’s recently become interested in the underrepr...