Nicholls State University and the University of New Orleans have signed an agreement to develop a plan to offer UNO’s Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering on Nicholls’ campus and prepare students in an engineering curriculum aligned with local industry needs.
Nicholls has identified a large population of students in its region who have left the area to study engineering at other universities. The agreement between Nicholls and UNO will enhance the capacity of each school to address needs in the engineering workforce by working collaboratively to design academic offerings focused on improving engineering workforce talent.
“We see this as an opportunity to grow our mechanical engineering program while supporting the need for workforce development and economic growth in the Bayou Region,” said Lizette Chevalier, dean of UNO’s Dr. Robert A. Savoie College of Engineering. “Nicholls State already has a pre-engineering program and ties to its regional engineering community, so this partnership will help us build collaboratively.”
The plan includes delivery of up to six semesters of coursework relevant to UNO’s Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering through Nicholls State University and a guide for reliable transfer of coursework between the universities. Faculty members on both campuses will be able to accommodate student advising and counseling, professional development and connect students to industry and professional practitioners. The universities will facilitate collaborative research and service ventures between faculty at UNO and Nicholls, involving students and improving knowledge of engineering issues.
This example of collaboration is in addition to the agreement signed between the universities in 2019 stating that Nicholls pre-engineering students can transfer seamlessly to UNO to complete their engineering studies. Nicholls students can transfer as juniors into the Bachelor of Science in any of UNO’s undergraduate engineering programs.
UNO has the only civil, electrical and mechanical engineering programs in greater New Orleans and one of only a handful of naval architecture and marine engineering programs in the nation.
