Interdisciplinary Graduate Degrees

The college offers two interdisciplinary graduate degree programs in addition to its other graduate degrees. These interdisciplinary programs offer unique opportunities for graduate students with engineering backgrounds who desire education with a heavy interdisciplinary component such as involving the physical or life sciences, and for graduate students whose previous training was not in a traditional engineering program.

Admission Requirements

Normally, students entering the program will have an undergraduate degree from a recognized program in engineering. Students with a non-engineering undergraduate degree, such as mathematics or the physical and life sciences, may need to complete a central core of undergraduate engineering study focused on their area of interest. The interdisciplinary nature of these degrees provides considerable flexibility in designing programs of study tailored to the specialized needs of each student. Examples of areas of specialization include, but are not limited to, atmospheric research, bioengineering, and materials science and engineering.

The Graduate School minimum admission requirements are listed on their website. Specific departments may have requirements beyond these. In order to determine what the department requirements are, it is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the department that the potential advisor is housed in. Students must satisfy the minimum requirements of the Graduate School and the department that the potential advisor is housed in.

Participating Departments

Although these interdisciplinary programs are administered through the college’s Office of Research and Graduate Studies, the student will be advised and possibly funded through one of the departments in the college. Recent departments that have participated in the programs include:

Apply for Admission

Before Applying

Applicants are discouraged from applying directly to the Master of Science in Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Science programs without first having obtained a graduate advisor who has agreed to provide them with an assistantship. The graduate advisor must have discussed the applicant’s interests with them and agreed that applying for one of these interdisciplinary degrees is the best option.

In order to obtain a graduate advisor, applicants should review the list of faculty located on the participating departments’ websites. When you find one or more faculty whose research interests are similar to your own, contact them by email. Provide your name, the interdisciplinary program you are applying to, the semester you are applying for, your educational background and research interests, any industry experience, and anything else you feel would be beneficial for them to know. You may be asked to provide some or all of the application material required by the potential advisor’s department. If they decide to take you on as a student, they will work closely with the college in the processing of your application.

Application

The University has one online application. All application material should be submitted online or mailed to the Graduate School. Once it is received, it is entered into the University system where the various departments can download what they need. Complete instructions for applying can be found on the Graduate School website.

Deadlines

Priority application deadlines are:

  • January 10 for fall admission
  • July 1 for spring admission

Some departments may have earlier application deadlines; contact your prospective department early in the application process. Applicants meeting these deadlines will have first priority for full consideration into the programs, as well as for available assistantships and funding.

Admission

Admission to the WSU Graduate School is a joint decision between the Dean of the Graduate School and a prospective department or college. In the case of the Master of Science in Engineering and the Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Science programs, admission is a joint decision between the Dean of the Graduate School, the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, and the department that the potential advisor is housed in.

Contact Us

Questions about graduate studies? 

Graduate School

Email Address gradsch@wsu.edu
Location French Administration Building 324
Phone 509-335-6424