Undergraduate Program Admission
Undergraduate Program Admission Process
When completing the ECU application, select Engineering as your intended major. Once you are admitted to ECU, the Department of Engineering will automatically begin your engineering evaluation*.
Activate your PirateID and monitor your ECU email account so that we can contact you with questions or for additional information.
You will receive your Engineering program admission decision letter electronically.
Reply to the electronic decision letter to confirm your spot in the program. Space in our program is limited. If you are not attending, please let us know so that we may offer admission to another eligible student.
*If you are already an ECU student and wish to change your major to Engineering, or if you applied to ECU and indicated a major other than Engineering, request a change of major to begin the engineering evaluation process.
For questions, please email engineering@ecu.edu.
Undergraduate Program Admission Evaluation Criteria
The Department of Engineering offers a unique undergraduate program that puts students first. Because of our personalized approach, we regret that we cannot accept all who apply. Though admission into the Engineering Program is competitive, we make every effort to evaluate applicants holistically rather than using rigid cutoffs. The criteria that our admissions selection committee takes into consideration when evaluating applicants are as follows, with target levels given where applicable.
First-time Freshman Applicants:
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| High School GPA (Unweighted) | 3.0 or higher |
| Math Coursework | One of the following completed: • Precalculus or AP Precalculus • AP Calculus AB • AP Calculus BC • NC Community college course MAT 171, MAT 172, MAT 175, or MAT 271 (MAT 172 or higher preferred**) NOTE: AP Statistics, NC Math 4, and Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science do not meet our minimum requirements for the required completed math. |
| Math Placement | Any one of the following: • 600 or higher on SAT math • 25 or higher on ACT math • 3 or higher on the AP Precalculus Exam • 3 or higher on the AP Calculus AB Exam • 3 or higher on the AB subscore of the AP Calculus BC Exam • Grade of C or higher in NC Community college course MAT 171, MAT 172, MAT 175, or MAT 271 (MAT 172 or higher preferred**) • Grade of E or higher on the Cambridge International Mathematics (A-level) exam • Other exam scores (e.g., IB or CLEP) that grant placement credit for MATH 1065, MATH 1083, or MATH 2171. For a full list, see https://admissions.ecu.edu/placement-credit/ If you do not have one of these completed by the time of your ECU application, we will contact you about additional math placement options*** once we begin your engineering evaluation. |
**As required by our accreditation, our program begins with Calculus. Students who are admitted and begin in MATH 1083 (Precalculus) must complete MATH 2172 (Calculus II) or equivalent in the summer between the first and second year in order to graduate in four years. Transferring credit for MAT 171 will allow students to begin in MATH 1083. Credit for MAT 172 will enable students to begin in MATH 2171 (Calculus I).
***Students who do not place into in either MATH 2171 (Calculus I) or MATH 1083 (Precalculus) will need to do some math remediation before applying to the Department of Engineering. Please email Mr. Brad Collier about the College of Engineering and Technology First Year Program for more information.
Important Note for Early College Applicants:
Students who are graduating from a NC Early College may apply to ECU (and the Department of Engineering) as either a first-time freshmen or as a transfer student. Please see https://admissions.ecu.edu/apply/freshmen/ for guidance on the ECU application. If you apply as a freshman student, you will be evaluated based on the criteria as described in the “First-time Freshman Applicants” section. If you apply as a transfer student, you will be evaluated based on the criteria as described in the “Transfer or Second Degree Student Applicants” section. Students transferring from a North Carolina Community College who have completed an Associate in Engineering will be given preference.
Transfer, Change of Major, or Second Degree Applicants:
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Cumulative Undergraduate GPA (across all institutions attended) | 3.0 or higher 2.8 or higher for applicants who have completed an Associate in Engineering degree |
| Completed Coursework | Must have completed or be able to transfer in credit for the following ECU courses: • MATH 2171 with a C (2.0) or higher • ENGL 1100 • ENGL 2201 • CHEM 1150 and 1151 You can check existing course equivalencies at registrar.ecu.edu/course-equivalency/ Any courses not already listed will need to be reviewed for potential credit transfer to ECU. An academic advisor will assist with this process once we begin your engineering evaluation. |