Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Students in the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering are encouraged to pursue their specific interests by immersing themselves in creative and/or research experiences. In comparison to other universities, Engineering and Computer Science curriculums have been strategically designed to provide:

Exceptional opportunities for hands-on learning

Our programs emphasize hands-on laboratory work from Freshman introductory courses through graduate school. Our students have access to state-of-the-art equipment, software, and laboratories which provide opportunities to develop confidence and effectiveness in engineering and computer science design, analysis, and troubleshooting. Many of our students gain cutting-edge research experience as undergraduates working in faculty research laboratories, adding to their growth and development as future engineers or computer scientists.

Learn from outstanding faculty

Engineering and Computer Science courses are taught by experienced professors, not by teaching assistants. Our award-winning faculty are recognized leaders in their areas of expertise, with graduate degrees earned from the best engineering programs in the world. Most instructors also have years of prior industrial experience ready to share with you in our classrooms and laboratories.

Accredited by ABET

Our Engineering departments and School of Computing have majors that are accredited by ABET. You may find more information on ABET accreditation on their website. 

Chemical & Biological Engineering	Chemical Engineering Biological Engineering (New Program, In Process)
Civil Engineering	Civil Engineering Construction Engineering Technology
Electrical & Computer Engineering	Electrical Engineering Computer Engineering
Mechanical & Industrial Engineering	Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Technology Industrial & Management Systems Engineering
School of Computing	Computer Science

Yes! Designed to give residents structure and motivation across the challenging curricula housed in the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering. Attend programs and workshops to connect you with NACOE faculty and alumni and find opportunities to further your in-class experiences through group study sessions, concierge tutoring, and social events. 

You can learn more about living learning communitys on the Residence Life website.

The MSU guideline is to multiply the number of academic credits by 3 to get a rough estimate of the number of hours students can expect to spend per week on a course. Of course, this can vary depending on the student and the course, but this estimate is a good place to start.

For example, a 3-credit course will meet for about three hours per week. Students should expect to spend an additional 6 hours per week outside of class studying and completing homework. Therefore, if students are registered for 15 credits, they should expect to devote around 45 hours per week to attending classes and completing schoolwork.

The Allen Yarnell Center for Student Success offers success advising to help with time management and organization.

All students will be assigned to an academic advisor after Orientation. Academic advising contacts can be found on our NACOE Online Advising Center website.

The MSU NACOE does not require students to have their own computer or recommend specific computers. Students use a range of devices including both PCs and Macs. Here’s some general information:

Campus computer labs, including engineering labs, are open to all students. Some advanced engineering design software is too large and costly to run on personal devices, making it necessary to use the campus labs. More info on student labs can be found at studentlabs.montana.edu.

Having your own computer is convenient for working in your room or around campus. A device with Ethernet/Wi-Fi, word processing, and spreadsheet software is sufficient for most tasks. In addition, MSU offers a variety of free software downloads. A gaming-level video graphics card helps with CAD software if you choose to download student versions.

Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering ePALs are engineering or computer science students just like you, but with recent experience taking the classes you are currently navigating. As Juniors or Seniors in their majors, their experience, combined with training and preparation as mentors, have prepared them to be valuable resources in helping you locate the appropriate resources to help you succeed in your classes and become the Engineering or Computer Science student you came to MSU to be.

As you move through your Freshman and Sophomore year, contact your ePALs for support in:

• finding academic support;
• learning what time management in college means;
• connecting with faculty in your department;
• writing a great scholarship essay;
• exploring the career field ahead for your major;
• attending Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering events, such as the Career Fair, the Senior Design Fair or Women in Engineering events;
• structuring group projects that work;
• persisting after a challenging exam;
• figuring out study groups; and
• so much more!

Put your ePAL to work for you! Watch for their emails and then meet them for coffee/tea or at their Pop-up Stations around campus. 

Look for their "Pop-up" stations across campus and in the NACOE Complex and put them to work for you. You can reach out for more information about your ePAL.

YES! The Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering offers a variety of minors and certificates; additionally, students may choose to minor in subjects outside of the college. More information is available on our Departments and Degrees website, and on MSU's Majors and Degrees website.

 

Internships are not required, but we highly recommend that you plan to seek meaningful engineering employment during the summer, part time during the school year, or perhaps by spending an academic term away from school. Employers who visit our campus increasingly emphasize the importance of work experience to complement your academic studies in engineering. Having some real-world experience on your résumé—and a letter of recommendation from an engineering supervisor—can be a great step on the way to landing an ideal post-baccalaureate position. It is also possible arrange to enroll in an internship for academic credit. Additional information may be found on a students’ home department website. 

Most Departments/Schools and MSU Career Services post information about internships that have been announced by a sponsor, or a student may identify a sponsoring company individually through on-line research, personal contacts, or referrals.

 This is a very reasonable and appropriate question, but the answer can be a bit complicated. In general, college-level classes taken at an accredited college or university will be transferrable to MSU degree programs if the course content and prerequisites are equivalent. However, keep in mind that different universities may offer courses with essentially the same name but with differing content, credits, and grading scheme, or you may have taken a course at another university that has no direct equivalent at MSU. It is also possible that you have taken a course that does not fit the specific list of required and elective classes comprising a NACOE degree curriculum, and therefore can't apply directly toward the MSU degree program. Each transfer case is different, and we will work with you to ensure that all the equivalent course credits can be transferred under MSU's rules. 

• An UNOFFICIAL self-evaluation of course work can be accessed through the Transfer Course Equivalency Guide (available online). The equivalencies listed are updated from time to time, but nevertheless it is a good place to start. If you find that your transfer institution or a particular course is not listed in the Equivalency Guide, it does not necessarily mean that the course will not transfer, just that the information is not yet in the system. 

• OFFICIAL evaluations of transfer credits will be processed by the Admissions Evaluator in the Office of Admissions only after ALL FINAL and OFFICIAL transcripts have been received. A final transcript is one that posts ALL graded coursework through your final term of attendance at each institution. Your Admissions Evaluator will determine the equivalency of the transfer course work to MSU in Bozeman. The Office of Admissions also determines which courses fulfill University Core requirements. Courses generally matching in credit amount, level, and content are considered equivalent. Courses not matching are granted elective credit or elective credit with core, and appear on the transfer evaluation with the designation "ELEC." 

• Equivalencies for transferring engineering/computer science classes are generally determined by the Norm AsbjornsonCollege of Engineering. Once the Office of Admissions has prepared the official transfer credit evaluation, you should make a transfer advising appointment with the Department and bring a detailed syllabus for each engineering course, listing the course topics, textbook used, prerequisites, and any other information that will allow the Department to assess the equivalence. 

• The most common transfer equivalency problem for engineering classes lies in the mathematics prerequisites. Students who have taken a college physics or general science class that did not have a calculus prerequisite will not be able to transfer those credits toward an engineering degree at MSU. Similarly, students who have studied electronics at a technical college, an electrical engineering technology program, or in the military typically have not learned calculus-based circuit analysis, and therefore MSU will not be able to accept those non-calculus circuits and electronics course credits toward the degree.

MSU, the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering, and the NACOE departments award scholarships on a competitive basis for both new and continuing students.  See the online information about Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering Scholarships, and the Montana State University Scholarships programs. From time to time there are special scholarship announcements through a particular department, watch for these announcements on your department’s website and via email

 

 

Career placement is virtually 100%. Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering, Bachelor's degree graduates from MSU find numerous professional employment opportunities, including careers with large, multi-national corporations, local and regional companies, entrepreneurial start-ups, government agencies, or continuing their formal education trajectory in graduate school. 

The list of recent employers of NACOE graduates includes: 

 

 

 

Incoming and transfer students should aim for ACT/SAT scores that place them in the math level 5 (ACT 27/SAT 620). Calculus I (M 171Q) or Calculus for Technology I (M 165Q) and higher are required for engineering and computer science. 

If your math scores place you in College Algebra (M-121Q) or Precalculus (M-151Q), you will need to pass the sequence of math courses necessary to reach Calculus I (M-171Q) as soon as you can. 

 International students who transfer from another college or university to Montana State University sometimes require an International Sponsor Letter which includes a transfer evaluation. This letter may be requested from the student's department. Following is the process to request a letter.

1. Before requesting the International Sponsor Letter verify with International Programs that your previous institution's transcript(s) have been received and evaluated. This must be done before departments can prepare a transfer evaluation letter. 
2. Contact your department advisor through email to request an International Sponsor Letter which includes a transfer evaluation.
3. List all requirements the International Sponsor Letter must include. Only one (1) letter will be written.
4. If the International Sponsor Letter requires a list of proposed classes for the semester you will be starting at MSU, and you do not have a math placement level, your letter will only list general education classes and a Math Level 1 class, which may not count towards credits in your declared major. Please review the FAQ on math classes for further information about math preparation.
5. Please allow two (2) weeks for an International Sponsor Letter.