Skip to main content
College of Engineering

Joint 2+2 Engineering Program

The Joint 2+2 Engineering Program allows students to complete the first one to two years of an engineering curriculum at UNC Asheville, qualify for transfer to NC State University, and finish their education in two to three more years at NC State's College of Engineering in Raleigh, NC.

An undergraduate student works in the constructed facilities lab on campus.

Transfer Plans of Work for NC State Academic Degree Programs

Note: Select a program from the list below for its plan of work (PDF).

The 2+2 Engineering Program includes the following degree programs:

The following curricula are also supported, but must be completed on a 1+3 year schedule:

Regardless of curriculum preference, all students in the Joint 2+2 Program take the same courses during the first semester of their freshman year. Differentiation between plans of study begins in the second semester of freshman year. Because of the differences between NC State and UNC Asheville in regards to transfer credit policies and GEP/Liberal Arts Core requirements, it is important to coordinate academic planning with the Associate Director of the program at UNC Asheville.

Helpful Links

Why go the 2+2 route?

The Joint 2+2 Program allows students to begin their engineering education in the small, public liberal arts environment of UNC Asheville. Class size is small and direct interaction with instructors is routine. UNC Asheville is an institution focused on the education of undergraduates, unlike most large schools.

Many students at UNC Asheville are from Western North Carolina. Attending UNC Asheville allows the student to remain close to home while going to college. Ties to familiar support systems of family, friends, etc. are easy to maintain and tap into.

Since 1983, approximately 420 students have transferred from UNC Asheville to NC State College of Engineering. UNC Asheville has been a strong source of engineering transfer students for many years. Students are well received in Raleigh in their home departments; NC State faculty recognize the thorough preparation provided by UNC Asheville.

NC State is a large university bustling with undergraduate and graduate education as well as research. Campus activities, student engineering societies, career development assistance, and interaction with more advanced students provide upper class engineering students with valuable experiences and access to information and opportunities.

The 2+2 student enters this environment as a more mature and advanced student. The presence of laboratories, equipment, research, a large and diverse faculty, and an expansive course offering are more meaningful at this stage of the curriculum.

How to Enter the Joint 2+2 Engineering Program at UNC Asheville

2+2 students begin at UNC Asheville with UNC Asheville student status. There is no special admission process to the Joint 2+2 Program at UNC Asheville. However, it is important that students state their interest in engineering as early as possible. The ideal place to state this interest is on the UNC Asheville admission application, but a student can indicate the interest during orientation as well. It is critical to state engineering interest as early as possible.

  • Freshmen
    • Engineering students follow the curriculum requirements of an NC State University engineering curriculum beginning in the first semester, freshman year. As major decisions solidify, the course of study is tailored to the curriculum of choice. 2+2 students follow the curriculum of their first-choice major at NC State. All plans of study are identical in the first semester of freshman year, allowing students time to decide which major they prefer. Plans of study deviate from each other during the second semester of freshman year.
  • Transfers
    • Transfer students should talk with the Joint Program Associate Director before applying to UNC Asheville, to ensure that the Joint 2+2 program is appropriate for their educational plans. Students should be aware that UNC Asheville and NC State University may evaluate transfer courses differently. For engineering students, the NC State University evaluation takes precedence.
  • Helpful links:

Transferring to the NC State University College of Engineering

Students in the Joint 2+2 program should apply to transfer to NC State in February before the fall in which they plan to be on the Raleigh campus. For 1+3 plans of study, this would be February of freshman year. For 2+2 plans of study, this would be February of sophomore year. With the guidance of the Joint Engineering Programs Associate Director, students submit a transfer application to NC State University. Transfer admission standards vary with each degree program according to the space available and the number of applicants, but a minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required to ensure consideration for admission into an NC State engineering program. The recommended minimum UNCA GPA to be considered a viable transfer candidate is in the 3.5-3.7 range.

In order to transfer into an engineering curriculum at NC State, students must have completed at least 30 credits, including the CODA requirements, all with a grade of C or better:

  • Chemistry with Lab – 1 semester
  • Calculus – 2 semesters
  • Calculus-based Physics with Lab – 1 semester
  • English Composition – 1 semester (4 credit hours)

In addition to the requirements on the cumulative GPA, the GPA between the last two math classes at the calculus I level or higher must be at least 2.5. If NC State University courses are taken, the overall NC State University GPA must be at least 2.0. Note:  AP credits do not count toward the 30-credit total. If a candidate has not completed 30 credit hours before applying to transfer, then a high school transcript will be required.

NC State College of Engineering accepts transfer applications once per year.  The deadline to apply for transfer to a fall semester in a given year is February 15 of that same year.  See the Program Associate Director at UNC Asheville for further details.

Engineering Courses at UNC Asheville

The required freshman- and sophomore-level engineering courses are taught at UNC Asheville via local instruction from NC State engineering faculty or through distance education technology from NC State. This is not an online program – students must attend in person at UNC Asheville.

Cooperative Education

NC State University’s College of Engineering has an active co-op program, making it possible for 2+2 students to alternate on-the-job experience with classroom learning and graduate with a co-op certificate after 12 months of work in a structured situation. Students are eligible for the co-op program once they are admitted to one of NC State University’s Raleigh-based engineering degree programs.