Newsroom – California State University, Northridge

Cal State Northridge’s Engineering Program is Fastest Growing in Nation

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Apr. 21st, 2010) ―

Cal State Northridge has the nation’s fastest growing undergraduate engineering program, according to a new report by PRISM, a publication of the American Society for Engineering Education.

The report, which appeared in the March 2010 issue of the magazine, says that the number of bachelor’s degrees in engineering awarded by California State University, Northridge has increased 96 percent between 2005 and 2008. Cal State Northridge awarded 97 bachelor’s of science degrees in engineering in 2005 and 190 such degrees in 2008.

“That is a huge increase, and particularly meaningful for a college like Engineering and Computer Science,” said S.K. Ramesh, dean of the college. “A number of our students are the first in their families to come to college. We have structures in place to support them as they learn, and then to help them go on to productive careers in industry. I guess the word is out that Northridge is the place to go to get an engineering degree.”

PRISM is the flagship publication of the American Society for Engineering Education, a nonprofit association of more than 12,000 engineering faculty members, U.S. colleges of engineering and engineering technology, corporations, and other organizations dedicated to promoting excellence in engineering and engineering technology education.

Ramesh said the increased interest in engineering degrees is part of a national trend.

“Engineering and computer science hold the key to the future of our state and nation,” he said. “The latest estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that California needs approximately 7,500 engineers and computer scientists annual to meet emerging workforce needs. Our college annually graduates 400-450 students with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering and computer science to meet those needs, with several graduates serving in leadership positions in industry, government and academia.”

Cal State Northridge’s College of Engineering and Computer Science is home to several nationally recognized programs where students gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside faculty members and industry professionals on cutting-edge research. It offers a variety of degrees in such subjects as civil and applied mechanics, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, manufacturing systems engineering and management and mechanical engineering.

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