Pitt-Bradford Adds Four-Year Engineering

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford combines Pitt’s international academic reputation with Pitt-Bradford’s practice of providing individual attention.

At Pitt-Bradford students can choose from more than 40 majors, nearly 50 minors and nearly 20 pre-professional programs. Academic advisers and faculty help students choose and combine programs to explore interests and discover passions.

Popular majors include nursing, biology, computer information systems and technology, exercise science and business management.

Beginning in the 2022–23 academic year, students interested in engineering also can choose a four-year engineering technology major that will prepare them for exciting careers in manufacturing, energy and more.

The two new majors, mechanical engineering technology and energy engineering technology, focus on firsthand, practical applications and prepare students for the same jobs as those with engineering degrees since they will take similar classes in math and engineering.

Engineering technology degrees involve more direct learning and application than traditional engineering degrees. Graduates from engineering technology programs compete for the same jobs as graduates with an engineering degree, including designing and fabricating, managing automated machinery, overseeing industrial processes, or developing new ones.

Students in both new majors learn a spectrum of mathematics, engineering and science broad enough for them to enter a variety of engineering fields.

“There are a lot of jobs for these graduates,” said Dr. Matt Kropf, director and designer of the new engineering technology degrees.

Classes and labs take place in the brand new, $24.5 million, 40,000-square-foot George B. Duke Engineering and Information Technologies Building, which opened in January. The new building features unique spaces to spark students’ creativity, including a makerspace, machine shop and shared areas for studying and group projects.

The machine shop has anything needed for metal fabrication, including production-grade computer numerical control (CNC) five-axis milling machines and lathes, welding equipment and a plasma cutter.

“These are things you wouldn’t normally see on a college campus,” Kropf said.

In the strength of materials lab, a fatigue tester will provide research grade results. Students will have the opportunity to test products for local manufacturers, making a site visit to the industry, assessing the part and reporting back to the manufacturing client.

Labs accommodate no more than 20 students, and the largest classrooms in the building hold no more than 40 for an engineering education in which students interact freely and often with members of the faculty, whose offices border a shared study area.

Additionally, all students can get extra academic help when the need arises through the University’s math and writing centers and academic coaching and tutoring center. A federally funded TRIO SSS program provides the guidance of a mentor for first-generation or income-eligible students as well as those living with a disability.

The Duke Building also is home to the University’s computer information systems and technology program, which has dedicated labs for virtual reality and building and troubleshooting servers.

The building’s makerspace is available to all students, regardless of major, and is managed by a full-time staff member who instructs students on how to use its carbon-fiber and full-color 3D printers, laser cutter and engraver, and even a sewing machine and T-shirt press.

Once students have been trained on all the machines in the makerspace, fabrication lab or machine shop, they have full access to the lab during any time of the day or evening.

Outside of the classroom, first-year students live in their own residence hall, Livingston Alexander House, with common spaces to make friends, study, workout, play games or just watch TV together. Or they can live in apartment-style housing in one of Pitt-Bradford’s all-suite residence halls.

On-campus activities keep students busy, or they can use a free local bus to have lunch in town, grab groceries or see a movie. And there’s no bus needed to fish, hike, work out or take part in or watch one of Pitt-Bradford’s 17 NCAA Division III or club sports, including esports, hockey and cheerleading. Intramural sports are popular, too, and include flag football under the lights, broom hockey, floor hockey, basketball, soccer, softball and more.

Students can enjoy new experiences with a recreation program that includes water sports, ziplining and ropes courses, clay target shooting, horseback riding, bowling and more.

For more information on Pitt-Bradford, visit upb.pitt.edu, call 800-872-1787 or email admissions@upb.pitt.edu.