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Dustin McNally is a senior lecturer of mechanical engineering and the assistant dean for student success in the College of Engineering & Mines (CEM) at the University of North Dakota. He earned both his BS and MS in mechanical engineering from the University of North Dakota before completing postgraduate work in hydrogen safety engineering at the University of Ulster.
Before joining CEM, McNally worked as an engineer at the Energy Research Center (EERC) in the High Temperature Materials Lab, the hydrogen fields development unit, and on various projects related to waste-to-energy, oil recovery, and hydrogen explosion safety. He also taught engineering courses as an adjunct at EERC.
OnlineEngineeringPrograms.com: What makes North Dakota special when it comes to engineering?
McNally: The University of North Dakota started the first distance education engineering degree decades ago by recording classes and mailing VHS tapes to students. Other than that, North Dakota is known for a Midwest work ethic, where engineers are usually very good at hands-on engineering work and real-world problem solving. This comes from our background as families settled in the State to farm and often had to work hard labor and fix equipment to keep the farm running.
OnlineEngineeringPrograms.com: Do you have any advice for new and aspiring engineers?
McNally: Try to determine which industries or specific jobs look good to you. Since there are so many types of engineering jobs, it is helpful to have a goal in mind as students work through the very difficult math- and science-based courses.
OnlineEngineeringPrograms.com: What does the future of engineering look like to you?
McNally: Engineering will become more efficient. Instead of teams of engineers working on the same problem or task, there will likely be more individual engineers using advanced software and AI to manage projects and run simulations.
Bachelor of Science (Multiple) – University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota (UND) offers 10 different bachelor of science engineering programs that can be taken online: aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, cybersecurity engineering, energy engineering, environmental engineering, geological engineering, mechanical engineering, and petroleum engineering.
Curricula range between 120 and 133 credits. Everything can be completed online except for brief, on-campus labs during the summer. Lab requirements will vary from program to program and specialization to specialization.
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering – University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota (UND) also offers an online bachelor of science in electrical engineering (BSEE) that’s consistently recognized as one of the best in the nation. Students will build key skills in circuit analysis, embedded systems, power systems, signal processing, data analysis, and project management.
The program prepares students to pursue licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) and take on advanced technical roles across a wide range of industries, from aerospace, to defense, to power systems, to emerging technologies. The program consists of 126 credits. All lab requirements can be completed remotely, making the program fully online.
Master of Science (Multiple) – University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota (UND) offers nine master of science programs in engineering. Students can choose between biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, energy engineering, environmental engineering, geological engineering, mechanical engineering, petroleum engineering, and systems engineering.
The programs generally consist of between 30 and 32 credits. Some programs also offer the option between an MS and an MEng. While most courses are offered online, campus visits may be required. Campus visit requirements will vary by program and concentration; some may be completed remotely. Over a third of UND’s students are online students, so the programs are designed with this demographic in mind.
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering – University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota (UND) also offers an online master of science in electrical engineering (MSEE). The degree allows a strong emphasis on research in many areas including applied electromagnetics, biomedical device design, power electronics, renewable energy systems, and smart grid modeling, among others. Key courses include renewable energy systems, robotics fundamentals, and wireless communications. Notably, this degree program requires no campus visit requirements.
Master of Software Engineering – North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University offers an online master of software engineering. Housed at one of the nation’s top research institutions, the program mixes advanced coursework with hands-on experience to go beyond programming and provide a full approach to software development and life cycle management.
The program is 100 percent online and consists of 30 credits. Courses include topics such as software development processes, software requirements definition and analysis, software design, software testing and debugging, software project planning and estimation, software construction, and empirical methods in software engineering.
Software Engineering Graduate Certificate – North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University offers a distance-based software engineering graduate certificate. The program consists of 12 credits and may be completed entirely online. Students will take one course in software development processes, one in empirical methods in software engineering, and then pick two courses from the following: software project planning and estimation, software requirements definition and analysis, software design, software construction, and software testing and debugging.
Online PhD in Engineering (Multiple) – University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota (UND) offers seven PhD in engineering programs. Students can choose between biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, energy engineering, environmental engineering, petroleum engineering, and electrical engineering. They typically consist of 90 credits.
Note that these are research-focused degrees, but research need not be conducted in North Dakota.
Some campus visits may still be required. These vary from program to program (a candidate may need to be present for two days per semester; they may need to be on campus for an oral presentation; typically, a PhD candidate should be present for their PhD dissertation defense). Check each program’s individual page for further details.
Online Graduate Certificate in Environmental Engineering – University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota (UND) offers an online graduate certificate in environmental engineering. Blending chemical, civil, and geological engineering, the program focuses on environmental engineering issues with air, water, and solids. The curriculum consists of nine credits and may be completed entirely online. Courses cover topics such as air pollution control; biochemical engineering; hazardous waste management; groundwater modeling; and contaminant hydrogeology.
Prospective engineering students have several things to consider when pursuing an online engineering degree. These include the quality of the education, the length and cost of the program, accreditation, the institution’s reputation, and other variables. Since online learning requires substantially more independence than traditional, on-campus degree programs, students pursuing an online engineering program should consider:
In addition to the above questions, aspiring students should determine their program’s accreditation and state authorization statuses before making a final decision.
Accreditation means that a program has met certain quality standards set forth by an accrediting agency. In order to receive accreditation, a school must meet a number of quality requirements in terms of student outcomes, services, educators, and rigorous academic objectives. Accreditation is essentially an indicator of academic quality. As a student, graduation from an accredited program may be required in order to qualify for certain graduate programs, certifications, or employment opportunities.
Since not all accrediting organizations are the same, aspiring students should seek out programs which have been accredited by an organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education’s Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). In addition, students should understand that accreditation is available through different organizations at the programmatic, national, and regional levels. Here are the accreditation entities that operate within ND:
National accreditation
Regional accreditation
Programmatic accreditation
Students in North Dakota are only eligible to enroll in online engineering programs that have been authorized to operate ND. Also, some online engineering programs in other states may not admit non-residents or have different tuition for residents and non-residents. Online students should carefully examine state policies before applying to any programs and be sure to contact program coordinators to ensure out-of-state eligibility.
Admission requirements differ by state and institution. Engineering students must contact the specific program of interest to learn the exact requirements and admission and completion deadlines.
Typical admission requirements for online engineering programs include submitting the following:
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