Students on Colorado’s Western Slope have the opportunity to earn engineering degrees from the University of Colorado Boulder while studying at local institutions. The CU Boulder Engineering Partnership Programs, in collaboration with Colorado Mesa University (CMU) and Western Colorado University, allow students to complete bachelor’s degrees in select engineering fields without relocating to Boulder.
Nathan McNeill, director of the CU Boulder Engineering Partnership Program in Grand Junction, said, “Students can earn an engineering degree from CU Boulder at a lower cost while enjoying small class sizes, faculty who are dedicated to undergraduate education, in excellent facilities on a beautiful campus. Anyone who wants to pursue an engineering degree has a chance here.”
During their first two years, students take courses delivered by CMU or Western faculty using curriculum modeled after that of CU Boulder’s main campus. After a streamlined admission process, students become CU Boulder juniors and seniors and continue their studies under CU Boulder engineering faculty based locally.
The CMU-CU Boulder partnership will admit its 17th class of first-year students in fall 2025. Since its start in 2008, the program has expanded from mechanical engineering to include civil (added in 2016) and electrical and computer engineering (added in 2018). To date, 343 students have graduated through this partnership.
In Gunnison, the Western-CU Boulder Engineering Partnership Program began in 2019. It initially offered mechanical engineering and computer science; however, only mechanical engineering is currently available as the computer science track is being phased out. New offerings include biomedical engineering beginning fall 2025 and aerospace engineering starting fall 2026. The program has graduated 67 students between 2023 and 2025.
Rachel Ackerman, senior academic advisor for the Western-CU Boulder program, said, “The program appeals to those seeking a quiet, rural experience. It also creates opportunities for rural Colorado residents to study closer to home and gives students from the Front Range cities a chance to explore life in a different part of the state.”
Currently about 150 CU Boulder students are enrolled across both programs. While most participants are from Colorado’s Front Range region, many graduates remain employed on the Western Slope after finishing their degrees.
McNeill noted that “28% of our total CMU-CU Boulder alumni have worked on the Western Slope. Currently, we have approximately 80 alumni (out of 343 total) employed on the Western Slope. Civil engineering is particularly important to local industry, as about half of civil engineering alumni are currently employed on the Western Slope.”
The programs aim to meet workforce needs throughout Colorado by providing access to affordable and rigorous engineering education at multiple locations.
