HomeBlog Spotlight Simmons University: earn a dual-degree in engineering with Columbia University
Simmons UniversitySimmons University

Simmons University: earn a dual-degree in engineering with Columbia University

Simmons University is a private university located in Boston, which offers a women-centered undergraduate education and is ranked among the top 160 universities in the USA (U.S. News & World Report 2024). Simmons has joined forces with Columbia University to give you the chance to earn a dual-degree in engineering!

Read on to learn more about this program and how it can help you on your path to a successful career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

How does it work?

Years 1, 2 and 3

at Simmons University in Boston

Years 4 and 5

at Columbia University in New York City

Finish your studies

with 2 bachelor’s degrees

You can earn a dual-degree in engineering by studying for 3 years at Simmons University in Boston and two years at Columbia University in New York City.

This dual-degree in engineering combines the intimate, supportive academic environment at Simmons University with the world-class Ivy League education of Columbia University, giving you incredible STEM career opportunities.

Simmons University is particularly great at promoting women’s participation in STEM — according to womenscolleges.org students at women’s universities are 12 times more likely to get a degree in mathematics or the hard sciences!

By the end of this 5-year dual-degree program, you’ll have 2 bachelor’s degrees: a Bachelor of Science from Simmons and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Columbia.

Choose from a wide range of engineering degrees

You’ll spend 3 years at Simmons majoring in a discipline that overlaps with Columbia University entry requirements. Then, upon successful application to the Columbia program, you’ll go on to specialize in your chosen engineering focus at Columbia University.

There are 15 engineering disciplines available to choose from at Columbia, including biomedical, chemical, civil, computer and electrical engineering, plus many more.

Both degrees are STEM-designated, so you would be eligible for three years of Optional Practical Training (OPT) in the USA after you graduate!

You can also apply for the Simmons Kaplan Women’s Leadership Scholarship for your first three years at Simmons. This is a 50% tuition scholarship, which is renewable each year, meaning you can save approximately $60,000 during your time at Simmons!

Reasons to choose Columbia University

Columbia University is one of the top universities in the USA. It has a global reputation for academic excellence, and its undergraduate engineering program is ranked 7th in the USA (U.S. News & World Report 2023).

It’s also a great place for women to study engineering with 50% of the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science 2019 incoming class being women!

This means that when you study this dual-degree in engineering program, you’ll gain an elite education that will impress future employers and give you many career opportunities in STEM. Indeed, 91.1% of Columbia graduates are employed or going to graduate school, with companies including Google, Facebook and Goldman Sachs among the top 10 hiring organizations.

Columbia University is also a research hub, with more than $1 billion spent each year on research, 350 new inventions annually, and over 200 Research Centers and Institutes.

Columbia Engineering is at the forefront of many strategic areas of research, from environmental sustainability and the human genome to infrastructure sensors, nanotechnology, and data sciences, so you’ll be part of a truly innovative and forward-thinking university.

Ranked 7th best university in the USA

U.S. News & World Report 2023

Top 25 in the world

QS World University Rankings 2023

#16 best undergraduate engineering program in the USA

U.S. News & World Report 2023

Located in New York City

#2 best student city in the USA (QS Best Student Cities 2023)

Learn more and apply


If you’re interested in studying at Simmons University and earning the dual-degree
with Columbia University, then you can contact us to learn more, or you can apply now.

Discover more

Aerial view of University of Oregon's campus in Eugene

Get a world-class education with an unbeatable quality of life at the University of Oregon

Discover how you can apply to the University of Oregon as an international student.

Campus building of University of Birmingham

Activate your career at the University of Birmingham

Why the University of Birmingham is a great place to launch your career.

Aerial view of University of Alberta's North campus

Study at the prestigious University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada  

Learn all about Kaplan's new Canadian university partner, the University of Alberta.