Hollins University – Virginia Tech Directed Admission Partnership

Master of Engineering (MEng) in Computer Science and Applications (CSA)

The Virginia Tech College of Engineering is partnering with Hollins University to help position students for mid-level and advanced positions in industries related to computing technology. By establishing an accelerated pathway of foundational courses at partner universities, currently enrolled students can be prepared for early admission to Virginia Tech’s Master of Engineering (MEng) degree in computer science as early as spring of their junior year. 

By outlining a clear pathway and course equivalencies, liberal arts students are able to participate in Virginia’s Tech Talent Pipeline. Matriculation (enrollment) to the MEng in computer science and applications degree program would take place after the Hollins student’s bachelor’s degree is conferred.

How to Apply

Access to the program is limited to those currently enrolled at Hollins. Completion of the bachelor’s degree will be according to the requirements of Hollins and completion of the MEng computer science and applications degree will be according to the requirements of Virginia Tech. Interested Hollins students may apply to Virginia Tech’s computer science and applications program as early as the second semester of their junior year and receive an admit. Admission decisions will be made within a month for any given admission cycle. Matriculation would take place after the student’s bachelor's degree is conferred. Applications must be submitted online, and fee waiver instructions will be provided as part of the online application process prior to submission. This allows all MEng applicants from Hollins to apply without an application fee. Application to the MEng computer science and applications degree does not require GRE scores.

The accelerated undergraduate/graduate program application is based on your intended graduation date.

The deadline for applications is May 1st each spring semester and December 1st each fall semester.
Students should apply in the semester one year before they will complete the BS. For example, a student intending to graduate from the BS program in May 2024 should apply in the semester ending in May 2023. If accepted into the program, this will allow participation in double-counted courses for the final two semesters of your undergraduate degree.

If you are unable to apply one year before completing your BS, you can still apply during your final year, in your second-to-final semester. If you apply at that time and are accepted, you will only be able to double-count courses taken in your final undergraduate semester, but are still permitted the same maximum of 12 credits of double-counted courses.

Pathway

Hollins students may be eligible to apply in their junior year and be accepted into the MEng computer science and applications program by completing a set of computer science courses while at Hollins.  To be successful for admission, Hollins and Virginia Tech recommend that Hollins University students complete the following courses by the second semester of their junior year and maintain an overall minimum GPA of 3.3.  The course pathway is outlined below:

For questions or more information regarding the Virginia Tech MEng degree program, contact Virginia Tech MEng computer science and applications admissions. For questions or more information regarding what courses to take at Hollins University to be prepared for admission into the Virginia Tech MEng degree program, please contact Giancarlo Schrementi, faculty in Hollins’ math, statistics, and computer science department.

To learn more about the MEng computer science and applications program, click here.