The Bachelor of Arts in engineering is designed to educate students in the fundamental engineering principles of technology development and engineering practices. This program is ideal for students who seek a background in engineering but do not plan to pursue careers as professional engineers. It is also suitable for those planning to pursue further studies in education, business, law or medicine, or for those who want to work in areas related to engineering, such as public policy, and thrive in a global industrial economy.

Engineering at UT Dallas

The BA in Engineering offers a flexible and interdisciplinary curriculum that allows students to build a customized academic path. The program is particularly well suited for students who began in traditional engineering majors but discovered a better fit in a broader, more integrative approach to engineering education.

The 120-hour curriculum includes foundational coursework in calculus, physics, statistics and computing, along with engineering design, project-based learning and thematic electives. Students also complete courses in business, humanities and social sciences, enabling them to develop a well-rounded skill set. The program emphasizes experiential learning through community service projects, entrepreneurship and research opportunities. The program is accepting applications for Fall 2026.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts in engineering program are prepared for diverse roles in technical and nontechnical fields. Career opportunities include positions such as systems manager, safety consultant, quality technician, educator, or manufacturing administrator. The degree also supports pathways into graduate study in areas like teaching, business, law and medicine.

Employers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond seek professionals with engineering knowledge who can work across disciplines. The program’s flexibility and emphasis on communication design and systems thinking make its graduates valuable in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, telecommunications, education and environmental services.

About the Jonsson School

The Jonsson School is strategically located in the Technology Corridor, home of the second-largest high-tech economy in the U.S. The Jonsson School recently completed a major public-private initiative that greatly expanded its capabilities, including construction of a new state-of-the art 220,000-square-foot interdisciplinary research building, and recently opened a 200,000-square-foot engineering building. The school is home to six academic departments: 

• Bioengineering 
• Computer Science 
• Electrical and Computer Engineering 
• Materials Science and Engineering 
• Mechanical Engineering 
• Systems Engineering 

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Science: Biomedical engineering, computational geospatial science**, computer engineering, computer science, data science*, cybersecurity technology and policy, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering, systems engineering 

Bachelor of Arts: Engineering

Master of Science: Biomedical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, cyber security, technology and policy**, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering, systems engineering and management***, telecommunications engineering 

Doctor of Philosophy: Biomedical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering, telecommunications engineering 

*Joint program between School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. 

** Joint program between the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. 

*** Joint program between the Naveen Jindal School of Management and Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. 

Research

An enterprising spirit is the driving force in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas. Leveraging the Jonsson School’s strengths in teaching and research, state-of-the-art facilities and current collaborative 

relationships in education, medicine and industry, the Jonsson School has developed five thrusts of state and national significance. 

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Energy Science and Technology
• Health Innovations 
• Semiconductor Science and Technology 
• Transportation Science and Engineering 

Six cross-cutting technologies include:

• Artificial intelligence
• Cybersecurity
• High-precision mechatronics
• Human interaction
• Imaging sciences
• Robotics engineering

Additional Facts

The Jonsson School’s rapid growth has helped propel its undergraduate programs into U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of the nation’s top schools of engineering. 

The Jonsson School has significantly increased the size of its faculty in recent years, hiring top recent graduates of Stanford University, Cornell University, Purdue University, Georgia Tech and UCLA, as well as seasoned professionals from Rutgers University, University of Southern California, University of California, Davis, Sandia National Laboratories, Freescale Semiconductor and Texas Instruments. 

The Jonsson School features a variety of student organizations that are actively involved in both academic and social activities. Completely student-run, these include the Association for Computing Machinery, the Game Development Group, the National Society of Black Engineers, a chapter of the scientific research society Sigma Xi, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers. 

The Fast-Track Program enables exceptionally gifted undergraduate students to include up to 15 hours of master’s level courses in their undergraduate degree plans. When Fast-Track students graduate with a bachelor’s degree, they are automatically admitted to graduate school at UT Dallas. The hours required to complete the master’s degree are reduced by up to 15 hours by the number of Fast-Track graduate hours completed.