UMD to offer graduate engineering program on Iron Range

This fall, the University of Minnesota Duluth will begin enrolling students in a new graduate engineering program.

The Iron Range/UMD Graduate Education Program is intended to provide better access to advanced engineering degree programs for people living and working on the Iron Range, a release said.

"The courses being offered on the Iron Range are directly applicable to the professional development and career needs of engineers working in the public and private sectors on the Minnesota Iron Range," James Riehl, Dean of the UMD Swenson College of Science and Engineering said in the release. "And we are focused on setting class times and advisement scheduling to meet the needs and availability of the Iron Range professional."

Classes will be taught by UMD faculty at the Mesabi Range Community and Technical College in Virginia. Students there will also have access to related courses offered on the UMD campus. When fully implemented, program organizers hope to offer 6-8 courses every academic year at the Virginia site.

The program is offered through the UMD Swenson College of Science and Engineering in conjunction with the Arrowhead University Consortium. It has also received financial support from the Iron Range Higher Education Committee.

Other graduate programs run by the university include a Master of Science in Engineering Management and Master of Environment Health and Safety.