The undergraduate program enrolls about 16,000 students from North Carolina and across the world. The educational progress of these undergraduates is built on a two tiered structure of a General College, usually years one and two, where the emphasis is on learning fundamentals and gaining breadth from a liberal arts environment. That experience is followed by the College of Arts and Sciences, nominally years three and four, where students in the Curriculum concentrate on building competitive depth in science and technological subjects.

In response to the needs of students preparing for the challenging and ever-changing world of modern technology, the University initiated the Curriculum in Applied Sciences, offering studies leading to the BS Degree in Applied Sciences. This program is designed for students having an interest in the basic problems of science combined with a desire for practical applications.

Our program features tracks of study in Biomedical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Materials Sciences. The Materials Sciences track includes three emphases: Biomedical Materials, Electronic and Optical Materials and Polymer Science. Within each option our program stems from strengths in the traditional sciences rather than from engineering and serves as a bridge between those approaches providing our graduates entrance into the corporate world of technology or into graduate and professional programs of biomedical engineering, materials science, physics, chemistry, medicine, polymer science, chemical engineering etc. and even into law and business. Since its inception in 1985, over two thirds of our graduates each year have gained admission into graduate, medical and other post graduate professional schools.

Educational Philosophy

Applied Sciences at UNC has brought with it an educational philosophy substantially different from that of engineering. The traditional engineering education consists largely of instruction and practice in the state of the art in a particular branch of technology. However, with technology now so sophisticated and rapidly changing, such highly specialized training is often quickly outmoded. In contrast, the applied scientist is first thoroughly grounded in the fundamentals of science, especially chemistry and physics, and the mathematical methods of analysis. Experience is then gained in applying these scientific and mathematical skills to the solution of important problems in one of the optional tracks of emphasis.

Take a look at our FAQ for answers to some commonly asked questions.