Can An Integrated First Year Program Continue To Work As Well After The Novelty Has Worn Off?

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMD) began a successful, integrated, first year engineering curriculum in September 1998. This new program dramatically changed the freshman year and was initially very successful. Data from the first year pilot program was very positive. Assessment showed that it more than halved the attrition rate of first-year engineering students nearly doubled the percentage of students passing two semesters of physics on schedule increased the percentage of students passing calculus on schedule by 40%