The dual-degree engineering program at Bethany Lutheran College is designed to give students who want to major in engineering the opportunity to do so while taking advantage of the Christian liberal education offered at Bethany. This is a program in which students will spend three years on the Bethany campus fulfilling their general education requirements along with a broad spectrum of pre-engineering and other science and mathematics courses. After three years, the student will move on to the University of Minnesota to complete the engineering-specific coursework in any of more than 10 engineering disciplines — usually taking two more years. After both sets of requirements are completed, the student receives a bachelor's degree in engineering from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Arts in the Physical Sciences from Bethany — hence, a dual-degree program.

By focusing on a broad spectrum of the sciences at Bethany, the student is provided with the necessary background to grow creatively and intellectually in their pursuit of knowledge and understanding of themselves and their environment. With scientific instruction from a Christian perspective, Bethany also prepares students to study and appreciate God's creation and to apply what they learn for the benefit of society, thereby making the most of their God-given talents.

Students have the freedom to decide which field of engineering they would like to pursue at almost any time during the three years at Bethany, as the requirements for a B.A. in the physical sciences are designed for all areas of engineering. The student should consult with the engineering advisor on the Bethany campus as soon as possible, however, in order to design appropriate course schedules.

There are many great advantages to participating in a dual-degree engineering program as opposed to a traditional engineering program. First and foremost, this gives students the opportunity to gain from and contribute to the Bethany Lutheran College community spiritually, educationally, and socially while still being able to pursue engineering as an academic discipline. Pre-engineering courses at Bethany, such as calculus, general chemistry, and general physics, traditionally have less than 20 students, which gives the student the opportunity to take advantage of the personal attention professors can only give with small classes. Students are also given more opportunities to participate in campus activities such as theatre, music, and athletics than they would be at a large university.

Another great advantage to this program is that through the dual-degree agreement with the University of Minnesota, Bethany students are guaranteed placement in their engineering program of choice, given that they satisfy the degree requirements and the minimum GPA requirements. This means that dual-degree students at Bethany do not have to worry about being accepted as transfer students to their engineering institution; acceptance is already guaranteed.