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Grad Degree Options and Program Requirements

Degree Options and Program Requirements

The Master of Engineering program offers two degree-options: 1) a Master of Engineering degree with a thesis and 2) a Master of Engineering degree with an engineering project. The number of semester credit hours for each degree option is presented in the Table below.

Master of Engineering Degree Options

 

Degree Option

Number of
Credit Hours
for Core Courses

Number of
Credit Hours
for Electives

 Number of
Credit Hours
for Thesis or Project

 Total
Credit Hours

Master of Engineering (with Thesis)

 

12

 

12

 

 

6

 

30

Master of Engineering
(with Project)

 

12

 

18

 

 

6

 

36

 

If the thesis option is chosen, a student must successfully complete a total thirty (30) semester credit hours with twenty four (24) credit hours of course work and six (6) credit hours of thesis. If the engineering project option is chosen, a student must successfully complete a total of thirty six (36) semester credit hours with thirty (30) credit hours of course work and six (6) semester credit hours of engineering project.  A maximum of two 400-level undergraduate courses may be selected to meet the credit hours requirement provided these two courses meet the conditions set forth in the course numbering section of the graduate catalog.

The thesis option is recommended for those students wishing to conduct basic research and perhaps pursue a doctoral degree in the future. The student must write a thesis on the research and defend it. The other feature of the program is an engineering project to be completed under the supervision of experienced engineers in industry and/or government and a graduate faculty advisor. The engineering project is intended as an opportunity to enhance employment skills such as communication, organization, management and teamwork.  At the same time, students will be exposed to current topics in industry, required to solve practical problems related to their coursework and to develop corporate ties with permanent employment in mind. 

Students lacking an undergraduate degree in Engineering must show competency in math and science and will be required to take foundational engineering courses. These courses will be considered prerequisites and will not count toward the fulfillment of the core course requirement. General rules and policies by the Graduate School for thesis or non-thesis program will be applied to the Master of Engineering Program.

Advisory Committee

A student should define his/her specialty area with the approval of the advisory committee soon after admission to the program. The graduate faculty advisor, the graduate committee, and the director of the graduate program must approve the student's plan of study. No more than six credits from a previous master degree program may be applied toward a second master degree. These credits are applied only with the written approval of the Dean of the Graduate School, the graduate faculty advisor, and the director of the graduate program in which the second master degree is pursued.