Merrimack College School of Science and Engineering. Master of Science in Engineering GRADUATE COURSE CATALOG

Transcription

1 Merrimack College School of Science and Engineering Master of Science in Engineering GRADUATE COURSE CATALOG

2 This document serves as an addendum to the College Academic Policies and Procedures Graduate Programs Handbook. For any discrepancies between that document and this, the College document takes precedence. Table of Contents Table of Contents... 2 Mission and Purposes... 3 The Academic Program... 3 Transferring Credits Toward a Master s Degree... 4 Accreditation... 4 Admissions... 4 Procedures for Earning the Degree... 4 Master s Comprehensive Examination... 5 Admission Categories and Graduate Student Classifications... 5 Matriculated Status... 5 Probationary Status... 5 Non- matriculated Status... 6 Graduate Student Forms... 6 Master of Science in Engineering Degree... 7 Courses... 7 Course Listing... 7 Graduate Only Course Descriptions... 8 Appendix Form 1. Program of Study Form 2. Application for Comprehensive Examination Form 3. Report on Comprehensive Examination

3 Mission and Purposes The mission for the master of science degree program in engineering is to provide interdisciplinary programs for the engineering community that are relevant to current societal needs. The proposed program aligns with the following College strategic goals to: develop distinctive models of undergraduate and graduate education encourage interdisciplinary studies build on the existing foundation of scholarship and activism in the area of environmental sustainability The Academic Program The Master of Science in Engineering Program reflecting the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of the practice of engineering, emphasizes a holistic, systems view of the various disciplines in which students may concentrate. The Program provides students with the flexibility to design academic programs tailored to address crucial societal needs, such as climate change, an aging population, obsolete infrastructure, alternative fuels, green technologies, information systems and technology, and the increasing complexity of those systems. It taps into the significant demands for advanced degrees in some of the fastest growing career areas.. Areas of Specialization available include: Infrastructure Systems, Sustainable Infrastructure, Engineering Management, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. In addition to these established focus areas, students have the flexibility to design academic programs tailored to address crucial societal needs, such as climate change, an aging population, obsolete infrastructure, alternative fuels, green technologies, information systems and technology, and the increasing complexity of those systems. All are described in detail on the Program s website. The Program is housed in the Mendel Center, home to the School of Science and Engineering. Upon completion of the Master of Science in Engineering Program at Merrimack College, graduates will: have expert-level knowledge and a high level of competence in applying it within his or her chosen area of engineering be able to communicate technical challenges, ideas, and results across disciplines and with local communities, managers, and policy makers understand group dynamics associated with leadership, membership, and peer-to-peer interactions be able to conduct research from a perspective well-grounded in their chosen area of engineering and with a broad understanding of scientific, engineering, and policy dimensions 3

4 The beginning graduate student should choose an appropriate degree program in consultation with his or her advisor and with the approval of the Program Director. By the end of the first semester, the student must formally plan the remainder of his or her graduate program in consultation with his or her advisor and selected committee members. The student's advisory committee will consist of a minimum of four graduate faculty: the advisor serving as the chairperson and three additional faculty. After consulting with his or her advisor, the student will complete and submit Form 1 which outlines the student s intended program of study. A minimum of one-half of the course requirements for the degree should be completed after the student submits for approval the typed original Form 1 to the Program Director and the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies. Transferring Credits Toward a Master s Degree A maximum of two courses (maximum of eight credit hours) for master's degrees may be transferred from outside of Merrimack College. Such credits must have been registered as graduate courses when they were taken. Students must have earned at least a B grade for all courses to be transferred to a Merrimack College graduate program, and these transferred courses must be entered as part of the student s program on Form 1. The Merrimack College equivalent should be stated, and a transcript that includes the course(s) to be transferred should accompany MSE Form 1. Approval of MSE Form 1 will allow the transferred course(s) to be entered on the student s Merrimack College transcript, but only after the Registrar s Office has received the student s official transcript(s) from his or her previous school(s). Accreditation Engineering programs are accredited by the ABET and the MSE Program has been accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Admissions In addition to the College admission requirements, applicants for the MSE degree must hold a bachelor s degree in engineering or in a science field or mathematics. Students with nonengineering degrees (e.g., chemistry, physics, geology, mathematics or biology) will be considered on a case-by-case basis. They may be required to take additional courses, based upon guidance from the faculty advisor, to prepare them for their advanced studies in engineering. Applicants must submit a complete package of application materials as set forth in the College Graduate Policies and Procedures Manual. Procedures for Earning the Degree All MSE students must have fulfilled all admissions requirements, including English proficiency test scores, if necessary. Students admitted to a Master of Science in Engineering degree program must pass a comprehensive examination and must adhere to the following procedures. The student will: consult with the graduate advisor about course scheduling, and register for classes. 4

5 select an advisor and complete Form 1 (see Appendix) within six weeks of the beginning of the semester in which the student takes his or her tenth graduate credit hour. Students who fail to comply with this deadline will have a registration hold placed on their account. complete academic requirements. check with the Registrar to make application for graduation within four weeks of the beginning of the student s final semester. The Board of Trustees will, upon the recommendation of the graduate faculty, grant the student the Master of Science in Engineering degree when all degree requirements are met, and all enrollment or examination fees have been paid. Master s Comprehensive Examination The master s degree candidate must successfully complete a final written comprehensive examination that is administered by an examining committee. The members of this committee are chosen by the candidate, in consultation with his or her advisor. The Program Director then submits for approval the names of three faculty members and that of the major advisor to the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies, using Form 2 (see Appendix). The committee must consist of at least three members. The comprehensive written examination, administered by the Graduate Advisor, will be given only once each semester and not earlier than six weeks before the last Friday of the semester. The candidate will receive a passing grade if all, or all but one, of the members votes to pass. A student who fails the examination must take it again at the next regularly scheduled examination time. A student who fails the examination a second time will no longer be eligible to receive a graduate degree from the program. However, the student is still eligible to pursue a graduate degree from any other graduate degree program willing to accept him or her. Admission Categories and Graduate Student Classifications Graduate students at Merrimack College are admitted or classified in one of the following categories: Matriculated Status For recent graduates, admission as a graduate student is normally limited to those who ranked in the upper third of their baccalaureate graduating class or who have done quality work at the graduate level. For this requirement, a cumulative B average (3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale), or a B average (3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale) for the student s last sixty credit hours of undergraduate coursework is considered equivalent to an upper one-third standing. If the student s undergraduate coursework does not meet these standards, the student may be required to take additional courses as determined by his or her academic advisor. Probationary Status Any person not eligible for admission as a regular graduate student may be considered for admission as a probationary graduate student. Probationary graduate admission is normally limited to those students who ranked in the upper one-half of their baccalaureate graduating class, or who have achieved at least a cumulative 2.75 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for their entire undergraduate career, or a 2.75 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for their last sixty credit hours of 5

6 undergraduate coursework. Any probationary graduate student who subsequently desires to pursue a degree as a regular graduate student may apply to change his or her status from probationary to matriculated. However, such consideration is not permitted until the probationary graduate student has completed a minimum of twelve credit hours of graduate coursework with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. After these initial twelve credit hours are completed satisfactorily, the probationary student may, with the concurrence of his or her advisor, apply for regular student status with a written request to the Program Director. The request approval by the Program Director and the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies confers regular status to a formerly probationary graduate student. Only those credits, completed as a probationary graduate student, which are subsequently approved by the student s advisor, Program Director and Vice Provost, may be applied toward a graduate degree. However, all coursework completed as a probationary graduate student, as well as the student s GRE scores, will be considered relevant to this change-of-status decision. Probationary graduate students may retain their probationary status for no more than one additional semester after completing their first twelve hours of graduate coursework. Regardless of the student s admission status, all completed graduate coursework will apply toward the student s cumulative GPA. Non- matriculated Status Prospective students who wish to study at the graduate level but who do not intend to pursue a graduate degree may be considered for admission as a non-degree graduate student. Typically, this category of admission applies to, but is not restricted to, individuals who have a job-related need for a particular graduate-level course. Admission to non-degree graduate status requires an application form and official transcripts, but neither GRE nor GMAT scores are required. Students seeking admission in this category are encouraged to refer to their prospective degree website (namely, Engineering, Business or Education) program-specific information regarding non-matriculated status admission requirements. Up to 8 credit hours of graduate coursework taken as a non-matriculated student may be counted toward a Merrimack College graduate degree program, if applicable. Furthermore, if a student initially enrolls as a non-matriculated student and is subsequently accepted into a graduate degree program before completing a particular course, that course may be accepted toward the graduate degree program subject to approval by the student s advisor or Program Director. Non-matriculated students may enroll in any graduate course as determined by the Program Director. Students who must take particular undergraduate courses due to their non-engineering undergraduate degree, or for any other reason, but who otherwise meet graduate admission requirements are encouraged to apply for graduate admission by the first semester that they plan to take one or more graduate courses. These students must receive permission from their Program Director in order to enroll in these graduate courses. Graduate Student Forms With the help of their advisors, all graduate students must complete and submit a series of forms to the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies throughout the course of their degree programs. These forms are used to indicate academic intentions, details of degree programs, membership of advisory committees, and performance on various examinations. MSE student forms are 6

7 available from the Civil & Mechanical Engineering Office. The forms are: Form 1: Program of Graduate Study Form 2: Comprehensive Examination and/or Masters Advisory Committee Form 3: Report Comprehensive Examination Committee A sample of each form is provided in the Appendix. Master of Science in Engineering Degree The MSE degree requires a minimum of 30 credits of coursework and completion of a written and oral comprehensive examination. Specific credit hours requirements are as follows: 8 credits of Core Courses 24 credits of electives A minimum of 12 credits must be earned at the graduate-only level (6000-level) A maximum of two courses (6 to 8 credits) may be transferred from outside the College Courses This section provides a listing and description of approved graduate level engineering courses at Merrimack College. Courses listed are those approved at the time this publication went to press. Changes are made at regular intervals. Electronic catalog descriptions, which are updated during the academic year, are available on the College website. Course Listing Courses currently available for the MSE are: Core Courses (choose a minimum of two of these) GEN 5001 Introduction to Systems Engineering GEN 6001 Finite Elements OR GEN 6002 Numerical Methods Senior/Graduate-level Courses CEN 5012 Steel Analysis CEN 5016 Concrete Analysis & Design CEN 5020 Geotechnical Design CEN 5030 Environmental Design CEN 5032 Applied Hydrology CEN 5040 Geometric Design of Highways CEN 5042 Traffic Engineering CEN 5044 Transportation Systems Analysis CEN 5050 Construction Planning & Management EEN 5175 Digital Architecture EEN 5265 Engineering Management Graduate-only Courses (choose a minimum of three of these) GEN 6010 Earthquake Engineering 7

8 GEN 6012 Pre-stressed Concrete Structures GEN 6014 Advanced Structural Analysis GEN 6020 Principles & Applications of Geographic Information Systems GEN 6022 Pavement Management Systems GEN 6024 Building Information Models GEN 6030 Urban Hydrology & Storm Water Management GEN 6032 Sustainable Infrastructure Systems GEN 6034 Use of Recycled Materials in Construction Products GEN 6999 Project Graduate Only Course Descriptions GEN 5001 Introduction to Systems Engineering Systems Engineering provides an interdisciplinary approach to designing successful systems. It focuses on defining customer needs and required functionality early in the development cycle, documenting requirements, then proceeding with design synthesis and system validation while considering the complete problem including operations, performance, test, manufacturing, cost, and schedule. This subject emphasizes the links of systems engineering to fundamentals of decision theory, statistics, and optimization. It also introduces the most current, commercially successful techniques for systems engineering. GEN 6001 Finite Elements In industry, engineers rely on finite element methods to solve the complex differential equations obtained during modeling of stresses, fluid flow, and heat transfer in structures. Students will be introduced to the theory of finite element methods and the implementation of these methods using ANSYS. GEN 6002 Numerical Methods This course will cover modern computational methods used for the solution of engineering problems. We will consider the application of each method to engineering design and optimization. Topics include curve fitting, optimization, numerical solution of systems of equations, numerical integration and differentiation. Students will learn to implement these algorithms in Octave (which has a very similar syntax to Matlab). GEN 6010 Earthquake Engineering This course is an introduction to earthquake engineering. Topics in this course include: plate tectonics and seismology; rupture mechanism; measures of magnitude and intensity; probabilistic seismic hazard analysis; strong earthquake ground motion; site effects on ground motion; soilstructure interaction; dynamic analysis of structures; response spectra; modal analysis; nonlinear time-history analysis; earthquake resistant design; and seismic detailing. GEN 6012 Prestressed Concrete Structures This course covers the analysis and design of prestressed concrete structures. Topics in this course include: time-dependent properties of concrete and reinforcing material; concept and application of prestressed concrete; service and ultimate limit state analysis and design of prestressed concrete structures and components; detailing of components; calculation of deflection; and prestress losses. GEN 6014 Advanced Structural Analysis The course emphasizes the principles behind modern nonlinear structural analysis software. This course covers the theory, computer implementation, and applications of material and geometric 8

9 nonlinear analysis. Emphasis is on modeling of 2D and 3D frame structures using non-linear beam-column elements. GEN 6020 Principles & Applications of Geographic Information Systems This course introduces students to the use and potential of Geographic Information Systems in their discipline. Topics include the general concepts of GIS use and introduce the material in the exercises that demonstrate the practical application of GIS. GEN 6022 Pavement Management Systems This course is intended to cover the basic aspects of the system approach to pavement management; that is, the framework for good pavement design, data requirements, pavement evaluation, structural design and economic evaluation, works programming and prioritization. GEN 6024 Building Information Models This course provides an introduction to BIM from a technology and design and building practice perspective. It consists of a review existing case studies to help students to better understand the impact of BIM; and the development of new case studies, to add to the current literature. These case studies will involve exploration of how BIM affects design processes, how it affects construction, and how it affects building procurement, commissioning and collaboration with engineering consultants GEN 6030 Urban Hydrology & Storm Water Management This course reviews the basic concepts of rainfall and runoff and then applies these to complex urban systems of drainage, stream and river hydraulics and flood prevention. The application of best management practices to control storm water from developed areas is presented within the constraints of current laws and regulations. Current computer software used for project evaluations will be presented and available for use in coursework. GEN 6032 Sustainable Infrastructure Systems An evaluation of new or renewed infrastructure systems with respect to sustainability benefits. A comparison of alternatives along with evaluation of long term effects throughout the life cycle of a project will be emphasized. Various ratings systems for the evaluation of green practices required to enhance the economic, environmental and social aspects of infrastructure systems are investigated. GEN 6034 Use of Recycled Materials in Construction Products Students will be exposed to recycling procedures for polymers, papers, glasses, and metals. In addition, students will learn how material properties vary between the original and recycled materials. The course is intended as an overview and provides students with the background required to gain a full appreciation of the recycled materials and their uses in engineering products. 9

10 Appendix. Form 1. Program of Study 10

11 Form 2. Application for Comprehensive Examination 11

12 Form 3. Report on Comprehensive Examination 12