GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK

Transcription

1 GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK

2 WELCOME Welcome to graduate studies in the School of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Through discovery and acquisition of new knowledge, you will become part of the new frontier in engineering. Graduate studies differ from undergraduate studies in that it requires more independence, initiative, and resourcefulness on your part. Hard work is undoubtedly not new to an engineering student. Remember, you are not alone in your quest! The faculty, staff, and continuing students are eager for you to have a fulfilling experience. There are many resources and sources of information at your fingertips at VCU. The VCU website ( contains a wealth of information about the university, student life, facilities, and more. The University calendar is available there, as well as in the Graduate Bulletin, which contains the guidelines for your graduate studies. Of course, the faculty and staff are also very important resources. This handbook will hopefully be an invaluable source of information, and surely you will discover many more as you become familiar with the new surroundings. Good luck in pursuing your graduate degree. Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D. Dean School of Engineering Virginia Commonwealth University Revised 8/2015 Fall

3 Table of Contents GENERAL INFORMATION... 4 THE UNIVERSITY... 4 SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING... 4 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES... 4 GRADUATE OFFICE... 5 VCU Card... 5 ENGINEERING GRADUATE PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION... 6 BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING (EGRB)... 6 COMPUTER SCIENCE (CMSC)... 6 CHEMICAL AND LIFE SCIENCE ENGINEERING (CLSE)... 6 ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING (EGRE)... 6 MECHANICAL AND NUCLEAR ENGINEERING (EGRM, EGRN AND EGMN)... 6 GRADUATE PROGRAMS OFFICE... 6 GENERAL GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAM INFORMATION... 7 THE ADVISOR AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE... 7 PLAN OF STUDY... 8 GRADUATE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS... 8 MASTERS PROGRAM... 9 ADMISSION TO MASTERS CANDIDACY DOCTORAL PROGRAM ADMISSION TO DOCTORAL CANDIDACY DISSERTATION RESEARCH AND DEFENSE TERMINATION AND APPEALS PROCESS PROCEDURES FOR GRADUATING WITH THE M.S. OR PH.D. DEGREE GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM (M.S. AND PH.D.) COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM (M.S.).20 ENGINEERING PROGRAM (M.S. AND PH.D.) MECHANICAL AND NUCLEAR ENGINEERING PROGRAM (M.S. AND PH.D.) TIMETABLE GUIDELINES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS MASTER OF SCIENCE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES VCU HONOR SYSTEM VCU STATEMENT ON SAFETY STATEMENT ON AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT VCU GUIDELINES FOR STUDENT CONDUCT TITLE IX Fall

4 FACILITIES ACCESS CONTACT INFORMATION...48 IMPORTANT DATES AROUND THE CAMPUSES AND OTHER INFORMATION RECREATION CENTERS BOOKSTORES LIBRARIES COMPUTING SERVICES SHUTTLE SERVICE PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION RECORDS AND REGISTRATION OFFICE VCU STUDENT TAX GUIDE DIRECT DEPOSIT FORMS GRADUATION CHECKLIST FOR ALL GRADUATE STUDENTS, GRADUATE STUDENT ADVISORS, AND GRADUATE PROGRAM DIRECTORS GRADUATE PROGRAM FORMS CHECKLIST RESEARCH ADVISOR FORM GRADUATE DEGREE PLAN OF STUDY FORM APPOINTMENT OF MASTER OF SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT ON MASTER OF SCIENCE THESIS FINAL EXAMINATION APPOINTMENT OF DOCTORAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE PH.D. DEGREE REPORT ON THE QUALIFYING EXAMINATION FOR THE PH.D. DEGREE REPORT ON THE DISSERTATION PROPOSAL DEFENSE FOR THE PH.D. DEGREE REPORT ON PH.D. DISSERTATION FINAL EXAMINATION ADMISSION TO MASTER S OR DOCTORAL DEGREE CANDIDACY.65 ELECTRONIC THESIS/DISSERTATION (ETD) APPROVAL FORM..66 Fall

5 GENERAL INFORMATION The University Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) has a long and rich history. In 1968, the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) and Richmond Professional Institute (RPI) merged to become Virginia Commonwealth University. The university has two campuses, the MCV Campus and the Monroe Park Campus. The MCV Campus houses five schools: the Schools of Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy. It is also the site of the system of MCV Hospitals. The Monroe Park Campus houses, one college: College of Humanities and Sciences, VCU Life Sciences, and nine schools: the Schools of the Arts, Business, Education, Engineering, Graduate School, Mass Communications, Social Work, World Studies, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, and the College of Humanities and Sciences. A more detailed history may be obtained from the University s web site. School of Engineering The School of Engineering (Engineering), one of the newest at VCU, began operation in July 1995 with undergraduate degree programs in Chemical Engineering (now Chemical and Life Science), Electrical Engineering (now Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering) and Mechanical Engineering. The existing Biomedical Engineering graduate program moved from the School of Medicine to the new Engineering School. The first undergraduate engineering students entered in fall 1996 with a graduation date of spring In fall 1998, Biomedical Engineering began offering an undergraduate degree. The School of Engineering began offering the M.S. and Ph.D. in Engineering degrees in fall The Computer Science program, which offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees, moved from the Department of Mathematical Sciences in the College of Humanities and Sciences to the School of Engineering in the Fall Semester In the fall of 2009, the M.S. in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering program began matriculating students. In the fall of 2010, the M.S. in Computer Information Systems and Security program began matriculating students. Most recently our new Ph.D. program in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering was approved the first of its kind in the U.S. Administrative Offices The Administrative Offices for the School of Engineering as well as the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Chemical and Life Science Engineering are located in the School of Engineering West Hall at the southwest corner of Belvidere and Main Streets (601 West Main Street). Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Administrative Offices are located in School of Engineering East Hall (401 West Main Street) on the southeast corner of Belvidere and Main Streets. Fall

6 Graduate Office Information on specific graduate programs of study, including the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program, is available in the Graduate Office. Also available is information and advising for transferring graduate credits, thesis and dissertation formats, leave of absence, employment forms, and approved graduate courses. VCU Card The VCU Card is the student ID card and provides access to many services across the University, such as borrowing books from the libraries and after-hours access to authorized buildings/rooms. Students can put money on the card, allowing it to be used as a debit card at numerous establishments within the University. To do so, just locate a stand-alone machine and follow the directions. To get the VCUCard made, go to either the Technology Administration Building at 701 West Broad Street (Hours: Monday-Friday 8 AM - 5 PM) or to Sanger Hall, 1101 East Marshall Street, Room B1-018 (Hours: 8 AM 4:30 PM). Visit for more information. Fall

7 Engineering GRADUATE PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION Biomedical Engineering (EGRB) Dr. Gerald Miller Department Chair (804) Dr. Jennifer Wayne Program Director (804) Computer Science (CMSC) Dr. Krzysztof Cios Department Chair (804) Dr. Tomasz Arodz Program Director (804) Chemical and Life Science Engineering (CLSE) Dr. Frank Gupton Department Chair (804) Dr. Vamsi Yadavali Program Director (804) Electrical and Computer Engineering (EGRE) Dr. Erdem Topsakal Department Chair (804) Dr. Xubin He Program Director (804) Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering (EGRM, EGRN and EGMN) Dr. Gary Tepper Department Chair (804) Dr. Karla Mossi Program Director (804) Graduate Programs Office Ms. Leena Joseph Director of Graduate Studies Room 304A (804) Ms. Dorrie Smith Graduate Office Coordinator Room 304 (804) Fall

8 GENERAL GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAM INFORMATION The Advisor and Advisory Committee Initial Advisor Entering students are expected to report to their respective Graduate Program Director upon matriculation to the VCU School of Engineering. For students pursuing thesis M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, the Graduate Program Director will serve as the student s academic advisor until he/she has selected a research advisor. For student s pursuing non-thesis M.S. degree, the Graduate Program Director will serve as advisor during the course of their degree. (See forms section). The student s initial advisor (i.e. Graduate Program Director) will work with the student to schedule courses and select a Research Advisor (hereafter referred to as advisor). Research Advisor During the first semester of graduate study, students pursuing thesis M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are expected to choose an advisor. The successful completion of the requirements for both the thesis M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in engineering includes an original research project, the progress of which is guided by the faculty advisor and monitored by an Advisory Committee. The advisor holds the primary responsibility for providing guidance and counsel essential to the scholarly development of the student. Students should begin immediately to review Engineering faculty research interests and areas of scholarship (available on the Engineering website and Program/Track Brochures). This review will assist each student in the advisor selection process. Remember to work with the initial advisor and the Engineering Graduate Programs Office, in this process. The final step in the advisor selection process is the submission of the Research Advisor Form (form SoEGS00) to the Engineering Graduate Office. This form (signed by the Student, Advisor, and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies) must be in the student s file in order to form an Advisory Committee. If the student has already selected an advisor, the Engineering Graduate Programs Office must be provided with the completed and signed SoEGS00 form in order to proceed with the student s program of study. Students pursuing non-thesis M.S. degree are not required to complete Research Advisor Form (form SoEGS00). Advisory Committee After selection of an advisor, the graduate student immediately begins to develop a program of study and reviews possible research topics with his/her advisor. Once a research topic is chosen, an Advisory Committee can be formed. The advisor in consultation with the student appoints an Advisory Committee. For students pursuing thesis M.S. degree, the Advisory Committee must be formed no later than the end of first year of graduate school. For students pursuing Ph.D. degree, the Advisory Committee must be formed no later than the end of second year of graduate school. An Advisory Committee serves as both an examining and consultative body. The advisor usually serves Fall

9 as chair of the committee. The advisor s and the Advisory Committee s function is to assist the scholarly development of the student. Committee members hold a special responsibility as a source of counsel for the student. Full-time Engineering graduate faculty may serve on and chair graduate Advisory Committees. Affiliate Engineering graduate faculty and VCU faculty may serve on an Advisory Committee but cannot serve as chair. Approval of the Engineering Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and the Dean of VCU Graduate School are required for an affiliate faculty member to serve as co-chair of a graduate Advisory Committee. The committee will conduct an annual review of student progress, with written minutes of committee recommendations prepared by the student and signed by all Advisory Committee members. This should be submitted to the department graduate program director. There must be at least three members (including the chair) on a graduate Advisory Committee for a thesis M.S. degree student. Two members must be from the program/track and one member must be from outside the program/track. There must be at least five members (including the chair) on a graduate Advisory Committee for a Ph.D. degree student. Three members must be from the program/track and two from outside. Once the Advisory Committee is formed, the student must complete the appropriate form with required signatures and submit it to the Engineering Graduate Office. The Master s Advisory Committee requires form SoEGS02 and the Doctoral Advisory Committee requires form SoEGS04. The student must submit the appropriate Advisory Committee form no less than six months before the final defense for the master s degree and six months before the second portion of the comprehensive exam (proposal defense) for the doctoral degree. Plan of Study Upon selection of an advisor, the student should begin (in consultation with the advisor) to develop a plan of study. The student s plan of study constitutes a tentative list of courses that are taken as part of the graduate degree program. A plan of study is dynamic and can be revised as the need arises. The student s advisor and Advisory Committee must approve the plan of study. Graduate Degree Requirements All full-time graduate students are expected to register for 9 to 15 hours of graduate credits per semester (fall & spring), exclusive of audited courses. This requirement includes research. At least half of the credits required in the student s program must be those designated as exclusively for graduate students; that is, those at the 600 level or above. Fall

10 Graduate students are required to remain in good academic standing through the course of their degree program. Unsatisfactory student performance includes: The assignment of a grade of U, D, or F in any course. Failure to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater. Failure to pass the qualifying or oral comprehensive examination. Lack of progress on/unsuccessful defense of thesis/dissertation). Students must continue to make satisfactory progress toward their degrees. Unsatisfactory grades and unprofessional conduct are areas that may warrant review for possible termination from their programs. Unsatisfactory performance also constitutes grounds for the termination of financial assistance to the student. A student may have no more than six semester hours or 20 percent of total semester hours attempted (whichever greater) at C or below level ( D, F, U ) at graduation. Graduate students may not take the comprehensive examination for the Ph.D. degree if their overall GPA is less than 3.0 or if the GPA for courses within the program is below 3.0. Students may not take the final oral examination for the M.S. or Ph.D. degree if their overall GPA is below 3.0. The student s Advisory Committee is the examining body for the administration of the comprehensive examinations and the final examination. In addition to these requirements and those set forth by the university, students must meet the requirements for specific degrees set forth in the School of Engineering program listings. Master s Program Research and Thesis Each student conducts a research study under the guidance of his/her advisor. They should receive training in responsible conduct of research. The study is reported in a thesis prepared according to standards set down by the School of Graduate Studies in the University Graduate Council Thesis and Dissertation Manual. Visit for more information. When the advisor and the student determine that sufficient research has been completed to prepare a thesis, a meeting of the student's Advisory Committee will be scheduled to review the completed work. The Advisory Committee will then recommend that the student is ready to defend the research or must complete additional research. This meeting will occur at least six weeks prior to the anticipated defense date, and the result will be reported to the Engineering Graduate Office in writing by the Advisory Committee chair. Fall

11 When the thesis has been completed and the advisor considers it acceptable and all the M.S. degree requirements have been satisfied, the advisor so notifies the Engineering Graduate Office in writing and, in consultation with the candidate, sets the examination date. This date must be set and Graduate Office notified at least 14 days prior to the proposed presentation date using online link on School of Engineering website to announce Ph.D. Dissertation/M.S. Thesis Final Defense (see forms section). The thesis is examined by the student's Advisory Committee for content. On tentative approval of the thesis, the student appears for a final oral examination by the Advisory Committee. The final examination will be limited to the subject of the candidate's thesis and related matters. A unanimous favorable vote of the candidate's committee shall be required for passing the final oral examination. The final examination shall be open the public and its time and place, together with the candidate's name, department, and title of thesis, shall be announced at least seven days in advance. Upon successful defense of the thesis, the student may arrange at personal expense for the binding of copies of the thesis if required. Admission to Master s Candidacy Before admission to candidacy for the Masters (thesis option) program, students must have: (1) completed required course work, (2) fulfilled all additional departmental requirements, and (3) submitted forms SoEGS00, SoEGS01, SoEGS02 and Admission to Master s or Doctoral Degree Candidacy (completed and signed) to the Engineering Graduate Office. A student may seek admission to candidacy for the Master of Science degree without first completing the research and thesis portion of the Master of Science degree. The Advisory Committee will conduct an annual review of student progress, with written minutes of committee recommendations prepared by student and signed by all Advisory Committee members. This should be submitted to the department graduate program director. Per the VCU Graduate Bulletin - The degree candidacy form must be submitted before the student formally begins the final thesis/dissertation/research project but no later than the semester preceding the semester in which the student graduates. Failure to submit the degree candidacy form in a timely manner may delay graduation. Doctoral Program Comprehensive Examination In order to advance to doctoral candidacy, the student must pass both qualifying and oral comprehensive examinations. Graduate students may not take the comprehensive exam if their overall GPA is less than 3.0. In the event of failure, the student may retake the oral and qualifying comprehensive examination one time only. The re-examination requires the approval of the student s Advisory Committee. For additional details, see the graduate program/track director or the Director of Graduate Studies. Fall

12 Qualifying Examination The qualifying examination(s) focuses on the subject matter deemed critical as a foundation in the program and must be completed by the end of first 18 months of graduate study (end of second year in special circumstances). The qualifying examination is largely based on material covered in required course work and its application to theoretical and practical problems. This examination consists of questions from at least three topic areas. Contact your department s graduate program director for your specific departmental requirements. The department s graduate program director is responsible for overseeing the administration of the qualifying examination. The questions are prepared and graded by Engineering faculty and, when appropriate, faculty from other VCU schools or colleges. The results must be reported to the Engineering Graduate Office, on form SoEGS05. Proposal Defense Examination After successful completion of the qualifying examinations, the student will submit one copy of an original Dissertation Research Proposal based upon their proposed research project, to each member of the student s Advisory Committee. The student s Advisory Committee will decide within ten working days if the proposal is suitable for defense and notify the committee chair. If the proposal is deemed suitable for defense, a defense date will be scheduled. If the proposal is not suitable, the student will be given one month to correct the deficiencies and resubmit the proposal. The committee will once again review the proposal for suitability, and, if approved, a defense date will be scheduled. The Oral Comprehensive should be completed by end of third year, with written minutes of committee recommendations and signed by all Advisory Committee members. This should be submitted to the Department Graduate Program Director. The results must be reported to the Engineering Graduate Programs Office on Report on the Dissertation Proposal Defense for the Ph.D. Degree Form (form SoEGS06). Admission to Doctoral Candidacy Before admission to candidacy for the doctorate, students must have: (1) completed required course work, (2) successfully completed the qualifying and oral portions of the comprehensive examinations, (3) fulfilled all additional departmental requirements, and (4) submitted forms SoEGS05, SoEGS06 and Admission to Master s or Doctoral Degree Candidacy (completed and signed) to the Engineering Graduate Programs Office. The Advisory Committee will conduct an annual review of student progress, with written minutes of committee recommendations prepared by student and signed by all Advisory Committee members. This should be submitted to the department graduate program director. Per the VCU Graduate Bulletin - The degree candidacy form must be submitted before the student formally begins the final thesis/dissertation/research project but no later than the semester preceding the semester in which the student graduates. Failure to submit the degree candidacy form in a timely manner may delay graduation. Fall

13 Dissertation Research and Defense The doctoral student must conduct a substantial original investigation under the supervision of the permanent advisor and prepare a dissertation reporting the results of this research and analyzing its significance in relation to existing scientific knowledge. Student should receive training in responsible conduct of research. There should be a student advisory committee meeting no later than three months prior to dissertation defense to certify student readiness to write, and this should be signed by all Advisory Committee members. When the dissertation has been completed, copies in accepted form and style are submitted to the members of the Advisory Committee. The examiners for the dissertation are the student's Advisory Committee members. These examiners decide upon the acceptability of the candidate's dissertation for defense. The dissertation should be prepared according to standards set down by the VCU Graduate School Thesis and Dissertation Manual. All theses and dissertations are submitted electronically to VCU Libraries. For more information visit: If the Advisory Committee accepts the dissertation for defense, the candidate appears before them for a final oral examination. This date must be set and Graduate Office notified at least 14 days prior to the proposed presentation date using online link on School of Engineering website to announce Ph.D. Dissertation/M.S. Thesis Final Defense (see forms section). The final oral examination will be limited to the subject of the candidate s dissertation and related matters. The final oral examination/defense, must have written minutes outlining remaining items prior to conferment of the Ph.D. degree, and should be signed by all Advisory Committee members, A favorable vote of the candidate s Advisory Committee and no more than one negative vote shall be required for passing the final oral examination. All committee members must vote. The results must be reported to the Engineering Graduate Office on form SoEGS07. Evidence of at least one published paper and one additional paper submitted to a peer-reviewed journal or juried conference proceeding is essential prior to conferment of degree. Upon successful defense of the dissertation, the student must submit the thesis or dissertation electronically through VCU Libraries and the VCU Graduate School and submit a complete and signed ETD (Electronic Thesis and Dissertation) approval form to Graduate Office and Graduate School. For more information about the submission process visit Fall

14 Termination and Appeals Process Graduate students in the School of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University have a right to appeal termination. The student assumes the burden of proof in this appeal. Initiating an Appeal When a student has been terminated from a program and believes the termination is unjustified, not in accordance with stated rules and regulations, or there are extenuating circumstances, the student shall discuss the termination first with the graduate program director. The graduate program director will explain how the decision to terminate was determined. If the student continues to believe that the termination was unwarranted, a written appeal may be submitted to the chair of the department. Students appealing termination assume the burden of proof. The appeal shall state and support with all available evidence the reasons why the student believes the termination should be reversed. The written appeal must be submitted within 10 business days after the termination letter from the Dean of VCU Graduate School is received. Appeals submitted after the deadline will be heard only in exceptional cases, as determined by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. Students may remain enrolled throughout the appeal procedure. Mediation The chair of the department shall review the appeal and decide if the decision to terminate should be upheld within two weeks of receipt of the written appeal. If the decision to terminate is upheld, the student may appeal to the Dean of the School of Engineering. If the student appeals to the Dean of the School of Engineering, the student shall submit to the dean in writing the written appeal and all supporting documentation, and the chair shall submit all documentation supporting the decision to terminate within 14 days of the chair s decision. The Appeal Review Committee The dean of the School of Engineering or his/her designee shall form an Appeal Review Committee (a standing school committee whose members shall serve a term of one year) and designate the chair. The committee shall consist of five faculty members, one from each department. Any committee member may request to excuse himself from the committee due to conflict of interest. The appellant may challenge the committee s membership for cause within a week of being informed of the membership. The dean shall determine if there is sufficient cause to remove the challenged committee member. A minimum of three committee members must review any appeal. The committee has the option of either reversing or upholding the decision to terminate. The committee shall meet initially to examine the written appeal and the department chair s recommendation. It can require the department and the School of Engineering Office of Graduate Studies to turn over to the committee any academic records, correspondence or course records that it deems relevant. After examining the materials, Fall

15 the committee may, by a majority vote, decline to hear an appeal that it judges to be patently without merit. Otherwise, the committee will authorize its chair to arrange a date for a hearing. The chair of the committee shall meet with all relevant parties prior to the hearing to explain the rules and procedures of the hearing. The Appeal Review Hearing Termination appeal hearings will be closed (only relevant parties determined and agreed upon by the committee may attend). The student may have with them an advisor of their choice (who may not be an attorney), with whom they may consult but who will not participate in the questioning of witnesses and presentation of evidence. The committee shall ask any member of the VCU community whose testimony it deems relevant to be available at an agreed upon time to give testimony. Either party may present additional witnesses as long as they remain within their allotted time and their testimony is directly relevant. Witnesses other than the appealing student shall be excluded from the hearing except when testifying. A hearing shall begin with the student outlining the reasons for the appeal and presenting all supporting evidence. The graduate program director will provide justification as to why the student was terminated. Each party will have a time period not to exceed one hour in which to present a position. The committee shall determine in executive session whether the termination was justified according to the rules and regulations and in consideration of extenuating circumstances. No termination may be reversed except by a majority vote. When the committee has reached a decision, the committee chair shall submit to the dean in writing the decision and the reasons for it. The dean shall communicate in writing the decision of the committee to the appealing student, Dean of Graduate Studies, the department chair, and the graduate program director. If the termination has been reversed, the dean shall also notify the Dean of the Graduate School. The evidence, proceedings, and the final decision of the committee shall remain confidential. All documents shall be held in a confidential file by the dean for one year. All documentation not returned shall be destroyed by the dean one year later. Appeal to the Graduate School If all program/department and/or school appeal processes fail to resolve the termination issue, the student has the option to appeal to the graduate dean. S/he must provide the dean of the Graduate School with written notification of appeal and reasons within 14 days of conclusion of the school s appeal procedures. Fall

16 PROCEDURES FOR GRADUATING WITH THE M.S. OR Ph.D. DEGREE In addition to all academic requirements for graduation, candidates for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in the School of Engineering (Engineering) must complete the following steps: 1. Initiate the electronic graduation checkout form through e-services. Select the option for academic record and then graduation checkout. After completing the form on-line, the student submits completed Graduation Application with supporting documentation to his/her Advisor and Program Director for review/approval. 2. Submit this approved Graduation Application to the Engineering Graduate Programs Office, West Hall Engineering by the deadline date. The student, his/her Advisor and Program Director must sign the completed application. 3. Notify the Engineering Graduate Programs Office of the date and time scheduled for the oral defense at least 14 days prior to the proposed presentation date using online link on School of Engineering website to announce Ph.D. Dissertation/M.S. Thesis Final Defense (see forms section). 4. Present Final Oral Examination form (SoEGS03 for M.S. and SoEGS07 for Ph.D.) to the Graduate Committee on the day of the defense along with Electronic Thesis/Dissertation approval form. 5. Once the student has successfully defended, the Final Oral Examination form (signed by all committee members) must be submitted to the Engineering Graduate Office. 6. Submit the Electronic Thesis/Dissertation form (signed by all committee members) to the Engineering Graduate Office for the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School signatures. If these documents are not submitted to the ENGINEERING Graduate Office prior to the deadline date for graduation for the respective semester the student will not be certified for graduation. Fall

17 GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS Biomedical Engineering Program (M.S. and Ph.D.) Master of Science (M.S.) Requirements Students pursuing an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering must successfully complete a minimum of 24 credit hours exclusive of research credits. Required Biomedical Engineering Courses (minimum 3 of the following) EGRB 507 (Biomedical Electronics and Instrumentation) EGRB 511 (Fundamentals of Biomechanics) EGRB 603 (Biomedical Signal Processing) EGRB 613 (Biomaterials) Required Course in Other Departments Physiology (PHIS 501) Minimum Elective Courses (e.g. EGRB, EGRM, ENGR, PHYS, MATH, BIOL, PHIS, BIOC at 500 level or above) Research Seminar (EGRB 690) Directed Research (EGRB 697) Total credits (minimum) 9 credits 5 credits 9 credits* 1 credits 6 credits** 30 credits * The 9 credits listed are minimum elective courses required for graduation. However, a student s Advisory Committee may require additional electives reflective of the field of study. **Directed research (EGRB 697) is required at a level to be determined by each student s graduate Advisory Committee. This program is nominally a two-year program leading to the M.S. in Biomedical Engineering. Prior evidence of completion of Physiology may result in a waiver of the requirements for this course as determined by the graduate program director and/or the department chair. These credits should be replaced by other graduate level didactic coursework reflective of the field of study. In order to advance to masters candidacy, the student must: (1) have completed required coursework; (2) have a minimum 3.0 GPA in graduate coursework; (3) have no more than 6 semester credits or 20 percent of total semester hours attempted (whichever is greater) at C or below level (C, D, F); and (4) be in compliance with the time to degree (6 years masters and 8 years doctoral). Fall

18 Each Master of Science student must successfully complete thesis research on his or her individualized research project. Upon advancement to candidacy and completion of the intended research, the student must prepare a thesis describing the completed research. A thesis defense, under the direction of the advisory committee, will examine the student s research, thesis documentation and underlying educational foundation necessary to have successfully completed the research. Upon successful completion of the defense examination and thesis, the student may apply for graduation from Virginia Commonwealth University with the Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering. A time limit of six calendar years, beginning at the time of first registration, is placed on work to be credited toward the Master s degree. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Requirements A minimum of 39 credit hours, exclusive of research credits, is generally required. Required Biomedical Engineering Courses EGRB 507 (Biomedical Electronics and Instrumentation) EGRB 511 (Fundamentals of Biomechanics) EGRB 603 (Biomedical Signal Processing) EGRB 613 (Biomaterials) Required Courses in Other Departments 12 credits 8 credits Physiology and Statistics (PHIS 501; BIOS or STAT at 500 level or above) Minimum Elective Courses (e.g. EGRB, EGRM, ENGR, PHYS, MATH, BIOL, PHIS, BIOC at 500 level or above) Research Seminar (EGRB 690) Minimum Directed Research (EGRB 697)* Total credits (minimum) 15 credits 4 credits 33 credits 72 credits *Directed research (EGRB 697) is required at a level to be determined by each student s graduate Advisory Committee. NOTE: University criteria for graduation includes a requirement that graduate students successfully complete at least 50% of the required coursework at 600 or higher level. This program is nominally a three-year program leading to the Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. Prior evidence of completion of either (or both) Physiology and/or Statistics may result in a waiver of the requirements for these courses as determined by the graduate program director and/or the department chair. These credits should be replaced by other Fall

19 graduate level didactic coursework reflective of the field of study. A period of residence of at least three consecutive terms is required. Residency is defined as registration for at least nine credits per term. A time limit of eight calendar years, beginning at the time of first registration, is placed on work to be credited toward the Doctor of Philosophy degree. At the conclusion of the first year of doctoral study (or when the core course requirements have been satisfied, by end of the second year of doctoral study at the latest), each doctoral student must successfully complete the qualifying examination. This examination is designed to test the student on fundamental knowledge in engineering as evidenced by the core (and related elective) courses within the curriculum. Upon completion of this examination, a doctoral student is then permitted to initiate a doctoral research project and to complete additional coursework consisting of biomedical engineering, clinical, and science electives. More details are provided below. In order to advance to doctoral candidacy, the student must: (1) have completed required coursework; (2) have successfully completed both the written and oral comprehensive examinations; (3) have a minimum 3.0 GPA in graduate coursework; (4) have no more than 6 semester credits or 20 percent of total semester hours attempted (whichever is greater) at C or below level (C, D, F); and (5) be in compliance with the time to degree (6 years masters and 8 years doctoral). Each doctoral student must successfully complete doctoral research on his or her individualized research project. Upon advancement to candidacy and completion of the intended research, a doctoral student must prepare a dissertation describing the completed research. A dissertation defense, under the direction of the Advisory Committee, will examine the student s research, dissertation documentation, and underlying fundamental knowledge needed to complete the research. Upon successful completion of the defense examination and dissertation, the doctoral student may apply for graduation from Virginia Commonwealth University with the Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering. M.D. /Ph.D. The Biomedical Engineering Program also participates in an M.D./Ph.D. Program with the School of Medicine. Interested students should consult the Biomedical Engineering graduate program director or the program chair. Academic Laboratories There are two main academic laboratories in Biomedical Engineering. The Biomedical Instrumentation and Signal Processing Laboratory is located in Room E1221 and the Biomechanics Laboratory is located in room E2218 of 401 West Main Street. Comprehensive Exam for the Doctoral Degree: Parts I & II The comprehensive exam in BME for the doctoral degree is comprised of two parts a Fall

20 written part which is administered by the BME faculty followed by an oral part, administered by each student s doctoral advisory committee. To be eligible to take the written exam, the student s overall graduate GPA must be 3.0 or greater, and the GPA for courses within BME as 3.0 or greater. The student must have successfully completed at least the required courses (4 core BME classes Biomaterials, Biomechanics, Biomedical Electronics/ Instrumentation, Biomedical Signal Processing and PHIS 501). The written exam takes place for eight hours over the course of two days. The exact date is set by the BME Graduate Program Director in consult with the BME faculty. The written exam is typically offered each January. A second date in June may occur if warranted by a sufficient number of students to take the exam. Each doctoral student taking the written exam will be evaluated in four areas of concentration: 1) Biomaterials 2) Biomechanics 3) Biomedical Electronics/Instrumentation 4) Biomedical Signal Processing The option exists for a student, if approved to do so by the BME Graduate Program Director and student s doctoral advisor, to replace one of the above four areas with a graduate technical elective within the department. The questions in each area are usually created by the BME faculty member teaching that course. The students may ask the faculty member for advice on studying for their particular area, but it is left to the faculty member s individual discretion what information is forthcoming. Two areas will be examined the first day; the second two on the second day. A faculty member will be present to proctor each section they may answer questions as they deem appropriate. To pass the exam, the following must be satisfied. Each area must be passed with a minimum grade of 70 (out of 100), and the whole exam must have an average of 70 or greater. One area may be failed and will be retested in another written exam within two months of the original exam (but prior to Part II of the comprehensive exam). The retested area must be passed with a minimum score of 75. If more than one area is failed or if the average score is below 70, the whole exam must be repeated at the next offering of the written exam, upon the recommendation of the Biomedical Engineering faculty. Failure to successfully complete the written comprehensive exam within calendar years from matriculation is grounds for dismissal from the BME graduate program. After successful completion of the first part of the comprehensive exam, the student must defend their dissertation research for the second part of the comprehensive exam. This is accomplished by preparing a written proposal and a formal oral presentation of the proposal with slides. This second part is administered by each student's doctoral advisory committee. The student is to give the written proposal to advisory committee members 2 weeks prior to the oral presentation. The student's performance must be deemed satisfactory in the written Fall

21 and oral presentations of the proposal to pass the second part of the comprehensive exam and be eligible for admission to doctoral candidacy. FORMAT for WRITTEN PROPOSAL of COMPREHENSIVE EXAM - PART II Please submit copies of your proposal to the members on your doctoral advisory committee not less than 2 weeks prior to the oral presentation of the proposal. The proposal should include the following: 1) Cover page: including your name, affiliation, title of the proposal, amount requested. 2) Table of contents with page numbers. 3) Abstract of the project (not to exceed one page). 4) Glossary of unusual technical terms and abbreviations. 5) Narrative section (not to exceed 15 double-spaced pages): a) Statement of general objectives and specific aims in the undertaking. b) Concise review of recent research by others in the field with appropriate citations. c) Description of the proposed research procedure. d) Statement of the significance of the project, the need for it, and its clinical potential. 6) Detailed budget - It should list the names and roles of all personnel involved whether or not salaries are requested. Give justification for equipment, travel costs, and any unusual costs. 7) Resources and environment available to perform the research. 8) Your curriculum vita. For additional information, contact Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program Director. Fall

22 Computer Science Program (M.S.) Master of Science (M.S.) Requirements A student may choose either a thesis or non-thesis degree program. The thesis option is suggested for students who have a strong research interest or those who wish to pursue a Ph.D. Non-thesis option (30 credits) A minimum of 30 didactic credits (with at least 15 at 600-level or greater), including: At least two courses from Theory Foundational; CMSC 501 must be one of these courses; At least two courses from Systems Foundational Area At least two courses from Applied Computer Science Foundational Area Thesis option Students will have to satisfy the following: A minimum of 24 non-thesis credits (with at least 12 at 600-level or greater), including: o At least two courses from Theory Foundational Area; CMSC 501 must be one of these courses o At least two courses from Systems Foundational Area o At least two courses from Applied Computer Science Foundational Area Six credits of CMSC 697 Directed Research. Students seeking to take a research credit course must find a faculty adviser willing to supervise the research, and follow the process of selecting an Advisory Committee and preparing and defending a Master s Thesis as described above. Foundational Areas for Computer Science Master s Program There are three foundational areas for computer science graduate studies: Theory, Systems, and Applied Computer Science. The Theory area includes the following courses: CMSC 501 Advanced Algorithms CMSC 526 Theory of Programming Languages CMSC 620 Applied Cryptography CMSC 621 Theory of Computation CMSC 678 Statistical Learning and Fuzzy Logic Algorithms The Systems area includes the following courses: CMSC 502 Parallel Algorithms CMSC 506 Computer Networks and Communications CMSC 605 Advanced Computer Architecture CMSC 608 Advanced Database CMSC 618 Database and Application Security CMSC 622 Network and Operating Systems Security Fall

23 The Applied Computer Science area includes the following courses: CMSC 609 Advanced Artificial Intelligence CMSC 610 Algorithmic Foundations of Bioinformatics CMSC 612 Game Theory and Security CMSC 623 Cloud Computing CMSC 630 Applied Signal and Image Analysis CMSC 635 Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining The up-to-date list of courses in Foundational Areas can be found at: For both thesis and non-thesis options, at most six non-cmsc credits may be applied toward the degree. Approval of Graduate Committee is required before taking the credits, and students should contact the Program Director before registering for these credits. A list of pre-approved courses is available at: For computer science courses cross-listed with another department, the students should take the CMSC section. Some courses may require a student to obtain an override (e.g. if a student takes multiple different Special Topics CMSC 591 or 691 in a single semester). In case an override is needed for course registration, it should be obtained from the instructor of the course. After obtaining an override, students are responsible for registering for the course through eservices. Credit Transfer Policy Up to 30 percent of a student's required non-research graduate-level credits can be transferred into the M.S. program from another college or university. No more than 30 percent of student's required non-research credits in graduate-level courses taken at VCU before admission to the M.S. program may be counted toward the M.S. degree (see bulletin for the Accelerated B.S-M.S. in Computer Science program for exception to this rule). If a student is pursuing an M.S. in Computer Science through the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program, the number of credits that may be transferred is limited by CGEP policy to 50 percent of the required credits. For regular M.S. students, courses taken through CGEP count towards the 30 percent limit on transferred credits. All transfer credits must be approved by the Graduate Committee and the Graduate School using the graduate course transfer form. These credits must not have been applied to any other degree. Cybersecurity and Data Science Certificates Students enrolled in the M.S. in Computer Science can obtain a certificate in Cybersecurity after completing five courses related to Cybersecurity. For details, see: Fall

24 Students enrolled in the M.S. in Computer Science can obtain a certificate in Data Science after completing five courses related to Data Science. For details, see: Fall

25 Engineering Program (M.S. and Ph.D.) Students can pursue a Master of Science and/or Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering degrees. Students can choose between a thesis or non-thesis M.S. degree program. The M.S. and Ph.D. in Engineering utilizes the faculty and research facilities of Computer Science, Chemical and Life Science Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering, to expose students to advanced and emerging technologies. Research thrusts in the School of Engineering include Computer Science, Life Sciences, Micro-Nano Technology, and Manufacturing and Design. Engineering M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are interdisciplinary and provide a wide array of specialization areas including microelectronics, silicon fabrication, VLSI design, networks, computer architecture, embedded systems, image/signal processing, photonics/optical electronics, neural networks, MEMS, digital communications, micro-nano technology, smart materials and devices, robotics, manufacturing and design, polymers, biochips, biochemical and biological engineering, fuel cells, software engineering, parallel processing, databases, compiler theory, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. These areas cross the discipline lines of Computer Science and Chemical and Life Science, and Electrical and Computer, Engineering for students desiring to study and conduct research in these areas or related areas. For the M.S. degree, two tracks are available in which a student can focus their research. Three tracks are available at the Ph.D. level. All tracks and the degree requirements are described in the following sections. M.S. and Ph.D. Degree requirements Each student seeking the M.S. degree is required to take a minimum of 30 semester credits of approved graduate courses (including research). Ph.D. students must take a minimum of 30 semester credits (including research) beyond the M.S. degree. No elective course may be used for both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. At least half of the credits required in the student s program must be those designated as exclusively for graduate students, that is to say, those at the 600 levels or above. Table of Engineering M.S. and Ph.D. Degree Requirements Concentration component Minimum Credits Track electives Thesis/Dissertation Research B.S. to M.S. (thesis) Courses 4 Courses B.S. to M.S (non-thesis) 5 Courses 5 Courses B.S. to Ph.D Courses 5 Courses BS to PhD (EGRE track only) courses 7 courses M.S. to Ph.D Courses 1 Course Fall