University of New Brunswick DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK

Transcription

1 University of New Brunswick DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK April th revision, November 2011 University of New Brunswick Department of Mechanical Engineering P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3 Telephone: Fax: Home page URL address:

2 CONTENTS Introduction Academic Matters General Registration Procedures Course Credits Annual Progress Report Student Attendance at University Presentations Preparing for Presentations Submission of Theses and Reports MEng Departmental Regulations a. General b. Entrance Requirements c. Minimum Course Requirements d. Introduction to Library Course e. Time-Line f. Payment g. Leave of Absence MScE Departmental Regulations a. General b. Entrance Requirements c. Minimum Course Requirements d. Introduction to Library Course e. Research Supervisor f. Reading Committee g. Thesis h. Time-line i. Payments j. Scholarships k. Leave of Absence PhD Departmental Regulations a. General b. Entrance Requirements c. Procedure for Transfer from MScE to PhD Program d. Minimum Course Requirements e. Introduction to Library Courses f. Exemptions g. Research Supervisor h. Supervisory and Reading Committees i. PhD Qualifying Examination j. Thesis k. Time-Line l. Sources of Funding m. Scholarships Page

3 n. Leave of Absence Departmental Regulations for Part-Time Students Financial Support MScE and PhD Students MEng Students Procedures for Payment Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) Assignments Scholarships Applying for a Social Insurance Number Duties of Teaching Assistants Departmental Facilities and Operation Space Allocation Library Computing Facilities Machine Shop (Supplies and Equipment) Purchasing Procedures Office Services a. Correspondence b. Stationery and Supplies c. Mail d. Telephone e. Photocopying f. Fax Machine Procedures Regarding Keys Security Procedures Safety Procedures Laboratory Operations Fire Fighting Equipment Safety Committee Accidents and Emergencies Radioactive Sources Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Termination of Residency Message from Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Society (MEGSS) Graduate Student Association Constitution and By-Laws of the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Draft of By-Laws Appendices Annual Progress Report - Confirmation of University Presentations Attendance 3 Page

4 - Application Form for Teaching and Lab Assistantship (GTA) - Teaching Assistant Time Sheet (UGTA/GTA) - Appendix B1 Description of Duties and Allocation of Hours Teaching Assistants - Appendix B2 Description of Duties and Allocation of Hours Research Assistants - Appendix C1 Employment Contract Amendment Request Teaching Assistants - Appendix C2 Employment Contract Amendment Request Research Assistants - Report on Master s Thesis/Report - Employment Contract - Application for a Student Conference Travel Grant - Campus Map 4 Page

5 INTRODUCTION This guide is prepared to inform graduate students of the rules and regulations specific to the operation of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Information on faculty members and their research activities are available on the Department s webpage at The Undergraduate and Graduate Calendars can be found on the UNB webpage. The UNB Calendars issued by the University and the Student Handbooks issued by the Student Affairs and Services and the Graduate Student Union (Public Service Alliance of Canada - Local 60550) should be consulted for more general information and regulations. 1. ACADEMIC MATTERS 1.1 General General academic regulations for graduate study are outlined in the Graduate Calendar prepared by the School of Graduate Studies. It is the student s responsibility to ensure compliance with these regulations, particularly with respect to course requirements, time limits and deadlines for submission of thesis. Departmental regulations and procedures are given below Registration Procedures The UNB website can lead you to all the information you require to get started Go to: Click: Current students Click: IT Help Click: I m new to UNB Now you may claim your UNB account and . Please ensure your local (Fredericton/Saint John) home address is kept current! You must register each term (Fall, Winter, Intersession and Summer) for your degree course even if you have not yet commenced work on them. Although you may plan to take other courses, it is important on your first day or as soon as possible, to register for the Thesis Course so that other administrative departments see that you are active in the system. Failure to register in these courses may cause a delay in your pay. Most students will register for both fall and winter terms at the same time. Masters s (MEng) ME6995 Masters s Thesis ME6997 PhD Thesis ME6998 To register for your courses, you can access registration through your e-services by: Log into: My UNB e-services Click: Academic tab Click: Course Registration Check the Graduate Course Timetable, Fredericton to check for the thesis course number and synonym. The synonym changes for each term but the course number always stays the same. 5 Page

6 Click: Register for Classes When you have listed your thesis course, (for fall, winter, and Intersession/Summer) scroll down and click submit. Review the resulting screen carefully to ensure that you ve been registered in the appropriate course. If registration for a particular course fails, it will appear with a status of Failed along with the reason. You will need the proper course numbers for each course in which you wish to register. You should consult with your supervisor(s) on the courses you should take each term (whether it is for credit, or extra to degree or audit). When registering for courses, please note the value of course credits for undergraduate courses as described in the section Course Credits. Graduate courses are numbered using the 6000 series. Student ID Card Go to Imaging Services which is located in Marshall D Avray Hall, room 106 to get your student ID card (you will need your student ID when you go to the bank). Set up a Bank Account Most banks will require that you have an appointment to set up an account. Many students will use the Bank of Montreal which is located on campus. However, you can choose any banking institution in Fredericton. When you go to your appointment have the bank give you your chequing account number and at least one blank cheque. (This is needed to complete your Payroll Direct Deposit form required by UNB Human Resources in order for you to be paid.) Visit Financial Services (Graduate Administrator Linda Maher) The Graduate Administrator sets up your payroll, tuition payment, tax information and arranges for your health coverage which is mandatory for all students. If you are receiving an assistantship you can arrange to have your tuition taken out in installments from your pay (tuition deduction form) Course Credits NOTE: A minimum of 50% of your courses must be from the Mechanical Engineering Department, unless you have received permission from your supervisor(s) and have informed the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of your course selections. You must receive a grade of B- or above to receive credit for the courses. A grade of C is considered a failure and may result in terminating your degree program level: 5000 series courses are considered senior undergraduate courses and are offered for graduate credit. Graduate students may be required to complete an extra assignment or equivalent to receive full credit. At the same time, where appropriate, 6000 series courses equivalent to the 5000 series courses will be created with the expectation that graduate students will be expected to perform at a different level than students in the 5000 series version where common lectures are given for both courses. These 6000 series courses will then receive an equivalent or higher credit hour rating. 6 Page

7 Under Special circumstances and with the approval of the supervisor(s) and Director of Graduate Studies will credit be received for 3000 and 4000 level courses: Only half credit will be given for these undergraduate courses taken for credit by Mechanical Engineering graduate students. For example, Math 3243 will be valued at 1.5 credit hours and not 3.0 credit hours as printed in the Undergraduate Calendar. Audit courses: If a course is to be taken on an AUDIT basis, fill out a Graduate Student Course Change Form (found on the SGS webpage under forms). Have the instructor of the course sign where indicated, then return the form to the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Secretary for approval by the DOGS. You can then take the form to the SGS, or the Mechanical Engineering Office can forward it for you by campus mail. Transfer of credits from another degree: Extra credits taken from an undergraduate degree (BScE) should be confirmed by the Registrar s office as an (X) on your transcript. The student should then inform the Graduate School that these credits are to be used towards the next degree. Taking Extra Credit: At times students may want to take extra credits in addition to the courses required for the MScE or PhD requirements. When taking extra courses it is important to remember that if they are not taken as extra to their degree the grade obtained will affect their GPA. It is also possible that if the extra courses are not required by their supervisor(s), UNB may charge additional fees. Students have to complete a Course Change Form for any courses they wish as an extra to their graduate program. The form can be found in the SGS webpage under forms Annual Progress Report The School of Graduate Studies requires all graduate students to complete an annual progress report by the June 1 deadline. A copy of the progress report form can be found in the SGS website under Forms. It is the graduate student s responsibility to have the student and supervisor sections completed and signed before submitting to the Director of Graduate Studies along with a copy of his/her transcript. The Department will then forward the completed form to the SGS. A photocopy of the completed form will be returned to you Student Attendance at University Presentations In an effort to broaden and enhance the academic experience of graduate students it is required that students attend at least FOUR oral presentations per term. The oral presentations can be in other departments and faculties in the University, and can include research proposals and invited lectures (but not class presentations or those associated with conferences). The students will be provided with a form (See appendices or else available in the Mechanical Engineering Office) to present to the session chair for signature indicating attendance. Each term the form will be submitted at the same time as the Annual Progress 7 Page

8 Report and placed in the student s file. For MScE and MEng degrees a minimum of THREE completed forms will be required. For the PhD a minimum of FIVE completed forms will be required for graduation. In total MScE and MEng will require 15 signatures and PhD will require 25 signatures to complete the degree requirements Preparing for Presentations When you are preparing to present either your Thesis Proposal or University Oral, please send the title of your Thesis and a copy of your abstract (University Oral only) to the Secretary of Graduate Studies as soon as possible. A notice of your presentation will be prepared and distributed. If you will need any special multi-media equipment for your presentation, you should reserve it well in advance of the day it will be required. The Graduate Secretary can assist you with this Submission of Theses and Reports The School of Graduate Studies publishes a document entitled Regulations and Guidelines for the Preparation and Submission of Graduate Master s Theses and PhD Dissertations and Reports which should be consulted by the student before starting to write his/her thesis. Copies of this document may be obtained from the Graduate School website. The deadlines for the submission of theses and reports are indicted in the Graduate Calendar along with regulations concerning examining boards and examination procedures. The School of Graduate Studies is quite rigid in these regulations and deadlines, and it is advisable to be familiar with them well in advance of starting to prepare theses and reports. Two copies of the thesis (including the original) should be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies after all corrections suggested by the Reading Committee have been completed. The Director of Graduate Studies is required to certify that the thesis and all submitted copies have been prepared in accordance with current regulations governing the preparation and format of graduate theses. The original and one other copy are required for submission to the School of Graduate Studies for binding. (The two copies are for the Library Archives and the Engineering Library.) If the student or supervisor(s) would like personal copies, these can be taken to the Harriet Irving Library to arrange for binding. The costs of photocopying and binding are usually covered by the student. The two copies should be put in individual blue boxes (available at the SGS) and labeled with your name and degree program. When delivering your thesis to the Graduate School you should bring your completion forms (available from the Graduate Secretary or on the Graduate School website). Make sure they are completed and signed. Graduate School also suggests that you have your photocopies done at Imaging Services and have the orange form Approval of Duplicated Copies of Dissertation/Thesis Report signed by them. If there is a problem with the quality of the photocopies Imaging Services work is 8 Page

9 guaranteed to be the best quality. It is the student s responsibility to ensure that the original and the final copies are in good order before submitting to the Graduate School. List of forms to be submitted with final copies of your thesis: - Checklist for Students Submitting Final Copies: - two Harriet Irving Library Deposit Forms - Dissertation/Thesis/Report Binding Form (for library - white form) - Dissertation/Thesis/Report Binding Form (for personal - pink form) - Non-Exclusive License to Reproduce Theses/Dissertations - Approval of Duplicated Copies of Dissertation/Thesis/Report (orange form) - Report on Master s Thesis/Report (blue form) - Completion of GAU Requirements for Masters Degree or Diploma (yellow form) - Ph.D. only Completion of GAU Requirements for Ph.D. Degree (green form) NOTE: Personal Copies you wish bound. Students are responsible to submit those copies directly to the Harriet Irving Library and pay for the binding. Binding fees are listed on the Personal Binding Form. Please complete the pink form and submit your printed copies in blue boxes, directly to the Circulation desk at the HIL. SGS or supervisory signature is required on the pink binding form to attest that the personal copies are formatted according to the SGS Regulations & Guidelines. Application to Graduate You are required to complete the on-line application to graduate on the Graduation website. There are deadlines to apply, so please visit the website: MEng Departmental Regulations a. General The general requirements for the MEng degree at UNB are written in the Calendar of the School of Graduate Studies or can be found on the UNB website. b. Entrance Requirements Candidates are required to hold a Bachelor s degree with good standing in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics or a related discipline from a recognized university. c. Minimum Course Requirements The minimum course requirement is ten courses (minimum of 30 credit hours). To ensure a diversity of knowledge among our MEng students, two courses must be chosen from Business Administration. A total of 30 credit hours must be completed with the Director of Graduate Studies approval. This should include a minimum of 18 credit hours designated as Technical courses, 6 credit hours of MBA courses, and 6 credit hours as interest courses. A candidate s choice of courses must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies. A candidate may be required to take more than the minimum number of courses, if his/her undergraduate degree is not in mechanical engineering. 9 Page

10 In special circumstances, when extra courses taken during a previous degree are to be transferred, the candidate must receive written approval from the Director of Graduate Studies. They must also request that the School of Graduate Studies transfer these courses. This must be completed within the first term of studies for new degree. ME6810 Mechanical Engineering Research/Design Project Report course (6 credits) is available only when a supervisor is willing and available to oversee the project. d. Introduction to Library Course We strongly recommend that all Mechanical Engineering graduate students take the Information Research for Graduate Engineers course offered by the Engineering Library. You learn about the journal collections and research databases provided at UNB. As well, the course introduces you to some advanced search techniques and to time-saving tools for managing your literature searches and working bibliography. The course also includes a brief introduction to the library and its borrowing policies. A course outline and registration instructions is announced on the Faculty distribution lists shortly after the start of the academic year. Inquiries can be sent by to the library at englib@unb.ca or made in person at the library. e. Time-line The following time-lines should be followed. An MEng degree should normally take approximately 24 months (36 months for part-time) to complete. Candidates unable to meet the deadlines of their time-line are required to inform, at least one month ahead of the deadline, the Director of Graduate Studies of the reasons for the delay. Reason(s) for delays should be noted in the annual progress report. Excessive delays in meeting these deadlines may result in the eventual recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies that the candidate be required to withdraw from the program. Full-Time DATE 1 st Fall & Winter Terms End of 18 months Beyond 24 months Part-Time DATE Each Fall or Winter Term End of 36 months 4 th year and beyond ACTION Completion of at least 6 courses Last date for successful completion of all courses Candidate is required to explain in writing the reason for the delay and get the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies to continue in the program. ACTION Completion of at least 4 courses Last date for successful completion of all courses Candidate is required to explain in writing the reason for the delay and get the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies to continue in the program. 10 Page

11 f. Payment Teaching assistantships may be given to MEng students. For Scholarships, see School of Graduate Studies Calendar. Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) awarded to MEng candidates entitled to receive such assistantship. The period for which a Masters student is eligible to receive a GTA is normally two years from the date of commencement of their academic program. Each assignment will be allocated for approximately 13 weeks/term. Student receiving GTAs undertake work in support of the undergraduate teaching activities of the Department, such as laboratory teaching and marking of laboratory reports and assignments. At the beginning of each term you will receive an application form requesting your course preferences for a GTA. These forms should be completed and returned to the Mechanical Engineering Office and the Director of Graduate Studies will accommodate as many requests as possible. After the GTA course assignments have been allocated you will be required to discuss your duties with the course instructor and jointly you will complete the Description of Duties and Allocation form (Appendix B1). These forms should be given to the Secretary in order to complete your payment forms. You will also be asked to complete the Teaching Assistant Time Sheet. This is for internal use only and the hours submitted will not reflect in your pay. If you feel that you have worked more than the number of hours allocated to you, you should complete the Employment Contract Amendment form (Appendix C1). g. Leave of Absence If necessary, a leave of absence may be granted. Such leave of absence will not count towards the time limit for the completion of the degree. Normally a student can be granted a maximum of one leave during a degree program, for a maximum of 12 months. Leaves may not be granted retroactively. Applications for leave must be made through the Director of Graduate studies, and may be granted only by the Graduate School. 1.3 MScE Departmental Regulations a. General The general requirements for the degree MScE degree at UNB are written in the Calendar of the School of Graduate Studies or can be found on the UNB website. b. Entrance Requirements Candidates are required to hold a Bachelor s degree with good standing in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics or a related discipline from a recognized university. c. Minimum Course Requirements The minimum course requirement is four courses (minimum of 12 credit hours). A candidate s choice of courses must be approved by the thesis supervisor(s). A candidate may be required to take more than the minimum number of courses, if his/her undergraduate degree is not in mechanical engineering. 11 Page

12 In special circumstances, when extra courses taken during a previous degree are to be transferred, the candidate must receive written approval from the supervisor(s) and Director of Graduate Studies. They must also require that the School of Graduate Studies transfer these courses. This must be completed within the first term of studies for new degree. d. Introduction to Library Course We strongly recommend that all Mechanical Engineering graduate students take the Information Research for graduate Engineers course offered by the Engineering Library. You learn about the journal collections and research databases provided at UNB. As well, the course introduces you to some advanced search techniques and to time-saving tools for managing your literature searches and working bibliography. The course also includes a brief introduction to the library and its borrowing policies. A course outline and registration instructions are announced on the Faculty distribution lists shortly after the start of the academic year. Inquiries can be sent by to the library at englib@unb.ca or made in person at the library. e. Research Supervisor Each candidate shall be under the supervision of a Mechanical Engineering faculty member who satisfies the requirements specified by the School of Graduate Studies for full membership in a GAU (Graduate Academic Unit). f. Reading Committee This Committee shall consist of the research supervisor(s), two additional faculty members from the Mechanical Engineering GAU and the Director of Graduate Studies or his/her designate as Chair of the Committee. (A Reader from another department is required for the University Oral Examination only). The Reading Committee approves the research proposal and conducts an Oral Examination of the proposal. The Committee also approves the thesis before the University Oral Examination. g. Thesis The MScE is primarily a research degree. The major emphasis in the program of studies for the Master of Science in Engineering will be on the thesis. The thesis must demonstrate the candidate s competence to undertake independent research work. The thesis must show that the candidate is fully aware of the pertinent published material and it must be written in a satisfactory literary style. The candidate s project definition, research progress and thesis are monitored and assessed through the following mechanisms: (i) The candidate should complete within 12 months of the beginning of his/her program a research proposal, which will Formulate the problem, set out the objectives and the scope of research, and discuss the significance of the work; Critically review the literature on the subject, identifying and interpreting the principal theoretical, computational and/or experimental contributions to the present state of knowledge in relation to the problem to be studied; Propose and discuss plans for obtaining, processing, comparing, and interpreting those data to be derived from experimental, computational, analytical or field investigations; 12 Page

13 Describe the main features of the equipment and/or methodology that will be used or developed for use; and Estimate the amount of time that will be required to complete the main stages of the investigation. The purpose of the proposal report is to inform the Reading Committee of the nature and scope of the research and to provide them with a basis on which to examine the candidate s competence to carry out the program. The Reading Committee for the Proposal will consist of the supervisor(s), and two members of the Mechanical Engineering GAU and the Director of Graduate Studies or his/her designate as Chair of the Committee. The length of the proposal report must not exceed 40 double-spaced pages including graphs and diagrams. The candidate may prepare a supplementary report for his/her own use and for the use of faculty who wish more detailed information; however, a thesis proposal should be concise enough to cover the information described above in less than 40 pages. A short presentation (less than 30 minutes) highlighting the main points of the proposal shall be made by the candidate to the Reading Committee. Normally, the presentation may be attended by other members of the University community. After the presentation, the Reading Committee will conduct an oral examination of the candidate s research proposal and his/her field of study. The decision of the Reading Committee will be PASS or DEFERRED at the first attempt, and PASS or FAIL at the second attempt. The second attempt should take place within three months of the first attempt. On this second attempt an additional faculty member will be added to the Reading Committee. In the event of a FAIL decision, the candidate will be required to withdraw from the program. (ii) Once the Thesis has been written and approved for circulation by the student s supervisor(s) it will be submitted to the Internal Reading Committee along with the Mechanical Engineering Department Form Report on Master s Thesis/Report (see appendices). The Reading Committee will have a maximum of 14 days to return the form stating their decision on the state of the thesis. Once the thesis has been approved by the Internal Reading Committee, the thesis is given to the External Reader and a date is set for the University Oral Examination (no sooner than 7 days after the External Reader receives the thesis). A notice is prepared to advertise the Oral Examination on Campus. The Examining Committee for the University Oral Exam will usually consist of the supervisor(s), 2 members of the Mechanical Engineering GAU, 1 external member from another GAU, and the Director of Graduate Studies or his/her designate as Chair of the Committee. The typical presentation time for a Masters defence is usually 30 minutes. This is followed by two rounds of questions from each member of the examining committee. Each member typically takes about 15 minutes on the first round and a shorter time, for the second. Not all examiners will have questions during the second round, but they should have an opportunity to ask. If time permits, (and the initial question period has not taken more than 1½ hours) there is 13 Page

14 usually an opportunity for a few questions from the members of the audience. The defence is usually completed within about 2 hours and then the examining committee will meet to make their decision. The Oral Examination will assess his/her research contributions, and knowledge of his/her general field of study, and will decide if the thesis should be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies. Normally the presentation may be attended by other members of the University community. h. Time-line The following time-lines, depending on the date of first registration, should be followed. An MScE degree should normally take approximately 24 months to complete. Candidates unable to meet the deadlines of their time-line are required to inform, at least one month ahead of the deadline, their research supervisor(s) and the Director of Graduate Studies of the reasons for the delay. Excessive delays in meeting these deadlines may result in reduction or termination of financial support, or eventual recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies that the candidate be required to withdraw from the program. First-Registration in September DATE ACTION 1 st year, Sept-April Successful completion of course requirements 1 st year, Aug 31 2 nd year, Nov 30 2 nd year, June 30 3 rd year and beyond Last date for successful completion of thesis proposal examination Last date for successful completion of thesis proposal examination second attempt Last date for successful approval from Departmental Reading Committee Candidate is required to meet frequently with the Reading Committee to present and defend his/her progress First-Registration in January DATE ACTION 1 st year, Jan-Dec Successful completion of course requirements 1 st year, Dec 31 2 nd year, March 30 2 nd year, Sept 30 3 rd year and beyond Last date for successful completion of thesis proposal examination Last date for successful completion of thesis proposal examination second attempt Last date for successful approval from Departmental Reading Committee Candidate is required to meet frequently with the Reading Committee to present and defend his/her progress 14 Page

15 First-Registration in May DATE ACTION 1 st year, Sept-April Successful completion of course requirements 1 st year, April 30 2 nd year, July 31 2 nd year, Jan 31 3 rd year and beyond Last date for successful completion of thesis proposal examination Last date for successful completion of thesis proposal examination second attempt Last date for successful approval from Departmental Reading Committee Candidate is required to meet frequently with the Reading Committee to present and defend his/her progress i. Payments Funding for MScE studies is available from one or more of the following University sources: (i) Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) - awarded by the Department, through the thesis supervisor(s), to supplement other sources of student payment. GRAs may not be paid to Qualifying Year students or to Part-Time students. (ii) Graduate Academic Assistantship (GAA) Thesis Related: awarded to students from faculty members research grants or contracts. Thesis related RAs are awards made to a student for research work which forms the basis of the student s thesis. (iii) Research Assistantship (RA) Not Thesis Related: made to a student for work which does not form the basis of the student s thesis. Such work is considered normal outside employment and the time should not exceed 10 hours/week if the student wishes to retain full-time status. The payment of RAs is arranged through Human Resources, not the Graduate School, and is viewed by taxation authorities as being normal employment income. You will be required to complete the Description of Duties and Allocation form (Appendix B2) jointly with your supervisor(s). These forms should be given to the Secretary in order to complete your payment forms. If you feel that you have worked more than the number of hours allocated to you, you should complete the Employment Contract Amendment form (Appendix C2). (iv) Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) awarded to MScE candidates entitled to receive such assistantship. The period for which a Masters student is eligible to receive a GTA is normally two years from the date of commencement of their academic program. Each assignment will be allocated for approximately 13 weeks/term. A student receiving a GTA undertakes work in support of the undergraduate teaching activities of the Department, such as laboratory teaching and marking of laboratory reports and assignments. 15 Page

16 At the beginning of each term you will receive an application form requesting your course preferences for a GTA. These forms should be completed and returned to the Mechanical Engineering Office and the Director of Graduate Studies will accommodate as many requests as possible. After the GTA course assignments have been allocated you will be required to discuss your duties with the course instructor and jointly you will complete the Description of Duties and Allocation form (Appendix B1). These forms should be given to the Secretary in order to complete your payment forms. You will also be asked to complete the Teaching Assistant Time Sheet. This is for internal use only and the hours submitted will not reflect in your pay. If you feel that you have worked more than the number of hours allocated to you, you should complete the Employment Contract Amendment form (Appendix C1). j. Scholarships See School of Graduate Studies website or Calendar. k. Leave of Absence If necessary, a leave of absence may be granted. Such leave of absence will not count towards the time limit for the completion of the degree. Normally a student can be granted a maximum of one leave during a degree program, for a maximum of 12 months. Leaves may not be granted retroactively. Applications for leave must be made through the Director of Graduate Studies, and may be granted only by the Graduate School. 1.4 PhD Departmental Regulations a. General The general requirements for the PhD degree at UNB are written in the Calendar of the School of Graduate Studies and can be found on the UNB website. b. Entrance Requirements Candidates are required to hold a Bachelor s degree with good standing in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics or a related discipline from a recognized university and will normally be required to complete an MScE or MEng degree before registering for a PhD degree. c. Procedure for Transfer from MScE to PhD Program An exceptionally strong student may apply to transfer directly to a PhD Program from the MScE Program, without first completing all the Masters degree requirements. Requests for such a transfer should be made to the Director of Graduate Studies who, if appropriate, will send the Department s recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies for approval. Eligibility (i) The student must have completed an MScE thesis proposal and at least four courses in the MScE Program with a minimum grade of A-. There must not be a grade lower than a B+ on the student s record in the graduate program. (ii) A strong letter of recommendation from the supervisor(s) and the Chair of the MScE thesis committee clearly stating that: - the student has requested a transfer to the PhD Program, - the student s progress has demonstrated exceptional research ability as evidenced by: 16 Page

17 - an outstanding research proposal that exceeds the standard expected of a Master s thesis, - any other accomplishments to date (e.g. journal publication) and the research plan for the PhD Program. (iii) Program Requirements An applicant who is permitted to transfer is subject to course (and additional four courses into the PhD Program) and Qualifying Examination requirements as described in Section 1.4(d) and (i) respectively. To avoid any academic penalty with the transfer, the relevant course work already completed may be credited towards the PhD, and the transfer date may be made effective retroactive to the initial registration date in the MScE Program. d. Minimum Course Requirements The PhD degree will require four courses (minimum of 12 credit hours). A candidate s choice of courses must be approved by the thesis supervisor(s). A candidate may be required to take more than the minimum requirement. In special circumstances, when extra courses taken during a previous degree are to be transferred, the candidate must receive written approval from the supervisor(s) and Director of Graduate Studies. They must also request that the School of Graduate Studies transfer these courses. This must be completed within the first term of studies for new degree. e. Introduction to Library Courses We strongly recommend that all Mechanical Engineering graduate students take the Information Research for Graduate Engineers course offered by the Engineering Library. You learn about the journal collections and research databases provided at UNB. As well, the course introduces you to some advanced search techniques and to time-saving tools for managing your literature searches and working bibliography. The course also includes a brief introduction to the library and its borrowing policies. It is a short non-credit course consisting of 5 one-hour weekly lab-based tutorials. A course outline and registration instructions are announced on the Faculty s distribution lists shortly after the start of the academic year. Inquiries can be sent by to the Library at englib@unb.ca or made in person at the library. f. Exemptions The normal course load for PhD candidates is eight (8) courses from the BScE degree and four (4) courses from the MScE or MEng degree. However, candidates may be exempt from at most two (2) courses under special circumstances such as: - Publication of a journal (one course per paper); - Completion of a comprehensive independent study/project under the supervision of someone other than their supervisor(s) (one special topics course per project); - Credit for graduate level courses taken in other universities; - Relevant industrial report(s) (one course). Requests for exemptions are to be made by the candidate to the Director of Graduate Studies, who will in turn make a decision upon receiving recommendations from the candidate s thesis committee. 17 Page

18 g. Research Supervisor Each candidate for a PhD shall be under the supervision of a Mechanical Engineering faculty member who satisfies the requirements specified by the School of Graduate Studies for full membership in a GAU (Graduate Academic Unit). h. Supervisory and Reading Committees The Supervisory Committee shall consist of the supervisor(s), and two members of the Mechanical Engineering AU and the Director of Graduate Studies or his/her designate as Chair of the Committee. It is expected that in cases where the research project encompasses a wider field, faculty from other departments will be invited to join the committee. The responsibilities of the Supervisory Committee are: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) To act as an advisory group to assist the candidate in his/her research; To meet with the candidate, to discuss his/her research, to offer advice and to monitor the candidate s progress; To evaluate and report on the candidate s written research proposal and progress; To participate in the Departmental Reading Committee for the PhD thesis. At least one additional faculty member from Mechanical Engineering or other department shall join the Supervisory Committee to constitute the Reading Committee for approval of the research proposal of the PhD thesis. i. PhD Qualifying Examination The qualifying examination will include both a written exam and research report with oral examination. The students must have at least one month preparation time. Candidates should take the qualifying examination within 12 months after registering for the PhD degree. The choice of subjects to be examined is to be made by the candidate in consultation with the research supervisor(s). The Director of Graduate Studies will find a suitable GAU member to examine the student on his/her chosen areas. The qualifying examination is intended to test a candidate s understanding of basic concepts in various disciplines of Mechanical Engineering, his/her ability to apply these to engineering problems, and his/her ability to conduct independent and original research. The student s PhD thesis committee will be set up at the time of the Qualifying Examinations and will assist in setting the examining questions. In order to test these abilities adequately the examination is divided into two parts. The first part consists of questions set by an examiner appointed by the Committee in ONE subject area selected from THREE different groups as follows: Group A: Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, or Nuclear Engineering Group B: Dynamics, Kinematics, Vibration, System Dynamics, Controls or Optimization Group C: Material Science, Design of Machine Elements, Manufacturing Engineering, CAD/CAM or Stress Analysis. 18 Page

19 The examination format (written, oral or take home) will be decided by the examiner in consultation with the student and his/her supervisor(s) and the Director of Graduate Studies. After completing part one, students will be given an opportunity to defend their answers during an oral presentation associated with the second part of the qualifying examination. The second part involves submitting, presenting and defending a small (open ended) research project based on ONE subject group selected from the THREE above, and most closely associated with the student s research. To assist in preparing questions for the research report a database of questions should be prepared. The research project will be submitted, presented and defended within one week of the written test (part one). The work presented must be the student s own original material. The maximum length of the written report will be set by the examiners. The presentation will last from minutes followed by questioning. This format of the qualifying examination will test the candidate s ability to conduct research. The examiners (a minimum of two and including the examiner for part one) will be members of the Department with expertise particular to the chosen subject area. The supervisor(s) must be present during the presentation and defence and participate in the examination process. It is expected that the supervisor(s) will provide significant input in the development of the small research project. The candidate s performance in the qualifying examination will be assessed by the examiners in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. The Director of Graduate Studies will compile the results and communicate them to the research supervisor(s). After agreement has been reached, the candidate will be informed of the final outcome on a PASS or FAIL basis with no grade given. Candidates who have not passed the qualifying examination after two attempts will not be permitted to continue in the PhD Program, but may be allowed to enter the MScE Program. j. Thesis The PhD is primarily a research degree. The major emphasis in the program of studies for the Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering will be on the thesis. The thesis must demonstrate the candidate s competence to undertake independent research work. It must contribute significantly to knowledge in the candidate s field of study. The contribution must be of sufficient merit to justify publication in an appropriate scholarly journal. The thesis must show that the candidate is fully aware of the pertinent published material and it must be written in a satisfactory literary style. The candidate s project definition, research progress and thesis are monitored and assessed through the following mechanisms: (i) Meetings of the Supervisory Committee with the candidate, which will be held on request of the candidate, or any member of the Supervisory Committee, normally at least once every year. (ii) The candidate should complete within 24 months of the beginning of his/her PhD Program a research proposal, which will: Formulate the problem, set out the objectives and the scope of research, and discuss the significance of the work; 19 Page

20 Critically review the literature on the subject, identifying and interpreting the principal theoretical, computational and/or experimental contributions to the present state of knowledge in relation to the problem to be studied; Propose and discuss plans for obtaining, processing, comparing and interpreting those data to be derived from experimental, computational, analytical or field investigations; Describe the main feature of the equipment and/or methodology that will be used or developed for use; and Estimate the amount of time that will be required to complete the main stages of the investigation. The purpose of the proposal report is to inform the Reading Committee of the nature and scope of the research and to provide them with a basis on which to examine the candidate s competence to carry out the program. The Reading Committee for the proposal report and Department Thesis Oral Examination shall consist of the research supervisor(s), two members of the Mechanical Engineering GAU and the Director of Graduate Studies or his/her designate as the Chair of the Committee. The length of the proposal report must not exceed 40 double-spaced pages including graphs and diagrams. The candidate may prepare a supplementary report for his/her own use and for the use of faculty who wish more detailed information; however, a thesis proposal should be concise enough to cover the information described above in less than 40 pages. A short presentation (less than 30 minutes) highlighting the main points of the proposal shall be made by the candidate to a Reading Committee which shall consist of the Supervisory Committee and at least one additional faculty member. Normally the presentation may be attended by other members of the University community. After the presentation the Examining Committee will conduct an oral examination of the candidate s research proposal and his/her field of study. The decision of the Reading Committee will be PASS or DEFERRED at the first attempt, and PASS or FAIL at the second attempt. The second attempt should take place within three months of the first attempt. On this second attempt an additional faculty member will be added to the Reading Committee. In the event of a FAIL decision, the candidate will be required to withdraw from the PhD Program. (iii) Following submission of the written thesis, the candidate shall make a presentation (less than 30 minutes) to the Reading Committee for the Departmental PhD Oral Examination. Normally the presentation may be attended by other members of the University Community. This Committee will assess his/her research contributions, and knowledge of his/her general field of study, and will decide if the thesis should be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies for the University Examination. Once the thesis is submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, the Graduate School will forward the thesis to the External Examiner and arrange for a date for the University Oral Exam. The External Examiner is requested to return his/her comments to the School within Page