General Requirements

Grades The letter grade symbols used for grading graduate students in the School of Engineering and Applied Science are: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F. To obtain a graduate degree in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, an individual must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on all graded graduate course work taken at the University of Virginia while a graduate student, and graduate courses taken as an undergraduate at the University of Virginia if the courses are listed on a program of studies and are used to satisfy requirements for a graduate degree. No grade lower than a C is acceptable toward meeting the requirements for a graduate degree. If a course is repeated, both grades are used in computing the overall grade average. Undergraduate courses and courses taken on a Credit/No Credit basis may not be used to meet requirements for a graduate degree and are not used in computing the grade average. A 10-day period past the end of the semester (end of the examination period) is automatically allowed to remove an incomplete. A maximum extension to the end of the subsequent semester (the following fall for a spring class and spring for a fall class) may be granted upon special request to the dean’s office.

Quality of Work Graduate degrees are not conferred merely upon the basis of the number of courses passed, nor the length of time spent in residence or in research, but primarily on the basis of the quality and scope of the candidate’s knowledge and power of investigation in a chosen field of study. Unsatisfactory work during any semester or an overall grade average of less than B may be considered sufficient reason for withdrawal of financial assistance, or for enforced withdrawal from the graduate program. Graduate students are considered to be on probation if their cumulative grade point average for graduate work is less than 3.0 and they are notified of this by the dean’s office. Graduate students are subject to dismissal if their cumulative grade point average is not raised to 3.0 within one semester.

Research All graduate students conducting research must register for the appropriate research course. Credits are assigned to this course in such a way that the total number of credits for which the student is registered reflects the fraction of time devoted to progress toward a degree. Students must register for a minimum of six credits of research for the Master of Science (thesis) degree and 24 credits of research for the Ph.D. degree. In many cases, research in excess of these minimum requirements, particularly for the Ph.D. degree, is desirable. Project research for the Master of Engineering or Master of Applied Science (non-thesis) degrees is encouraged and, in some curricula, required.

Time Limit For Graduate Degrees The student must complete all the requirements for a Master of Science degree within five years after admission to the graduate program, and he or she must complete all requirements for a Master of Engineering degree within seven years after admission to the graduate program. All requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must be completed within seven years after admission to the doctoral program. Expired credits may be revalidated with approval from the advisor, the appropriate department graduate committee or department chair, graduate studies committee, and the Office of the Dean.

Right to Petition In certain cases there may be extenuating circumstances that cause a deviation from the requirements for the master’s or doctoral degrees. A student has the right to petition the Committee on Graduate Studies requesting such a deviation from the normal requirements. This petition should be in writing and endorsed by both the student’s advisor and department chair.

Transfer Credit

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Transfer credit, as described below, will be considered for acceptance toward a degree in the Graduate School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Master of Science Candidates may include a maximum of six credits of graduate course transfer credit on their program of study at the University of Virginia. These graduate courses must have been completed at another school of recognized standing. They cannot have been used to satisfy requirements for another degree, and only courses with a grade of B or better may be transferred. All requests for the inclusion of transfer credit in the University of Virginia program of study are subject to the approval of the candidate’s academic department and the Office of the Dean for Graduate Programs.

Master of Engineering Candidates may include a maximum of 12 credits of graduate course transfer credit in their program of study at the University of Virginia. These graduate courses must have been completed at another school of recognized standing. They cannot have been used to satisfy requirements for another degree, and only courses with a grade of B or better may be transferred. All requests for the inclusion of transfer credit in the University of Virginia program of study are subject to the approval of the candidate’s academic department and the Office of the Dean.

Doctor of Philosophy Candidates transfer of courses from other schools of recognized standing must be submitted for approval in the program of study.

Air Force and Army ROTC

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Graduate students in the School of Engineering and Applied Science are eligible to participate in the Air Force and Army ROTC programs. Inquiries concerning enrollment in the Air Force ROTC should be addressed to the Professor of Air Science, Varsity Hall. Inquiries concerning enrollment in the Army ROTC should be addressed to the Professor of Military Science, Room B-030, New Cabell Hall. Air and Military Science courses are described in the Undergraduate Record.

M.E.-M.B.A. Joint Degree Program

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The objective of the joint M.E.-M.B.A. degree program is the development of leaders with business administration skills and solid technical expertise. The M.E. degree provides a foundation in engineering or applied science well above the normal undergraduate level. The M.B.A. develops the functional areas of business by teaching the essential behavioral and quantitative sciences that apply to management, as well as the techniques of management decision making. The combined degrees provide the knowledge required for a wide range of business applications.

A student must be admitted to both degree programs and satisfy nearly all of the requirements for both degrees. Typically, the overall program length is reduced by one semester compared to the total time for attaining both degrees separately.

In order to obtain this reduction in the number of credits, the student cannot stop after one degree but must finish both degrees. If the student decides to drop out of the joint degree program, the full requirements of one of the degree programs must be met.

Students in the M.E.-M.B.A. Joint Degree Program are required to complete 24 credits for the Master of Engineering degree in SEAS and 69 credits for the Master of Business Administration degree in the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration. Of the 24 credits in SEAS, 21 credits will be normal course work and 3 credits will be a project course taken in an appropriately numbered course. A minimum of 12 credits of course work must be taken in the major department, with a maximum of 6 credits at the 500 level. None of the 24 credits may include a course taken in the Darden School. The project must have one advisor from SEAS and another from the Darden School.

Master of Science

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The Master of Science degree is a graduate research degree that introduces students to research at the graduate level. A full-time student may be able to complete the program in one and one-half calendar years. The School of Engineering and Applied Science offers instruction leading to degrees in biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, engineering physics, materials science and engineering, mechanical and aerospace engineering, and systems engineering.

The department chair appoints an advisor to each graduate student for consultation in preparing a program of study. This program should be approved by the advisor and the department chair, and submitted to the Office of the Dean by the end of the first semester of graduate study. Graduate credit is not automatically granted for courses completed before the program of study is approved. Any later change in the program of study must be submitted for approval. Approval of a program of study does not obligate the University to offer the courses listed, as all graduate courses are offered subject to sufficient enrollment. Candidates who complete the degree requirements and are approved by the faculty are presented for degrees at the University’s first scheduled graduation exercise following completion of the requirements.

Degree Requirements A candidate for the Master of Science degree must:

Master of Engineering

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The Master of Engineering degree is a graduate professional degree. It enhances the professional instruction of the bachelor’s program in engineering or applied science, providing greater knowledge and deeper understanding in a specific field. A full-time student should be able to complete the degree program in one calendar year. The School of Engineering and Applied Science offers instruction leading to the degree of Master of Engineering in biomedical engineering; chemical engineering; civil engineering; computer engineering, electrical engineering; mechanical and aerospace engineering; and systems engineering.

The degrees of Master of Computer Science, Master of Engineering Physics, and Master of Materials Science and Engineering are also offered.

The department chair appoints an advisor to each graduate student for consultation in preparing a program of study. This program must be approved by the advisor and the department chair and submitted to the Office of the Dean by the end of the first semester of graduate study.

Degree Requirements A candidate for the Master of Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering Physics, or Materials Science and Engineering must:

Accelerated Master’s Degree in Systems an Information Engineering

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The Accelerated Master’s Degree in Systems and Information Engineering is designed to enable working professionals to become systems thinkers and problem solvers through a unique blend of formal education integrated with personal work experience. Responding to the needs of industry and individuals alike, this one-year Accelerated Master’s Program enables professionals to earn their degrees without career interruption.

The program’s focus is on information proficiency, systems thinking and decision analytics. The curriculum introduces and explores systems methodologies through real-world case studies firmly focused on problem-solving using both analytical and theoretical modeling approaches throughout.

Taught by full-time faculty of the Department of Systems and Information Engineering and the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, the program format includes one full week in residence in late May, twenty weekends (Fridays and Saturdays) throughout the year, and a final week in residence during the following April. Tuition covers courses, books, software, lodging and meals.

The program has four core courses: Introduction to Systems Engineering (SYS 601), Systems Integration (SYS 602), Enterprise Analysis and Modeling (SYS 603) and Probabilistic Modeling (SYS 605). Additional elective courses include data analysis and forecasting, risk analysis and modeling, information systems architecture and decision analysis among others. Prerequisites include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, calculus (2 semesters), probability and statistics (calculus-based), linear algebra (or equivalent) and computer programming. Applicants must take the GRE general exam.

Part-time Graduate Students

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Those students who wish to pursue a graduate degree in the School of Engineering and Applied Science on a part-time basis must be approved for admission to the degree program by the department or program offering the degree, and they must meet all admission requirements for full-time degree students. Part-time students taking on-Grounds courses for degree credit must register through the School of Engineering and Applied Science, not through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. A maximum of six credits of graduate course work taken on-Grounds through continuing and professional studies prior to admission to a graduate degree program may be accepted as credit toward degree requirements.

Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program (CGEP)

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In addition to the resident Master of Engineering degree program conducted on the Grounds of the University of Virginia, the School of Engineering and Applied Science offers the following six degrees through the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program: Master of Engineering in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Systems Engineering; Master of Engineering Physics, and Master of Materials Science and Engineering.

Regular graduate courses are taught via videoconferencing throughout the Commonwealth and to selected out-of-state locations. This two-way video/two-way audio capability provides professors and students on-Grounds the ability to communicate with off-Grounds students at remote classroom sites. Serving as off-Grounds receive sites are Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, George Mason University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Old Dominion University, Mary Washington College, and Shenandoah University, as well as the Centers for Higher Education in Roanoke, Lynchburg, Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, Abingdon, and Halifax/South Boston. Additionally, certain companies and government agencies have established classrooms at their locations and participate in this graduate engineering program.

Each of the six departments in this program has an appointed advisor who consults with students on curriculum and any special circumstances that might arise with participating working professionals. Students’ programs of study must be approved by their advisors and the associated department chairs and be submitted to the Office of the Dean.

Degree requirements are the same as mentioned in the previous Master of Engineering section, except that an additional three transfer credits from Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, Old Dominion University, or Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University may be included in the candidate’s program of study.

Graduate courses with grades of C or better taken for graduate credit at participating institutions may be transferred toward meeting the requirement of the Master of Engineering degree.

All graduate courses taken for degree credit through the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program, including transfer courses from the participating institutions, are included in the student’s grade point average.

Doctor of Philosophy

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The School of Engineering and Applied Science offers instruction leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Civil Engineering; Computer Engineering; Computer Science; Electrical Engineering; Engineering Physics; Materials Science and Engineering; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; and Systems Engineering.

An advisory committee for each doctoral student is appointed by the Office of the Dean upon recommendation of the chair of the student’s department or curriculum area. At least one member of the advisory committee is from outside the student’s department and major curriculum study area. The committee meets with the student as soon as possible to assist in planning a detailed program of study and research. The committee recommends a program of formal courses, discusses research objectives and research plans with the student, and advises the student on the areas in which he or she must take Ph.D. examinations. The committee meets with the student as needed to review progress and, if necessary, to assist the student in revising the program of study.

1. Degree Requirements The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is conferred by the School of Engineering and Applied Science primarily in recognition of breadth of scholarship, depth of research, and ability to investigate problems independently. A candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must:

Virginia Consortium of Engineering and Science Universities (VCES)

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The College of William and Mary, Old Dominion University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Virginia are involved in a cooperative program of graduate engineering and applied science education and research. This effort focuses on the needs of the NASA Langley Research Center and Newport News Shipbuilding and is also intended to serve others in the Peninsula region of the state. This consortium is intended to provide a resident graduate program that emphasizes study for the Ph.D. degree in engineering and applied science and a M.S. degree in naval architecture.

The program complements the Virginia Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program, which already serves the region by providing, via videoconferencing, courses leading to the Master of Engineering degree. VCES offerings include Ph.D.-level courses broadcast to and from the Peninsula region. The program also includes course offerings taught by resident faculty and adjunct faculty experts from NASA and Newport News Shipbuilding at its regional location in Hampton. Course offerings and research are concentrated in the areas of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Science and Mechanics, Materials Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Applied Science.

With the consortium agreement, a student may include 50 percent transfer courses in his or her program of study provided those courses are taught by faculty of the member universities. Accordingly, the student then receives his degree from the institution of his major advisor. The Ph.D. degree requirements are the same as mentioned in the Doctor of Philosophy section, with the exception that residency in Charlottesville is not required

National Institute of Aerospace (NIA)

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The University of Maryland, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Georgia Tech, and the University of Virginia are participating in a cooperative program of graduate engineering and applied science education and research centered in the Tidewater area of Virginia. This effort focuses upon research and education opportunities found at the NASA Langley Research Center. It is intended to allow students to pursue M.S. and Ph.D. degrees based upon research conducted at the NASA Langley facility. Students in the NIA program must be U.S. citizens, enroll in the graduate program of one of the six participating schools (their "home institution"), reside in the Tidewater area, and work on a research project at NASA Langley under the guidance of a faculty member at their home institution. Using distance learning technology, students in the NIA program are able to take graduate classes from the six participating schools (the "NIA universities"). A student’s program of study may include 50 percent transfer courses provided that those courses are taught by faculty of the NIA universities. Upon successful completion of the program, a student receives a degree from her or his home institution. Other M.S. and Ph.D. degree requirements are the same as mentioned in the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy sections, with the exception that residency in Charlottesville is not required.