This is a draft of the minutes from today’s ME field meeting. We ran out of time and thus the ME field review of students will commence next week at an ADDITIONAL field meeting.
- Item #1: By unanimous consent, the field rules, under section “Minor in Mechanical Engineering” were changed as follows:
old version:
Minor in Mechanical Engineering
Ph.D. students majoring in other graduate fields may take a minor in Mechanical Engineering. Usually four graduate courses in Mechanical Engineering are taken for credit to fulfill the minor.
new version:
Mechanical Engineering Minor Subject
Ph.D. students pursuing a Ph.D. in other graduate fields may study Mechanical Engineering as a Minor Subject. Faculty serving as Minor Committee Members representing the ME field usually require that students take four graduate courses in Mechanical Engineering are taken for credit to complete study of ME as a Minor Subject.
- Item #2: Malte Jung’s application for field membership was approved by vote.
- Item #3: Itai Cohen’s application for field membership was approved by vote.
- Item #4: A motion was passed by vote that the Field Rules be amended regarding the MS program as follows:
old version:
Master of Science (M.S.)
Registration Units
Two registration units are required for an M.S. degree with a Thesis, and four registration units are required for a M.S. degree without a Thesis.Time-to-Degree
All requirements for the M.S. degree must be completed within four years.The field of Mechanical Engineering does not admit students into an M.S.-only degree program. The Field may grant an M.S. degree in any of the following circumstances.
Non-Thesis M.S.
A Non-Thesis M.S. degree may be awarded to a doctoral student who has earned at least four registration units and one of the following:
1. has successfully completed the A-Exam,
2. has withdrawn from the Ph.D. program after failing the A-Exam, but performed at a level commensurate to a passed Final Exam for an M.S. degree,
3. has successfully completed a Final Examination for the M.S. degree, but will not continue in the Ph.D. program.
M.S. with Thesis
An M.S. degree (with Thesis) may be awarded to a doctoral student who has earned at least two registration units, and either:
1. with the approval of the Special Committee, writes an M.S. Thesis and successfully completes an M.S. Examination before continuing on with the Ph.D. program. (The M.S. Examination may be combined with the A-Exam.)
2. submits a “Change of Program” to an M.S. degree, submits a Thesis, and takes a M.S. Examination. The student does not continue in the Ph.D. program.Subjects
One major and one minor subject are required for the M.S. degree. If the minor is within the Mechanical Engineering Field, it must be chosen in an area that is substantially different from that of the major.Special Committee
A minimum of two faculty members compose the committee. The chairman represents the major subject and another appropriate faculty member represents the minor subject. A thesis advisor, not representing a subject area, may be added.Examinations
A final examination conducted by the Special Committee is required for an M.S. with thesis. At the committee’s discretion, this examination may be entirely oral or both oral and written, and a portion of the examination may be opened as a public presentation of the thesis. At least two faculty members must be present at the final examination.
Thesis
Candidates for the M.S. degree (with thesis) are required to submit a thesis based on the work in their major subject. Each candidate must provide one bound copy of the thesis to be held in the Sibley School collection, in addition to those copies required by the Graduate School.Other
There is no language requirement or teaching requirement for an M.S. degree.
new version:
Master of Science (M.S.)
Registration Units
Four registration units are required for a M.S. degree. Students may petition the DGS to reduce MS degree registration unit requirements to three if they begin their MS study while completing their BS degree in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The DGS may approve this petition at his/her discretion. The DGS may also reduce MS degree registration unit requirements to two if a student transfers from the PhD program to the MS program.Time-to-Degree
All requirements for the M.S. degree must be completed within four years.The Field may grant an M.S. degree in any of the following circumstances.
Terminal M.S. with thesis
Students may be admitted directly to terminal MS program with thesis. These students must meet the following requirements:
- four registration units
- completion of an MS thesis and successful completion of an MS examination. The collective expectations of the field, as interpreted by the MS thesis committee, is that the MS thesis should be publishable as independent research or should be a significant secondary author contribution to a publication with another researcher as first author.
- 48 credits total
- at least 20 credits of MAE 8900
- at least 2 credits of MAE 7999
- at least 15 credits at 5000 level or higher
- at least 6 credits at 6000 level or higher (not including 7999 or 8900)
Non-Thesis M.S.
A Non-Thesis M.S. degree may be awarded to a doctoral student who has earned at least four registration units and one of the following:
1. has successfully completed the A-Exam,
2. has withdrawn from the Ph.D. program after failing the A-Exam, but performed at a level commensurate to a passed Final Exam for an M.S. degree,
3. has successfully completed a Final Examination for the M.S. degree, but will not continue in the Ph.D. program.
M.S. with Thesis
An M.S. degree (with Thesis) may be awarded to a doctoral student who has earned at least two registration units, and either:
1. with the approval of the Special Committee, writes an M.S. Thesis and successfully completes an M.S. Examination before continuing on with the Ph.D. program. (The M.S. Examination may be combined with the A-Exam.)
2. submits a “Change of Program” to an M.S. degree, submits a Thesis, and takes a M.S. Examination. The student does not continue in the Ph.D. program.
Subjects
One major and one minor subject are required for the M.S. degree. If the minor is within the Mechanical Engineering Field, it must be chosen in an area that is substantially different from that of the major.Special Committee
A minimum of two faculty members compose the committee. The chairman represents the major subject and another appropriate faculty member represents the minor subject. A thesis advisor, not representing a subject area, may be added.Examinations
A final examination conducted by the Special Committee is required for an M.S. with thesis. At the committee’s discretion, this examination may be entirely oral or both oral and written, and a portion of the examination may be opened as a public presentation of the thesis. At least two faculty members must be present at the final examination.
Other
There is no language requirement or teaching requirement for an M.S. degree.