MS in Engineering  – 2005-07 Catalog
College
of Engineering
Engineering Bldg. (13), Room 266
(805) 756-2131

PROGRAMS

MS Engineering with Specializations in:
Biochemical Engineering
Bioengineering
Biomedical Engineering
Integrated Technology Management
Materials Engineering
Water Engineering

Blended BS+MS Programs

Joint Programs:
Engineering Management Specialization, MBA/MS Engineering
Transportation Planning Specialization, MCRP/MS Engineering

General Characteristics

The Master of Science degree program in Engineering has the following objectives:

   Provide preparation for further study in engineering, leading to the Doctor of Engineering or Ph.D. degree.

   Provide an empowering terminal professional degree for students who intend to become practicing engineers, a degree that not only retains the strong laboratory emphasis and industrial interaction found in the BS curriculum, but which also provides an attractive, efficient educational option to undergraduate students.

   Provide job-entry education for the more complex and evolving interdisciplinary areas of engineering, such as research and development, innovative design, systems analysis and design, bio-engineering, biomedical engineering, manufacturing, mechatronics, and engineering management.

   Update and upgrade opportunities for practicing engineers.

   Allows graduates to maintain currency in their fields.

Prerequisites
For admission as a classified graduate student, an applicant should hold a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a closely related physical science with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in the last 90 quarter units (60 semester units) attempted. Applicants for graduate engineering programs are required to submit scores for the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination. An applicant who meets these standards but lacks prerequisite coursework may be admitted as a conditionally classified student and must make up any deficiencies before advancement to classified graduate standing.

Program of Study
Graduate students must file formal study plans with their advisor, department, college, and university graduate studies office no later than the end of the quarter in which the 12th unit of approved courses is completed.

The formal program of study must include a minimum of 45 units (at least 23 of which must be at the 500 level) with a specialization in one of the following areas: Biochemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Integrated Technology Management, Materials Engineering, or Water Engineering.

Requirements
The broad curriculum requirements for the Master of Science degree in Engineering are:

a)  a minimum of 24 units in the field of specialization, with at least 18 units at the 500 level;

b) a minimum of 9 units from an approved list of mathe-matics, statistics, computer science, or analytic engineering courses, with at least 3 units at the 500 level;

c)  remaining units taken from a list of approved electives;

d) at least 23 units of the 45 unit program at the 500 level.

In some specializations, two program options are available: a thesis program which requires coursework, a thesis and oral defense of thesis; or a non-thesis option which involves additional coursework and a comprehensive examination. The non-thesis option is normally allowed only for those students who have completed a senior project or have had significant engineering project experience.

Joint Programs

The College of Engineering offers two joint programs:  in conjunction with the Orfalea College of Business, the MBA/MS Engineering, with a specialization in Engineering Management; and with the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (City and Regional Planning Department), the MCRP/MS Engineering, with a specialization in Transportation Planning.

Other Graduate Engineering Programs

In addition to the MS in Engineering, the college also offers several other graduate programs:  MS Aerospace Engineering, MS Civil and Environmental Engineering, MS Computer Science, MS Electrical Engineering, MS Industrial Engineering, and MS Mechanical Engineering. Information regarding these programs is listed with the respective department.