Degree
Requirements Master of Science Degree
The graduate program
for the M.S. degree must include a total of at least 30 credits. Subject
to the approval by the graduate program coordinator and the graduate
school, a maximum of 10 credits of high-quality graduate work done at
an accredited U.S. institution may be applied toward the requirements
for the master's degree.
A minimum of six research credits is required. The minimum
number of formal course credits (excluding seminar—MATSE 590),
required is 18 for all students, and the type and level of these courses
are usually determined between the student
and the advisor. All candidates for advanced degrees are also expected
to attend the MATSE 590 colloquium.
A
thesis describing independent research performed by the student shall
be written and defended in an oral examination. Bound copies will be
made available for the University Library and the thesis advisor. A thesis
committee shall administer the final oral examination of the thesis.
The committee shall consist of at least three (3) graduate faculty. At
least two (2) of these members must belong to the iMatSE Graduate Program.
M.S. Requirements (Summary)
Minimum total credits: 30
Minimum research credits: 6
Minimum formal course credits: 18
Minimum 500-level credits: 12
Seminar: 2 credits/year
Minimum GPA: 3.0
Thesis requirement: A written thesis and an oral defense administered
by a committee of 3 faculty members with 2 from the iMatSE Graduate Program.
Doctoral Degree Requirements
The general requirements are based upon a period of residence, the writing
of a satisfactory thesis and its acceptance by the doctoral committee
and the Graduate School, the passing of the comprehensive examination.
A doctoral program consists of a combination of courses, seminars and
research that fulfills the minimum requirements of the Graduate School
and is approved by the doctoral committee for each individual student.
A master's degree is not a prerequisite for the doctorate. However, the
first year of graduate study leading to the Ph.D. may be the same as
that provided for the M.S. degree. Acceptance into the Ph.D. program
is based on the student's performance on the Ph.D. candidacy exam, which
is administered by a graduate candidacy exam committee of the program.
Although there is no specified requirement by the graduate school for
the number of course credits for a Ph.D. degree, THE DEPARTMENT REQUIRES
A MINIMUM OF 18 CREDITS OF 500-LEVEL COURSES (excluding seminar—MATSE
590), for completing a doctoral
degree. The specific courses are determined by the student and the advisor
in consultation with the student’s doctoral committee. A student
with a M.S. degree from Penn State can use the 500-level credits earned
during his or her M.S. study to partially fulfill the course requirement.
Upon approval by the doctoral committee and the graduate program chair
or co-chair, a student with an M.S. degree from another university may
use a maximum of 10 credits from that school to partially fulfill the
course
requirement.
Candidacy exam:
(Offered
twice a year: at the beginning of Spring and Fall semesters)
See Graduate Student Handbook
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Minimum formal course requirement (This
is not required by the university, but required by the
program):
18 credits of 500-level courses after B.S. (the list of courses to
be taken is determined by the advisor and a thesis committee made
up of at least 2 from the iMatSE Graduate Program and at least 1
outside the program for a minimum of 4) |
Comprehensive exam:
Progress report and thesis proposal (5-10 pages) provided to the
student’s Doctoral committee. The committee consists of a
minimum of four members, at least one outside of the iMatSE program,
and at least two from within the iMatSE Program. An oral
presentation is given to the research committee, followed by questions
on the
written and oral presentations. |
Seminar: 2 credits of
MATSE 590 per year
Minimum GPA: 3.0
Thesis: A written thesis and
an oral defense administrated by the Doctoral
committee |
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English Competency Requirements
Formal evaluation of English competency takes place at the time of the
Ph.D. candidacy examination to satisfy graduate school requirements.
Any student requiring remediation of English after the formal evaluation
will be reevaluated at the next earliest candidacy exam date possible.
The student must demonstrate English competency before scheduling the
Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination. There are English courses available
to help students to improve their speaking and writing skills. Initial
evaluation of spoken English is done through the Department of ESL.
Ph.D. Core Courses
No specific core courses are required for the Ph.D. degree. Instead,
students, in consultation with their advisors and Ph.D. committee, shall
select courses suited to their individual interests and needs.
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