College of Engineering Graduate Programs
The College of Engineering offers graduate programs of study in bioengineering, chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering as well as engineering science. Requirements for the engineering graduate programs are identified below. In addition, students should familiarize themselves with the general Graduate School requirements (found in a preceding section of this catalog).
Master of Science Programs
The Master's degree programs are intended to provide advanced study in a relevant area of engineering. The programs provide sufficient flexibility to allow students to develop an area of specialization, broaden their educational experience into additional areas of that field of engineering, or synthesize an integrated program of interdepartmental studies. Experience in graduate engineering research and/or design is offered through a thesis or project.
Admission
Application for admission should be made to one of the five engineering departments to study in a specific focus area. Application materials should be sent directly to The University of Toledo Graduate School.
Tobe admitted to a graduate program in the College of Engineering, the applicant must have a Bachelor's degree in engineering, or in the mathematical, physical or biological sciences. Admission is made on an individual basis taking into account the applicant's previous academic record, the intended area of study, and the specific needs and capacity of the department. Individual departments may have additional requirements, which are listed in the department description. Generally, a GPA of at least 3.0 is required for admission. Applicants having a GPA between 2.70 and 3.00 who demonstrate potential for graduate study may be admitted on a provisional or other basis at the option of the department. All students from non-English speaking countries must submit scores for the TOEFL and the aptitude section of the GRE.
Plan of Study
A minimum of 30 hours of approved graduate study is required for a master's degree. The student may elect to do a thesis or a non-thesis degree. If a thesis degree is elected, 9 thesis credits are required. A non-thesis degree may include a project yielding up to 6 credits. A plan of study that specifies the entire master's program to include thesis, project and graduate course work as well as any specified preparatory undergraduate course work is to be developed by the student working with his/her adviser. This plan of study is to be submitted for review and approval to the department's Graduate Director, the Department Chairperson and the Graduate School before 10 graduate credits are completed. Graduate course work is selected from that available in engineering, math, science, business and related fields to include required core courses and/or to satisfy course category restrictions specified by the individual programs. Students should consult the departmental program descriptions for additional requirements.
Doctoral Degree Program
The Doctor of Philosophy program in the College of Engineering is intended for academically outstanding students with an appropriate bachelor's degree. The program requires the completion and defense of a significant, original research dissertation. Potential fields of study are designated as areas of research focus by individual departments. Potential concentrations are: bioengineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer science and engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering and mechanical engineering.
Admission
Application procedures and general requirements for admission to the doctoral programs are described elsewhere in this catalog. The completed University of Toledo Graduate School application form and all required accompanying materials should be sent directly to the Graduate School.
The Graduate Program Director of the department that houses the student's proposed area of study will make the admission decision subject to department policies and review by the Graduate School. Therefore, the applicant should clearly indicate an area of intended concentration and/or the department of intended study. The criteria for admission include: the baccalaureate and previous graduate record (grades and curricular content), the student's potential for success as indicated by professional references and relevant post-baccalaureate experience and, for international students, the scores on required standardized tests.
Most successful applicants will have completed a Master's degree in the intended area of study or a closely related field. For applicants with an outstanding undergraduate record and without a M.S. degree, direct admission to the doctoral program is available. Applicants seeking direct admission must satisfy all prerequisites for graduate study in the intended field of study and must have achieved an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0.
Advisory Committee
Doctoral students, in consultation with the Graduate Program Director and Department Chairperson, should select an adviser during their first term of study. Since the adviser is expected to become the student's dissertation supervisor, selection should be based on mutual agreement and common interests with the expectation that student and adviser can work effectively together. Notification of the adviser's appointment should be forwarded for approval to the department's Graduate Program Director, the college's Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies and the Graduate School.
When the student and adviser have agreed on a general area for the dissertation within the first year of study, an Advisory Committee should be appointed, subject to the approval of the Graduate Program Director and Department Chairperson. This committee requires a minimum of five graduate faculty members, at least one of whom must be outside the focus area and another outside the department of the adviser. The duties of the Advisory Committee include: developing a plan of study that will prepare the student in the chosen field and facilitate successful completion of the dissertation, reviewing and approving the dissertation proposal, advising and assisting in the completion of the dissertation research and preparation of the manuscript, and conducting the dissertation defense.
Plan of Study
The Advisory Committee's first responsibility is to develop and submit for approval a doctoral program study plan, which meets all University, college and departmental requirements. This document specifies the course work and other requirements for the Ph.D. degree; it sets a tentative schedule for the examinations, and for presentation and defense of the dissertation proposal. Submission of this study plan for approval to the Graduate Director, the Department Chairperson and the Graduate School also accomplishes official appointment of the Advisory Committee.
The plan of study requires a minimum of 45 credit hours each of dissertation and course work. (Students admitted to the Ph.D. program with an M.S. degree are granted up to 30 course work credits for their M.S. degree.) Course work must also satisfy core course and other requirements specified for the student's focus area by the department.
Residence Requirement
The minimum residence requirement for the Ph.D. degree is the completion of one academic year of full-time study and/or research conducted at The University of Toledo. This requirement will be met by the completion of 24 dissertation or course work credits in two consecutive semesters while in residence at the university.
Examinations
Atthe discretion of the student's department, either a qualifying examination or a comprehensive examination or both will be required prior to admission to candidacy. Please refer to departmental and University requirements for details of the qualifying or comprehensive examinations.
Admission to Candidacy
When notified that the required examination(s) have been passed, qualifying or comprehensive, and all other departmental requirements for candidacy are fulfilled, the student should initiate an admission to candidacy form through the adviser. The form requires the approval of the Graduate Program Director and Department Chairperson before it is submitted to the Graduate School.
Dissertation Proposal
The student, working with the adviser, develops a detailed written dissertation proposal for presentation to the advisory committee. The proposal should state the objectives, provide appropriate background and describe the general approach to be used to accomplish the research in a clear and complete manuscript. Specific procedures and details for the timing, preparation, distribution and defense of the proposal are provided within each department's requirements. An approved copy of the final corrected proposal manuscript, signed by each member of the advisory committee, is to be kept in the student's file.
Dissertation Defense
After the dissertation proposal has been approved by the adviser and committee, the student carries out the dissertation plan. When the adviser and student believe that the work is complete and ready for defense, a dissertation manuscript is prepared with the adviser providing criticism and feedback until both the adviser and the student believe that the document is ready for publication.
The student distributes the final adviser-approved manuscript and schedules a defense before the advisory committee. The defense is open to the public no sooner than two weeks after the manuscript is delivered to the committee. Notice of the exam should be sent to the departmental Graduate Director, Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies and the Graduate School and posted on College of Engineering bulletin boards.
Following the examination, the advisory committee will vote on whether to approve the dissertation and its defense. If more than one committee member casts a negative vote, the student has failed the examination. The committee will advise the student on what additions or corrections are necessary before another defense would be scheduled. When the examination is passed, there are generally errors to correct and/or suggestions for improvement to be implemented before final approval of the document. When the final corrected, signed dissertation is submitted to the Graduate School through the Graduate Director and the Department Chairperson, the student is certified for graduation.