Graduate School

*NOTE: The Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biomedical Engineering are offered through a joint academic program with The University of Tennessee, Memphis, School of Biomedical Engineering.

Individual program requirements described in The University of Memphis Graduate Catalog, 2007-2008, are subject to change. Please consult your department or the Office of the Graduate School for changes that may occur before publication of the next issue of this Catalog. Every graduate student is expected to comply with the general requirements of the Graduate School (see Admissions Regulations, Academic Regulations, and Minimum Degree Requirements) and the program requirements of the degree being pursued (see departmental listings in this section).

The Herff College of Engineering offers graduate programs at the masters and doctoral levels through its departments of Biomedical, Civil, Electrical and Computer, and Mechanical Engineering. In addition, a masters program in engineering technology is offered through the Department of Engineering Technology. Students enrolled in the college at the masters level work toward the Master of Science (MS) degree. The doctoral program of the college leads to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) after successful completion of study and research in one of the following four areas: biomedical, civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering. Candidates for all degrees must follow a curriculum plan that has been approved at the departmental level and by the Director of Graduate Studies of the College.

The masters degree programs provide opportunity for advanced study in various areas of engineering of current importance. Flexibility is provided in that students have the option of a thesis or non-thesis program.

Program objectives are the ability to: (1) apply advanced knowledge of mathematics, physical sciences, and engineering principles to the solution of practical engineering problems; (2) meet or exceed the needs and expectations of public and private sector employers for MS graduates; and (3) pursue additional advanced studies if so desired.

Admission Requirements

Applicants will be considered for admission to the masters program based upon a common set of criteria. These are the applicant’s attainment of an appropriate bachelors degree, the score earned on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and the undergraduate grade point average (GPA). The GPA used is either the cumulative or the last 60 semester hours of applicable courses earned toward a degree.

In addition to meeting the University minimum admission requirements, applicants must meet the following criteria established by this College.

The applicant must have:

1. appropriate bachelors degree as determined by the admitting department.
2. an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5.
3. an acceptable score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE as established by their department or program of study.

In addition to the above requirements, applicants whose native language is other than English must score at least 550 (or 210 computer-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Applicants are further advised that the admission requirements for the College are minimum requirements. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission into a specific departmental Masters program.

Retention Requirements

Refer to the individual program descriptions of each department.

Graduation Requirements

Refer to the individual program descriptions of each department.

The Herff College of Engineering offers a program leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) with a major in Engineering and concentrations in biomedical, civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering. In addition the College offers a course of study leading to a degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) with a major in Biomedical Engineering through a joint academic program with The University of Tennessee, Memphis School of Biomedical Engineering.

Program objectives are the ability to: (1) apply advanced knowledge of mathematics, physical sciences, and engineering principles to the solution of practical engineering problems; (2) meet or exceed the needs and expectations of public and private sector employers for Ph.D. graduates; and (3) pursue additional advanced studies if so desired.

Admission Requirements

Applicants will be considered for admission to the doctoral program based upon a common set of criteria. These are the applicant's educational background, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score, grade point average (GPA), and letters of recommendation. The GPA used is either the cumulative or the last 60 semester hours of applicable courses earned toward a degree. Admission criteria also depend upon whether the applicant received a degree from an institution that is accredited at the undergraduate level by the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

In most cases, applicants will be considered for admission after completion of a masters degree. However, in certain cases, applicants will be considered for admission to the doctoral program after the attainment of a bachelors degree. The following criteria will be applied according to the applicants educational background as categorized below:

A. Masters Degree

1. Masters Degree from a School with an ABET Accredited Undergraduate Program: Applicants who have a masters degree from an engineering program accredited at the undergraduate level by ABET will be considered for admission provided they have an acceptable score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE as established by their department or program of study.
2. Masters Degree from a School with a non-ABET Accredited Undergraduate Program or Bachelors Degree field other than Engineering: Applicants in this category will be considered for admission provided the GRE Verbal score is at least 450 and the GRE Quantitative score is at least 600. In addition, the product of the graduate GPA and the GRE score must equal at least 3500, i.e., [GPA x GRE > 3500].

1. Bachelors Degree from an ABET Accredited Program: An applicant who has a bachelors degree from an engineering program accredited at the undergraduate level by ABET will be considered for admission provided he or she has an acceptable score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE as established by their department or program of study.
2. Bachelors Degree from a non-ABET Accredited program or Masters Degree field other than Engineering: Applicants in this category will be considered for admission provided they have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.75, a GRE verbal score of at least 500, and a GRE quantitative score of at least 650.

In addition to the above requirements, all applicants must submit an application for admission to The University of Memphis along with three letters of recommendation from previous instructors attesting to the applicants academic ability and potential for success in a doctoral program. Applicants whose native language is other than English must score at least 550 (or 210 on the computer-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

The above represent the minimum acceptable admission requirements. In addition to meeting the College minimum admission requirements, applicants must meet admission criteria established by their department or program of study.

Depending on the applicant's educational background, the advisory committee may require additional coursework to prepare the student for doctoral studies.

In unusual circumstances where the above admission requirements cannot be met, an applicant may seek exceptions by contacting the Director of Graduate Studies for the college.

Applicants are further advised that the College reserves the right to deny some applications for admissions because of limited faculty availability and physical facilities to accommodate student research interests.

Retention Requirements

A student will be retained continuously in the program until completion of the degree providing the following conditions are met:

1. All students will be required to maintain a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00. Should the student’s GPA fall below that mark, a period of one semester or one full summer term will be allowed to correct the deficiency. Failure to regain the minimum 3.00 is considered sufficient reason for being dropped from the program. This period may, at the discretion of the student’s advisory committee, be extended one additional semester or full summer term. If the GPA at the end of this extension is still below 3.00, the student will be dismissed from the program.
2. Accumulation of more than 7 semester hours of cumulative graduate coursework with a grade of 2.0 or lower will result in dismissal from the program, i.e., a student who accumulates 6 hours of graduate coursework with a grade of 2.0 or lower in a masters program is permitted only one additional hour with a grade of 2.0 or lower.
3. All students are required to complete a comprehensive examination with at least a minimum passing score on the written portion and a satisfactory performance on the oral portion of the exam. A second and final attempt to pass this examination may be granted by the student’s advisory committee; failure will result in mandatory dismissal from the program.

General Requirements: Each student must earn at least 90 semester hours beyond the bachelors degree or 57 beyond the masters degree. Credit for the dissertation will range from 18 to 30 semester hours with the decision concerning the credit allowance being made by the student’s advisory committee. Early in each student’s program of study, a committee composed of graduate faculty in the college will be appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies upon recommendation of the departmental chair.

At least 66 of the 90 semester hours required, including dissertation and research credit, must be in engineering and at least 57 in biomedical, civil, computer, electrical, or mechanical engineering. No more than 15 semester hours credit of 6000 level courses will count toward the 90-hour PhD degree.

Residency Requirements: A minimum of 24 semester hours must be earned while the student is in continuous residence. This may be done in two regular consecutive semesters. If the student is retained as a graduate assistant, the residency requirement may be met over a single continuous twelve-month period provided the student completes eighteen semester hours in two successive regular semesters. A student is not eligible to complete the residency requirement until a minimum of thirty semester hours of graduate study have been successfully completed.

Language Requirements: Students will be require to demonstrate foreign language skills sufficient to understand the major body of pertinent literature in the chosen field of study and to conduct the research necessary for completion of the dissertation or other research as may be required by the advisory committee.

Mathematics Requirements: Based on the qualifying examination required of all The University of Memphis doctoral students, the advisory committee may stipulate that appropriate mathematics courses be made a part of the student’s program.

Examination Requirements: All students must take a qualifying examination in accordance with University policy outlined under Minimum Requirements for Doctoral Degrees in this catalog. This examination, which is intended to determine the student’s mastery of broad fundamental concepts, will be given only after the student has completed at least thirty semester hours of graduate study. Hence, for students entering the program with a masters degree, the exam will occur shortly after the beginning of the program. The results will be used to prescribe the remainder of the student’s academic program, and successful completion of the qualifying exam is required for admission to candidacy as a doctoral student.

The examination will generally be given in written form. However, the student’s committee may require an oral session before making a final decision on the student’s qualification to continue his/her studies.

After the final semester of coursework, the student will be required to successfully complete written and oral comprehensive examinations that will ascertain the student’s mastery of the theoretical material that will underlie the dissertation topic.

At the completion of the dissertation, the student must defend the work before the advisory committee and other interested members of the university faculty who may care to question the results of the research. NOTE: Students should familiarize themselves with the Thesis/Dissertation Preparation Guide before starting to write.

Course Requirements: Nine semester hours of major core courses that integrate their doctoral experience are required of all doctoral students. This core is developed by the student’s graduate advisory committee. Each concentration requires a minimum of 57 semester hours of coursework and research including the dissertation in the chosen field of study. Each student’s program of study will be developed with the advisory committee.

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