CEE GRADUATE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Program Requirements
The Penn State CEE department offers the following graduate degree options: Master of Engineering (M.Eng.), Master of Science (M.S.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). General descriptions for each of these degrees are provided below. Detailed descriptions of the requirements specific to each discipline within CEE can be found within the Graduate Academic Programs pages.
All new and continuing graduate students in the MS, MEng and Ph.D. programs, starting with the fall 2009 incoming class, must complete Scholarship and Research Integrity (SARI) requirements.
The SARI program at Penn State is designed to offer graduate students comprehensive, multilevel training in the responsible conduct of research (RCR), through a two-part program: an on-line course to be completed in the first year of graduate study, followed by five hours of discussion-based RCR education prior to degree completion.
Three of the discussion-based hours will be completed by registering for and attending C E 590, Colloquim. In order to register for this course, students must visit the Academic Programs Office, 216 Sackett Building.
The remaining two hours of the five discussion-based hours can be completed by attending Office of Research Protection (ORP) seminars.
For more information on the Penn State SARI program, please visit http://www.research.psu.edu/training/sari.
M.Eng. Degree
The M.Eng. degree is intended to be a professional degree composed of a well-balanced, unified, and complete program of study leading to advanced professional practice. Students must complete 30 credits of graduate course work (15 credits of which must be at the 500-level), present a writing portfolio, and satisfy the other academic program requirements outlined in the Graduate Student Handbook. While full-time students can complete the program in two semesters, part-time students take longer.
M.S. Degree
The M.S. degree program is a blend of graduate level course work and research. Students must complete 30 graduate credits (18 credits of which must be at the 500 and/or 600-level, combined), prepare and orally defend a thesis, and satisfy the other academic program requirements outlined in the Graduate Student Handbook. Typically, an M.S. degree takes 1 ½ to 2 years to complete.
Ph.D. Degree
The Ph.D. degree program is strongly oriented towards research. In addition to meeting course requirements specific to their discipline, Ph.D. students must also successfully pass the Candidacy Exam, Comprehensive Exam,
Final Oral Exam, write a dissertation, and satisfy the other academic program requirements outlined in the Graduate Student Handbook. The duration
of the program varies from three to five years depending on the student’s background and professional interests.
Minimum Course Requirements are dependent on area of specialization
Applicants who do not meet these minimum course requirements can still be admitted on a provisional basis until the coursework is completed elsewhere or as part of the graduate studies at Penn State.