Graduate Student Advising October 2011 Dr. Edward Hensel Professor and Department Head Dr. Wayne Walter Professor Mechanical Engineering Kate Gleason College of Engineering Rochester Institute of Technology

Graduate Student Handbook  ME Department Graduate Handbook is your guide.  Please read this handbook carefully.  Use this handbook when you meet with your advisor to plan your academic program.

Master of Engineering Degree CourseRequired Core ClassesCredits Math for Engineers I Systems Modeling Computer Implementation of FEM4 Subtotal Core Classes12 Required Capstone Experience Complete one of: Research Methods (Students considering the MS) Design Project Management (All BS/MEng students) Graduate Internship (Usually for part-time students) Project with Paper (Most full-time MEng students)4 Subtotal Capstone Experience4 Elective Classes xx ADVISE ALL STUDENTS TO TAKE Math for Engineers II xx Graduate or Technical Elective 3 (600 or higher) xx Graduate or Technical Elective 4 (600 or higher) xx Graduate or Technical Elective 5 (600 or higher)4 Subtotal Graduate Elective Classes20 Concentration Classes Concentration 14 Concentration 24 Concentration 34 Concentration 44 Subtotal Concentration Classes16 Total Credits Required for the Master of Engineering48

Master of Science Degree NumberRequired Core Courses Credits Math for Engineers I Math for Engineers II4 Subtotal Core Courses8 Focus Group Courses Focus 1 ( or higher)4 Focus 2 ( or higher)4 Focus 3 ( or higher)4 Subtotal Focus Group Courses12 Elective Classes xxGraduate Elective 1 (700 or higher) xxGraduate Elective 2 (700 or higher) xxGraduate or Technical Elective 3 (600 or higher) xxGraduate or Technical Elective 4 (600 or higher)4 Subtotal Graduate Elective Courses16 MS Thesis9 Total Credits Required for the Master of Science45

Thesis Presentation and Completion Deadlines Friday, Week 7: Last day for final draft to committee and announcement of thesis posted Friday, Week 9: Last Day for oral presentation of thesis Friday, Week 11: Last Day for corrections to thesis completed and copies to library FallLast day to distribute final draft to committee and post thesis announcements – Friday, October 21 st, 2011 Last day for oral presentation of Thesis, Friday, November 4th, 2011 Last day for copies to the library, Friday, November 18 th, 2011 Winter Last day to distribute final draft to committee and post thesis announcements – Friday, February 3 rd, 2012 Last day for oral presentation of Thesis, Friday, February 17 th, 2012 Last day for copies to the library, Friday, March 2 nd, 2012 Spring Last day to distribute final draft to committee and post thesis announcements – Friday, April 27 th, 2012 Last day for oral presentation of Thesis, Friday, May 11 th, 2012 Last day for copies to the library, Friday, May 25 th, 2012 SummerLast day to distribute final draft to committee and post thesis announcement – Friday, July 20 st, 2012 Last day for oral presentation of Thesis, Friday, August 3rd, 2012 Last day for copies to the library, Friday, August 17th, 2012 Students completing their thesis after these dates will be considered for degree certification in the next academic quarter. Academic Year

Full Time Equivalency Requirements  Full Time Graduate Enrollment is credits per quarter. (One tuition price for credits)  F1 Visa Holders must be Full-Time Equivalent. New rules may reduce number of quarters that F1 visa holders can use FTE without actually enrolling in 12 credits.  Graduate Assistants must be Full-Time Equivalent.  3 hrs/week of assistantship may be used toward 1 FTE credit (20 hrs/wk = 6 credits FTE)  Following 3 quarters of FTE study, F1 Visa holders may be eligible for Curricular Practical Training through graduate co-op placement off campus.  Every year, many students change their course load to only two courses per quarter and achieve FTE … however they jeopardize their degree completion by getting behind schedule!

Academic Conduct  READ THE GRADUATE MANUAL! Understand your responsibilities.  Unless your professor specifically tells you differently, you should assume that all graduate course work is to be completed individually.  Most professors expect graduate students to work individually on homework problems.  All professors expect graduate students to work individually on take-home and in-class exams.  When in doubt, DO NOT TALK TO YOUR PEERS about assignments.  Every year, we have some graduate students who do not follow the KGCOE Honesty Policy.  If you are not in good academic standing, you are not eligible to have a GTA or GRA or Graduate Scholarship.  Do not compromise on ethics.

Academic Scholarships  Most academic scholarships are paid out of RIT funds allocated to the ME Department.  A limited number of scholarships are available from sponsored contracts.  All academic scholarships require satisfactory grades.  If your GPA drops below a 3.0, your scholarship will be reduced.  Grades of D and F do not count towards your degree. You must repeat that course, if it is a required course.  Grades of C are considered poor performance for graduate students.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships  Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) are typically paid by the department to support the undergraduate education program.  GTAs are selected by the department.  All GTAs will be evaluated by their faculty supervisor each quarter.  Continued support depends upon satisfactory performance evaluations.  All GTAs are expected to complete at least 12 QCH each quarter. Failure to do so jeopardizes your GTA.  GTAs are RARELY renewed for a second year!  Most GTA awards are only for one year – so do not delay your proposal if you plan to change to the MS program!  20 hr/week GTA has 50% tuition remission benefit  NEW OFFER! GTAs who get three quarters of GTA support and complete 9 courses (36 QCH) of courses with GPA > 3.0 are eligible for 100% academic scholarship during the summer quarter if they can demonstrate that they will complete the M.Eng. Degree by next summer!

Graduate Research Assistantships  Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs) are typically paid by the professor from sponsored programs and contracts.  GRAs are selected by individual faculty members.  GRAs are usually funded by an external sponsor, who has a contract with a faculty member.  GRAs almost always require the student to work on a thesis topic specified by the faculty member.  All graduate assistants will be evaluated by their faculty supervisor each quarter.  Continued support depends upon satisfactory performance evaluations.  Make sure that the faculty member supporting your GRA approves of your course load and plan of study! Some faculty members want their GRA to carry 8 QCH, others desire 12 QCH.  20 hr/week GTA has 50% tuition remission benefit

Graduate Seminar Series Attend the weekly graduate seminars is required of all full time and FTE graduate students. Thursdays at 1:00 pm (0 credits) Dr. Walter is the Instructor Please add this class to your schedule every quarter (no cost), so that you can get announcements and about the seminars via

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