Degree Requirements

Requirements for Master's degree - Thesis Option

The Program of Study (POS) should include a minimum of 30 credit hours, with the following additional requirements:

1. All MS students must formulate their POS in consultation with their major professor and their supervisory committee. Full-time students must file their programs before the end of their second semester of graduate study, and part-time students must do so upon the completion of 9 credit hours.
2. A minimum of 18 credit hours of graded coursework (i.e., courses in which a letter grade is assigned).
3. The graded coursework should include at least one 3 credit hour course in engineering mathematics or applied mathematical analysis. Courses that may be used to meet this requirement are: ME 760, ME 860, MATH 616, MATH 632, MATH 713, MATH 740, MATH 745, MATH 855, MATH 856, MATH 864, MATH 865, MATH 866, MATH 867, PHYS 801, PHYS 802.
4. The candidate should earn credit for at least 6 credit hours of Master's Thesis Research (ME 899 or NE 899) culminating in a successfully defended thesis.
5. At least 18 hours, of the required minimum of 30 hours, should be at the 700 level and above, including ME 800 Graduate Seminar/Research Paper, and the thesis/research and the report/problems hours required by the thesis and report options.
6. Courses at the 600-level may be included in the POS, but 500-level courses in the student's major area are expected to have been completed as undergraduate prerequisites to graduate study or as undergraduate deficiency courses assigned upon admission. The use of 500-level supporting courses in master's programs is therefore restricted as follows: (1) no course in the student's major area may be at the 500 level, and (2) normally no more than 6 credit hours may be at the 500 level.
7. The MS candidate must satisfy the 75% attendance requirement (0 credit hour) in at least two semesters of ME 800 Graduate Seminar/Research Paper, (refer to ME 800 course requirements).
8. In addition to the minimum graded coursework requirement (18 credit hours) and the minimum Master's Thesis Research requirement (6 credit hours), the candidate must complete 6 more credit hours to meet the minimum credit requirement of 30 credit hours. This can be done through any combination of the following:

• • Up to 2 additional credit hours of Master's Thesis Research (ME 899 or NE 899)
  • Up to 3 credit hours of ME 800 Seminar/Research Paper (refer to ME 800 course requirements)
  • Up to 3 credit hours of independent study
  • Up to 6 credit hours of additional coursework

Requirements for Master's degree - Report Option

The POS should include a minimum of 30 credit hours, including 28 credit hours of graded coursework and 2 credit hours of Master’s Report. Up to 3 credit hours of ME 800 Seminar/Research Paper (refer to ME 800 course requirements) may be included in the 28 credit hours of required coursework. In addition, items (3), (5), (6), and (7) from the MS Thesis requirements above apply directly to the MS Report Option POS, where (7) is to include two semesters of ME 800 as intended. The MS Report Option must culminate in a successfully defended report.

Requirements for Master's degree - Course Work Option

The POS should include a total of 30 credit hours of graded coursework. In addition, items (3), (5), (6), and (7), from the MS Thesis requirements above apply directly to the MS Course Work Option POS, where (7) is to include two semesters of ME 800 as intended. The MS Course Work Option does not require a culminating experience such as final defense or exams at the end.

Requirements for Doctoral (PhD - ME and NE)

The Ph.D. requires at least three years of full-time study beyond the bachelor's degree, equivalent to at least 90 semester hours, including a dissertation representing at least 30 hours of research credit. Students who hold a master's degree may request transfer of up to 30 hours of that degree toward a Ph.D.

The Ph.D. is awarded to candidates who have demonstrated unique ability as scholars and researchers as well as proficiency in communication. The degree also certifies that the candidate has displayed familiarity and understanding of the subject matter in the discipline and possesses the ability to make original contributions to knowledge.

• All doctoral students must formulate their Program of Study (POS) in consultation with their major professor and their supervisory committee. Full-time students must file their programs before the end of their second semester of graduate study, and part-time students must do so upon the completion of 9 credit hours.
• The doctoral student is required to complete a total of 90 credit hours of work beyond the Bachelor's degree. Up to 30 credits from a Master's program can be applied towards the Ph.D. degree. The Doctoral Program of Study must include:
  1. A minimum of 15 hours of graded coursework beyond the Master’s degree (all 15 hours MUST be at the 800 level or above, in addition to doctoral research credit hours) for candidates entering the Ph.D. program with a Master’s degree.

• 1. A minimum of 30 hours of graded coursework beyond the Bachelor’s degree (including at least 15 hours at the 800 level or above, in addition to doctoral research credit hours) for students who bypass the master's degree.
  2. No more than 12 credit hours of 500 level courses are permitted in a doctoral program. No 500-level course taken in the student's department may appear on the POS.
  3. A minimum of 30 hours of doctoral research.
  4. The Ph.D. candidate must satisfy the 75% attendance requirement (0 credit hour) in at least four semesters of ME 800 Graduate Seminar/Research Paper, (refer to ME 800 course requirements).

PhD Examination Guidelines

All doctoral students in the MNE Graduate program are required to successfully pass the following examinations:

*- this will satisfy the KSU Graduate School’s “written preliminary examination” requirement. All doctoral students must satisfy all Doctoral Program requirements as defined in the Graduate Handbook.

**- this will satisfy the KSU Graduate School’s “Dissertation” and “Final Examination” requirements. All doctoral students must satisfy all Doctoral Program requirements as defined in the Graduate Handbook.

PhD Preliminary Examination Guidelines

• The Preliminary Examination is designed to test the student's breadth and depth of knowledge in the proposed field of specialization, as well as the student's ability to explore problems on the boundaries of knowledge. Satisfactory performance in the examination is an indication that the student is prepared to perform independent work toward the doctoral degree and results in the student being classified as a doctoral candidate upon affirmative recommendation by the supervisory committee.
• The Preliminary Examination should be completed as soon as the supervisory committee and the Ph.D. student feel that it is practical and no later than the end of the Ph.D. student’s third semester in the Ph.D. program. The Doctoral Program of Study must be completed and approved prior to the preliminary examination.
• Once the supervisory committee and the student decide when the Preliminary Examination is to be taken, the student should notify the Graduate School at least one month before the scheduled date, by completing and submitting a “Request for Preliminary Examination Ballot” form. A ballot will then be sent to the major professor by the Graduate School.
• Once the student’s Preliminary Examination date has been set, it is expected that the supervisory committee, led by the student’s major professor, will meet privately to discuss the student’s field of research, as well as the student’s completed coursework, and to agree upon the one or more research problem(s) that will be presented to the student. Although it is expected that the research problems presented to the student will be in his/her general field of study, the research problems will not be directly related to the student’s specific area of Ph.D. research.
• On the pre-determined Preliminary Examination date, the supervisory committee will present the Ph.D. student with one or more research problem(s). These problem statements will each be brief and will be presented in written format with oral discussion to ensure that the Ph.D. student thoroughly understands the problem(s) to be addressed.
• The Ph.D. student will select one (if presented with more than one) of the problems presented by the supervisory committee and will be given an appropriate amount of time (as determined by the supervisory committee, but typically 1-2 weeks) to formulate a research strategy with which to solve the selected research problem. This problem formulation will be summarized in the form of a written report and will be submitted to the supervisory committee before the end of the pre-determined time period.
• Within one week of the submission of the written document, the Ph.D. student will give an oral presentation to the supervisory committee outlining and describing the formulation to the research problem. During this oral component of the Preliminary Examination, the supervisory committee may ask the Ph.D. student questions pertaining to the original research problem statement, the written report, and the oral presentation.
• This oral component of the Preliminary Examination will be administered in the same manner in which a traditional Master’s or Doctoral final oral defense is conducted. At the conclusion of the oral component of the Preliminary Examination the supervisory committee will ask the Ph.D. student and all visitors to leave the room. The supervisory committee will then discuss the student’s performance associated with the written report and the oral examination. Based on this discussion, the supervisory committee will take the appropriate actions regarding the disposition of the Preliminary Examination ballot.
• The results of the Preliminary Examination are indicated on the ballot by the signatures of the members of the supervisory committee. The student is considered to have passed the Preliminary Examination and to be recommended to candidacy if at least three fourths of the supervisory committee votes to approve candidacy.
• In case of failure of the first Preliminary Examination, the supervisory committee may approve a second examination with no more than one dissenting vote. A second Preliminary Examination can be taken no sooner than three months following the initial failure and no later than six months following the initial failure. Once the supervisory committee and the student decide when the second Preliminary Examination is to be taken, the student should notify the Graduate School one month before the scheduled date. The composition of the supervisory committee shall not be changed before a final decision is reached on admission to candidacy. A second failure constitutes denial of admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree in the field of study of the graduate program.
• Copies of the original problem statement and the student’s written report will be filed with the MNE Academic Program Coordinator and made available on request to any graduate faculty member for a period of two years from the date of Preliminary Examination.

ME 800 Graduate Seminar/Research Paper

ME 800 is the presentation (oral and written) and discussion of progress in research. Preparing and/or presenting publication quality papers can earn credit hours. Topics may be drawn from any current research area in mechanical and nuclear engineering, and the course may be repeated with change in subject matter.

Variable Credit Hour Enrollment

MS Program Requirements for ME 800 (thesis, report, and course work options)

The MS candidate must satisfy the 75% attendance requirement (0 credit hour) in at least two semesters of ME 800 Graduate Seminar/Research Paper.

PhD Program Requirements for ME 800

The PhD candidate must satisfy the 75% attendance requirement (0 credit hour) in at least four semesters of ME 800 Graduate Seminar/Research Paper. (Semesters applied toward MS degree cannot also be applied toward PhD requirements.)

General Comments on ME 800

• A student is not required to give a presentation (1 credit hour) nor submit a peer-reviewed paper (2 credit hours) to satisfy the ME 800 Degree Program requirements.
• It should be noted that presenting a ME 800 seminar (1 credit hour) and/or submitting a peer-reviewed paper (2 credit hours) during a semester without ALSO satisfying the 75% attendance requirement does NOT constitute successful completion of one of the required semesters in the degree program requirements.
• If a student has already satisfied the degree program requirements (2 semester for MS; 4 semesters for PhD) at the 0 credit hour level, then he/she may enroll in 1 credit hour and give a presentation and/or 2 credit hours and prepare a peer-reviewed paper during a given semester without being required to satisfy the 75% attendance requirement during that semester.
• If a student enrolls in 0 credit hours of ME 800 Graduate Seminar/Research Paper and fails to attend 75% of all regular scheduled seminars, then that student will receive a grade of NC (No Credit) for that semester.
• If a student enrolls in 1 credit hour (presentation) and/or 2 credit hours (paper) in a given semester and fails to successfully complete the requirements listed in the table above, then that student will receive a grade of INC (Incomplete) for that semester.
• No more than 3 credit hours of ME 800 can be applied toward a student’s Program of Study.