2008-2009 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

32
THE GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Graduate programs of study in
The Fu Foundation School of
Engineering and Applied Science
are not formally prescribed, but are
planned to meet the particular needs
and interests of each individual student.
Departmental requirements for each
degree, which supplement the general
requirements given below, appear in the
sections on individual graduate programs.
Applicants for a graduate program
are required to have completed an undergraduate
degree and to furnish an official
transcript as part of the admissions
application. Ordinarily the candidate for
a graduate degree will have completed
an undergraduate course in the same
field of engineering in which he or she
seeks a graduate degree. However, if
the student’s interests have changed,
it may be necessary to make up such
basic undergraduate courses as are
essential to graduate study in his or
her new field of interest.
In order to complete the requirements
for any graduate degree, the student
must plan a program with the department
of major interest and then have it
approved by the Office of Graduate
Student Services; the program may be
modified later with the permission of the
department and the Assistant Dean. No
more than one term of course work or,
in the case of part-time students, no
more than 15 points of credit of course
work, completed before the program
is approved, may be counted toward
the degree. Students registered in the
School have a minimum requirement for
each Columbia degree of 30 points of
credit of course work completed at
Columbia University. The student must
enroll for at least 15 of these points
while registered in the Engineering
School. (See also the section “Special
Nondegree Students” on page 35 and
the chapter “Columbia Video Network.”)
Students wishing to change from the
Ph.D. degree to the Eng.Sc.D. degree
must therefore enroll for at least 15
points while registered in the School. For
residence requirements for students registered
in the Graduate School of Arts
and Sciences or those wishing to
change from the Eng.Sc.D. degree to
the Ph.D. degree, see the bulletin of the
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
Students admitted to graduate study
are expected to enter upon and continue
their studies in each succeeding regular
term of the academic year. Any such
student who fails to register for the following
term will be assumed to have
withdrawn unless a leave of absence
has been granted by the Office of
Graduate Student Services.
While many candidates study on a
full-time basis, it is usually possible to
obtain all or a substantial part of the
credit requirement for the master’s, professional,
or doctoral degrees through
part-time study.
Under special conditions, and with
the prior approval of the department
of his or her major interest and of the
Assistant Dean, a student may be permitted
to take a required subject at
another school. However, credit for
such courses will not reduce the
30-point minimum that must be taken
at Columbia for each degree.
Competence in written and spoken
English is required of every degree
candidate. See pages 37–38 for English
proficiency requirements.
For graduation, a candidate for
any degree except a doctoral degree
must file an Application for Degree or
Certificate on the date specified in the
Academic Calendar. Candidates for a
doctoral degree must apply for the final
examination. If the degree is not earned
by the next regular time for the issuance
of diplomas subsequent to the date of
filing, the application must be renewed.
Degrees are awarded three times a
year—in October, February, and May.
THE MASTER OF SCIENCE
DEGREE
The Master of Science degree is offered
in many fields of engineering and applied
science upon the satisfactory completion
of a minimum of 30 points of credit
of approved graduate study extending
over at least one academic year.
While a suitable Master of Science
program will necessarily emphasize
some specialization, the program should
be well balanced, including basic subjects
of broad importance as well as
theory and applications. The history of
modern economic, social, and political
institutions is important in engineering,
and this is recognized in the prescribed
undergraduate program of the School.
If the candidate’s undergraduate education
has been largely confined to pure
science and technology, a program of
general studies, totaling from 6 to 8
points, may be required. Supplementary
SEAS 2008–2009