A minimum 72 units of course work, independent study, and research (including transfer credit) must be completed. Transfer credit of up to 24 units of related courses at the master’s level is permissible on approval of the Program Committee; this course work must have been completed with at least a grade of B or above, at an accredited institution, and must be directly related to the joint program and the student’s goals. Of the 72 units, a minimum of 24 units must be completed in the graduate engineering program at CSULB and a minimum of 24 in the graduate mathematics program at CGU. Both sets of 24 units must conform to the area requirements of the relevant institution and must be approved by the Program Committee. All degree requirements must be completed within seven years (or six with the transfer of 24 units according to CGU regulations) from the time a student begins graduate study.

CSULB Course Requirement (Starting spring 2007)

The only specific CSULB course requirement is four Engineeering 796: Doctoral Seminar (1) . The remaining 20 units, for students who have received transfer credit, may include courses needed for the Preliminary Examinations (see the Preliminary Examination section of this handbook), Doctoral Dissertation, Advanced Special Topics, and Advanced Directed Studies. Presently, students are permitted to count the following courses in addition to the regular graduate courses, offered by the five engineering departments, towards meeting the CSULB 24-unit course requirement.

• Engr 790: Advanced Special Topics in Engineering (8 units allowed)
• Engr 795 or MAE 795: Advanced Directed Studies (8 units allowed)
• Engr 796: Doctoral Seminar (4 units required)
• Engr 798 or MAE 798: Doctoral Dissertation (4 units allowed)

Minimum Student Load Per Semester (Starting spring 2007)

It is highly recommended that doctoral students enroll in at least 9.0 units per semester in order to demonstrate progress towards the degree. The CSULB director of the program, in consultation with the doctoral advisor, may require that a student take at least 9.0 units per semester if the student is not showing adequate progress.

These courses may include the following:

• Engr 797A: Preparation for Ph.D. Preliminary Examinations
• Engr 797B: Preparation for Ph.D. Qualifying Examination

Students may take from 4.0 to 12.0 units of Engr 797A or Engr 797B each semester, though these courses may not be used to fulfill the 72-unit course work. Both of these courses are offered on Credit/No Credit bases and are designed to formally recognize the students' efforts towards the program.

Residency Requirements

Doctoral students must complete their program within a period of seven years (or six with the transfer of 24 units) according to CGU regulations (see below). During this time, a minimum of 72 units of course work, independent study, and research (including transfer credit) must be completed. Normally no more than 16 units per semester may be credited toward the degree. No more than 12 units per summer session may be credited toward the degree. The transfer of credit form is available on the CGU website. The Program Committee will consider petitions for extensions and/or exemptions.
All degree requirements must be completed within seven years from the time a student begins graduate study. Work for which transfer credit is granted will be counted as part of the seven years, e.g., if transfer credit of 24 units (one year) is granted, the time limit will be six years.
The residency requirements for the Ph.D. may be met either by two semesters of full-time study in a 24-month period or by the completion of 48 units of course work within a 48-month period (including work in the summer session).
Students who receive transfer credit for 12 units or less may meet the residence requirement either by completing two full-time semesters of course work within a 24-month period or by completing 36 units within a 48-month period. Those receiving transfer credit for 13 to 24 units may meet the residence requirement by completing 24 units within a 36-month period. The seven-year maximum time period for the Ph.D. degree is reduced by six months for 12 units or less of transfer credit and by 12 months for 13 to 24 units of transfer credit.

Plan of Study

After consultation with their advisors, students are required, before the end of the first year, to prepare and file with the Program Committee a Plan of Study for completing the course requirements for the degree. The purpose of the Plan of Study is to ensure that the student is aware of the requirements for the degree. The Plan of Study should indicate the areas of study that the student will be taking in preparation for the preliminary examinations. In consultation with the student’s advisor and Program Committee, the Plan of Study may be altered at a subsequent time by petition.
If a student withdraws from the program after completing a substantial portion of the course work, a master’s degree at either or both institutions is still possible by satisfaction of the appropriate requirements. Both CGU and CSULB require 31-36 semester units of course work for master’s degrees.

 

Note: although every effort is made to keep this Web site up to date, you should also consult the printed catalog for official information and program requirements, which may vary depending on the year you enter(ed) the program.