Santa Clara University

A few important changes have been made to the Graduate Program during the 2007-2008 academic year, as follows.

• The Graduate Core
• Procedures for Approving Core Courses
• The Open University Program
• The Industrial Track Ph.D.

The Graduate Core

For students entering in the fall of 2008, “Issues in Professional Practice” will be replaced by the Graduate Core. Students will be required to take a course in each of the following three areas of the Core (for a minimum of 6 units):

1. Emerging Topics in Engineering
2. Engineering and Business/Entrepreneurship
3. Engineering and Society

Procedures for Approving Core Courses

All Core courses must be approved by the Graduate Program Leadership Council (GPLC). Proposals for such courses should be sent to the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, and should contain the following two elements:

1. A syllabus for the course
2. A one page summary which describes how the course fits into the designated Core category.

Note 3: The purpose of the “Emerging Topics” requirement is to encourage students to broaden their technical knowledge, typically by taking a course in an emerging field that is outside their specialty area. For this to be feasible, Core courses should be of the introductory variety, with no advanced technical prerequisites.

The Open University Program

If a student from the Open University program is accepted into a degree program, a maximum of 16 units may apply toward the degree (if the courses are in the same discipline to which the student is accepted). The general GRE test requirement for admission to the master’s degree program will be waived if the student has completed a set of required courses in the department to which they are applying, and has earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher. A list of these courses can be found on the Open University website.

Open University students who are considering enrolling in the master’s program should be aware that each specialization has its own set of requirements, and that the number of “free electives” is very limited. Such students are therefore strongly encouraged to choose their classes in consultation with a faculty advisor from the very beginning.

The Industrial Track Ph.D.

In addition to our regular Ph.D. program, Engineering Graduate Programs also offer an “industrial track” for the working professionals as an option to facilitate the collaboration between academia and industry. Details are as follows:

1. The topic of the research should be coordinated with the needs of the candidate’s employer, and must be agreed upon by all parties. This topic must have a component that is publishable, and is presentable in open forums. If necessary, a collaborative research agreement will be enacted to indicate the rights of the School and the industrial partner.
2. As a part of the application process, candidates must submit a letter of support from their employer. This letter should contain a pledge of financial support, and must identify a co-advisor within the company. The co-advisor shares responsibilities for guiding the candidate’s research with a full time faculty advisor. This person is also expected to be a member of the Ph.D. Committee.
3. The full-time study component of the residence requirement is waived, but other residence requirements remain the same. Students who opt for this “industrial track” are responsible for meeting all other requirements for the Ph.D. The awarded degree will be the same for all students, regardless of the track that they choose to pursue.