Chapter 2: Academic Programs and Requirements
General Information
The School of Engineering offers both traditional disciplinary-based programs and cross-disciplinary programs to meet the needs of engineering students and support their future professional trajectories in research or practice.
Master of Science Program
Engineering graduate students will achieve the following objectives through the coursework, projects, and research required in a student’s degree program and through the Graduate Core required for all M.S. students:
- Academic competence
Graduate students will demonstrate broad content knowledge and the ability to integrate and apply concepts from their course of study to professional situations. - Creative and collaborative learning
Graduate students will demonstrate an ability to collaborate in creative ways, and communicate effectively with professionals and others in their discipline. - Professional development
Graduate students will exhibit professionalism, consistent with the University’s Jesuit mission that includes attention to ethics, integrity, and responsible engagement with their communities–both locally and globally.
The Master of Science degree is designed to extend the technical breadth and depth of an engineer’s knowledge. The School of Engineering offers Master’s programs in Aerospace Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering Management and Leadership, Mechanical Engineering, Power Systems and Sustainable Energy, and Robotics and Automation.
The coursework requirements for the degree are determined by each of the major departments and program directors. Students in the M.S. program must complete a Program of Studies approved by the faculty advisor. The program must include a minimum of 46 quarter units. In order to graduate, students must complete the required coursework for the program to which they are admitted, must have a cumulative GPA of 3.000 in all coursework taken at Santa Clara University, and must meet the residency requirement. In addition to this requirement, Engineering Management and Leadership degree candidates must earn a 3.000 GPA in those courses applied to their technical stem and a 3.000 GPA in their engineering management course stem. Note that the number of engineering management course units accepted for other degrees in the graduate engineering program is restricted to six units in computer science engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and most options of mechanical engineering.
Only classes with assigned grades of C- or higher will count toward 46 units required for the completion of the M.S. degree.
Students have the option to write a thesis as part of their master’s degree. Students who choose this option are responsible for obtaining an advisor for their thesis work. The maximum number of units awarded for the master’s thesis is nine. The thesis option is not available in the Engineering Management and Leadership Program.
Residence requirements of the University are met by completing 36 quarter units of the graduate program at Santa Clara. MS students must complete their Master’s degree requirements within 6 years. At the discretion of the student’s advisor, a maximum of 9 quarter units (6 semester units) of graduate-level coursework that have not been applied to any previous degree may be transferred from other accredited institutions.
B.S./M.S. Program
The School of Engineering offers qualified Santa Clara University undergraduates the opportunity to earn both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree. This is an excellent way to save time, reduce opportunity costs, and open up more career possibilities early on. This degree option is offered in Aerospace Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering Management and Leadership, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics and Automation, and Power Systems and Sustainable Energy. This program is also open to students in the College of Arts and Sciences who are majoring in mathematics, biology, computer science, or engineering physics. Students in the College of Arts and Sciences interested in a B.S./M.S. program should consult the resources provided by the intended graduate program and include required prerequisite courses in their undergraduate program.
For B.S./M.S. applicants, the application fee and GRE General Test requirement are waived. Admission into the B.S./M.S. program is based on a minimum major GPA of 3.000. Upon notification of acceptance into the B.S./M.S. program, students may begin taking graduate-level courses in their senior year. A maximum of 20 eligible units can be transferred into the graduate program. Eligible units are defined as courses not used to fulfill requirements for the undergraduate major and minor degrees.
Certificate Programs
Certificate programs are designed to provide an intensive background in a focused area at the graduate level. With sixteen to twenty required units for completion, each certificate is designed to be completed in a much shorter period of time than an advanced degree. Santa Clara Engineering’s certificate programs are appropriate for students working in industry who wish to update their skills or for those interested in redirecting their career path. All units applied toward the certificate program must be earned within a two-year period. Students enrolled in the certificate program should only take courses that will satisfy their certificate completion. Any course substitutions or waivers must be pre-approved by the certificate advisor.
All Santa Clara University courses applied toward the completion of a certificate program earn graduate credit that may also be applied toward a graduate degree, subject to the requirements of the degree program (16 units can be transferred to the M.S. program depending on the course applicability). Students who wish to continue for such a degree must submit a separate application to the M.S. program and satisfy all normal admission requirements. The general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test requirement for graduate admission to the master’s degree program will be waived for students who have been formally admitted to and who have completed a certificate program with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
Certificate programs are offered in Frugal Innovation, Renewable Energy, Digital System Design, Integrated Circuit Design and Technology, Digital Signal Processing and Machine Learning, Digital Signal Processing Theory, Fundamentals of Electrical and Computer Engineering, RF and Applied Electromagnetics, Design and Manufacturing, Dynamics and Controls, Mechanics and Materials, Mechatronics Systems Engineering, Thermofluids and Energy, and Robotics and Automation.
Graduate Minor in Science, Technology, and Society (STS)
The graduate minor in science, technology, and society (STS) is designed to help students gain a deeper understanding of the influence that engineering has on society and vice versa. Knowledge of this kind has become essential in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, in which purely technical expertise often needs to be supplemented by additional skills. In order to successfully operate in such an environment, engineers must have the ability to communicate clearly, function on interdisciplinary and diverse teams, and make ethically and socially responsible decisions. The minor consists of a Core and a set of Electives and requires a minimum of 12 units of coursework. It is open to all students who are pursuing a master’s degree in engineering.
Engineer’s Degree Program
The program leading to the engineer’s degree is particularly designed for the education of the practicing engineer. It is offered in the computer science and engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and mechanical engineering departments. The degree is granted on completion of an approved academic program and a record of acceptable technical achievement in the student’s field of engineering. The academic program consists of a minimum of 46 quarter units beyond the master’s degree and a cumulative GPA of 3.000. Courses are selected to advance competence in specific areas relating to the engineering professional’s work. Evidence of technical achievement must include a paper principally written by the student and accepted for publication by a recognized quality engineering journal prior to the granting of the degree. A letter from the journal accepting the paper must be submitted to the department chairperson. In certain cases, the department may accept publication in the proceedings of an appropriate conference.
Students who have earned a master’s degree from Santa Clara University must file a new application (by the deadline) to continue work toward the engineer’s degree. A program of studies for the engineer’s degree should be developed with the assistance of an advisor and submitted during the first quarter of enrollment.
Doctor of Philosophy Program
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is sought by those engineers who wish to engage in research and discover new knowledge in a specific area within their field. The work for the degree consists of engineering research, the preparation of a dissertation based on that research, and a program of advanced studies consisting of engineering, mathematics, and related physical sciences. The student’s work is directed by the degree-conferring department, subject to the general supervision of the School of Engineering. The school grants Ph.D. in bioengineering, computer science and engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and mechanical engineering.
Preliminary Examination
The preliminary examination shall be written and/or oral and shall include subject matter deemed by the major department to represent sufficient preparation in depth and breadth for advanced study in the major.
Students who have completed the M.S. degree requirements and have been accepted for the Ph.D. program should take the preliminary examination as soon as possible but not more than two years after beginning the program.
Students currently studying at Santa Clara University for a master’s degree who are accepted for the Ph.D. program and who are at an advanced stage of the M.S. program may, with the approval of their academic advisor, take the preliminary examination before completing the M.S. degree requirements.
Only those students who pass the preliminary examination shall be allowed to continue in the doctoral program. The preliminary examination may be repeated only once and only at the discretion of the doctoral advisor and department.
Doctoral Advisor
It is the student’s responsibility to obtain consent from a full-time tenure-stream faculty member in the student’s major department to serve as their prospective advisor.
It is strongly recommended that Ph.D. students find a doctoral advisor before taking the preliminary examination. After passing the preliminary examination, Ph.D. students must have a doctoral advisor before the beginning of the next quarter following the preliminary examination. Students currently pursuing a master’s degree at the time of their preliminary examination should have a doctoral advisor as soon as possible after being accepted as a Ph.D. student.
The student and the advisor with recommendations from the student’s doctoral committee develop a complete program of studies for coursework and research. The complete program of studies (and any subsequent changes) must be approved by the student’s doctoral committee and then must be filed with Engineering Graduate Programs.
Doctoral Committee
After passing the Ph.D. preliminary exam, a student requests that the doctoral advisor form a doctoral committee. The committee consists of at least five members, each of which must have earned a doctoral degree in a relevant field of engineering or a related discipline. The committee must include the student’s advisor, at least two other current faculty members of the student’s major department at Santa Clara University, and at least one current faculty member from another appropriate academic department at Santa Clara University. The student’s Ph.D. committee looks at the proposed research and the prior background of the student to determine whether or not there are specific courses that must be added as requirements. The committee reviews the student’s program of study, conducts an oral comprehensive exam, conducts the dissertation defense, and reviews the dissertation. Successful completion of the doctoral program requires that the student’s program of study, performance on the oral comprehensive examination, dissertation defense, and dissertation itself meet with the approval of all committee members.
Residence
The Ph.D. degree is granted on the basis of academic achievement. The student is expected to complete a minimum of 72 units of graduate credit beyond the master’s degree with an overall GPA of 3.000 or better. Of these, 36 quarter units may be earned through coursework, independent study, and directed research, and 36 through the dissertation. Deviation from this distribution must be approved by the student’s doctoral committee and must not be more than six units. All Ph.D. dissertation units are graded on a Pass/No Pass basis. A maximum of 18 quarter units (12 semester units) of credit for work beyond a master’s level, which have not previously been used for the completion of another degree, may be transferred from any accredited institution at the discretion of the student’s advisor.
Please note: Only classes with assigned grades of C- or higher will count toward the completion of the Ph.D. degree.
Comprehensive Examination and Admission to Candidacy
After completion of the formal coursework approved by the doctoral committee, the student shall present his/her research proposal for a comprehensive oral examination on the subject of his/her research work. The student should make arrangements for the comprehensive examination through the doctoral committee. A student who passes the comprehensive examination is considered a degree candidate.
The comprehensive examination normally must be completed within four years from the time the student is admitted to the doctoral program. This examination may be repeated once, in whole or in part, at the discretion of the doctoral committee.
Dissertation Research and Defense
The period following the comprehensive examination is devoted to research for the dissertation, although such research may begin earlier. After successfully completing the dissertation research, the student must pass an oral defense examination on their research. This exam is conducted by the doctoral committee and whomever they appoint as examiners. The complete dissertation must be made available to all examiners one month prior to the examination. The oral examination shall consist of a presentation of the results of the research and the defense. This examination presentation is open to all faculty members and students of Santa Clara University. Following the public presentation, a closed session for further questions includes only the doctoral committee, and only members of the doctoral committee may vote on the successful completion of the defense.
Dissertation and Publication
At least one month before the degree is conferred, the candidate must submit one copy of the final version of the dissertation to the department. The dissertation will not be considered accepted until a copy signed by all committee members has been submitted to the library and one or more refereed articles based on it are accepted for publication in a professional or scientific journal approved by the doctoral committee. The quality of the refereed journal must be established by satisfying one of two criteria: (1) the refereed journal should have an impact factor of at least 1.0 or (2) prior to submitting the candidate’s work to a refereed journal, written approvals of the journal’s quality and suitability should be obtained from the candidate’s advisor, the doctoral committee, the department chair, and the graduate program office. This written approval must be kept in the candidate’s file. The final version of the dissertation must be filed with the library.
The requirements for the doctoral degree in the School of Engineering have been made to establish the structure in which the degree may be earned. The University reserves the right to evaluate the undertakings and the accomplishments of the degree candidate in total and award or withhold the degree as a result of its deliberations.
Time Limit for Completing Degrees
All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within eight years following initial enrollment in the Ph.D. program. Extensions will be allowed only in unusual circumstances and must be recommended in writing by the student’s doctoral committee. Extensions will be allowed only if approved by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in consultation with the Graduate Program Leadership Council.
Non-Enrollment Period
Ph.D. students are required to enroll in at least one unit for the fall, winter, and spring quarters and also for their final graduating quarter. Those who do not wish to enroll must submit a leave of absence or a withdrawal request through their workday student portal. Leave of absence or withdrawal request must be submitted by the end of the first week of the quarter.
The Industrial Track Ph.D.
In addition to our regular Ph.D. program, Graduate Engineering also offers an “industrial track” for working professionals as an option to facilitate the collaboration between academia and industry and allow the sponsoring company to be specifically included in research guidance. Details are as follows:
- 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 presentable in open forums. If necessary, a collaborative research agreement will be enacted to indicate the rights of the School and the industrial partner.
- 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 doctoral committee.
- Students who opt for this “industrial track” are responsible for meeting all requirements for the Ph.D. The awarded degree will be the same for all students, regardless of the track that they choose to pursue.
Open University Program
Engineers who wish to update their skills or learn new technologies without pursuing a specific degree may enroll in the School of Engineering’s 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 program-specified set of required courses and has earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher in those courses.
Open University students who are considering enrolling in the master’s program should be aware that each specialization has its own specific 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.
Students should remember, however, that all coursework taken at SCU, whether as a degree-seeking student or an Open University student, becomes a part of the student’s academic history.