Mechanical Engineering Graduate Programs |
M.S. Degree Policy and Procedures |
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Plan I (Thesis) |
The student should carefully study the sections of the UNM Graduate Catalog under "Master’s Degrees." It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to see that these requirements are satisfied.
All work used to meet degree requirements for a master's degree, including transfer credit, must be completed within a seven-year period immediately preceding the granting of the degree. Course work older than seven years cannot be used to meet requirements for the master's degree.
The following are the course requirements for the M.S. Degree, Plan I. Some of these requirements are dictated by the UNM Graduate Catalog and additional ones are required by the ME Department.
A minimum of 31 semester hours is required. For the M.S. Plan I with "Manufacturing Engineering Concentration" a minimum of 37 hours is required.
A minimum of 24 hours of 500-level courses, including ME 599 Thesis.
A minimum of 15 hours of coursework in Mechanical Engineering, not including ME 599. Four courses will comprise the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Core.
At least 24 hours must be completed in residence at the University of New Mexico.
A maximum of 12 hours of graduate level courses in non-degree status may be applied to the course requirements.
Six hours of M.S. thesis (ME 599) are required. A maximum of three hours of Problems courses (ME 551 or ME552, but not ME 559) may be included.
0 + 1 hour Seminar. [ME 591 (fall), ME 592 (spring)]. See Seminar Requirement.
The student must meet with the ME Graduate Director before the initial registration, and work out a program of studies for the first semester. Any courses that do not receive prior approval of an academic advisor may be disallowed. During the first semester, the student must obtain the agreement of an ME faculty member to serve as Academic Advisor, and submit an Advisor Assignment Form to the ME Program Advisement Coordinator. This faculty member normally, but not always, becomes the Chair of the Committee-on-Studies (COS).
M.S. students must have one hour of seminar credit on their program. The student shall register for ME 591/592 for two semesters while attending the seminars. The first semester the student may register for zero credit hours. The second semester the student must register for one credit hour. The grade will be CR/NC, based upon attendance. Presenting a seminar on campus will count for attendance at two seminar sessions.
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Each student’s program shall be guided by a Committee-on-Studies. The Committee-on-Studies shall be composed of at least three members; at least two members shall be full-time, UNM Mechanical Engineering faculty members. It is to the student's benefit if the Committee-on-Studies is selected and approved no later than the second semester of residence or before completing 12 hours. Approval of the Committee must be obtained using the Committee-on-Studies Proposal Form.
Other Members of Committee-on-Studies
The remainder of the Committee should be chosen by consultation between the Chairman of the Committee-on-Studies and the student. Approval for non-UNM faculty committee members must be obtained from the Department and Office of Graduate Studies.
M.S. Program Planning and Approval
The Committee-on-Studies shall have the responsibility to plan and approve the student's program. Approval of the M.S. Program of Studies must also be obtained from the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Director.
Program of Studies (POS)
The Program of Studies Form should be submitted the semester following completion of 12 hours toward the MSME degree. At the latest, it must be approved by the ME Graduate Director and Dean of Graduate Studies by July 1 for a Fall graduation, October 1 for a Spring graduation and May 1 for a Summer graduation. The Committee should have input on the program submitted, and all members of the Committee must sign the Program of Studies form. Changes in an approved program must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies by a memorandum from the student with approval by the Committee-on-Studies chair and ME Graduate Director.
The student shall prepare, with the assistance and advice of the Committee-on-Studies Chairperson, a thesis proposal and present it for approval by the Committee-on-Studies no later than the second week of the semester (or the first week of the summer session) in which the student intends to graduate. The proposal outline under Project/Thesis/Dissertation Instructions should be followed. An oral presentation may be requested by the Committee-on-Studies. Following the first enrollment in at least one hour of ME 599, Plan I students must be continuously enrolled in ME 599 including the semester in which they graduate.
Information pertinent to preparation of a thesis is available at the Office of Graduate Studies website along with front pages of the thesis (Certificate of Approval, Title Page, and Abstract Page). Front pages may also be purchased at the UNM Bookstore.
Notification of Intent to Graduate
The student must submit the Notification of Intent to Graduate Form to the ME Program Advisement Coordinator by July 25th for a Fall graduation, December 10th for a Spring graduation, and May 10th for a summer graduation. Students must be enrolled in a graduate course in the semester of graduation. If all other course work is completed, one (1) hour of ME 551 or 552 may be taken. Students should not register for ME 559 (3 hours) more than once.
Thesis Presentation and Master's Examination
The thesis shall be provided to the Committee-on-Studies at least two weeks before the scheduled thesis defense which functions as the Master's Examination. The Mechanical Engineering Program Advisement Coordinator must also be notified of the time and location of the examination at least three weeks prior to it. The Master's (Plan I) examination shall usually consist of a presentation of the research work by the student and an oral examination by the Committee-on-Studies. The examination may cover the program of study as well as the research topic. Results of the examination must be reported to the Office of Graduate Studies, on the Report of Examination form provided, by November 15, April 15, or July 15, in order for the student to graduate in the Fall, Spring, or Summer semesters, respectively. A final exam may be passed with distinction according to the ME Department policy.
Distinction on Thesis and Dissertation Defenses
Distinction may be awarded to recognize exemplary performance on an M.S. thesis or Ph.D. dissertation defense. The student's transcript will include "Passed with Distinction." The examining committee shall consider the written work as well as the oral presentation and oral examination. Outstanding performance on all aspects of the examination is required. A committee decision to propose that a student be passed with distinction must be unanimous, and is subject to approval by the Graduate Director. The committee chair must provide a memo with the Report of Examination form describing those aspects of the written work and student presentation that merit distinction, along with a copy of the thesis or dissertation. If the thesis or dissertation requires more than minor editorial corrections, distinction will not be considered. Department standards of excellence suggest that, on average, about one in ten M.S. thesis defenses and about one in five Ph.D. dissertation defenses will merit distinction.
Two unbound copies of the thesis, together with two copies of an abstract (300-500 words), all in perfect form and approved by the Committee-on-Studies shall be submitted for the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies by November 15, April 15, or July 15, in the respective semesters in which graduation is to occur. A third copy shall be submitted to the Mechanical Engineering Department after it is bound in a specified manner; contact the ME Program Advisement Coordinator for instructions.
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