graduate academic experience charles suffel, dean of graduate academics january 10, 2014

Graduate Academic Experience Charles Suffel, Dean of Graduate AcademicsJanuary 10, 2014

Historical Perspective

Founder of the Institute: Edwin A. Stevens●1795 - 1868●Founded Institute in 1871●Stevens family made fortune in transportation: toll roads,

ferries and railroadsFirst steam railroad, Perth Amboy to Camden, NJPhoenix, the first steamship to make an ocean voyage

●Edwin sailed the America in the first race of what became the America’s Cup International Challenge Races (they won)

Enrollment AY 2012-2013

Undergraduate –2548●73% Male 27% Female●42 different states represented●11% underrepresented minorities in

Engineering or Science●5% International●Degrees awarded: B.A., B.S. & B.E.

Graduate –3101●Full-Time: 45%; Part-Time: 55%●New Graduate Students (Fall 2012):

1008●New Full-Time Students (Fall 2012):

600Domestic Students: 114International Students: 486

●Doctoral Enrollment (Fall 2012)372 Total Doctoral Students32 New Students (8 Domestic; 24

International)

School of Systems and Enterprises

School of Technology Management

School of Engineering and Science

Academic CouncilChair - Provost Members – Vice Provost, Deans

College of Arts and Letters

Cross disciplinary emphasis

Historical, cultural, global perspective, ethics, communication

4

Academic Structure

Graduate Program Overview

Masters and Ph.D Degrees in: Various Engineering, Science, Management

and Liberal Arts disciplines Interdisciplinary and/or focused programs on

important areas at the forefront of Engineering, Science and Management

For those seeking graduate level education in focused areas we offer Certificate Programs such as: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Practices System Design and Operational Effectiveness Water Recourses Construction Management Technology , Policy and Ethics Etc. Etc.

Graduate Program Overview (continued)

DISCIPLINARY MASTERS PROGRAMS ● Systems Engineering & Engineering Management● Technology Management● Information Systems ● Biomedical Engineering● Civil, Ocean, Environmental and Naval Engineering● Chemical & Materials Engineering● Electrical and Computer Engineering● Mechanical Engineering● Pharmaceutical Manufacturing● Computer Science● Chemistry and Chemical Biology● Mathematics● Physics and Engineering Physics● Technology, Policy and Ethics

Graduate Program Overview (continued)

INTERDISCIPLINARY MASTERS PROGRAMSCover areas across traditional disciplinesAre characterized by a systems focus:

Integrated Product Design (IPD) Maritime Systems

Microelectronics and Photonics Water Resources

Wireless Communications Construction Management

Networked Information Systems Nanotechnology

Product ArchitectureAd-hoc (administered by Office of Graduate Academics)

Course Locations

In-house at company locations Picatinny Arsenal, Dover NJ Stevens Hoboken campus Online via WebCampus (worldwide)

Graduate Program Overview (continued)

Each of the graduate programs out of SES, SSE and STM offer opportunities to engage in advanced study and research leading to PhD

There are a number of Research Centers at Stevens through which Doctoral research leading to Ph. D. can be conducted: Examples of Research Centers:

● Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education

● National Center for Secure and Resilient Maritime Commerce

● Systems Engineering Research Center● Center of Excellence for Business Process

Innovation

Structure and Functions of the new Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

1. Education – Inculcate entrepreneurship skills and training throughout the four-year educational experience;

2. Entrepreneurship Support – Facilitate connections between Stevens students, faculty, staff, and administrators and the outside world through mentorship, networking, showcasing, and start-up assistance to maximize entrepreneurial start-ups;

3. Technology Licensing – Conclude licensing agreements, secure IP protection, manage Stevens IP portfolio, and assist in negotiations for industrial contracts

Provost Office

Office of Innovation and

EntrepreneurshipVice Provost

Education Integration of I&E in the Curriculum

Faculty /Students Entrepreneurship

Support

Technology Licensing, Spin

offs

I&E Faculty Committee

External Advisory Committee

  Master’s Program (MA, ME, MS, MSTM,MBA)- 30 credits (MA, SES, SSE)- 30 credits (STM)- 36 credits for Master of Science in Technology

Management (MSTM)- 48 credit for MBA (STM) 

- Can include thesis  5 - 10 credits in MA, SES, SSE, STM  

Graduate Program Offerings

NEW PHD REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES• Credit requirements ≥ 54 credits beyond Master’s degree

- at most 1/3 of course credits from the 54 required credits can be transferred in (need approval of advisory committee; can’t have been used for completion of any other degrees).

- 3 of the 54 credits must be “signature credits”

• Qualifying examinations- recommended that the student take the department

(school) qualifying exam within two (2) years after admission to the doctoral program or receipt of master’s degree, whichever comes first.

• Preliminary Examinations- dissertation proposal is required to be defended no

later than one (1) year after passing qualifying exam

Graduate Program Offerings

• Time limit - maximum of six (6) years to complete requirements for PhD after earning master’s degree or the equivalent (requests for extensions must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Academics)

• Dissertation Advisory Committee- selected within six (6) months after becoming a

PhD candidate - Committee composed of four persons, one of whom must be a Stevens professor from another department or program -chair, or co-chair, must be a tenured, tenure-track professor, professor emeritus or an approved (by the appropriate school) non-tenure track faculty - must meet at least once per year

Graduate Program Offerings - continued

• Dissertation Defense and Publication Requirement - dissertation MUST be defended publically - at the time of the defense at least one peer-

reviewed paper will have been submitted for publication

• Signature Credits- 3 credit course administered by the Dean of

Graduate Academics and the Associate Provost of Academic Entrepreneurship (Under

revision)

Graduate Program Offerings - Continued

Graduate Certificates - 3 – 5 courses in a “specialization” - usually count toward master’s, PhD, Engineers

degree  Engineers Degree *(Chemical Engineering,

Civil, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics)

Master of Philosophy (HSTM)* * - terminal degree beyond masters * - 30 credits beyond masters * - includes project (8 – 15 credits)

Graduate Program Offerings -continued

• most courses earn 3 credits• delivery modes – - face – to – face:

- one 2.5 hr session/week for 15 weeks fall, spring, offerings - two 2.5 hr session/week for 6 weeks summer A, summer B offerings

  - on-line (Web Campus) - week by week syllabus, 13 weeks fall, spring 1, spring 2, summer A, summer B, winter can access course materials 24 hrs/day

Graduate Courses

Remarks: 1) Course content same for face-to-face and on-line

2) F1 students: maximum of one on-line course/semester

ALSO: if only one course remains- cannot be online

ALSO: normal full time load- 9 credits (except last semester)

- modular format (SSE) intensive one week delivery

preliminary readings & assignments certification of acquired knowledge

Graduate Courses - continued

Grades

Grade Point Average (GPA):Compute weighted value for each course, i.e. grade value times # credits course

- Add all such weighted values- Divide by total # of credits

  Graduation requirements: For courses on Application for

Candidacy3.0 or greater in major3.0 or greater overall (B average)

(for master’s degree, engineers degree, PhD degree, graduate certificates)

(No Rounding UP!)    

A4

A-3.667

B+3.333

B3.0

B-2.667

C+2.333

C2.0

C-1.667

F0

Graduate Courses - continued

• S-U – in progress; interim grade for special problems, courses, theses, and projects

• AUD –auditing a course

• ABS – absent from final exam with instructor and Dean of Graduate Academics approval

• INC – in class for at least 10 weeks, in good standing; given at instructor’s discretion

• W – withdrawal; - if before end of 10th class session automatic approval, after 10th class session need instructor and Dean of Graduate Academics approval; - appears on the transcript but does not affect GPA; - for schedule of refunds see Student Service Center

Other Grades

ELC Policies and Procedures for International Graduate Students

• International students must submit a TOEFL or an IELTS score.Exceptions: native language is English and/or earned 4yr Bachelor’s degree from a university at a country where English is the native language.- must file a petition for wavier with application

• Proficiency Requirements for Acceptance -- score ≥ 86 on TOEFL IBT- score ≥ 567 on TOEFL PBT- score: 7 on IELTS- exempt from English Communication Development (ECD)

requirement

English Language & Communications (ELC)

- score: 79 – 85 on TOEFL IBT- score: 550-563 on TOEFL PBT- score: 6.5 on IELTS

• must take an English Language Communication (ELC) course during 1st semester (either level I or level II – based on sub-scores; two credits each)

- regular course load (9credits)- placing out: pass Stevens English Communication- Proficiency Exam (ECPE) given before enrollment ($50 fee)

English Language & Communications (ELC) – Cont.

• Score: 74-78 on TOEFL IBT 537 -549 on TOEFL PBT 6 on IELTS- must complete 90 contact hours of ELC instruction (Intensive – 4 credits) (6.5 hours per week for 14 weeks)

- student (in this category) experiencing academic difficulty may

be eligible for a reduced academic load – approval required from

advisor and ISSS office

Good Standing: current GPA 3.0 or greater -at most 2 C’s, no F’s  Probation: Either 1) below 3.0 GPA after taking at least 10 credits 2) 3 or more C’s 3) an unimproved F

Remediation: If on probation student meets with advisor and develops a remediation plan

Academic Standing

Meet with assigned faculty advisor(s)  Develop a “study plan” in concert with

advisor(s)

Study Plan FILED IN REGISTRAR’S OFFICE  Remark – Study plan is “IMPORTANT” 

- it is a contract between YOU & SIT

Fashioning a Degree Program

TA position – stipend (20 hours per week work authorization) - 18 credits/academic year

- no other work assignments for pay are permitted without Dean’s approval

  RA position – same as above  Innovation & Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellowship for - FT

students - 2 years - stipend, tuition - administered by the Office of Academic Entreprenuership - no other work assignments for pay are permitted without

Dean’s approval

Stanley Fellowship – for FT students - 1 yr (possible renewal)

- stipend, tuition - USA citizens - administered by Office of Graduate Academics - no other work assignments for pay are permitted without

Dean’s approval

Financial Aid (PhD students)

  Academic integrity is a national, indeed a world-wide,

priority. Apart from the negative effect that any systemic form of dishonesty has on the moral fiber of society, academic dishonesty is extremely detrimental to continued technological progress. The world requires a population of competent engineers, scientists and managers of technology to attack and solve some of the very pressing present day technological problems.

  Of course the competence of a student who commits

academic improprieties is at best suspect and Stevens is committed to curbing such acts of academic dishonesty.

  “An academic impropriety is meant to include, but is not

limited to cheating on homework, during in-class or take home examinations and plagiarism” (Ref: Student Handbook: Academic Standing)

Academic Integrity

• Dictionary Definition – Copying or imitating the language, ideas and thoughts of another author and passing it off as one’s own original work.

• Types of Plagiarism (Ref: “Ghost Writer”), http://sse.stevens.edu/fileadmin/sse/academics/resources/PlagiarismUpdate.pdf

- completely copying another’s work, word-for- word without citation;

- copying pieces of one or more sources without citations;

- paraphrasing a large portion of another’s work without citation;

Plagiarism

- improper citation (leaving out information or providing

inaccurate information);

- mixing proper citation and no (or improper) citation;

- copying one’s own work from a previous publication or

assignment without indicating that it was a previous work;

• Turnitin.com – an antiplagiarism software service.

• My advice – consult with your Professor.

Plagiarism - continued

DO NOT register for MORE courses than you intend to complete

Register for courses on your study plan (or get advisor’s approval and modify the study plan)

Observe pre-requisite requirements (or obtain instructor’s and advisor’s approval)

Speak only English in the classroom especially when taking exams.

Academic Ethics

Web Sources

Stevens Home Page

Academics – - Registrar - Office of Graduate Academics (Student Handbook) - Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship