Graduate Study in Engineering
The College of Engineering and Applied Science offers degree programs for the master of engineering (ME), master of science (MS), and doctor of philosophy (PhD) degrees. There are degree programs in each of the following departments or fields:
- aerospace engineering sciences
- chemical and biological engineering
- civil engineering
- computer science
- electrical engineering
- engineering management
- mechanical engineering
- telecommunications
The master of science in applied mathematics is offered through the Department of Applied Mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Graduate programs within each engineering department offer a variety of options, providing a number of alternative careers.
The aerospace program has a strong emphasis on astrodynamics and satellite navigation systems; bioastronautics; remote sensing, earth, and space science; structural and material systems; and vehicle systems, including aerodynamics, systems, and control.
Key activities in chemical and biological engineering include membrane and thin-film science, biomedical engineering and biotechnology, surface science, process control, polymeric and ceramic materials engineering, microelectronics, and environmental engineering.
Fields emphasized in civil engineering include geotechnical engineering, structural mechanics and engineering, building systems engineering, construction management and engineering, environmental and water resource engineering.
Strengths in computer science include algorithm design, artificial intelligence, database design, numerical optimization, operating systems, parallel processing, speech and language processing, human-computer interaction, networks, mobile computing, programming languages, software engineering, systems, theoretical computer science, and computer security.
Areas of focus in electrical engineering include atmospheric remote sensing; biomedical engineering; devices, materials, and quantum electronics; digital signal processing and communications; information systems; energy conversion and power systems; systems, robotics, and control theory; circuits and electronics; fields and radio propagation; computer languages and logic circuits; optics and optoelectronics; microwave optics; and computer-aided design and VLSI.
Areas of focus in electrical and computer engineering include biomedical engineering; communications and digital signal processing; computer engineering; dynamics and controls; electromagnetics; RF and microwaves; nanostructures and devices; optics and photonics; power electronics and renewable energy systems; and VLSI/CAD.
Engineering management offers a core management curriculum in leadership, project management, quality, and finance. Areas of concentration are available in research and development, project management, performance excellence, engineering entrepreneurship, quality and process, software management, and operations. These courses are designed for engineers and technical professionals preparing for management assignments in high-technology fields.
Mechanical engineering areas of concentration include biomedical engineering, combustion science, air pollution, environmental engineering, heat transfer, energy conversion, materials science/engineering, design and manufacturing, electronic packaging, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), nanotechnology, biomedical devices, pollution prevention, nondestructive structural evaluation, wave propagation and scattering, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, and mechatronics and robotics.
Telecommunications offers an interdisciplinary master's degree program that integrates courses in electrical engineering, computer science, business, economics, policy, and law. Through such an approach, and access to its world-class telecommunications laboratory, students are equipped to design, plan, analyze, and manage telecommunications systems, networks, and the many advanced and innovative uses of interactive communications today. Students enter the program from a wide variety of technical or liberal arts undergraduate degrees and expand their knowledge through an individually tailored combination of courses from the various disciplines that meet the criteria for the degree. This ensures balanced, specialized capabilities necessary for a comprehensive understanding of the technological and socio-cultural aspects of telecommunications.
Graduate Degree for Science Majors +
Science graduates who have good academic records and strong backgrounds in mathematics and science may be eligible for admission as graduate students in engineering or may be able to qualify with some extra course work. Information may be obtained from the appropriate academic department office.
Distance Learning and Professional Development Programs +
The Center for Advanced Engineering and Technology Education (CAETE) is the distance learning and professional studies arm of the College of Engineering and Applied Science. CAETE provides convenient and flexible education for working professionals. Courses are delivered in the campus classroom and via the Internet to students across the country and abroad.
Graduate credit courses are available in the areas of aerospace engineering, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, engineering management, and telecommunications. Course sequences may lead to a graduate certificate or master's degree.
Noncredit courses are available in such fields as database administration, networking, project management, sustainability, and other engineering and technical areas. Course sequences may lead to a certificate or continuing education units (CEUs).
Students may enroll in credit courses before being accepted to the Graduate School, but they should apply for admission before finishing a third course. Courses taken before admission are considered transfer credit. Nine transfer credit hours will be accepted toward a graduate degree program. All applicable courses taken after admission will count toward the degree. Nondegree students may register for credit or noncredit courses for professional development.
CAETE also provides ongoing access to over 100 pre-recorded courses via a virtual library. These courses are available for academic course work, rental, or purchase by companies for in-house training.
For more information, visit the CAETE website at caete.colorado.edu, call 303-492-6331, e-mail caete@colorado.edu, or write to CAETE, University of Colorado at Boulder, 435 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309-0435.
Master of Engineering, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy +
Students wishing to pursue graduate work in engineering leading to candidacy for advanced degrees should read carefully the requirements for advanced degrees in the Graduate School chapter of this catalog. Some departments also have available explanatory material on their advanced degree programs.
Prerequisites. To enroll for an advanced degree in any department of the College of Engineering and Applied Science and the interdisciplinary telecommunications program, candidates either must have previously earned a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that includes the necessary prerequisites for that branch of engineering or must qualify for the concurrent BS and MS program. If the candidate's preliminary education was taken at some other institution, the degree of qualification for advanced work is determined by the department concerned and by the dean of the Graduate School.
Graduates of engineering technology programs should note that the equivalent of a BS degree in an appropriate engineering field is required for entry into the Graduate School. Because the goals and orientation of engineering programs differ from those of technology programs, technology graduates should expect to make up deficiencies before being admitted to graduate study in engineering. Students may not be admitted to the Graduate School while making up deficiencies, but can enroll as nondegree students.
For admission as a regular degree student, an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.000 is normally required.
Language Requirement. PhD candidates should note that some engineering departments have foreign language requirements.
Course Work. Graduate work in each department of the College of Engineering and Applied Science falls into two classes:
1. Courses that are offered for candidates who have chosen to major in the particular department or as a base for the ME combined degree
2. Courses that are offered as minors for candidates who have chosen their major in some other department
Graduate students majoring in any department receive no credit in the Graduate School for courses listed as required undergraduate work in the same department. They may, however, receive graduate credit for advanced undergraduate courses in an engineering department other than that in which they received their bachelor's degree, with the approval of the department granting the degree and the dean of the Graduate School.
Availability of Courses. All courses are not necessarily offered every year. They are available only if there is sufficient demand.
Qualifying Examinations. Graduate students who plan to become candidates for the MS or PhD degree may be required to take a qualifying examination in the appropriate field of specialization during the first semester in which they are registered as candidates for a graduate degree. Individual departments should be consulted concerning the timing or requirement of this examination. The purpose of this examination is to enable the advisor and student to plan a suitable program of study.
Teaching Assistant English Proficiency and Intelligibility +
The College of Engineering and Applied Science requires that all graduate teaching assistants be proficient and intelligible in spoken English. In order to ensure that this is the case, all prospective teaching assistants whose native language is not English, or others for whom the department graduate program coordinator believes that spoken language intelligibility is a concern, regardless of native language, will be tested for spoken language intelligibility prior to the semester in which the teaching assistantship is awarded. In the event that a prospective teaching assistant does not demonstrate a satisfactory level of proficiency, as determined by the Graduate Education Council of the College, that student will be required to participate in training designed to improve intelligibility. Students will not incur costs for either testing or training.
