Southern Polytechnic State University

Graduate Academic Catalog 2012-2013

Engineering Technology--Electrical

Offering the Master of Science Degree

Admission to the Master of Science program with a major in Engineering Technology, Electrical Concentration, is open to persons holding the bachelor or higher degree in engineering, engineering technology, or a related degree from an accredited college.

Preference in admission will be given to applicants having professional experience in a technical work environment. The admission procedure is competitive in that students will be admitted only if their academic accomplishments and work experience demonstrate that they can successfully complete the program.

Admission Procedure

Applicants for admission to the Master of Science program with a major in Engineering Technology, Electrical Concentration must submit the following to the Admissions Office no later than the semester deadline date before the beginning of the semester in which the applicant plans to enroll:

  • An application for admission to the program,
  • An official copy of scores from the "General Test" of the Graduate Record Examination,
  • An official transcript from each college the applicant has attended,
  • A certificate of immunization,
  • A 1 – 2 page Statement of Purpose describing your career and educational goals,
  • At least three recommendation forms which have been completed by former or current supervisors, professors, or professional colleagues.

International students should refer to the International Students sub-section for additional admission requirements.

Admission Criteria

Applicants should have an undergraduate degree in Electrical, Computer, or Telecommunications Engineering Technology or Electrical, Computer, or Telecommunications Engineering from an accredited college or university.

Applicants must have at least a 2.75 (on the 4.00 scale) undergraduate grade point average. Applicants must score a minimum of 500 on either the quantitative or analytic components of the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Admission Status

The program coordinator in conjunction with the graduate admissions committee determines the student admission status.

Full Graduate Status students have met all the criteria shown above and have been judged acceptable by the graduate programs committee.

Post-Baccalaureate status is available to students who do not meet the admission criteria but who are NOT seeking a degree.

Provisional students are graduate students who have not met all the criteria shown above. They are limited to designated courses, either graduate or undergraduate, during which they will be evaluated to determine their likelihood of success. Provisional students are not guaranteed full graduate status.

International Students

International applicants who do not possess a bachelor's degree from a college within the United States must submit the following additional information to the Admissions Office:

  • An official transcript (translated into English) of college-level education,
  • Official Course-by Course Equivalency of transcripts by an approved credentialing agency (such as WES),
  • Score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL),
  • An affidavit indicating financial security.

A minimum TOEFL score of 213 on the computer version, 550 on the paper version or 79 on the Internet version is required. International students on F-1 and J-1 visas must purchase medical insurance made available through Southern Polytechnic State University or provide proof of alternate coverage through a comparable policy.

International applicants applying from outside of the United States must submit all admissions documents, including Immunization Certificate, at least 60 days prior to the deadline dates.

Transfer Credit

Students may wish to transfer credit from other graduate programs in which they have been enrolled. Transfer credit is limited to one 3 or 4 credit course subject to the discretion of the head of the academic program where the program resides. Students may apply for transfer credit if:

  • The student was enrolled as a graduate student,
  • The course is completed with a grade of "B" or better,
  • The course was not used toward a degree,
  • The course is equivalent to one offered in a Master of Science program at Southern Polytechnic State University,
  • The course is appropriate to the students program of study,
  • The course credit was earned within the last five years.

Post-Baccalaureate Students

Persons holding a recognized bachelor's degree may be admitted as post-baccalaureate students if they are interested in taking additional classes for personal growth or professional development but not involving a new degree objective. Such students must meet all course prerequisites for enrollment in undergraduate or graduate courses.

To apply for post-baccalaureate status, the student must submit to the Admissions office:

  • An undergraduate application form along with a $20 non-refundable application processing fee (check made payable to Southern Polytechnic State University),
  • Two official transcripts showing completion of a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution of higher education,
  • The certificate of immunization.

If a student in this category chooses to later apply for degree-seeking status, the student must follow the regular Master's program admission procedure. Following regular program admission, graduate credit earned in the non-degree-seeking category may be counted only with the permission of the program where the degree is housed. Ordinarily, no more than 8 hours of graduate course-work completed in this provisional status may be applied to the degree.

Engineering Technology--Electrical Concentration

The scope of electrical engineering technology has become very broad as the knowledge base and applications associated with this discipline continue to expand at an accelerating pace.

The Master of Science degree is offered to meet the needs of individuals who wish to pursue advanced studies in modern electrical, electronic or computer technologies in order to fulfill their personal or career goals.

There are four principal objectives to the graduate program in Engineering Technology:

  • To provide continuing in-depth technical education to individuals who hold an ABET-accredited baccalaureate degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering or Engineering Technology.
  • To provide advanced studies in electrical, electronic or computer technologies to help individuals advance in their chosen careers. These individuals may work as engineers, engineer/technologists, technical managers, independent consultants, or in similar professions.
  • To provide additional technical education to those individuals who desire to teach at the college, technical school, or high school level.
  • To provide an opportunity for practicing professionals, who possess an accredited baccalaureate degree in a related discipline, to shift their career path into the electrical, electronic or computer fields.

Each graduate student will pursue an individualized course of study within the guidelines of one of the programs listed below. The student and his/her academic advisor will identify the graduate courses that will comprise that student's course of study. The courses will be chosen to:

  • Meet the student's career goals
  • Provide a high-quality educational experience for that student
  • Satisfy the requirements of one of the programs

In this section:

Master of Science Program in Engineering Technology – Electrical Concentration Degree Requirements

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Graduate Degree Programs