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Graduates entering the Department of Macromolecular
Science and Engineering are subject to the academic
rules of the University, of the School of Engineering,
and of the Department.
University Rules
The University rules are stated in the University
catalog. You may also consult the Graduate Student Handbook on the Graduate Studies website. A short abstract of important points includes:
GPA requirements are described below in the
Departmental Rules.
A student receiving a “U” in a course is
automatically placed on probation and must remove
him/herself from probation within one year (usually by
repeating the course). If a course is repeated, both
original and revised grades will count in the grade
point average.
Some students are admitted on a probationary basis
and must achieve a 3.0 GPA after two semesters to remain
in good standing (this is a rule of the Engineering
School).
Students entering the graduate program for a Ph.D.
will need to fill out the “Planned Program of Study”
within the first semester from the beginning of the
program.
All graduate students are required to serve as
teaching assistants. Responsibilities as a TA include
serving as an instructor, lab assistant, recitation
leader, grader, or tutor in an undergraduate course.
After fulfilling the required teaching assistant
program, UNIV 400, students will make sure that three
teaching courses (400T, 500T, and 600T) are listed on
their Planned Program of Study form. Completion of this
teaching requirement will be monitored by Graduate
Studies and is required in order to graduate.
Engineering School Rules
Most of
these rules are incorporated in the number and type of
courses required by the Department. However, Case School of Engineering Ph.D. students are required to 1) maintain full-time status as a Ph.D. bound student; 2) maintain a grade point average of 3.2 or above; and 3) continue making satisfactory academic progress as certified by their advisor.
Departmental Rules
Students in the Ph.D. program receiving a GPA below
2.50 in any two consecutive semesters will be asked to
terminate their graduate study program.
The GPA requirement established by the University at
various stages of the graduate program shall exclude
M.S. or Ph.D. thesis credits which will be graded “S” or
“U” until a final grade is given at the end of the
program. Hence a student must maintain a minimum GPA of
2.75 (for an M.S.) OR a 3.0 (for a Ph.D.) in coursework. (As mentioned above, Case School of Engineering Ph.D. students must maintain a GPA of 3.2 or above.)
Plan A M.S. students must give a departmental seminar
(as part of the student lecture series).
Plan B M.S. degrees are limited to non-fellowship
students.
Coursework may be transferred from another
University, subject to Graduate Committee approval if:
- the courses duplicate requirements of the
Department
- the courses were in excess of the undergraduate degree
requirements or the courses were taken in a graduate
program elsewhere
- a grade of B or better was achieved in those courses
- a petition is made to and approved by the Graduate
Committee of the Department
- the transferred grades will not count in the GPA at
CASE.
The Department reserves the right to withhold
financial support to a student if that student takes an
undue amount of time in completing his/her M.S. or Ph.D.
requirements (normally no longer than 3 years for M.S.
and 5 years after initial registration of EMAC 701).
A Ph.D. student must pass the written Qualifying Exam
(WQE) within 18 months after enrollment with a M.S. degree
into the Ph.D. program. A Ph.D. student must pass the
WQE within 24 months after
enrollment with a B.S. degree into the Ph.D. program. A
student only has two chances to pass the Qualifying
Exam.
Students will be asked to answer 4 mandatory
questions – one from each of the following five areas:
Polymer Synthesis
Polymer Physical Chemistry
Polymer Physics
Polymer Engineering
Seminars (from the previous year)
Two elective questions will be chosen from a number of
questions from all elective courses offered in the
Department. NOTE: The WQE is given twice per year respectively on the first Friday in the beginning and the first Friday after the end of the Spring semester. For Ph.D. students enrolled in a Spring semester, those with a M.S. degree must pass the WQE at the end of his/her second Spring semester, and those with a B.S. degree must pass it at the beginning of his/her third Spring semester.
The Research Qualifying Exam (RQE) is
designed to test the student’s knowledge of the chosen
field as well as his/her originality and ability to
perform high quality, independent research. It consists
of a written research proposal and an oral defense. All
Ph.D. students who hold an M.S. degree must pass the RQE
within two years of enrolling in the Ph.D. program, while
students with a B.S. degree must do so within two and a half years.
Successful passing of the Written Qualifying Exam (not
to be confused with the written portion of this RQE) is
prerequisite to taking the RQE. Students have two
chances to pass the RQE, and no student will be allowed
to continue on to a Ph.D. degree if he/she has not
successfully taken it. A conditional pass with major
revision (see below) requires modification to the
written or oral portion, at the examination committee
discretion, within ten business days and following
guidelines by the examination committee. A second exam,
if required due to failure of the first exam, must be
taken within six months of the first exam with at least
one examination committee member remaining the same.
Passing the exam constitutes advancement to candidacy
and is required for enrolling in EMAC 701, “Dissertation
Ph.D.”
At least three (3) weeks prior to the
RQE oral defense, the student will submit to the
graduate chairperson a research proposal title with a
one-paragraph synopsis of the research problem and
approach, along with suggestions for two members ((i)
and (ii), below) of the three member examining
committee. The examining committee will consist of three
faculty members: (i) a member (or intended member) of
the student’s Thesis Advisory Committee, (ii) an expert
in the research proposal area and (iii) a faculty member
selected systematically and in a neutral manner by the
Graduate Committee. The student’s primary thesis advisor
or co-advisors is/are excluded from the examining
committee. Upon establishing the examining committee,
the student will arrange with the committee for the
date, time, and location of the RQE. The student will
then distribute the written research proposal to the
examining committee five full business days before the
defense. It should be no less than 15 and no more than
20 pages of double-spaced text with 1” margins on all
sides. No more than five pages can be devoted to the
proposal introduction or background. Figures, tables,
and schemes should not exceed five pages in total.
Literature citations are in addition to this page count.
The oral presentation will be chaired by a designated
chairperson from the examining committee. It should
contain only limited background material, focusing
primarily on execution of the proposed research. The
oral presentation should last 20-30 minutes, with
questions from faculty being for clarification only.
Following the presentation, the examining committee will
ask questions for the student to answer concerning the
proposal. On the basis of the written proposal and oral
defense (presentation and question responses) the
faculty will then confer and tender a decision of pass,
conditional pass with major revision, or fail,
immediately. The decision will be communicated to the
student and graduate chairperson in writing within one
business day.
Every Ph.D. student is required to fulfill his
teaching requirement by registering for the three
teaching courses, 400T, 500T, and 600T that will be
posted to our departmental roster each semester.
Completion of the teaching requirement will be monitored
by Graduate Studies, and these three teaching courses
must appear both on the Program of Study form and the
student’s transcript.
It is expected that all students will present the
results of their research in a Departmental Seminar.
This is mandatory for students enrolled in the Ph.D.
program. Attendance and registration for these seminars
(EMAC 677: Colloquia Seminars) is also mandatory.
The Department requires the equivalent of six credit
hours of departmental assistance. This requirement takes
the form of grading, laboratory assistance and/or
general departmental duties and is designed to utilize
no more than three hours/week of a student’s time. The
departmental service requirement must be completed
within the first two semesters of study. However, the
departmental service requirement form must be turned in
at the end of the each semester until the obligation is
met.
Vacation Policy. Graduate students in the Department
who receive Fellowship support for 12 months are
normally entitled to two weeks vacation plus national
holidays. Alternative arrangements may be made with the
student’s advisor, giving ample advance notice. In
certain situations, it is possible to take a leave of
absence without financial support.
Prior to graduation a student is required to clean
out his/her laboratory space including a removal of
waste solvents and hazardous material.
Failure to comply with all of the above course
requirements may result in termination or delay
graduation. |
