College of Engineering Overview
Departments: Dan F. Smith Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Phillip M. Drayer Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Brian Craig, Dean, Cherry 2016, (409) 880-8741
Dr. Jenny Zhou, Associate Dean, Cherry 2016, (409) 880-7830
Dr. Peyton Richmond, Academic Director of Undergraduate Studies, Cherry 3101, (409) 880-2147
Christine Jones, Business Manager, Cherry 2006, (409) 880-8741
Haley Strahan, Director of Outreach and Student Services, Cherry 2008, (409) 880-8714
Mary Givan, Director of Admission, Graduate Programs, Cherry 2105, (409) 880-8736
Paula Dunigan, Senior Academic Advisor of Undergraduate Programs, Cherry 2300, (409) 880-7442
Carrie Schmidt, Academic Advisor of Undergraduate Programs, Cherry 2300, (409) 880-8063
Lisa Forson, Administrative Associate, Cherry 2000, (409) 880-8742
Engineering Endowed Chair Professors:
Brian Craig, Charles and Elanor Garrett Chair
Thomas C. Ho, Michael E. and Patricia P. Aldredge Chair of Industrial Infrastructure
Harley R. Myler, William B. and Mary G. Mitchell Chair of Telecommunications
College of Engineering Mission
The mission of the College of Engineering is to provide students with high quality, accessible undergraduate and graduate engineering education; to engage and empower students with skills and knowledge to thrive in professional careers, and to serve society through economic and technological development of Southeast Texas and beyond.
Undergraduate Programs
Cooperative Education and Internship Programs
Opportunities in Cooperative (Co-op) Education and Internship Programs are available in the College of Engineering. International students interested in internship opportunities must also meet the requirements of Curricular Practical Training to be eligible for work legally in the United States during the duration of their study.
Undergraduate Entrance Requirements
Entering freshmen and new transfer students are considered provisional majors. The Engineering Advisors in the Undergraduate Advising Center are responsible for the academic advisement of provisional engineering majors.
The entrance requirements from high school for engineering degree programs are
- English - 4 units
- Mathematics: Algebra - 2 units, Geometry - 1 unit, Pre-calculus or Equivalent - 1 unit
- Natural Sciences: Chemistry - 1 unit, Physics - 1 unit
- Foreign Language - 1 unit
Transfer students must have a cumulative transfer GPA of at least 2.0 to be accepted into the Engineering program. Transfer credit is considered for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) coursework with a grade of “C” or better. Returning students (engineering or other majors) must have a cumulative ¿ìÉ«ÊÓƵ GPA of at least 2.0 to be accepted into the Engineering program.
College of Engineering Standards
In addition to the university requirements, the College of Engineering enforces the following standards:
- Students are required to take courses in the sequence shown in the ¿ìÉ«ÊÓƵ General Catalog for each degree program.
- Engineering students are required to maintain a GPA of 2.0 to remain in the program. Students who fall below the required GPA of 2.0 will be placed on probation and given two long semesters to raise their GPA to a 2.0 or better (maximum load of 13 semester hours). Students who fail to meet this requirement will be suspended from their Engineering Major for one long term. Students returning from suspension must prepare a performance contract in consultation with their academic advisor. A minimum term of the contract requires the student to remove deficiencies every semester of enrollment. Students who fail to meet the terms of their contract will be permanently suspended.
- Engineering students must make a ‘C’ or better in all STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) courses in order to satisfy degree plan/prerequisite requirements.
- A course may be repeated for additional credit toward a degree only as specified by the official course description in the General Catalog. Excluding courses that may be taken for additional credit toward a degree, a student may not register for any course more than four times. Any student who wishes to repeat a course must do so before completing a more advanced course in the same subject matter field.
- Upon the completion of the first two years of the specific degree plan with a GPA of 2.0 (Civil, Electrical, Industrial and Mechanical) or 2.25 (Chemical) or higher on all required courses, will be considered for admission to their professional engineering program. For all engineering programs, it is required that at least 45 semester hours (at least 25 semester hours in engineering at the 3000 and 4000 level) be earned after admission to the professional program.
- The student’s advisor must approve all electives.
The Dean of Engineering may require students to meet the current degree requirements or program standards.
Please see each department’s four-year suggested program of study.
Graduate Programs
The objectives of the graduate programs in Engineering, Environmental Science and Studies, and Engineering Management are:
- Advance the state-of-the-art of the practice of engineering.
- Advance the state-of-the-art of the teaching/learning process in engineering.
- Contribute to the economic well-being of the residents of Southeast Texas, the entire state, and the nation.
- Improve the safety, health, and environment of Southeast Texas, the entire state, and nation.
Graduate degree programs offered:
Master of Engineering (M.E.) – Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Industrial, Mechanical
Master of Engineering Science (M.E.S.) – Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Industrial, Mechanical
Master of Engineering Management (M.E.M.) - Industrial
Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Engineering - Civil
Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Studies – Civil
Doctor of Engineering (D.E.) – , , ,
Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering (Ph.D.)
Admission Requirements for Masters Programs
See: Graduate Admissions
In addition to the General Requirement in the College of Graduate Studies, the College of Engineering sets the following admission requirements:
- A bachelor degree in engineering or equivalent to a 4-year engineering program in the United States
- Official transcripts from higher education institutions where degrees were earned and most recently attended institution (if different from the institutions where degrees were earned) with a minimum GPA of 2.5
- GRE score with a minimum Quantitative score of 151
- Three reference letters (optional, but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships)
- Resume (optional, but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships)
- Personal statement of educational goals (optional, but encourage for assistantships/scholarships)
- Students with a bachelor's degree other than engineering need to submit all undergraduate transcript(s) for detailed evaluation to determine the eligibility and pre-requisites if provisional admission is granted. A Graduate Admission Committee in the College of Engineering will conduct the evaluation
Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. (International Students) must submit the following as part of the application:
- TOEFL or IELTS score (waived if student has completed a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited university located in the United States or in another country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language of the country. All years of the degree must be completed in the qualifying country.)
- Proof that the applicant has the financial resources to attend ¿ìÉ«ÊÓƵ. As part of the application process, international students must submit a written Confirmation of Financial Resources form that contains personal, family, and/or sponsor financial information and a bank verification of financial holdings. All international students are required to have health and accident insurance for themselves and all their dependent family M.E.M.bers in the United States. Insurance may be purchased at the university during the registration period.
Admission Requirements for Doctoral Programs
See: Graduate Admissions
In addition to the General Requirement in the College of Graduate Studies, the College of Engineering sets the following admission requirements:
- The general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies
- A bachelor degree in engineering equivalent to a 4-year engineering program in the US; or a Master’s degree after a bachelor degree equivalent to a 4-year engineering program in the US
- Official transcripts from higher education institutions where degrees were earned and most recently attended institution (if different from the institutions where degrees were earned) with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or a graduate GPA of 3.5
- GRE Score with a minimum combined (Verbal + Quantitative) score of 308
- Three reference letters
- Resume
- Personal statement of educational goals
- For applicants without a degree in the appropriate discipline, the department graduate advisor will determine a plan of study that will facilitate the successful completion of all requirements for the doctoral degree. This may include additional coursework, independent study, or other means to enhance the student’s knowledge of key elements in this field
Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. (International Students) must submit the following as part of the application:
- TOEFL or IELTS score (waived if student has completed a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited university located in the United States or in another country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language of the country. All years of the degree must be completed in the qualifying country.)
- Proof that the applicant has the financial resources to attend ¿ìÉ«ÊÓƵ. As part of the application process, international students must submit a written Confirmation of Financial Resources form that contains personal, family, and/or sponsor financial information and a bank verification of financial holdings. All international students are required to have health and accident insurance for themselves and all their dependent family M.E.M.bers in the United States. Insurance may be purchased at the university during the registration period.
Master of Engineering (M.E.)
The Master of Engineering degree is a non-thesis program that requires a minimum of 30 semester hours to complete the degree plan. The program is designed to suit the needs of practicing engineers in one of the engineering disciplines in the College.
Degree Requirements
- Meet all College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements
- Complete a minimum of 30 hours (10 courses) of graduate work approved by the student's graduate advisor
- Satisfactory completion of a final comprehensive examination
Master of Engineering Science (M.E.S.)
The Master of Engineering Science is a thesis option program that prepares students to independently develop a solution in their selected engineering disciplines. The student should select a department academic advisor and a graduate committee must be formed before the student has completed 15 semester hours of graduate work. No credit toward a graduate degree will be granted unless approved by the student’s graduate committee.
Degree Requirements
- Meet all College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements
- Complete a minimum of 24 semester hours (8 courses) approved by the graduate committee chair and graduate advisor.
- Satisfactorily completie and defend of a Master’s thesis (a minimum of 6 semester hours of ENGR 5390 and ENGR 5391)
Master of Engineering Management (M.E.M.)
Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Engineering
The Master of Science in Environmental Engineering program is designed to provide engineers with the highly specialized engineering expertise needed by industry and by regulatory agencies on the federal, state, and municipal levels, to solve the large and complex environmental problems threatening the natural ecosystem. Study areas include water quality, air quality, methods for managing toxic/hazardous wastes and fate, transport and impact of pollutants in the natural environment.
Degree Requirements
- All College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements
- A minimum of 9 semester hours of core courses as specified by the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
- A minimum of 15 semester hours (five courses) of electives from the following: CVEN 5325 - Fundamentals of Air Pollution, CVEN 5329 - Water Supply and Treatment, CVEN5331 - Biological Wastewater Treatment, CVEN 5338 Solid Waste Management, CVEN 5388 - Chemical Principles in Environmental Engineering, CVEN 5351 - Unit Operations in Environmental Engineering, CVEN 6339 - Hazardous Waste Management, CVEN 6387 - Hydraulics of Environmental Systems. Other courses approved by the department graduate advisor may satisfy part of this requirement.
- Satisfactory completion and defense of thesis (a minimum of 6 semester hours of ENGR 5390 and ENGR 5391)*
*With the approval of the student's graduate committee, the thesis can be replaced by 12 semester hours of electives and satisfactory completion of a final comprehensive exam.
Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Studies
The environmental studies program is designed for students who wish to continue to work in their scientific specialty as it relates to environmental affairs. The degree is intended for individuals who wish to work in the evaluation, operations, and/or regulatory aspects of the field as opposed to the design or engineering areas. The program provides an understanding of environmental problems and processes from the point of view of the chemist, biologist, or geologist, and the interdisciplinary perspective needed to cope with environmental issues.
Degree Requirements
- All College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements
- A minimum of 6 semester hours (two courses) in the student's science specialty
- A minimum of 18 semester hours (six courses) of electives from the following: CVEN 5325 - Fundamentals of Air Pollution, CVEN 5329 - Water Supply and Treatment, CVEN5331 - Biological Wastewater Treatment, CVEN 5338 Solid Waste Management, CVEN 5388 - Chemical Principles in Environmental Engineering, CVEN 5351 - Unit Operations in Environmental Engineering, CVEN 6339 - Hazardous Waste Management, CVEN 6387 - Hydraulics of Environmental Systems. Other courses approved by the department graduate advisor may satisfy part of this requirement.
- Satisfactory completion and defense of thesis (a minimum of 6 semester hours of ENGR 5390 and ENGR 5391)*
*With the approval of the student's graduate committee, the thesis can be replaced by 12 semester hours of electives and satisfactory completion of a final comprehensive exam.
Doctor of Engineering (D.E.)
The Doctor of Engineering degree is designed to prepare engineers to study engineering problems of a complex nature and to develop solutions that address the most pressing engineering issues of the future. Competitive scholarship and assistantship are available for highly qualified students with research interests compatible with those of Engineering faculty.
Degree Requirements
- All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements
- The student with a Master’s degree shall complete a residency of at least one year; the student with a bachelor degree shall complete a residency of at least two years
- Completion of a minimum of 27 semester hours of D.E. dissertation preparatory courses for students with a Master’s degree at the time of admission, or completion of a minimum of 45 semester hours of DE dissertation preparatory courses for students with a B.S. degree in engineering at the time of admission. The preparation includes completion of one semester of ENGR 6320, Justification of Engineering Project
- Completion of a minimum of 4 semester hours of Professional Seminar (ENGR 6110)
- Completion of candidacy qualifying examination designed by the student’s dissertation committee. The purposes of this examination are to test the ability of the student to comprehensively relate the subjects of the study program and to ascertain the student’s qualifications to perform the field study. Students who pass the qualifying examination are admitted to candidacy. Students who fail to pass the qualifying exam are allowed to schedule a re-examination within 6 weeks after the first attempt. Failing to pass the qualifying exam for the second time will remove the student from the DE program
- After the student is admitted to candidacy, a research proposal must be presented to the doctoral dissertation committee within 6 months after passing the qualifying examination. Upon committee approval of the proposed engineering research through an oral defense, the research work is initiated
- Completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours of DE dissertation courses (ENGR 6603 and ENGR 6604) and satisfactory defense of DE dissertation
- The DE degree must be completed within 10 consecutive years of study
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemical Engineering
The Ph.D. degree is designed to prepare chemical engineers to advance research, development, and education for addressing national and global challenges towards a highly sustainable industrial-based focus on petroleum, petrochemical and allied industries. Competitive scholarship and assistantship are available for highly qualified students with research interests compatible with those of chemical engineering faculty.
Degree Requirements
Ph.D. candidates must complete a minimum of 70 semester hours of course work beyond the bachelor’s degree. The ¿ìÉ«ÊÓƵ Chemical Engineering Ph.D. program requires a coherent program of
- All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements
- The student with a Master’s degree shall complete a residency of at least one year; the student with a bachelor degree shall complete a residency of at least two years
- Completion of a total of 15 semester hours of core course seleected from the following: CHEN 6302 Transport Phenomena; CHEN 6352 Advanced Process Control; CHEN 6343 Kinetics and Reactor Design; CHEN 6345 Fundamentals of Sustainability; CHEN 6347 Advanced Thermodynamics; and CHEN 6348 Advanced Chemical Engineering MAthematics.
- Completion of a minimum of 21 semester hours of elective courses in chemical engineering or related fields approved by department graduate advisor
- Completion of a minimum of 12 semester hours of research courses (CHEN 6680 for spring/fall semester; CHEN 6380 for summer) before admission to candidacy
- Completion of a minimum of 4 semester hours of Professional Seminar (ENGR 6110)
- Completion of the qualifying examination. The examination is an 8-hour written examination with a selection of problems in Transport Phenomena, Thermodynamics, Kinetics, and Engineering Mathematics. The purposes of this examination are to test the student’s understanding of basic concepts and principles. Students who pass the qualifying examination are allowed to prepare a dissertation proposal. Students who fail to pass the qualifying exam are granted a second and final attempt at one or more parts of the examination, or removed from the Ph.D. program
- Completion and approval of a Ph.D. dissertation proposal. Upon committee approval of the proposed research through an oral defense, the student is admitted to candidacy. The approved proposal must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies at least 14 weeks before the scheduling of the final defense of the dissertation
- Completion of 18 semester hours of Ph.D. dissertation courses (CHEN 6690 and CHEN 6691 for regular semester; CHEN 6390 and CHEN 6391 for summer) after admission to candidacy and satisfactory defense of the Ph.D. dissertation
- The Ph.D. degree must be completed within 10 consecutive years of study