manual for graduate students - montana state · pdf file · 2015-12-17we are most...
TRANSCRIPT
Dear Graduate Student,
We are pleased that you have chosen the I&ME Graduate Program and
Montana State University! We don't mind sharing that we have great
expectations for our graduates, and endeavor to inspire their superior
performance. Consequently, we try to enroll only the best. If you have
already been accepted into the program, congratulations and keep up the
good work!
We are most pleased to present you with our Manual for Graduate Students.
This manual answers the majority of the questions that students ask, and we
recommend its careful reading along with the online Graduate Catalog
provided by the Graduate School
(http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/catalog.html). These two publications
provide guidelines for our program in terms of philosophy, policies, and
procedures. The information will benefit you greatly. We encourage you to
do your best, and we promise you will be well satisfied with your program
when you finish.
So welcome to the Program of Industrial and Management
Engineering (since 1923 and the oldest west of the Mississippi)! If
you have any further questions, contact our Graduate Program
Coordinator.
Sincerely,
Your Faculty Friends
Program of Industrial & Management Engineering
Montana State University
iii
SUMMARY OF PROCEDURES The following three tables summarize the formal procedures required to complete the
Master of Science degree (Plans A and B) and the Ph.D. degree, for quick reference.
TABLE 1. M.S. DEGREE, PLAN A (THESIS)
What Procedure When
Apply for Montana
residency for
domestic students
See MSU Catalog, Residency Requirements for Fee Purposes. Forms
are available from the Registrar’s Office:
http://www.montana.edu/registrar/?8#top8
As soon as
possible
File graduate
program and
establish committee
Fill out “Graduate Program of Study and Committee Form” and
submit for approval
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/CompProg.pdf
Read:
http://www.montana.edu/gradschool/dgeforms/Instructions%20for%2
0Masters%20Program%20of%20Study.pdf
and
http://www.montana.edu/gradschool/cat_for_masters_stud.html#m_c
omm
By end of 2nd
semester
Application for
Advanced Degree
Fill out “Application for Advanced Degree” and submit for approval
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/app-advanced-degree.pdf
Start of last
semester
File changes in
graduate program or
committee, if
necessary.
Fill out “Graduate Committee Revision Form” or
“Graduate Program Change Form” and submit for approval
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/committee-revision.pdf
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/graduate-program-
change.pdf
.
1 month
before end of
last term
Draft of thesis given
to committee
Make arrangements with committee chair 15 business
days prior to
defense
Thesis Defense
(examination)
Schedule time with your committee chair and members, Defense
announcement and reserve a room (see MIE office); Committee chair
responsible for obtaining and filing completed “Report on
Comprehensive Exams / Thesis Defense” form
(http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/comp_report.pdf)
14 calendar
days prior to
end of final
term
Commencement See Graduate School website (e.g.,
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/cat_for_masters_stud.html#m_com
mence)
End of spring
semester
iv
TABLE 2. M.S. DEGREE, PLAN B (NON-THESIS OPTION)
What Procedure When
Apply for
Montana
residency for
domestic
students
See MSU Catalog, Residency Requirements for Fee Purposes. Forms are
available from the Registrar’s Office:
http://www.montana.edu/registrar/?8#top8
As soon as
possible
File graduate
program and
establish
committee
Fill out “Graduate Program of Study and Committee Form” and submit for
approval
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/CompProg.pdf
Read:
http://www.montana.edu/gradschool/dgeforms/Instructions%20for%20Maste
rs%20Program%20of%20Study.pdf and http://www.montana.edu/gradschool/cat_for_masters_stud.html#m_comm
By end of
2nd
semester
Application for
Advanced
Degree
Fill out “Application for Advanced Degree” and submit for approval
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/app-advanced-degree.pdf
Start of last
semester
File changes in
graduate
program or
committee, if
necessary.
Fill out “Graduate Committee Revision Form” or
“Graduate Program Change Form” and submit for approval
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/committee-revision.pdf
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/graduate-program-change.pdf
.
1 month
before end
of last term
Commencement See Graduate School website (e.g.,
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/cat_for_masters_stud.html#m_commence)
End of
spring
semester
v
TABLE 3. PH.D. DEGREE
What Procedure When
Apply for
Montana
residency for
domestic students
See MSU Catalog, Residency Requirements for Fee Purposes. Forms are
available from the Registrar’s Office:
http://www.montana.edu/registrar/?8#top8
As soon as
possible
File graduate
program and
establish
committee
Fill out “Graduate Program of Study and Committee Form” and submit for
approval
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/CompProg.pdf
Read:
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/Instructions%20for%20Doctoral
%20Program%20of%20Study.pdf
and
http://www.montana.edu/gradschool/cat_for_doc_stud.html#d_pos
By end of 3rd
semester
Qualifying
Examination
Meet with advisor to request qualifying examination from I&ME Graduate
Program Committee
Within 3
semesters after
matriculation
Application for
Advanced Degree
Fill out “Application for Advanced Degree” and submit for approval
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/app-advanced-degree.pdf
Start of last
semester
File changes in
graduate program
or committee.
Fill out “Graduate Committee Revision Form” or
“Graduate Program Change Form” and submit for approval
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/committee-revision.pdf
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/graduate-program-change.pdf
.
1 month before
end of last term
Comprehensive
Exam
Meet with advisor to request qualifying examination from IE Graduate
Program Committee (which then establishes examination committee and
chair for student’s comprehensive exam).
Within two
years of
qualifying exam
Thesis Defense Schedule time with your committee chair and members, Reserve a room (see
MIE office); Committee chair responsible for obtaining and filing completed
“Report on Comprehensive Exams / Thesis Defense” form
(http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/comp_report.pdf)
14 calendar
days prior to
end of final
term
Commencement See Graduate School website (e.g.,
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/cat_for_masters_stud.html#m_commence)
End of spring
semester
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY OF PROCEDURES .................................................................................. III
1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 1
1.1 IMPORTANT CONTACTS ......................................................................... 1
2 ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GRADUATE PROGRAM ........... 2
2.1 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ................................................... 2 2.2 OTHER REQUIRED COURSES ................................................................. 2 2.3 GRADE REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................... 3
2.3.1 Pass/Fail .................................................................................................3 2.4 TRANSFER OF CREDITS ........................................................................... 3
3 THE M.S. PROGRAM ............................................................................................. 4
3.2 PLAN A - THESIS ........................................................................................ 5
3.2.1 Types of Theses/Dissertations .................................................................6 3.2.2 Thesis Proposal .......................................................................................8 3.2.3 Thesis Defense ........................................................................................8
3.3 PLAN B - NON THESIS ............................................................................... 9 3.4 SWITCHING PLANS ....................................................................................... 10
4 THE PH.D. PROGRAM......................................................................................... 11
4.1 DEGREE REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................... 11
4.2 MATRICULATION ................................................................................... 12 4.3 QUALIFYING EXAMINATION ............................................................... 12
4.4 SELECTING AN ADVISOR ...................................................................... 13 4.5 DOCTORAL COMMITTEE ...................................................................... 13 4.6 FORMULATING A PROGRAM OF STUDY ........................................... 13
4.6.1 Approval Process ..................................................................................14 4.6.2 Changes and Revisions .........................................................................14
4.7 COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION ...................................................... 14
4.8 DISSERTATION DEFENSE ..................................................................... 15
5 GRADUATE PROGRAM POLICIES ................................................................. 17
5.1 ACADEMIC HONESTY ............................................................................ 17 5.2 LABORATORY USAGE ........................................................................... 17
5.2.1 Computer Integrated Manufacturing Laboratory .................................17 5.2.2 Decision Support Laboratory ...............................................................18 5.2.3 Ergonomics and Human Factors Laboratory .......................................18
5.3 STUDENT OFFICES ................................................................................. 18
1
1 INTRODUCTION You are a person with special gifts and talents; and you are to be congratulated for your
accomplishments to date! Your performance record indicates that you have the ability to handle
graduate work. However, you will be challenged! The work will be harder and you must
depend on your own initiative. Nonetheless, the work will be more interesting, and you will
have more options. You will discover new and exciting things that will contribute to your career
development. Remember, you are free to determine how much time to devote to learning, and
even whether or not to graduate. Take advantage of seminars, talks, short courses, and other
activities coming your way. Also, take time to enjoy the surroundings; we live in one of the
most beautiful places on earth.
One of the first things you should think about once you arrive is forming your graduate
committee. The graduate committee advises the student on academic matters and is the
examining committee for the comprehensive examination and dissertation defense. Your
graduate committee typically includes three faculty members that have interest and expertise in
your areas of study. Committee nominees are professors who will most likely be teaching the
courses you take during your program of study. You must personally ask each professor if they
are available and willing to serve on your committee. As part of this committee, you will have a
major advisor (professor) who serves as committee chair (and thesis adviser if you are
completing a Plan A degree option). The graduate committee is comprised of three faculty
members. The committee chair should be someone with expertise in your area of emphasis and
with whom you expect to have major contact through your course work. The minor field of
study (if you choose one) must be represented by one member on the committee. Committee
membership must be approved by the department head and the Vice Provost of Graduate
Education.
Committees are revised only to accommodate change of emphasis or to replace a member
that has become unavailable. Committee revision requests are made with Graduate Committee
Revision Form (http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/committee-revision.pdf) requiring
all new and former committee members to acknowledge the revision. When a committee is
revised, the new committee should reexamine the overall plan of study and may require a
different set of courses. All changes are subject to final approval by the graduate program
coordinator.
1.1 IMPORTANT CONTACTS
Graduate School: http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/
Forms Necessary for Graduate Education: http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/forms.html
International Programs: http://www.montana.edu/international/admissions/graduate.htm
Industrial Engineering Graduate Program: http://www.coe.montana.edu/ie/gradprog/default.htm
English Language Academic Preparation:
http://www.montana.edu/wwwcat/opportunities/spec10.html
English Writing Center: http://www1.english.montana.edu/wc/index.php?s=Graduate-Services
2
2 ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GRADUATE
PROGRAM The Graduate School grants admission only if you have graduated from a four-year
program with a grade average of B (3.0) or higher. Graduates from any ABET (Accreditation
Board for Engineering and Technology) program in Industrial Engineering (I.E.) are eligible for
regular admission. Graduates from other engineering, technology, or non-ABET accredited
programs (such as psychology, computer science, business, mathematics, statistics, physics, etc.)
must take some other required courses, and are thus eligible for “provisional admission”. Under
provisional admission, students may take graduate-level courses for which prerequisites have
been met. Provisional status is removed after completing all other required courses.
2.1 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
If your first language is not English, you must achieve a TOEFL score of at least 80 on
the iBT (or 213 on the CBT). However, your graduate committee may require that you take
additional courses to improve English language proficiency even if you have achieved the
minimum test score. This is because incorrect English grammar and spelling that appears in
written assignments and reports may result in lower grades. Help for students whose native
language is not English is readily available from the A.C.E. Language Institute
(http://www.montana.edu/wwwcat/opportunities/spec10.html). Additional assistance for all
graduate students for writing skills is available through the MSU Writing Center
(http://www1.english.montana.edu/wc/index.php?s=default).
2.2 OTHER REQUIRED COURSES
Other required courses consist of industrial engineering basics, and mathematics and
computing requirements, depending on your academic background. The Graduate College will
grant provisional admission to students requiring up to 15 credit hours for these required courses.
Beyond 15 credit hours, your graduate application will be deferred until these deficiencies are
reduced to 15 credits. During this period of deferment, we recommend enrollment in a second
bachelor's degree program, preferably in Industrial and Management Engineering so that you
will have an advisor from our faculty that can later assist you in the graduate program.
All students (regardless of previous degree) must have a background in mathematics
equivalent to M 171 (differential calculus) and M 172 (integral calculus), and must have some
exposure to matrix algebra (or take M 221). Any doubt will be cleared by an evaluation from the
Department of Mathematical Sciences. In addition all students must have prior education in
computing, including programming in at least one language (e.g., CSCI 111).
The following courses in industrial engineering basics are required for graduate students
entering the master's program without a previous degree completed in Industrial Engineering.
EIND 313 Work Design and Analysis 3
EIND 325 Engineering Economy 3
EIND 354 Engineering Probability and Statistics I 3
EIND 364 Principles of Operations Research I 3
EIND 458 Production and Engineering Management 3
3
2.3 GRADE REQUIREMENTS
Graduate students are expected to be superior performers, and must maintain a
cumulative average of B (3.0) or better overall courses listed on their graduate Program of Study
(see below) in order to retain graduate standing. Provisional acceptance to the program that
states a specific grade minimum may override this requirement. Only grades of C- or better will
be counted toward the plan of study. Grades lower than C- mean the course must be repeated.
However, if you receive a C- or lower in more than one course (including other required
courses), you will be asked to explain to your graduate committee why you should be allowed to
continue in the program. The student may be placed on probation at the discretion of the
student's committee and/or the Graduate School. Continued poor performance will result in
dismissal from the Graduate School.
2.3.1 Pass/Fail
Courses or individual study projects (excluding thesis) taken on a pass/fail basis may not
be used to meet minimum credit requirements of the graduate program, although, up to three
credits may be included in the program of study. A grade of B- is taken as the threshold for
pass/fail for other required courses taken on the pass/fail basis.
2.4 TRANSFER OF CREDITS
The student may receive transfer credits (up to the limit allowed by the Graduate School:
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/cat_trans_credits.html) for courses completed at other
accredited colleges or universities only if: (1) s/he was formally admitted to the Graduate
College of the institution offering the course or was admissible to Montana State University
when the course was taken, (2) the course was approved for graduate credit, (3) the IE Graduate
Program Coordinator and the student’s graduate committee determines which courses are
applicable to the plan of study, (4) if the course was not used to satisfy B.S. requirement, and (5)
you must receive a B or better in order to use transfer credits on a graduate program of study..
Transfer credits must be clearly identified on the plan of study for final approval by the Vice
Provost of Graduate Education.
4
3 THE M.S. PROGRAM Two master’s degree plans are offered. Plan A (Thesis) leads to a research and design
oriented degree requiring a 10-credit thesis. Plan B (Non-Thesis) requires only coursework, with
the option of completing a professional paper/project. Table 4 and Table 5 summarize the course
requirements for each plan. These plans included regular course offerings as well as individual
study.
3.1 FORMULATING A MS GRADUATE PROGRAM OF STUDY
The Program of Study formalizes the student’s graduate committee and the courses to be
taken for the degree. The coursework identified on the Program must meet all of the degree
requirements in Table 4 or Table 5, plus any additional requirements stipulated by the graduate
committee or the conditions of provisional admission. In addition, the committee composition
must conform to Graduate School regulations.1
Once a Program is approved, it can only be modified by filing the appropriate revision
request (explained below). The Program is in essence a kind of contract between the student and
the University; it says, “If you successfully complete these courses, and pass the examinations
given by this committee, we will grant you the stated degree.” So the Program should be given
careful consideration in its creation.
This program must be approved and filed by the end of the second semester of study.
3.1.1 Approval Process
The student should select an advisor (graduate committee) and file a Program of Study by
the start of their second semester (see
http://www.montana.edu/gradschool/dgeforms/Instructions%20for%20Masters%20Program%20
of%20Study.pdf and http://www.montana.edu/gradschool/cat_for_masters_stud.html#m_comm).
To prepare the Program of Study, the student should meet with his/her advisor and decide
(1) on the remaining membership of their graduate committee composition, and (2) the courses
that will be taken to satisfy the requirements of the selected degree option
(http://www.montana.edu/wwwcat/courses/i-me.html), excluding EIND 442, 444, 445, 492, 489,
490.
The Program of Study must then be registered and approved by completing the required
form and obtain graduate committee approval
http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/CompProg.pdf). This form is then circulated to the
advisor and committee members for approval, then submitted to the I&ME Graduate Program
Coordinator. Finally, the Program of Study must then be approved by the Department Head and
Vice Provost of Graduate Education. YOU ARE NOT CONSIDERED TO BE WORKING
TOWARD A DEGREE UNTIL FINAL APPROVAL HAS BEEN OBTAINED.
1 Faculty shall not enter into relationships with graduate students that may impose a conflict of interest with respect
to thesis supervision, assignment of grades, or provision of examinations.
5
3.1.2 Changes and Revisions
From time to time, changes to the Program of Study become necessary or desirable.
Changes must be discussed and approved by the graduate committee before registering for
classes not appearing on the graduate program. The student should present a memo to the
committee clearly stating the requested change and reasons for the request. After obtaining
approval from the committee, student will complete the Graduate Program Change form
(http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/graduate-program-change.pdf) and submit for the
appropriate approvals.
3.2 PLAN A - THESIS
Plan A requires the student to research and write a Master’s thesis as a major component
of the degree program. Thesis research may consist of making creative application of existing or
new methods to substantive old or new problems (the most usual approach to a Master's thesis),
or it may expand the body of knowledge in a particular area (a minimal requirement for a Ph.D.
thesis). Since research may not follow a prescribed timetable, it may be necessary to extend your
stay until it is completed (i.e., it’s difficult to say when you’ll be done).
Table 4 indicates the minimum credit requirements for Plan A. Note that EIND 590
(Thesis) is a restricted entry course. The student will obtain and complete for approval Form 4,
Restricted Entry Request to Register for Graduate Research (available from MIE office), which
is signed by the graduate committee chair and department head, before being permitted to
register for thesis credits.
TABLE 4: CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR PLAN A
6
IE Undergraduate
Degree
Non-IE Undergraduate
Degree
EIND 5xx2 Minimum 12 credits Minimum 12 credits
EIND 4xx
Maximum 9 credits Maximum 9 credits
EIND 5923
Non EIND 4xx/5xx4
EIND 590 (Thesis) 10 credits 10 credits
Total 31 credits 31 credits
3.2.1 Types of Theses/Dissertations
In order to help students plan an appropriate thesis, the following sections provide guidelines
on the types of thesis that can be undertaken, as well as information about what differentiates a
thesis from a project (EIND 575). It is suggested that you discuss these types of thesis with the
chair of your graduate committee. This discussion is important as it will help focus your
proposal as well as ensure your final thesis meets the requirements for your degree.
An Engineering Thesis seeks focuses on solutions applies to real world problems. It
either seeks to translate a solution demonstrated in one context to another, or modify the
accepted solution (propose an alternative) in a given context.
An engineering thesis is oriented towards engineering practice. Its four essential
questions are:
1. What is the engineering problem to be solved?
2. In what sense are previous solutions to this problem unsatisfactory?
3. What is my solution?
4. How does my solution compare to previous solutions? What are its benefits and
drawbacks? What are its limitations and boundaries for generalizability?
The novelty in an engineering thesis is normally found in the solution to the problem. The
problem should be general enough that its solution is interesting outside the immediate
context of your thesis. Your work’s academic value comes from the rigorous evaluation of
2 EIND 575 (Research or Professional Paper / Project) may not be used as part of the Plan A MS Degree. Similarly,
any course similar to EIND 575 from other departments also may not be used as part of the Plan A MS Degree.
3 A maximum of three independent study credits of EIND592 (Independent Study) may be applied to a Plan A MS
Degree. EIND592 cannot be substituted for other 500 level requirements. Form 5, Request for Offering Graduate
Individual Problems (http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/592Requestform.pdf) must be completed by the
student and approved by the department head along with the written proposal (developed with the advisor) before
you will be permitted to register.
4 An independent study credit course (592) may be used from any department approved by the committee, but no
program of study may have more than a total of three independent study credits. Thus, it is not possible to take
EIND 592 and another independent study credit course from another department.
7
your solution and comparison with other solutions (4). You shouldn’t expect to graduate
without satisfactory answers to questions (2) and (4).5
If you only think your topic can answers only questions 1 and 3, then you might want to
consider doing a Plan B thesis and include EIND 575 – Research or Professional
Paper/Project (http://www.montana.edu/wwwcat/courses/eind.html#EIND%20575).6
A Research Thesis focuses on theories that make predictions about how systems and
humans function (i.e., phenomenon). It either tries to validate an existing theory by
testing its implicit tenants and derived hypotheses, or proposes an alternative theory with
supporting data.
The four essential questions in this kind of thesis are:
1. What is the phenomenon about the world that needs to be explained?
2. In what sense are previous theories adequate to explain this phenomenon?
3. What is an alternative theory to explain this phenomenon?
4. How satisfactory is this alternative theory (in comparison to the alternative)?
An experimental research thesis asks “is prediction P made by theory T accurate?”(1 &
2) Prediction P must be interesting and non-trivial to test. The novelty in an
experimental thesis comes from the design, execution and analysis of the experiment.
The evidence is partially in the form of the results and partially a logical argument that
the experiment adequately tests the prediction.
A theoretical research thesis asks “what theory adequately explains observations O?” (2
& 3) The novelty in a theoretical thesis is found in the theory itself. The evidence for its
utility is normally its ability to explain the previously-unexplained observations and to
make non-obvious predictions about other features of the world. 7
There are many guides for how to write a thesis, but you should always agree on a format
with your chair and committee (and Graduate School):
http://www.montana.edu/etd/
http://www.montana.edu/gradwriting/?page_id=12
http://www.jou.ufl.edu/grad/forms/Guidelines-for-writing-thesis-or-dissertation.pdf
5 http://last3.in/ggg/thesis.html
6 The student researches a problem of mutual interest to him/her and the supervising professor. The resulting paper
or project report must demonstrate creativity and synthesis of engineering methodologies at the graduate level.
7 http://last3.in/ggg/thesis.html
8
http://online.sfsu.edu/mgriffin/WritingTheThesis.pdf
http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/writing/forms/Writing%20Theses%20and%20Dissertations.
3.2.2 Thesis Proposal
Plan A requires the student to research and write a Master’s thesis as a major component
of the degree program. As discussed above in Section 3.2.1, there are two types of acceptable
thesis. Whereas collaboration with the thesis supervisor and committee is part of the graduate
research learning process, the student is expected to engage in a component of independent
research defined as research question and methodology development, collection and analysis of
data, and writing of the thesis report.8 In all cases, the thesis research must demonstrate an
original (“something that has not been done, found, proved, or seen before”) and significant
contribution (“something that is useful and will have an impact” in application or in the
development of theory).9 As a good evaluation metric of originality and significance, consider if
the expected results could be presented at a high quality conference in the domain area.
A Thesis Proposal is required of all students choosing Plan A. The chair of your graduate
committee will have explicit instructions and requirements for your proposal. It is your
responsibility to determine the requirements of your chair and to get the consent of other
committee members. As a minimum, you must provide a written proposal to your chair and
committee to review and approve. In addition, your chair may also require that you make an oral
presentation of your proposal to the committee. Once the thesis has been approved, obtain a
memo from the chair of your graduate committee that indicates approval was made (and any
stipulations) and take this memo to the MIE office to be placed in your student file.
3.2.3 Thesis Defense
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure the format and delivery of the written
thesis satisfies the requirements of the committee and the Graduate School
(http://www.montana.edu/etd/). Thesis writing manuals are available at the MSU Bookstore and
additional assistance for all graduate students for writing skills is available through the MSU
Writing Center (http://www1.english.montana.edu/wc/index.php?s=default).
Plan A candidates must “defend” their thesis as part of the comprehensive examination.
A draft of the thesis must be submitted to the student’s graduate committee at least 10 business
days before the examination, to allow time for reading by the graduate committee. At the thesis
examination, the candidate will make an oral presentation on the thesis in a seminar format open
to the public. This will be followed by a closed-examination where only committee members
ask questions of the candidate on topics pertaining to the thesis.
8 It is therefore important for research linked to faculty funded projects that the study develops some additional
research question or dataset to demonstrate independence. Moreover, it is necessary for collaborative projects
(multiple students) sharing some common content that each student produce a distinct and independent written
theses while clearly acknowledging areas of shared effort and collaboration.
9 http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/writing/forms/Writing%20Theses%20and%20Dissertations.pdf
9
The candidate must (1) schedule a minimum two-hour block of time at least 14 calendar
days before the last day of classes of the final term for his or her presentation and comprehensive
oral exam, (2) reserve a room and equipment, and (3) notify the committee. It is recommended
that the candidate establish a personal review schedule beginning at least 90 days prior to the
exam.
At the conclusion of the exam, each committee member will report a pass or fail
evaluation of the candidate. Majority rule will determine the outcome. All members and the
department head must sign the Graduate School examination form
(http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/comp_report.pdf). The student’s advisor, as
committee chair, is responsible to provide the appropriate form and submit it. A committee
member may sign the examination form as a dissenter, in which case the Vice Provost of
Graduate Education may request further information before acknowledging majority rule.
A failed examination may be repeated only once. At least 60 calendar days must elapse
between the first and second examinations.
3.3 PLAN B - NON THESIS
For many, the Master’s degree is their terminal degree, or represents a change in career
path. In these cases thesis research is not necessary, and a larger breadth of coursework is often
desirable. Plan B is offered to accommodate these students. Table 5 displays the minimum
credit requirements for Plan B.
TABLE 5: CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR PLAN B
IE Undergraduate
Degree
Non-IE
Undergraduate
Degree
EIND 5xx Minimum 21 credits Minimum 21 credits
EIND 4xx
Maximum 12 credits Maximum 12 credits
EIND 59210
Non EIND 4xx/5xx11
Total 33 credits 33 credits
In fulfilling the EIND 500 level requirements, students may elect to complete a maximum
of six credits with a “Research or Professional Paper/Project” (EIND575). The student
researches a problem of mutual interest to him/her and the supervising professor. The resulting
10
A maximum of three independent study credits of EIND592 (Independent Study) may be applied to a Plan B MS
Degree. EIND592 cannot be used to satisfy the 500-level requirements. Form 5, Request for Offering Graduate
Individual Problems (http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/592Requestform.pdf) must be completed by the
student and approved by the department head along with the written proposal (developed with the advisor) before
you will be permitted to register.
11 An independent study credit course (592) may be used from any department approved by the committee, but no
program of study may have more than a total of three independent study credits. Thus, it is not possible to take
EIND 592 and another independent study credit course from another department.
10
paper or project report must demonstrate creativity and synthesis of engineering methodologies
at the graduate level. The graduate committee chair is normally the student's advising professor
for EIND575. However, another committee member can provide supervision, and for valid
reasons the committee may be revised, naming that member as chair. The final paper/project
report will be submitted to the advising professor for grading at the end of the semester. An oral
defense of the project to the student’s committee may also be requested at the discretion of the
supervising professor. Together with an advisor, the student will file a written proposal and a
Form 4, Restricted Entry Request to Register for Graduate Research (available from MIE
office), which is signed by the advisor, student graduate committee, and department head, before
being permitted to register for EIND 575.
3.4 Switching Plans
Switching plans will require adding and removing courses from the Program and Study,
and may require revision of the committee (see Changes and Revisions under Program of Study
below). Note that if a student switches from Plan A to Plan B, then thesis credits may be
counted as EIND575 credits. However, if a student switches from Plan B to Plan A, then
EIND575 credits will not be counted towards thesis credits (EIND590).
11
4 THE Ph.D. PROGRAM We offer a Ph.D. in Engineering, with an Industrial and Management Engineering (IME)
option. The program is intended to prepare students for a research career in academia or
industry.
Students applying to the IME Ph.D. program must have an identified advisor before
acceptance into the program. A request can be made to Graduate Studies to append the
requirement for a one year probationary period (with the conditions specified by the identified
advisor) to the admission letter for a PHD candidate.
Any students applying directly to the PHD program without a prior MS degree will be
required to complete an MS degree before being transferred to the PHD program.12
Any student applying to continue from an MS degree in the IME option to a PHD degree
(“MS en route to PHD”) are subject to full review and approval by the IME Graduate Program
Coordinator and IME Graduate Committee. This may require additional material as decided by
the IME Graduate Program Coordinator including letter of support from the identified advisor
and a letter from the student proposing the area of research.
4.1 DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Ph.D. candidates must accumulate 60 total credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree
including the following:
ENGR 694
ENGR 610
3 credits of advanced math (EGEN 505, EIND 555, or EIND 557)
3 credits numerical methods (EIND 509)
24 credits of other graded courses
18 dissertation credits
Ph.D. candidates under the IE Option must take a minimum of 30 credits of 500-level
courses (in addition to ENGR 610 and ENGR 694), of which at least 18 credits must be EIND
courses, excluding thesis and project credits.
Students must take at least two courses from each of the three emphasis areas
(http://www.coe.montana.edu/ie/gradprog/default.htm): Human Factors (e.g., EIND 510, EIND
511, EIND 513, EIND 514), Systems Modeling (e.g., EIND 509, EIND 557), Service
Engineering (e.g., EIND 506, EIND 525, EIND 574).
Double counting is not allowed; that is, any course can be applied to only one emphasis
area. However, courses selected to meet the emphasis area requirement can also be used to meet
12
The requirement for an MS en route to a PHD provides the security of an additional graduate degree for the
student and affords additional opportunities for the faculty to review the suitability of the candidate for entrance into
the PHD program
12
the advanced math and numerical methods. For example, EIND 555 or EIND 557 meets the
advanced math requirement, while EIND 509 meets the numerical methods requirement,
although other courses may qualify pending approval in writing from the IME Graduate Studies
Committee.
Candidates can meet the above requirements using up to 24 course credits from a prior
Master’s degree, but excluding independent study, project, thesis, or dissertation credits. The
student’s graduate committee will determine course equivalency as needed, and document such
in the student’s file.
The Ph.D. Program of Study cannot include EIND 442, 490, 492, 499, 575 and 590.
A maximum of six credits of EIND592 may be applied to a PHD Degree. EIND592
cannot be substituted for other 500 level requirements. Form 5, Request for Offering Graduate
Individual Problems (http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/592Requestform.pdf) must be
completed by the student and approved by the department head along with the written proposal
(developed with the advisor) before you will be permitted to register.
4.2 MATRICULATION
The Ph.D. student is considered to have “matriculated” once all the requirements for full
admission have been satisfied. Normally, this means successfully completing the “other required
courses” (if any) as specified in the admission letter.
4.3 QUALIFYING EXAMINATION
The qualifying exam is written format (six questions), open book, and lasts up to four
hours. The purpose of the qualifying examination is to determine whether the student has
sufficiently mastered the core topics in Industrial Engineering. Specifically, the qualifying exam
will cover three of the following core undergraduate IE topical areas:
work design and measurement (EIND 313)
economic analysis (EIND 325)
probability and statistics (EIND 354)
linear modeling (EIND 364)
and three other EIND courses from among those the student has taken at MSU.
The procedure for the PHD Qualifying exam is reported in Appendix I.
The qualifying examination will be completed within three semesters but typically within
two semesters of matriculation into the Ph.D. program (see Section 4.2). The student will
request a qualifying exam from the I&ME Graduate Studies Committee within three weeks of
the start of the term in which s/he intends to take the qualifying exam. The I&ME Graduate
Studies Committee will assemble an examining committee to administer the exam.
Failure to take the examination in that time period may result in suspension of Ph.D.
candidate status, including stipend. Prior notice of the format will be given to the student. If the
student fails the exam the first time, a second opportunity shall be granted within 60 days of the
13
first attempt but no less than two weeks following the first attempt. If the student fails the
second attempt, the student shall be dropped from the program. The examining committee will
document the results of the examination in a letter to the student, and in the student’s file.
Copies should be given to the student’s graduate committee and the graduate program
coordinator as appropriate.
4.4 SELECTING AN ADVISOR
As part of the application process, Ph.D. students must have an identified advisor before
acceptance into the program. During this process, the student should be discuss (1) a mutually
agreed dissertation topic that matches the advisor expertise and research resources (see Section
3.2.1), and (2) funding available to the student (e.g., GTA, GRA) and the term of commitment.
An advisor may stipulate a probationary period for the first year until the student has
demonstrated the necessary knowledge and skills to complete a dissertation and/or function as a
GTA or GTA.
4.5 DOCTORAL COMMITTEE
The advisor serves as the chair of the student’s Doctoral Committee. To prepare the
Program of Study, the student should meet with his/her advisor and decide (1) on the remaining
membership of their graduate committee composition, and (2) the courses that will be taken to
satisfy the requirements.
The Doctoral Committee composition must conform to Graduate School regulations (i.e.,
a doctoral committee must have a least five members, with at least three from the major. The
student chooses the first four members (subject to approval of the Vice Provost of Graduate
Education) and the Vice Provost of Graduate Education appoints the graduate representative. In
addition, the committee must have a majority of members from MSU, one of whom serves as
chair. Committee members not holding faculty status at MSU must submit documentation of
their qualifications including a vita.
The Doctoral Committee advises the student on academic matters and is the examining
committee for the comprehensive examination and dissertation defense. The comprehensive
exam is a report and oral presentation of the dissertation proposal (see Section 4.7).
For a PHD thesis, the dissertation should show student independence in the development
and implementation of the research as well as a higher standard of originality and significance to
justify to publication in high-tier journals within the relevant field.
4.6 FORMULATING A PROGRAM OF STUDY
The Program of Study formalizes the student’s Doctoral Committee and the courses to be
taken for the degree:
www.montana.edu/gradschool/cat_for_doc_stud.html#d_pos
www.montana.edu/gradschool/dgeforms/Instructions%20for%20Doctoral%20Program%
20of%20Study.pdf
The coursework identified on the Program must meet all of the degree requirements
stated above plus any additional requirements of admission or of the Doctoral Committee. The
14
student’s advisor will document in the student’s file how the program of study meets each degree
requirement. Once a Program is approved, it can only be modified by filing the appropriate
revision request (see Section 4.6.2).
4.6.1 Approval Process
The approval process for the Program of Study begins with the student completing the
required form (http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/CompProg.pdf) in consultation with
the Doctoral Committee. This form is then circulated by the student for signature approval by
the Doctoral Committee. Final approval is made by the Department Head and Vice Provost of
Graduate Education. The advisor should place a copy of the approved Program of Study with
any supporting document in the Department file. YOU ARE NOT CONSIDERED TO BE
WORKING TOWARD A DEGREE UNTIL FINAL APPROVAL HAS BEEN
OBTAINED.
The student must have an approved Program of Study on file by the end of their third
semester.
4.6.2 Changes and Revisions
From time to time, changes to the Program of Study become necessary or desirable.
Changes must be discussed and approved by the graduate committee before registering for
classes not appearing on the graduate program. The student should present a memo to the
committee clearly stating the requested change and reasons for the request. After obtaining
approval from the committee, student will complete the Graduate Program Change form
(http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/graduate-program-change.pdf) and submit for the
appropriate approvals.
4.7 COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION
The purpose of the PhD comprehensive examination is to determine whether the student
is ready for independent research in their chosen area of study. The comprehensive examination
is administered by the student’s doctoral committee (including the Graduate Representative
assigned by the Graduate School). It must be completed within two years after passing the
qualifying examination, and should be completed at least one year before dissertation defense.
The last day to take the comprehensive examination is on or before the fourteenth (14 th)
business day prior to the end of the semester.
The PhD comprehensive examination consists of:
A written proposal for the student’s PhD dissertation, and
An oral presentation of the proposal and oral examination.
The candidate will prepare a written proposal associated with the research topic for the
PhD dissertation, in a format designated by the student’s graduate committee. The successful
proposal will include a significant literature review, preliminary research to date, and the
research proposed to complete the PhD. The written proposal will be presented to the student’s
graduate committee in advance of the oral presentation, by a date agreed to by the student and
graduate committee. See Section 3.2.1 and 3.2.2 for guidance.
15
The student will then present the dissertation proposal as a public research seminar. This
will be followed by a closed-session oral examination by the student’s doctoral committee to
assess both the feasibility and quality of the proposed research (see Section 6), as well as the
student’s understanding and capability to perform the proposed research (e.g., understanding of
principles of IE and other disciplines relevant to the research topic and methodology).
The candidate must (1) schedule a minimum two-hour block of time for his or her
presentation and comprehensive oral exam, (2) reserve a room and equipment, (3) notify the
committee.
At the conclusion of the exam, each committee member will report a pass or fail
evaluation of the candidate. Majority rule will determine the outcome. The committee chair is
responsible to report the results of the examination using the Report on Comprehensive
Exam/Thesis Defense form (http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/comp_report.pdf),
signed by all committee members and the department head. A committee member may sign the
examination form as a dissenter, in which case the Vice Provost of Graduate Education may
request further information before acknowledging majority rule.
A student not passing the comprehensive will have one opportunity to retake the
comprehensive after a span of six months has passed. Failure to pass the examination on the
second attempt is grounds for dismissal from the PhD program.
4.8 DISSERTATION DEFENSE
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure the format and delivery of the written
thesis satisfies the requirements of the committee and the Graduate School
(http://www.montana.edu/etd/). Thesis writing manuals are available at the MSU Bookstore and
additional assistance for all graduate students for writing skills is available through the MSU
Writing Center (http://www1.english.montana.edu/wc/index.php?s=default).
The last day to defend a thesis if you plan to graduate during the same semester is on or
before the fourteenth (14 th) business day prior to the end of the semester. At the dissertation
defense, the candidate will make an oral presentation of the thesis in a seminar format open to
the public. This will be followed by a closed-examination where only committee members ask
questions of the candidate on topics pertaining to the dissertation. Questions may also cover
coursework related to the candidate’s doctoral research. The candidate must (1) schedule a
minimum two-hour block of time, (2) reserve a room and equipment, and (3) notify the
committee. A draft of the dissertation must be submitted to the student’s graduate committee at
least 10 business days before the defense to allow time for reading by the graduate committee.
At the conclusion of the defense, each committee member will report a pass or fail
evaluation of the candidate. Majority rule will determine the outcome. A committee member
may sign the examination form as a dissenter, in which case the Vice Provost of Graduate
Education may request further information before acknowledging majority rule. The committee
chair is responsible to report the results of the defense using the Report on Comprehensive
Exam/Thesis Defense form (http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/comp_report.pdf),
signed by all committee members and the department head. Written notification of the results
within one week of the defense must be delivered to the Graduate School and the student
16
(http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/dgeforms/comp_report.pdf).
If failure occurs at the first attempt, a second defense must be held. At least six months
must elapse before the second examination takes place, with the time period not to exceed nine
months. Failure of the second exam will result in suspension from the program.
17
5 GRADUATE PROGRAM POLICIES
5.1 ACADEMIC HONESTY
IME graduate students are expected to hold the highest standards of academic honesty.
Adhering to a few simple guidelines should sufficiently meet this expectation:
Do your own work. Any work submitted with your name on it should be of your
sole, original authorship.
Do not collaborate with others unless authorized to do so. When you do collaborate,
note with whom and to what extent.
Reference all external sources of information (books, journal articles, websites, etc.).
Learn how to do this properly if you do not know how.
Gain proper authorization before using any departmental equipment or facilities.
All graduate students will conform to the MSU Student Conduct Code, and if violated,
will be subject to the sanctions outlined therein. All students should be familiar with the MSU
Student Conduct Guidelines, which can be found at:
http://www2.montana.edu/policy/student_conduct/ .
5.2 LABORATORY USAGE
The EIND program has three laboratories available to graduate students: the Computer
Integrated Manufacturing Laboratory, the Decision Support Systems Laboratory, and the
Ergonomics and Human Factors Laboratory. The Production Systems Design laboratory
(Roberts 415) is dedicated to undergraduate student use. Described below are summaries of the
policies for student use in each laboratory.
5.2.1 Computer Integrated Manufacturing Laboratory
The CIM Lab is located at EPS 115, supervised by Dr. Durward Sobek. The CIM Lab
Coordinator is Greg Merchant. Student use of the laboratory equipment (including computers) is
restricted to laboratory or class projects, graduate or other type of research projects under faculty
supervision, and homework assignments. Permission is required for use of the laboratory
equipment beyond these types of assignments. No food or beverages are allowed in the
laboratory area.
Open hours for the laboratory are posted near the entryway. Students are encouraged to
use the laboratory during scheduled lab times and open hours. Generally, the laboratory will not
be available during other times, and permission to be in the lab during off-hours is required.
Unless granted specific permission from the CIM Lab Coordinator, students are not allowed to
add or delete any programs or files or change the computer settings in any fashion. Any data or
programs created will be stored only on the designated share drive or personal USB drive.
Please scan for viruses.
Safety is paramount in the CIM lab. Never attempt to operate any equipment without
authorization and proper instruction. If you are uncertain about how a machine may react to
an operator input, ask the CIM lab Coordinator for help. Eye protection is required for anyone in
the vicinity of all cutting, machining, drilling, sawing, turning, welding and other operations in
18
the lab. Long hair or loose clothing will be constrained to prevent getting caught in moving
components.
5.2.2 Decision Support Laboratory
The Decision Support Lab is located in Roberts 419 and provides computing support for
EIND course work. Use of the equipment and software in the Decision Support Lab is currently
restricted to students who 1) are enrolled in EIND courses requiring the software in the lab or
have specific authorization, and 2) have been instructed in proper procedures and policies prior
to first use. Authorization for lab use is given by the lab supervisor (Dr. Ed Mooney), at which
time the combination to the door lock will be provided.
Authorized students may use the lab as long as the following guidelines are observed:
ONLY students qualified by 1 and 2 above are allowed in the lab.
Students using the lab accept responsibility for professional behavior and security of the
equipment.
Make sure all exterior doors are locked and shut tightly. The last student out of the lab (if
even for a short time) will close the door tightly.
Logout before leaving a workstation.
Open and close the CD Rom drives only with the button!
Viruses can be detrimental to everyone:
o Check ALL external storage devices for viruses BEFORE accessing files
o Be VERY careful of email attachments.
Personal software and special software installation is NOT allowed.
Tampering with the hardware is NOT allowed.
Printing is charged on a per-page basis. See M&IE office to add money to your account.
Printer paper and toner for the printers will be furnished by the Department.
Food and drink are prohibited from the room.
Do not remove manuals from 419 – they are for everyone’s use and will not be replaced.
Use “Print Preview” whenever possible before printing to save paper (and cost to you).
5.2.3 Ergonomics and Human Factors Laboratory
The ergonomics laboratory is supervised by Dr. Laura Stanley and is located in Roberts
401. Use of the laboratory facilities is restricted to students enrolled in courses that require use
of the laboratory, or by projects that require use of laboratory equipment. Permission requests to
use laboratory facilities should be directed to Dr. Stanley.
5.3 STUDENT OFFICES
The EIND graduate student offices are currently located in Roberts 402, 417, and 420.
Normally, only students employed by the department (i.e., as a GTA, GRA, or grader) will be
granted office space, but other students may acquire office space if any is left over. The
Graduate Program Coordinator assigns office space on a semester-by-semester basis. If you
have office space needs, please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator.
19
APPENDIX I – Qualifying Examination Procedure Fall 2012
1. Student makes a request for a qualifying exam to the Coordinator of the IMEIME Graduate Program within the
first three weeks of the term in which the student intends to take the examination. This exam should occur
before the end of the third semester after matriculation in the PHD degree program.
2. In consultation with their advisors, each Student will submit the six EIND courses over which the student will
be examined for approval by the Coordinator of the IME Graduate Program. See the Gradual Manual for
specific requirements on course selection. Students will be contacted if one of the selected courses are not
permitted with request to specify an alternative course.
3. The Coordinator of the IME Graduate Program creates an examining committee based upon the current
instructors of the courses selected by the student, and appoints a chair to manage the examination. Typically,
the chair shall be the instructor that has the most courses in the set selected by the student.
4. The examining committee chair solicits a 30 - 40 minute written exam from the appropriate committee members
currently teaching each of the selected courses. These exams may take any written format appropriate to the
course such as essays, short answers, or problems (e.g., representative of final exams used in that course).
5. The exam will be open book (e.g., any texts, papers, course note) and exclude computers, cellphones, and
internet access.
6. The total time to complete the qualifying examination is four hours. Students may use all or part of this time to
complete the examination. Individual course exams will not be timed. Food and drink is permitted. Bathroom
breaks can be requested.
7. The examining committee chair sets up a 4-hour block of time and private location for the exam. The exam
should be set within 1 to 2 months after the student makes the request for examination. At the appointed time,
the examining committee chair administers the exam to the student in one continuous four-hour time period.
8. To avoid the need for multiple questions in each course, the chairs will coordinate a common time for all
students being examined in the same semester.
9. After the exam, the examining committee chair distributes the student answers to the corresponding examining
committee members (course instructors) for evaluation. Each committee member grades their course exam and
submits a pass/fail evaluation to the chair within one week of the schedule examination.
10. The chair then collates the evaluations and determines whether the student passed the exam. As a minimum
guideline, the student must pass at least four of the six course exams. In the case that the committee chair is
also the main advisor of the student, the committee chair shall submit the evaluations to the Coordinator of the
IME Graduate Program to determine the exam outcome.
11. The examining committee chair informs the student in writing of the results of the examination within one week
of the time of examination. The chair copies the IME Graduate Program and the Graduate School on the
written outcome, and places a copy in the student’s file.
12. If the student fails the examination the first time, a second opportunity shall be granted within 60 days of the
first attempt but no less than two weeks following the first attempt. If the student fails the second attempt, the
student shall be dropped from the program.