Non-Thesis Plan:

A total of 33 s.h. of course work is required for this plan. Graduate students who choose this option should select an area of concentration from the list below. Courses for each area are listed in the description of the home department's program option. In addition to 12 s.h. of core courses, every student enrolled in this option is required to complete 15 s.h. of area concentration courses, a 3 s.h. elective course, and a 3 s.h. special project course. The elective course may be selected to enhance the chosen technical concentration, or to allow the student to add breadth to his/her background by taking a course in another area. A graduate student enrolled in a special project course will be required to defend the results of his/her project by giving a presentation to the College of Engineering and Technology faculty and students. For further information pertaining to this plan, the graduate student may contact the Graduate Program Option Coordinator of his/her home department.

General Civil & Environmental or Electrical & Computer Engineering General Industrial/Manufacturing or Mechanincal Engineering
General Chemical Engineering
Solid/Structural Mechanics
Environmental Engineering/Science
Engineering Management
Energy/Power Systems/Power Electronics
Control Systems

Thesis Plan:

Graduate students choosing this option are required to complete 30 s.h. of graduate course work. This generally consists of 9 s.h. of core courses, 15 s.h. of technical concentration courses, and 6 s.h. of thesis. This plan is strongly recommended for candidates who wish to continue their graduate studies beyond the master's degree. Recent baccalaureate degree students are also encouraged to pursue the thesis plan. The thesis provides first-hand experience with experimental design, literature searches, research methodology and technical report writing and can lead to a higher level of expertise in the chosen area of specialization.

Management Plan:

Students who have been in the work arena and are moving into an engineering management role may wish to choose this plan. A total of 36 s.h. of course work is required for this plan. In addition to 12 s.h. of core courses, a series of engineering and business courses totaling 21 s.h. are recommended in the description of the home department's graduate program option. The student must also complete a 3 s.h. special project course. For more information pertaining to this plan, contact the Graduate Program Option Coordinator of the home department.

Self-Directed Plan:

Although a series of technical concentration areas has been suggested, a student may wish to develop his/her own plan of study. A series of courses may be selected to meet a specific professional goal/objective. The student must meet with an advisor to develop a self-directed curriculum plan. A total of 33 s.h. of course work is required for non-thesis, and 30 s.h. for a thesis plan. Students pursuing the non-thesis plan must complete 3 s.h. special project course. For more information pertaining to this option, refer to the home department's graduate program description or contact the home department Graduate Program Option Coordinator.

Early Placement Program for the Ph.D. in Engineering:

Early placement programs for the Ph.D. degree in Engineering at the University of Akron and the Doctorate degree in Engineering at the Cleveland State University are also available. Students accepted in either program are required to complete a minimum of 60 s.h. of course work and 12 s.h. of dissertation work at Youngstown State University. In addition, students may select their co-advisor from the engineering faculty at Youngstown State University. Students interested in any of these options should select the thesis plan for their MS program. For further assistance regarding these options and to initiate a letter of interest, contact the College of Engineering and Technology Graduate Program option coordinator in the student's are of interest.