Nov 08, 2024

2013-2014 Graduate Catalog

2013-2014 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Science in Mechatronics

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Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
102A Science and Engineering Building (map)
(248) 370-2177 • Fax (248) 370-4633
www.oakland.edu/ece/

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Coordinators:
Daniel Aloi (ECE)
102K Dodge Hall
(248) 370-2185
aloi@oakland.edu

Zissimos Mourelatos (ME)
Department of Mechanical Engineering
133 Dodge Hall
(248) 370-2686
mourelat@oakland.edu

Program Description

The Master of Science in mechatronics degree program is designed to prepare students for a multi-disciplinary engineering specialty needed in its ever-growing applications in consumer products, manufacturing, transportation systems, security systems, defense systems, aerospace, sports engineering, biomedical systems, and automotive systems.

It is designed for students with a baccalaureate degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, mechanical engineering, or robotics who want to strive for a balance of theory and hardware of the electrical and mechanical engineering aspects of robotics systems. A degree in other fields may be acceptable but remedial coursework may be required to overcome deficiencies. It is offered by the ECE and ME departments.

Admission terms and application deadlines

Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.

July 15 for fall semester
November 15 for winter semester
March 15 for summer semester

Readmission and program transfer

Requests for readmission and program transfers must be completed and approved prior to the beginning of a semester.

International application deadlines

International applications are reviewed for fall and winter admission only. To ensure adequate time for review, international applications must be completed at least six months before the desired date of intended enrollment in the University. All international application materials must be submitted by May 1 for fall admission and by September 1 for winter admission. International applicants are not eligible for Special Graduate classification.

Special Graduate classification

Applicants who are seeking a graduate degree or graduate certificate, but are unable to meet the deadline for filing all required application materials or credentials for graduate admission, may contact the department and request Special Graduate temporary admission. The applicant must submit an Application for Admission to Graduate Study, plus a copy of a transcript providing evidence of a bachelor’s degree awarded and any specific evidence concerning their qualifications for graduate study as required by the department. Up to 12 credits may be earned in the Special Graduate classification. Admission as a special graduate student in no way assures subsequent admission to a degree or graduate certificate program.

Students may request special graduate classification beginning with the dates below.

August 1 for fall semester
December 1 for winter semester
April 1 for summer semester

Note: Special Graduate classification will not be granted after the first week of classes in a semester.

Application requirements

To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all of the following university and program application documents by the published application deadlines.

University graduate application requirements

Online Application for Admission to Graduate Study
Official transcripts providing evidence of an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution, OR a degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a college or university of government-recognized standing.
Official transcripts for all post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned a degree (beginning with the first baccalaureate) and for all enrollment in graduate-level coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree. International university transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation service.
- As part of the admission requirements, graduate programs may require official transcripts from post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned an associate’s degree and all enrollment in coursework both pre- and post-bachelor’s degree.
Two official and original Recommendation for Graduate Admission forms.
(Note: Some programs require more than two recommendation forms. Refer to the program application requirements listed below for the total number of recommendations and specific requirements for the recommendations.)
Proof of English language proficiency
International supplemental application and supporting documentation must be submitted before international applicants can be issued the Certification of Eligibility (I-20). This certificate is required to apply for a student visa from the U.S. embassy or consulate.

Program application requirements

Requirements for recommendations:
The recommendation forms must be from two members of the undergraduate major department or practicing engineers who are familiar with their accomplishments and promise.
Applicants must submit official scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) if they graduated from an institution not accredited by a regional accrediting agency of the USA. Other applicants whose credentials do not meet regular admission criteria are also encouraged to submit their GRE scores. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering may choose to waive the GRE requirement if at least one of the following special circumstances is met:
- Applicant’s last degree is from a U.S. institution accredited by a regional accrediting agency.
- Applicant’s overall GPA from last degree is at least 3.0.
- Applicant has worked in the USA for at least two years in the engineering profession.
Hold a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, systems engineering, or an equivalent degree form an ABET-accredited college or university.
Hold a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics or Computer Science, or an equivalent degree from an accredited college or university, and some experience working in a Mechatronic engineering field.
Grade-point average of 3.0 or better

Admission review and assessment

Admission to graduate study at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.

Degree requirements

To fulfill the requirements for a Master of Science degree in mechatronics, a student must:

Complete at least 32 credits of graduate-level work, of which at least 24 credits must be in approved courses offered by the School of Engineering and Computer Science
Earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in courses applied toward the degree
Complete the requirements specified for the program in
embedded systems
Satisfy all requirements concerning academic progress.

The degree requirements may be satisfied by taking only coursework. However, a graduate engineering project (ECE/ME 690) or master’s thesis research (ECE/ME 691) provides a unique and valuable learning experience in which an individual student works with a faculty member in an area of mutual interest. Therefore, students are encouraged to include such an experience as their program permits.

Students must fulfill the following program requirements to be awarded the Master of Science in mechatronics:

Course requirements

a. Core requirements (16 credits)

Required course (4 credits):
ECE 575 - Automotive Mechatronics I (4 credits)
Select at least 4 credits from:
ME 521 - Dynamics (4 credits)
ME 530 - Kinematics and Mechanisms (4 credits)
(ME 530 is required for non-ME students. Students with BS degree in ME cannot apply this course toward an MS degree in mechatronics.)
Select 8 credits from:
ECE 515 - Foundations of Electrical and Computer Engineering (4 credits)
(ECE 515 is required for non-EE/CE/ECE students. Students with a BS degree in EE/CE/ECE cannot apply this course toward an MS degree in mechatronics.)
ECE 571 - Mixed Signal Embedded System (4 credits)
* ECE 572 - Microcomputer-Based Control Systems (4 credits)
* ECE 575 - Automotive Mechatronics I (4 credits)

b. Topical courses (at least 12 credits without thesis option, or at least 8 credits with thesis option)

Students not electing a thesis option are required to choose at least three disciplines from the four listed below, and take at least 4 credits from each. Students electing a thesis option are required to choose at least two disciplines from the four listed below, and take at least 4 credits from each.

c. Optional elective/independent study/project (4 credits)

Students not electing a thesis option may choose either an elective course, or an independent study (ECE/ME 594) or a graduate engineering project (ECE/ME 690) from the following list. Prior approval of the Electrical and Computer Engineering or the Mechanical Engineering department chair is required for an independent study or project.

Elective (topical or non-topical course) (4 credits)

Any graduate level CSE/ECE/ISE/ME/SYS course

ECE 594 - Independent Study (4 credits)
or
ME 594, Independent Study (4 credits)
ECE 690 - Graduate Engineering Project (4 credits)
or
ME 690, Graduate Engineering Project (4 credits)

d. Thesis course (8 credits)

Students electing a thesis option need to select a thesis supervisor and take 8 credits of either ECE 691 or ME 691. Successful completion and defense of a thesis is a prerequisite for earning thesis credits. All theses must conform to university standards (see Thesis and Dissertation ).

ECE 691 - Master’s Thesis Research (8 credits)
or
ME 691, Master’s Thesis Research (8 credits)

Courses with asterisk (*)

*   These courses are cross-listed as advanced undergraduate and graduate courses. If completed as a
       400-level course or equivalent as part of baccalaureate degree, the course may be used to offset
       graduate program requirements. However, credit will not then be awarded and must be earned by
       completion of an approved substitute course.

Satisfactory academic progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress for all financial aid recipients each semester.

Students who fall behind in their coursework, or fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes, may lose their eligibility for all types of federal, state and university aid. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for additional details.

Good academic standing

All graduate students are expected to remain in good academic standing throughout the entire course of their graduate program. To be in good academic standing, a graduate student must make satisfactory progress toward fulfilling degree requirements, including the completion of critical degree milestones as set forth by the academic program. The student must also maintain a minimum semester and overall GPA of 3.0.

Good academic standing is a requirement for:

Holding a Graduate Assistantship
Receiving a fellowship or scholarship
Advancing to candidacy for a graduate degree
Going on a leave of absence
Obtaining a graduate certificate or degree from Oakland University.

Additionally, graduate students must meet all department academic standards which may be more stringent than the minimum set forth by the University.

Department requirements: The minimum satisfactory grade for graduate work is 3.0. Credit for completion of a course in the Master of Science program will be given for grades of 2.5 or above but not more than two grades may be in the range of 2.5 to 2.9. Graduate credit will not be awarded for grades below 2.5. To repeat a course, a student must have the permission of the graduate committee of the school.

All grades received as a graduate student are used in computing the GPA except that, if a course has been repeated, the most recent grade is used in the calculation of the GPA. A graduate student is placed on academic probation if the student’s overall GPA drops below 3.0 or if the student receives more than one grade below 3.0, including the original grade(s) of any repeated course(s). A graduate student receiving a grade less than 3.0 while on probation is subject to dismissal. A graduate student receiving more than two grades below 3.0 is subject to dismissal whether or not the student was put on probation previously.

In all programs the minimum grade point requirement is an average of at least 3.0. If a student’s GPA is less than 3.0 after having attempted 16 credits, the student will be recommended for dismissal from the program.

Graduate students who are not in good academic standing for any reason are subject to probation and/or dismissal from further graduate study.

Related program information

Plan of study

All accepted applicants, in consultation with their assigned faculty program adviser, must develop a plan of study that details specific courses the students will use to satisfy their degree requirements. The plan of study must be approved by the faculty program adviser and submitted by the student to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning.

Master’s and graduate certificate students must submit a department-approved plan of study by the end of their first semester of graduate coursework. Doctoral students must submit an approved plan of study prior to completion of the first year of coursework.

Note: Credit granted for successful completion of a course toward an undergraduate degree program may not be repeated for a graduate degree. If a substitution is approved, the minimum number of program-approved graduate credits will be required. A Petition of Exception - OU Course Waiver/ Substitution requesting the substitution must be approved.

Course approval

Approval by the master’s degree adviser and the department chair is required for independent study, engineering projects, master’s thesis or special topics courses that are used toward the degree. In addition, approval of the faculty administering the independent study, advising the thesis or project or teaching the special topics course must be obtained before registering for these credits.

Course credit

Normally, graduate credit is awarded only for courses numbered 500 or higher. However, up to 4 credits of Oakland University senior-level (400-499) courses in the major can be approved for graduate credit by the student’s adviser. With the added approval of the graduate committee of the school, an additional 4 credits of senior-level courses can also be counted toward the required 32 credits. Course credit will not be awarded for work applied toward another degree. Students who have received credit for the 400-level version of a cross-listed senior/graduate course cannot receive credit toward a graduate degree for the 500-level version of that course.

No more than 8 thesis or project credits may be used toward the degree requirements.

Transfer credit

Students transferring from other institutions are allowed to transfer a maximum of 9 credits of graduate coursework with the approval of the department.

Workload and scheduling

Full-time students must register for 8 to 12 credits per semester. Graduate assistants must be full-time students and commit 20 hours per week toward their research or teaching assistantship assignment. Graduate assistants normally register for only 8 credits per semester; however, a 12-credit load can be taken with the approval of the chair of their department.

For the convenience of part-time students employed in industry, courses are arranged in late afternoon and early evening. However, these students should be aware of the very real demands of graduate studies and should keep outside work commitments and their academic load in balance.

Master’s adviser

The progress of each regular student toward the Master of Science degree is directed by the student’s adviser, a faculty member of the School of Engineering and Computer Science who is assigned at the time of admission. Incoming students seeking the degree are urged to discuss their proposed concentration area with their adviser or other faculty members in that area. Students who wish to change their adviser can do so with the approval of the chair of their department.

Master’s project or thesis

Although the master’s degree requirements may be satisfied by taking only coursework, either a graduate engineering project (ECE/ME 690) or a directed master’s thesis research (ECE/ME 691) may be included as part of the program in place of elective courses.

Students electing a thesis option must accumulate a minimum of 8 credits of (ECE/ME 691). Successful completion and defense of a thesis is a prerequisite for earning thesis credits. Students choosing the thesis option must select an advisory committee, which is composed of at least three faculty members from the School of Engineering and Computer Science. The selection of the committee and the Plan of Study must be approved by the department chair. The chair (major professor) of the advisory committee will direct and guide the research. The student must propose a research topic to the committee for approval; however, a formal presentation of the proposal is not necessary. The completed thesis must conform to university standards (see Thesis and Dissertation ). At the completion of the research and its documentation, the content of the thesis must be publicly presented and defended. Successful defense of the thesis is a prerequisite for earning the research credits.