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Civil Engineering Initiates Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s Program

The College of Engineering is offering students an opportunity to obtain both a bachelor’s and master’s degree simultaneously over a period of five years. The new program, which is academically demanding, is offered in all departments of engineering for students who are recommended by their undergraduate program advisor.

The combined bachelor’s/master’s degree program allows students who enter the program in their senior year to take a maximum of nine graduate credits which will be counted toward both the baccalaureate and master’s degrees. Students will be awarded their bachelor’s degree upon completion of their undergraduate requirements. If they wish to continue and earn a master’s degree, they must apply through the standard graduate admission process to the Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s program early in the second semester of their junior year.

The requirements vary for the Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s Program, so for information on prerequisites, students should contact the department in which they intend to pursue graduate study. For more information, contact the Engineering College at ext. 95869.

Engineering Offers Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program

Effective this fall, the College of Engineering is offering a new interdisciplinary graduate program that will lead to a doctorate of engineering degree. According to Dr. Edward McAssey, professor of mechanical engineering who has served as associate dean of engineering this past year, the engineering profession today demands more of a team effort. Professional engineers need to familiar with more than their own field of study in order to effectively collaborate and solve problems in the real world. Thus the decision to offer an interdisciplinary program rather than the traditional single discipline degree was based upon this foreseeable, irreversible trend.

Villanova’s interdisciplinary doctoral program is therefore designed to be wider in scope by covering a broader range of disciplines and topics. Villanova is also one of only a few universities offering an interdisciplinary doctoral program. “Engineering today is more and more a team effort, and therefore it requires professional engineers to acquire knowledge and skills in a variety of disciplines, including areas outside of engineering,” said Dr. McAssey.

The Ph.D. candidate’s course of study will span at least two departments, based upon the student’s interest. For example, students may choose from among several programs available in areas including thermal management of electronics; robotic and electromechanical systems; automotive systems research; signal processing and communications; computing systems and networks; signal processing for communication and radar systems; biotechnology; environmental studies; and innovative structural systems. Likewise, their courses would reflect a concentration in the respective field. “Our Ph.D. students will take courses in more than one department, perhaps in two to three departments, as well as courses other than engineering such as science and biology, as well as a graduate level mathematics course. The research will be based on the student’s interest and related to their faculty advisor’s area of research.” The role of research in engineering is critical because the engineering profession relies heavily on the development and application of new knowledge to solve problems on the job.

“The selective doctoral program coincides with the Strategic Plan of the University,” said McAssey. “Ph.D. candidates are contributors. One of the benefits of offering a doctoral program is that the increased emphasis on research enhances the image College of Engineering and the University. Ultimately, the highest quality of research occurs at the doctoral level. The increased research created by this program will allow us to grow academically much faster.”

Research facilities for the doctoral program will be housed primarily in CEER, which already houses several modern laboratories dedicated to graduate research, with more space designated as the need arises. Doctoral research will be primarily conducted within the College’s three research centers, which are involved in sponsored research: The Center for Advanced Communication (CAC), the Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Controls (CNDC), and the Villanova Center for the Environment (VCE).
Once the program is under way, the College expects to graduate about five students per year. “Our goal at a steady state is to have about 25 Ph.D. students in the system,” McAssey said.

“We are excited and pleased to offer this interdisciplinary doctoral program,” he said. “The Ph.D. program will benefit our research activity and strengthen the intellectual environment. The Ph.D. student, who will work on campus for three to five years, will be a role model for other students. The presence of Ph.D. candidates conducting research will be a positive influence on our undergraduates because they will see firsthand that a doctoral degree can offer another career path.”

Candidates should apply to the Doctoral Program Coordinator. Applicants are required to hold a baccalaureate degree in engineering related to their primary areas of study. For more information, or for admission requirements, contact the College of Engineering at ext. 96859.