Faculty

Associates of the Faculty

Biomedical Engineering Advisory Council

Civil Engineering Advisory Council

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Advisory Council

Mechanical Engineering Advisory Council

The engineering program was established in 1896, soon after the founding of The Catholic University of America. The School of Engineering was formally established as a separate school in 1930 and was shortly thereafter renamed as the School of Engineering and Architecture. In 1992 the School of Engineering and Architecture separated into the School of Engineering and the School of Architecture and Planning. Prior to 1950, the primary focus of the school was on undergraduate professional programs, although there always have been graduate programs in the school.

However, research activity and graduate professional offerings have increased at a steady rate since 1950. Today the school offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in five academic programs as well as a master's degree in engineering management. The school prides itself on being a small Catholic engineering school providing quality education with a personal touch.

Students can expect close interaction with faculty, small class sizes, a small student-to-teacher ratio and a faculty dedicated to teaching and research. All members of the full-time faculty hold doctoral degrees and are very active in funded research and scholarly publication.

The school's strong ties with local research institutions such as NASA, NIH and NRL etc., foster research collaborations and enable our faculty to bring research experience into the classroom. Students can benefit from ample research assistantships from funded research projects.

As stated in its strategic plan developed in 2002, The Catholic University of America's School of Engineering provides a personalized learning and research environment in which faculty, staff and students achieve excellence in research, education and service. It emphasizes research and scholarship of the highest possible caliber and provides personalized instruction at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Graduate programs in the school emphasize both theory and application of advanced engineering principles. The goal of the school is to produce professional engineers, scientists and researchers who can contribute significantly to society through their chosen profession and scientific and research activities.

Through its four departments and the Engineering Management Program, the school offers graduate programs leading to the following degrees:

• Master of Biomedical Engineering, M.B.E.

• Master of Civil Engineering, M.C.E.

• Master of Electrical Engineering, M.E.E.

• Master of Science in Computer Science, M.S.C.S.

• Master of Mechanical Engineering, M.M.E.

• Master of Science in Engineering, M.S.E.

• Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D.

The curricula of the master's degree programs aimed at a particular discipline provide in-depth coverage of topics related to the discipline. The curricula of the M.S.E. degrees are more general. The M.S.E. degree program is offered in the Engineering Management Program and in the other engineering programs to also accommodate students from non-engineering backgrounds.

Admission

Admission to the School of Engineering follows the general university regulations (see Admission to Graduate Study in this Announcements). We present here general admission regulations pertaining only to the graduate degree programs of the School of Engineering. Additional specific requirements for admission to particular programs, if any, are given in the departmental sections. Admission to all graduate degree programs is made by the dean of the School of Engineering upon the recommendation of the chair/director of the appropriate graduate program.

International Students

International students from countries where English is not the primary language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language, TOEFL. Students achieving a score of 580 or higher on the paper-based test, 237 or higher on the computer-based test, or 93 on the Internet-based test will be given regular admission provided their academic background is satisfactory. Prior to registration for courses, the students will be evaluated for English language skills by CUA's Intensive English Program. Depending on the evaluation, students may be required to take intensive classes in English to strengthen their skills. Subject to the approval of a student's academic adviser, students can take intensive English classes concurrently with a reduced number of School of Engineering graduate engineering courses.

Doctoral Degree Programs

The minimum grade point average, GPA, required for admission to the doctoral degree programs is 3.4 for masters-level courses and/or 3.0 for bachelor-level courses. In special circumstances, program chairs and faculty may petition for students to be admitted who do not meet the GPA guideline. There is no provisional admission for the doctoral programs.

Master Degree Programs

The minimum requirement for admission to the M.S.E. degree program is a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university. The minimum requirement for admission to the master's degree program of a particular engineering program is an undergraduate degree from an accredited engineering program. Additional requirements may apply based on undergraduate performance. The minimum GPA required for regular admission to master's degree programs is 3.0 for bachelors-level courses. Provisional admission may be granted to students with a bachelor's-level GPA less than 3.0. Provisional admission will be converted to regular admission after the student passes a set of approved graduate level courses with a minimum GPA of 3.0.

The degree requirements for graduate studies in the School of Engineering generally follow the university requirements (see General Requirements of Graduate Studies). We present here general degree requirements pertaining only to the graduate degree programs of the School of Engineering. Additional specific degree requirements for particular programs, if any, are provided in the departmental sections.

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in coursework taken in the School of Engineering is required for graduation in all graduate programs.

The university's general requirements for graduate study for the master's and licentiate degrees apply to all master's degree programs offered in the School of Engineering. There are, however, two exceptions: competency in a foreign language is not required and a comprehensive examination is not required. The minimum requirements for the master's degree are the successful completion of an approved program of study consisting of at least 30 semester credit hours. Individual programs may require more than 30 semester credit hours. Two options are available to complete the requirements.

Nonthesis Option

A student may complete the required semester credit hours through graduate coursework with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.

Thesis Option

A student may write a master's thesis whose topic is approved by the appropriate graduate program. If this option is selected, the student registers for a total of six semester credit hours of master's thesis guidance. Upon approval of the written thesis, six semester credit hours, which count toward the minimum 30, will be posted to the student's academic record. The remaining number of semester credit hours of graduate coursework must be completed with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

All students pursuing a master's degree in the programs of biomedical, civil, electrical and mechanical engineering are required to pass with a grade of C or better in two of the four courses: Graduate Level Applied Mathematics, Numerical Methods in Engineering, Engineering Economics and Engineering Systems Analysis. Each program may impose further restrictions regarding which courses their students must take.

Some graduate programs in the School of Engineering participate in joint degree programs that allows students to earn two engineering master's degrees. The student must satisfy all requirements for both degrees but may be allowed to designate up to four approved graduate engineering courses to partially satisfy the requirements for both degrees. Typically, this would reduce the total number of graduate engineering courses required to earn both master's degrees from 20 courses to 16 courses. Contact the dean's office of the School of Engineering for more information.

The university's general requirements for graduate study for the doctoral degree apply to all doctoral programs of the School of Engineering, with one exception: the foreign language competency exam is not required. The requirements for a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) of the school include:

1. a minimum of 53 semester hours of graduate work in a program of study prepared and approved in consultation with an adviser;

2. the successful passing of a comprehensive examination upon completion of the graduate coursework;

3. the approval of a dissertation proposal submitted and presented by the candidate; and

4. the approval and successful defense of the dissertation in an oral examination conducted as specified by university procedures.

Up to six semester credit hours of graduate work earned at another accredited institution with a grade of B or higher may be applied toward course requirements for master's degrees upon recommendation of the appropriate graduate program and with the approval of the dean of the school. Up to 24 semester credit hours of graduate work earned at another accredited institution with a grade of B or higher may be applied toward course requirements for the doctoral degrees upon recommendation of the appropriate graduate program and with the approval of the dean of the school. For students who earned their master's degrees at CUA, up to 30 semester credit hours of coursework with a grade of B or above may be applied toward the course requirements for the doctoral degrees.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Biomedical Engineering, M.B.E., Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering, M.S.E., and Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D. The focus of graduate education is to provide biomedical engineers with the principles and tools of modern engineering, applied to solving problems in medicine or biology.

Courses are offered in the following areas of concentration:

• Biomaterials and Biotechnology

• Biomechanics & Rehabilitation Engineering

• Biomedical Instrumentation & Medical Imaging

• Home Care Technologies & Telemedicine

• Rehabilitation Engineering

The Biomedical Engineering Program has strong interaction with the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in terms of course offerings and research activities. Graduate students may follow one of two tracks-thesis or coursework designed for two distinct groups of students. The first track offers both master's and doctoral programs and is directed at those students pursuing research activities that will culminate in a thesis or dissertation. The coursework requirements are intended to prepare the student for research.

The second track offers only a master's degree program intended for recent graduates, practicing engineers and/or medical professionals interested in specialized areas pertinent to career objectives. These professional degree programs enable the engineer or scientist to become familiar with new developments and advances in technologies. These programs allow flexibility in course selection, including those outside the department.

Qualified CUA undergraduate students are encouraged to pursue graduate studies via the accelerated BS-MS program.

Admission

In addition the school's admissions guidelines (under Special Regulations) for regular admission status to the masters and doctoral degree programs in biomedical engineering, students will be admitted based upon enrollment availability and their ability to meet the following recommended entrance requirements:

• Students must have received a bachelor's degree in engineering, science or mathematics from an accredited institution and, in addition must satisfy:

• All minimum university requirements

• A cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.0 out of 4.0 (master's) or 3.5 out of 4.0 (doctoral)

• A cumulative GRE score (verbal plus quantitative) of at least 1250 (master's) or 1300 (doctoral)

Students not meeting the above minimum requirements may receive provisional admission (master's only) as recommended by the graduate committee and/or department chair. Performance of provisional students will be reviewed after one semester of graduate study for transfer to regular admission status.

Students from nonengineering disciplines may be required to take prerequisite courses (e.g., statics, dynamics, electrical circuits, differential equations, fluid mechanics, etc.), as appropriate.

Master's Degree

Graduate students plan their program in consultation with an adviser and may elect to pursue a broad master's degree program without specific concentration or to major in one of the areas identified above. Maximum flexibility in scope of studies is afforded by utilization of courses offered in other departments of the university or other local universities through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Requirements for the master's degree programs follow those established for the school. Please refer to Degree Requirements.

Doctoral Degree

Requirements for the doctoral degree program follow those established for the school. Please refer to Degree Requirements.

Courses Offered

Please consult the registrar's Web site at https://cardinalstation.cua.edu for descriptions of courses offered in the current semester.

The goal of the educational programs in civil engineering is to produce graduates who are schooled in engineering fundamentals and capable of doing advanced engineering work. To this end, programs offered in the Department of Civil Engineering are professional in nature and lead to the Master of Civil Engineering, M.C.E., and the Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D. Major areas include fluid and solid mechanics, structures and structural mechanics, geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering and management, systems engineering, transportation engineering, and construction engineering and management. The available courses include laboratory studies, applied mathematics, engineering analysis, engineering design and a variety of introductory and advanced level courses in various areas of engineering and applied science and construction management. The department also participates in an interdisciplinary graduate program in engineering management leading to the Master of Science in Engineering, M.S.E.

Mission

Please refer to Admission under Special Regulations for the school.

Master's Degree

Graduate students plan their program in consultation with an adviser and may elect to pursue a broad M.C.E. degree program without specific concentration or to major in one of the areas identified above. The minimum requirements for the master's programs in civil engineering are the successful completion of 30 semester credit hours. Maximum flexibility scope of studies is afforded by utilization of courses offered in departments of the university or other area universities through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Master of Science in Engineering Degree Program

The M.S.E. degree is offered to students whose undergraduate degree is in subjects other than engineering and who are in the environmental engineering and management program and the construction engineering and management program. The minimum requirements for the M.S.E. degree program are the same as the M.C.E. degree program. Other requirements for the master's degree programs follow those established for the school. Please refer to Degree Requirements.

Doctoral Degree Programs

Candidates for the Ph.D. degree in civil engineering plan their program in consultation with an adviser. The program of studies is tailored individually to meet the needs of the student and the academic and professional standards of the department. Maximum flexibility in scope studies is afforded by utilization of courses offered in other departments of the university or other area universities through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Other requirements for the doctoral degree program follow those established for the school. Please refer to Degree Requirements.

Courses Offered

Please consult the registrar's Web site at https://cardinalstation.cua.edu for descriptions of courses offered in the current semester.

Director: Jeffrey E. Giangiuli, MSE

Master of Science in Engineering (Engineering Management)

The Master of Science in Engineering curriculum enhances management performance and develops managerial skills. It is designed to provide the student with knowledge of the theory and practice of management as it specifically pertains to engineering and technology-oriented organizations and activities. The program is oriented to the management of engineering processes within the boarder context of a company or agency enterprise. Three tracks are offered to allow the student to focus on their career preference:

Engineering Management and Organization

Developed to provide a graduate-level foundation for the practice of managing engineering organizations. It is appropriate for those that will assume leadership positions in technically oriented organizations.

Project and Systems Engineering Management

Developed to provide a graduate level foundation for the practice of managing projects associated with development and life cycle management of a product. It is appropriate for project managers and system engineers in management roles or those that will be in those positions.

Technology Management

Developed to provide a graduate-level foundation for the practice of managing technology development, implementation of sustainment activities. It is appropriate for those that will assume leadership positions in technology development or sustainment organizations.

Each track has seven core courses that give the foundation for engineering management and electives that allow students to focus their degree to their personal career plan. Nine semester hours (three courses) are used to tailor the degree program to the student's specific needs.

The Master of Science in Engineering (Engineering Management) degree program requires completion of 30 semester credit hours. The School of Engineering offers a wide range of specialties relating to mechanical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and biomedical engineering. Elective courses up to six credits may be transferred from accredited educational institutions into the program. Our partnership with the Nuclear Power Directorate allows transfer of 12 credits for completion of the U.S. Navy Officer Nuclear Power School Program.

The engineering management master's degree program results in an engineering/scientific degree, rather than a business degree; therefore the program candidate should have an engineering, physical science or mathematics degree with appropriate technical or engineering experience. (Depending on experience, candidates without mathematics-based degree may be accepted for the program. Prerequisites may be required.)

A minimum of 30 semester credit hours is required, but a thesis is not required. All M.S.E. candidates for graduation must have earned at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in courses leading to the degree. For more information go to http://engineering.cua.edu/engrmgmt.

Certificate of Engineerning Management

Four Professional Certificates are available:

Engineering Management Professional Certificate Designed to provide specialized graduate-level education and to further professional continuing education for those persons who will assume major administrative positions in industry or government organizations.

Program Management Professional Certificate Designed to provide specialized graduate-level education and to further professional continuing education or certification (beyond or prior to Project Management Institute certification) for those who will act as program or product managers in industry and government.

Systems Engineering Professional Certificate Designed to provide specialized graduate-level education and to further professional continuing education or certification (beyond or prior to International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) certification) for those persons who will act as the technical/systems engineering lead in major programs, organizations or functions in industry or government.

Management of Information Technology Professional Certificate Designed to provide specialized graduate-level education and to further professional continuing education or certification for those persons who will be responsible for management of information technology resources in industry and government.

These certificate programs provide an understanding of the core engineering management theory and tools that underpin technical management practices.

The Engineering Management Professional Certificate is awarded upon successful completion of 15 semester credit hours (five courses) of key program courses. To meet student needs one course could be substituted by an appropriate elective course from the CUA School of Engineering or an approved transferred course. A transferred course must be a B grade or better. The certificate is awarded after completion with a grade of C or better in all CUA courses counted toward the certificate requirements.

Master of Science in Engineering (Engineering Management)

The Master of Science in Engineering curriculum enhances management performance and develops managerial skills. It is designed to provide the student with knowledge of the theory and practice of management as it specifically pertains to engineering and technology-oriented organizations and activities. The program is oriented to the management of engineering processes within the boarder context of a company or agency enterprise. Three tracks are offered to allow the student to focus on their career preference:

Engineering Management and Organization Developed to provide a graduate-level foundation for the practice of managing engineering organizations. It is appropriate for those who will assume leadership positions in technically oriented organizations.

Project and Systems Engineering Management Developed to provide a graduate level foundation for the practice of managing projects associated with development and life cycle management of a product. It is appropriate for project managers and system engineers in management roles or those who will be in those positions.

Technology Management Developed to provide a graduate-level foundation for the practice of managing technology development, implementation or sustainment activities. It is appropriate for those that will assume leadership positions in technology development or sustainment organizations. Each track has seven core courses that give the foundation for engineering management and electives that allow students to focus their degree to their personal career plan. Nine semester hours (three courses) are used to tailor the degree program to the student's specific needs.

The Master of Science in Engineering (Engineering Management) degree program requires completion of 30 semester credit hours. The School of Engineering offers a wide range of specialties relating to mechanical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, computer science and biomedical engineering. Elective courses up to six credits may be transferred from accredited educational institutions into the program. Our partnership with Defense Acquisition University, DAU, allows up to nine credits of their ACE accredited graduate-level courses to be transferred into the program.

Our partnership with the Nuclear Power Directorate allows transfer of 12 credits for completion of the U.S. Navy Officer Nuclear Power School Program. The engineering management master's degree program results in an engineering/scientific degree rather than a business degree, therefore, the program candidate should have an engineering, physical science or mathematics degree with appropriate technical or engineering experience. (Depending on experience, candidates without a mathematics-based degree may be accepted for the program. Prerequisites may be required.)

A minimum of 30 semester credit hours is required, but a thesis is not required. All M.S.E. candidates for graduation must have earned at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in courses leading to the degree. For more information go to http://engineering.cua.edu/engrmgmt.

Courses Offered

Please consult the registrar's Web site at https://cardinalstation.cua.edu for descriptions of courses offered in the current semester.

The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Electrical Engineering, M.E.E., Master of Science in Computer Science, M.S.C.S., Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D., and Doctor of Engineering, D.Engr. Programs offered are Computer Graphics, Communication Systems and Networks, Microwave, Optics and Materials, and Signal and Image Processing.

Faculty is actively engaged in several research areas including computer graphic display of medical images, Web-based communication, ATM-based high-speed networks, computer and satellite communications, interaction of electromagnetic radiation with biological systems, image microoptical devices, image motion detection and estimation, communication intelligence, information visualization, biomedical imaging, computational intelligence and image understanding. A majority of the research projects is funded by industries and government agencies such as NASA, the Navy, the Army and NIH.

Admission

Students pursuing degree programs should apply for regular admission. The minimum requirement for regular admission to the M.E.E. program is a bachelor's degree in engineering, science or mathematics from an accredited institution. Students lacking certain requirements for regular admission to the M.E.E. program can apply for a provisional admission.

Performance of provisional students will be reviewed after two semesters of graduate study for possible transfer to regular admission. The minimum requirements for regular admission to the M.S.C.S. program is a bachelor's degree with undergraduate background in computer science that includes the equivalent of the following topics: data structures, computer organization and assembly language, programming languages, theoretical computer science, and discrete structures. A student will be provisionally admitted to the M.S.C.S. program if he or she has one or more deficiencies. The deficiency courses must be successfully completed before the provisional status is converted to regular status. Admission to the doctoral degree programs is based upon academic performance at the bachelor and master's levels. For other admission requirements, please refer to Admission under Special Regulations.

M.E.E. Program

Two options are available in the M.E.E. program. The nonthesis option requires 30 semester credit hours of approved coursework. The thesis option requires a minimum of 24 semester credit hours of approved coursework plus a thesis comprising six semester credit hours of master's thesis guidance. The approved coursework must include at least 18 semester credit hours of approved electrical engineering courses. The remaining courses must be in engineering and science disciplines and approved by the graduate coordinator of the department.

M.S.C.S. Program

The M.S.C.S. degree program has two options, the thesis option and the nonthesis option. For both options, each student must submit a program of study to the department for approval upon entering the program. The program of study must contain a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of approved graduate-level courses comprising at least 18 semester credit hours of core courses and 12 semester credit hours of elective courses.

The core courses must be selected from courses in four areas of concentration: computer science foundations, computer systems, software systems, and computing methodologies, such that at least three semester credit hours are chosen from each of the above areas of concentration.

Doctoral Degree Program

The program of studies is individually tailored to meet the needs of the student and to fit with the department research areas and facilities. Students must pass a comprehensive examination in three major areas after completing all required coursework.

Both the Ph.D. and the D.Engr. degrees require a minimum of 54 semester hours of formal graduate coursework beyond the bachelor's degree. The major includes at least nine semester credit hours at the 600–700 levels in three areas. Additional areas that must meet minimum requirements are chosen in consultation with the adviser. For additional degree requirements, see Degree Requirements.

Courses Offered

Please consult the registrar's Web site at https://cardinalstation.cua.edu for descriptions of courses offered in the current semester.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Mechanical Engineering, M.M.E., Master of Science in Engineering, M.S.E., Doctor of Engineering, D.Engr., and Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D. The programs are:

Professional Master's Program

For recent graduates and practicing engineers interested in specialized areas to enhance their careers, the program emphasizes advances in existing and emerging technologies. Master's thesis is optional.

Master's Program (predoctoral)

For students interested in pursuing Ph.D. or D.Engr. degrees. Master's thesis is required.

Doctoral Program

For students pursuing Ph.D. or D.Engr. degrees, this program emphasizes strong foundations in mechanical engineering as well as advanced courses in a specialized area of concentration.

Research Areas

• Active Control and Smart Materials/Systems

• Advanced and Non-Linear Dynamics

• Air Pollution Control and Indoor Air Quality

• Clean Energy Production and Use

• Combustion and Multiphase Systems

• Computational Methods (FEM and CFD)

• Electronic Packaging

• Flow Induced Vibration and Noise Reduction

• Heat/Mass Transfer and Thermodynamics

• HVAC and Refrigeration

• MEMS

• Nano-Mechanics

• Solar Wind and Magnetohydrodynamics

• Structural Acoustics

• Vibration of Mechanical Systems

• Vibration of Mechanical Systems

• Human Thermal Comfort

Admission

Please refer to Admission under Special Regulations.

Master's Degree Program

Candidates for graduate studies plan their program in consultation with an adviser. Maximum flexibility in scope of studies is afforded by utilization of courses offered in other departments of the university or other area universities through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Requirements for the master's degree programs follow those established for the school, with the specification of Graduate Level Applied Mathematics and Numerical Methods in Engineering as the required core courses. Please refer to Degree Requirements.

Doctoral Degree Program

Requirements for the doctoral degree program follow those established for the school. Please refer to Degree Requirements. Note the comprehensive examination is directed at assessing a student's preparation in advanced courses for doctoral research, and understanding of the research literature and his or her ability to define the frontiers of the proposed areas of investigation.

Courses Offered

Please consult the registrar's Web site at https://cardinalstation.cua.edu for descriptions of courses offered in the current semester.