Admission Requirements 

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.

Admission

An applicant must meet Graduate School requirements plus these College requirements to be considered for admission to the program:

1. Undergraduate major in engineering, mathematics or a natural science.
2. Submission of official GRE scores from a test taken within the last 5 years.

Applicants may be admitted with specific program-defined course deficiencies provided that the deficiencies amount to no more than two courses. The student is expected to satisfy deficiency requirements within three enrolled semesters. The deficiencies are monitored by the individual graduate program unit. No course credits earned in making up deficiencies may be counted as program credits required for the degree.

Credits and Courses

Minimum degree requirements are 30 credits for the thesis option and 31 credits for the non-thesis option as outlined below. Of the courses offered in the College only those numbered 400 and above may be taken for graduate credit for this degree. Independent study courses (699 and 999) may be included in the minimum course credit requirements provided approval of a program of study including them has been obtained prior to registration in such courses. Typically, no more than three credits of independent study are allowed in the MS Program. Guidelines on acceptable independent study courses are available in the CEAS Graduate Programs Office. A student may not use courses that formed part of the requirements of a baccalaureate degree for subsequent graduate credit, except when those courses were part of CEAS Integrated BS/MS program.

Thesis and Non-Thesis Options

Students will be required to either the Thesis or Non-Thesis option in their program of study. If the student chooses the Non-Thesis option, then as permitted by the student's department, the student must also choose between two methods of final evaluation: the Capstone Option and the Comprehensive Examination Option.

After 12 credits of coursework are completed, changes from Thesis to Non-Thesis option will not be allowed, except under exceptional circumstances to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students may always change from a Non-Thesis to a Thesis option. Departments and faculty may make pursuing the Thesis option a requirement (or preference) of employment for TA’s , RA’s, and PA’s.

Thesis Option

All students are encouraged to undertake the thesis option. The degree requires the following:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Select a minimum of 12 credits in an approved technical program of studies		12
Select 9 credits of approved electives		9
EAS 701	Effective Academic Writing	1
EAS 702	Preparing Future Engineering Faculty & Professionals	2
Select 6 credits of thesis		6
Total Credits		30

At least 12 credits, not including thesis or the CEAS Graduate Seminar Course, must be in courses of 700 level or higher. At least 12 credits, including thesis, must be earned at UWM. The thesis may be written in absentia provided prior permission has been obtained from the major professor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Engineering & Applied Science. Students in the thesis option must pass a final comprehensive examination, administered by the Master’s Program Committee, partially in defense of the thesis.

Non-Thesis Capstone Option

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Select a minimum of 18 credits in an approved technical program of studies		18
Select 9 credits of approved electives		9
EAS 701	Effective Academic Writing	1
Select 3 credits of a capstone project, using a 3 credit course that allows flexible independent study (either the Independent Study course or a specific capstone course)		3
Total Credits		31

In addition to the requirements listed in the table above, at least 15 credits must be of 700 level or above.

For the capstone project, the student must submit a written proposal and receive approval from the advisor. The capstone project should be designed with the intent of leading to creative work based on the student’s background, and should be the equivalent of 3 credits of work to be completed over a single semester. Upon completion of the capstone, the student must submit a written report and give an oral presentation of the project to the Master’s Program Committee for approval.

Non-Thesis Comprehensive Examination Option

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Select a minimum of 21 credits in an approved technical program of studies		21
Select 9 credits of approved electives		9
EAS 701	Effective Academic Writing	1
Total Credits		31

In addition to the requirements listed in the table above, at least 15 credits must be of 700 level or above.

Mastery of the courses taken in the program of study may be demonstrated by one of the following:

1. The student submits a dossier of work, and passes an oral examination given by the Master’s Program Committee. Or
2. The student passes a written master’s comprehensive examination when it is offered by the department.

Departments allowing a written examination option will offer such exams at least once per semester, and will announce the date of the exam at least 60 days prior to the exam. The department also must provide a written description of the topics covered on the exam, including text books and chapters.

Industrial and Systems Engineering Concentration

A minimum of 15 credits of qualifying graduate courses in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering; may include up to 3 credits each of Ind Eng 990 and Ind Eng 999.

Qualifying Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
IND ENG 575	Design of Experiments	3
IND ENG 580	Ergonomics	3
IND ENG 583	Facility Layout and Material Handling	3
IND ENG 716	Engineering Statistical Analysis	3
IND ENG 717	Operations Research in Engineering Management	3
IND ENG 765	Operations Research Methods	3
IND ENG 777	Scheduling and realtime resource management	3
IND ENG 880	Bioengineering Seminar	1
IND ENG 890	Advanced Topics in Industrial and Systems Engineering: *	1-3
IND ENG 990	Masters Thesis	1-9
IND ENG 999	Advanced Independent Study	1-3

*

Qualifying topics: Global Logistics Management; Connected Enterprise; Time Series Analysis & Forecasting; Advanced Mathematical Programming; Advanced Discrete Event Simulation; Operations Research Modeling.