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USF 2006-2007 Undergraduate Catalog - Pages 147-150

Undergraduate Admission to the College of Engineering

Students may apply to the College of Engineering upon initial entry to the University by declaring Engineering as their intended major on their admissions application. When a student is accepted to USF, engineering staff will review the necessary credentials and notify the applicant of his or her Engineering status.

USF students may apply through the Office of Engineering Student Services. To be considered for admission to the College, an applicant must be accepted by the University as a degree-seeking student and be in good standing academically.

College of Engineering Admission Requirements

Students meeting or exceeding the below criteria are granted direct entry to the College. Others are classified “Pre-Engineering.” Pre-Engineering students are fully admitted to the College after satisfactorily completing Calculus I and II and Physics I and II with labs. Additional requirements must be met prior to admission to specific degree programs.

  1. Freshmen:

    1. Test Scores:
      SAT—combined score of 1150 minimum with a minimum quantitative of 550.
      ACT—combined score of 25 minimum and mathematics of 25 minimum.

    2. High School Mathematics: Should include sufficient algebra and trigonometry to enter Engineering Calculus I.

    3. High School Grade Point Average of 3.0/4.0.

  2. Transfer Students:

    1. Engineering
      Florida community college transfer students that have completed the courses shown below with a minimum grade of “C” are accepted directly into the College of Engineering. Additional requirements must be met prior to admission to specific degree programs.

      Communications:
      ENC 1101/1102 English I and II (6)

      Humanities & Social Sciences:
      Humanities Courses (6)
      Social Science Courses (6)
      Humanities or Social Sciences (3)

      Mathematics:
      USF C/C
      MAC 2281 MAC 2311* (4)
      MAC 2282 MAC 2312* (4)
      MAC 2283 MAC 2313* (4)
      MAP 2302 MAP 2302 (3)

      *or MAC 2281, MAC 2282, MAC 2283

      Natural Sciences:
      USF C/C
      CHM 2045 CHM 1045* (3)
      CHM 2045L CHM 1045L* (1)
      PHY 2048 PHY 2048 (3)
      PHY 2048L PHY 2048L (1)
      PHY 2049 PHY 2049 (3)
      PHY 2049L PHY 2049L (1)

      *or CHS 1440 Chemistry for Engineers

    2. Computer Science
      Transfer students into the Computer Science program from a Florida community college are not required to have MAP 2302 or the Chemistry course indicated above.

    3. Information Systems
      Transfer students into the Information Systems program from a Florida community college are not required to have MAP 2302 or Calculus III or the Chemistry course indicated above.

All other transfer students should contact the College’s Admission Office (813/974-2684).

Transfer Credit

The USF College of Engineering will accept transfer credit when appropriate if the transferred course has been passed with a grade of “C” or better. In some cases credit for a course may be granted, but the hours accepted may be less than the hours earned at another school.

While credit work from other institutions may be granted subject to the conditions of the previous paragraph, the last one-quarter credits, that includes a minimum number of semester hours of engineering coursework specified by the degree-granting department, must be taken at USF to receive the baccalaureate degree. The College of Engineering’s Associate Dean for Academics must approve exceptions.

Transfer credit evaluation is conducted in the Office of Engineering Student Services. Transfer students should be prepared to submit College catalogs and course syllabi from the previous institution if requested.

In general, engineering and technology courses taken at the lower level, at technical schools, or as part of professional or military training, are not applicable to the degree programs of the College of Engineering.

Required Prerequisites for Entering Engineering programs

Once a student has been admitted to the College of Engineering, he/she must then seek admission into one of the academic departments. Departmental admissions requirements vary by program. Students considering transferring to USF should familiarize themselves with the requirements for their intended department as early as possible. Students admitted to the University of South Florida and the College of Engineering must qualify for the program of their choice by completing the courses and successfully meeting the GPA criteria detailed below. Unless otherwise stated, the minimum acceptable grade in math and science prerequisites is a C (C- is insufficient). Minimum acceptable grades for math, science and engineering courses, as they pertain to specific degree programs are defined by the academic departments. Students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with departmental guidelines.

Prior to being admitted to a department, a student may be permitted to take no more than two departmental engineering courses. Individual departments may have continuation requirements.

The Department of Chemical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering:

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering:

The Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Admission to the Department as a Pre-CSE student requires

Admission to one of the three major degree tracks is granted by also meeting the following continuation requirements

Bachelor of Science in Information Systems
Admission to the Department as a Pre-CSE student requires

Admission to one of the three major degree tracks is granted by also meeting the following continuation requirements

The Department of Electrical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering:

The Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering:

The Department of Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering:

FIVE-YEAR PROGRAMS LEADING TO BACHELORS AND MASTERS DEGREES IN ENGINEERING

Students who, at the beginning of their senior year, are clearly interested in graduate study are invited to pursue a Five-Year Program of study leading simultaneously to the Bachelor of Science in Engineering or Engineering Science and Master of Science in Engineering or Engineering Science degrees. The general basis of the five-year program includes

  1. A two-year research program extending through the fourth and fifth year.
  2. The opportunity of taking some graduate courses during the fourth year and deferring the taking of some senior courses to the fifth year.
  3. Up to six credit hours, to be determined by program, may be counted toward both degrees.

Students apply for admission to this program through their departmental advisor. Admissions requirements vary by department.

Applicants must have senior standing (90 credits) with at least 16 upper level engineering credits and must meet or exceed the graduate program entrance requirements of the departments.

Engineering Advising

Effective pursuit of engineering and engineering related studies requires careful attention to both the sequence and the type of courses taken. The engineering curriculum differs in key respects from the study plans of other majors—even in the freshman year.

New students must attend the University’s Orientation program. They will be introduced to the engineering advisors during this program and receive advisement for their first semester.

The student and advisors jointly work out a plan of study that meets both the student’s career objectives and the College of Engineering’s degree requirements. The advisors maintain the College of Engineering student’s records.

Students not yet meeting departmental admissions requirements are advised by the general engineering advising office.

While the College provides advising services to assist students with academic planning, the responsibility for seeing that all graduation requirements are met rests with the students.

The College of Engineering requires all undergraduates to apply for graduation the semester prior to the anticipated graduation term. Necessary forms and instructions can be obtained in the Engineering Student Services Office or from their departmental advisor.

Advising Offices
Tampa Campus: TECO Energy Hall, Room 1302, (813) 974-2684.
Sarasota Campus: Palmer “C” Building (PMC), Room 101, (941) 359-4331/4330.
Lakeland Campus: Student Services Office (LLC), Room 2100, (863) 667-7071

Preliminary Coursework for Engineering Students

The College of Engineering Bachelor of Science programs are founded on a set of coursework that is designed to give each student a thorough foundation of knowledge on which specialization studies and a professional career can be based. Emphasis is placed on three key elements; development of communication skills, familiarity with the social sciences and humanities and a solid base in science and mathematics.

Each degree-granting department has developed a list of courses to provide key elements for the degree offered. While the specific courses will vary slightly from one department to another, the categories are as follows:

Special course requirements exist for Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Information Systems. Students selecting any of these disciplines should be aware of their specific requirements. Students may consult the College’s Advising Office for detailed information.

The Engineering undergraduate student must not only be a technically competent individual but a person who can understand, adjust and contribute to the social environment.

Students who transfer from a State of Florida community college with an Associate of Arts will find their General Education coursework satisfies the USF General Education Requirements.

All Engineering students, except those completing a second bachelor’s degree, must complete the USF Exit Requirements. The Literature and Writing portion can be met by completing ENC 3246 Communication for Engineers. The three-hour Major Works/Major Issues requirement is integrated into the senior year curriculum.

  1. University Liberal Arts Requirements
    All students are required to take 42 semester hours to complete the University liberal arts requirements. Thirty-six (36) semester hours will satisfy the general education course requirements and 6 semester hours will satisfy the exit requirements. These requirements are distributed as follows:

    General Education Requirements* Semester Hours
    English Composition 6
    Quantitative Methods 6
    Natural Sciences 6
    Social Sciences 6
    Historical Perspectives 6
    Fine Arts 3
    African, Latin American, Middle Eastern or Asian Perspectives   3
      36
    Exit Requirements* (Must be taken at USF)  
    Major Works and Major Issues 3
    Literature and Writing 3

    *Courses may be certified in more than one area, but students may use each course in only one (1) area.

    In addition, 12 hours considered Gordon Rule Communication (6A) courses must be completed. For Engineering students, these are ENC 1101, ENC 1102, ENC 3246, and one more. The fourth course is selected from any general education or departmental courses that have been certified Gordon Rule Communication (6A) by the USF Undergraduate Council.

    Courses in the liberal arts requirements should incorporate the following components whenever they are relevant to the specific discipline: the learning skills of conceptual thinking, analytical thinking, creative thinking, written expression, oral expression, and the dimensions of values and ethics, international perspectives, environmental perspectives, race and ethnicity, and gender. When warranted by the subject matter, each course must incorporate consideration of at least one of the dimensions and one of the thinking skills to meet the liberal arts requirements.

    Departments should ensure that courses proposed for the liberal arts have sufficient depth and breadth. These courses will share the substantive rigor and intellectual challenge of courses offered for major credit, with the specific feature of offering an integrative perspective of the discipline and its relationship to academia as a whole. Additionally, such courses will encourage majors to interact with students from other disciplinary backgrounds.

  2. Mathematics and Science Core Requirements
    For students in the engineering programs, the mathematics coursework consists of a Calculus for Engineers sequence (or a calculus sequence of equivalent level), Differential Equations, and additional hours of designated courses supportive of the student’s selected field of specialization, as specified by the department. Science coursework includes the Physics with Calculus sequence and General Chemistry course(s) depending on the degree-granting program.

    Students whose high school preparation is insufficient to enter the Calculus for Engineers are required to take supplementary algebra and trigonometry prior to being considered for acceptance into the College.

Grading Policies

  1. S/U GRADING POLICY
    Students pursuing College of Engineering degree programs are expected to take their courses on a graded basis. Please refer to the grading system in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of this catalog. S/U grading option must be requested during the first week of classes. Courses taken on an S/U basis are not applicable to the College’s degree programs. Exceptions require written approval of the department advisor prior to registration.

  2. I GRADE POLICY
    The criteria for requesting and time limit for completing a grade of “I” (incomplete) are detailed in the University’s Academic Policies and Procedures portion of this Catalog. A written agreement detailing the specific requirements and time limit for completion is required in some departments and recommended in all others.

    Full tuition must be paid and an audit form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the end of the first week of classes if a student wishes to attend the course again to review the material. If a student registers for the course but does not request to audit the course, a grade will be submitted for the subsequent registration and the I grade will be converted to an IF. In this case, the student may choose to apply grade forgiveness.

  3. Minimum Acceptable Grade in Required Courses
    Unless otherwise stated, the minimum acceptable grade in math and science prerequisites is a C (C- is insufficient). Minimum acceptable grades for engineering, math and science courses, as they pertain to specific degree programs, are defined by the academic departments. Students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with departmental guidelines.

Continuation and Graduation Requirements

  1. Minimum GPA Requirements
    To meet graduation and continuation requirements all undergraduate Engineering students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in the following categories:
    1. Overall Undergraduate GPA
    2. USF GPA
    3. GPA* in Math and Science courses required for the curriculum
    4. Engineering Courses
    5. Specialization Courses

    *Note: The Math Science GPA is based upon the best attempt. Other categories include all attempts, unless grade forgiveness has been applied. In no case will the minimum GPA for a category be less than 2.0.

    Students who do not maintain the required minimums of the program pursued in each category are ineligible for further registration in the College unless individually designed continuation programs are recommended by the student’s academic advisor and approved by the department undergraduate coordinator or the Director of Admissions & Advising and the Engineering Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or his designee. All students who are academically dismissed from the University will be denied readmission to the College of Engineering unless they meet admission requirements in effect at the time readmission is sought and are recommended for readmission by the department and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

  2. English Requirement
    Students evidencing an English deficiency will be required to initiate the necessary corrective programs, with the assistance of their advisors. It is recognized that such deficiencies can exist even though a student has met the University’s minimum English requirements. Correction of any deficiency must commence the term after a student has been notified and must be completed prior to recommendation of the student for graduation by the faculty of the College.

  3. Mathematics Requirement
    Students evidencing a lack of the ability to apply mathematics will be required to take remedial coursework beyond their regular degree requirements. Faculty of the College who encounter students who are deficient in their mathematical ability will refer such cases to the Advising Office even if passing grades have been obtained in the math prerequisites for engineering.

  4. Residency Requirement
    Transfer students must complete a minimum number of specialization courses in the USF degree granting department. The minimum number of USF specialization credit hours required is established by the respective academic department. In no case will this be less than 18 hours. The University residency requirement of 30 USF hours must also be met. General engineering courses are not considered specialization courses.

  5. Satisfactory Progress and Years to Degree
    Students who register for a course three times without receiving a grade of “D” or better (i.e., receive grades of D-, F, or W) will be denied further enrollment in the College of Engineering unless written permission is obtained from the Department Chairperson and the College Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

    The College of Engineering requires that a student complete the baccalaureate degree within five years after beginning engineering specialization courses. Specialization courses taken more than five years prior to graduation will not be counted toward the degree. Exceptions may be granted by the Academic Department.

  6. Disruption of Academic Process and Academic Dishonesty
    The College of Engineering will maintain an environment that encourages all to study and conduct engineering research free from undue disruption. Disruption of the Academic Process is a matter the College is obliged to report to Student Judicial Services. Academic dishonesty, in any form, is taken very seriously by the College of Engineering and will result in sanctions. The most serious penalty is dismissal from the University. (See     University policies regarding academic dishonesty.)

  7. Grievance Procedure
    Students should make themselves fully aware of the University’s grievance procedures. (See University policies regarding grievance procedures.)

  8. University, College and Program Requirments
    The College requirements described in the section above are in addition to requirements set forth in the University policy and procedures section and the departmental sections of this catalog. It is the student’s responsibility to complete all university, college, program and curricular requirements prior to graduation.

  9. Graduation Application Procedures and Deadlines
    Each engineering student is required to complete an application for graduation and check list. Students should schedule an appointment with the Department Undergraduate Coordinator to review graduation qualifications and obtain departmental signatures well in advance of the College graduation application deadline. Approved applications must be submitted to the College of Engineering Advising Office the term prior to the semester in which graduation is sought. Graduation applications are due on the dates indicated below.

    August 1st for Fall Graduation
    November 1st for Spring Graduation
    April 1st for Summer Graduation

  10. Fundamentals of Engineering Examination
    Taking the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam prior to graduation is required in some departments and strongly encouraged in others. (See the Office of Engineering Student Services for applications and information.)

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Karen M. Hall - webcat@ugs.usf.edu
Effective Date: Semester I, 2006

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