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Northern Virginia Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program

Graduate programs in engineering and information technology are offered under the auspices of a Commonwealth Network in Northern Virginia. This network includes George Mason University (GMU¬the regional office), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VPI&SU), Old Dominion University (ODU), the University of Virginia (UVA), and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and employs a mix of direct classroom laboratory instruction from GMU and live interactive televised lectures from other universities. Afternoon and evening instruction is provided at several classroom sites, including the GMU Fairfax Campus, the UVA/VPI&SU Northern Virginia Center, and additional off-campus corporate televised receive sites.

Master's degrees are offered by either UVA, VPI&SU, ODU, or GMU following successful completion of the appropriate program of study. Discipline areas of the degree programs from UVA include the Master of Materials Engineering, Master of Engineering in Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Manufacturing Systems Engineering), Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or Civil Engineering (Structural Focus). From VPI&SU, the following degree programs are offered: Master of Engineering Administration; Master of Science or Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Systems Engineering; and Master in Mechanical Engineering. ODU offers the Master of Engineering Management. GMU offers Master of Science degree programs (described within this catalog) in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Information Systems, Operations Research, Software Systems Engineering, Statistical Science, and Systems Engineering. Also offered from GMU is the Ph.D. in Information Technology, and certificates in Communications and Networking, Federal Statistics, Software Systems Engineering, and C3I Systems Engineering.

Students apply to a degree program at one of these four institutions based upon course offerings and programs sponsored by an institution and the individual direction a student wishes to follow. Program requirements are the responsibility of the degree-granting institution and, subject to these requirements, courses may be taken from any of the five universities. Within the framework of departmental and graduate school approval, the majority of courses must be taken through the student's home institution; and additional courses approved by the home institution may be transferred between the four cooperating institutions (VCU offers only one course per semester and is not a degree program). UVA, ODU, and VPI&SU degree programs are composed primarily of televised courses and are supported by additional courses from GMU. These degree programs do not generally have a thesis or research component. GMU degree programs do require a research project or thesis component and are composed primarily of live classroom instruction with the possibility of transferring televised courses into these degree programs.

Course registration is contingent upon admission to a degree program or acceptance for nondegree studies. Students are responsible for learning about program requirements and obtaining course approval. Students may register while application materials are being processed as space permits and with permission from their program advisers and instructors. In addition, courses may be transferred between institutions with written approval of the home institution before registering.

The Northern Virginia Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program is one of three cooperative efforts in the commonwealth; the others are hosted by VCU in Richmond and ODU in Tidewater. This statewide network is also supported by the Virginia Department of Information Technology and State Council of Higher Education in Virginia and provides expanded academic resources to three major urban communities of the commonwealth.

For program information, contact the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program, School of Information Technology and Engineering, GMU, (703) 993-1520.