ECE Graduate Program Policies and Regulations
Forms & Policies
Graduate Seminar Requirements
All ECE graduate students are required to register for and attend a 1 credit Graduate Seminar Course (ECE 793 in Fall and ECE 794 in Spring semesters) each and every semester that they are enrolled for course credits and in residence. ECE 793/794 are graded as Pass/Fail based on attendance. These one credit seminars do not count towards university degree eligibility, but attendance is an ECE departmental requirement for graduation.
Students must register/enroll for Seminar (ECE 793/794) before the end of the Add/Drop period for a given semester or no credit will be given. No one will remind students to register. To verify enrollment, please check final semester schedule on SPIRE. Students are responsible for understanding the importance of ECE Seminar attendance as a departmental graduation requirement.
Seminars are scheduled on weekdays only. All seminars are announced on the ECE website, sent out by email and are posted on the seminar board near graduate student mailboxes in Marcus Hall. Seminar announcements include the name of the research area and indicate if required for graduate students in that area.
Students are required to attend a minimum of 3 seminars each semester. Students can choose any ECE seminars to attend but must attend the 3 seminar minimum.
Students on Continuous Enrollment (Program Fee), students only taking thesis credits, or Industrial Program students enrolled only in off campus courses, DO NOT have to register for Seminar during that semester. All other students are required to enroll for ECE 793/794 and attend required seminars.
After attending each seminar students must complete a brief but detailed summary of the seminar. The summaries must be sent to the email designated for that semester. To check which email to send the summaries to please contact the graduate program office. The summaries must be submitted within 7 days of the seminar.
If you have any questions about seminar registration and/or attendance, please ask the Graduate Program Manager, Graduate Program Director, or your faculty advisor.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
- Register for Seminar (ECE 793/794, any section) every semester you are in residence! If you are having trouble registering please notify the Graduate Program Manager immediately.
- Seminar grading (Pass/Fail) is based on proof of attendance
- Be sure to complete a summary for each seminar you attend or you will not be given credit for attendance.
- STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING TRACK OF THEIR SEMINAR PARTICIPATION.
ECE Transfer Credit Policy (MS)
A limited number of course credits may be transferred toward the M.S. ECE Program provided the enrolled MS degree student makes a request in writing using the official UMass Graduate School form and attaching required documentation. The ECE Graduate Program Director decides whether or not to recommend the transfer of credits to the Graduate Dean and the Graduate Dean makes the final recommendation. A transfer of credit may result in an appropriate statute of limitations adjustment.
REQUEST FOR TRANSFER OF CREDIT:
- TAKEN AT UMass Amherst (only) before entering MS ECE Degree Program:
Graduate level courses must have been taken no more than 3 years prior to the student’s acceptance into the Master’s Program and may not have been used previously to fulfill the requirements for any other degree, certificate of diploma program. PLEASE SUBMIT the Request for Transfer of Graduate Course Credit form and a current UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT (from SPIRE) showing the grade received for each UMass Amherst non-degree graduate course taken.
NOTE: If you need a form, please come by the ECE Graduate Office or send your request and your current mailing address to Emily Krems; Academic Advisor, Electrical and Computer Engineering. - TAKEN AT OTHER ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS:
Grades received for courses taken at other academic institutions requested for transfer must be “B” or better. Graduate level courses must have been taken no more than 3 years prior to the student’s acceptance into the Master’s Program and may not have been used previously to fulfill the requirements for any other degree, certificate of diploma program. These course(s) must be the equivalent of a current ECE graduate-level course. Non-Umass Amherst transfer credits may be used to fulfill departmental degree requirements at the 500-level only. These courses may not be used to satisfy the 600-800 level requirement, nor can the grade received in a course taken at another institution be used to satisfy the University’s requirement for letter-graded credits (see M.S. ECE M.S. degree requirements).
PLEASE SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS TO THE ECE Graduate Office when applying for TRANSFER OF CREDIT taken at other Academic Institutions:- UMass Amherst GRADUATE RECORDS FORM – “Request for Transfer of Graduate Course Credit Taken at Other Academic Institutions”
- A copy of the college/university bulletin pages giving the complete course description(s)
- A copy of course syllabus (samples of coursework would be helpful also)
- An OFFICIAL transcript(s).
NOTE: No more than a total of 12 graduate credits may be transferred. Of these, a maximum of SIX (6) credits may be from any ONE of the following sources: (1) another regionally accredited college/university within the United States; (2) course(s) taken as an undergraduate student over and above requirements for the baccalaureate degree; (3) course(s) taken while enrolled as a non-degree graduate student, or response course(s) offered through the Division of Continuing & Professional Education.
Graduate School Statement on Academic Honesty
It is expected that all graduate students will abide by the Graduate Student Honor Code and the Academic Honesty Policy. Sanctions for acts of dishonesty range from receiving a grade of F on the paper/exam/assignment or in the course, loss of funding, being placed on probation or suspension for a period of time, or being dismissed from the university. All students have the right of appeal through the Academic Honesty Board.