Degrees with Distinction are targeted towards students who have exhibited exceptional quality in their graduate studies. The DD is designed to acknowledge exceptional students with high overall QPR levels, well rounded technical courseloads, and who produced thesis technical work of quality significantly higher than the average graduate. Only 10% of the graduates are eligible to be nominated to receive a MSEE degree with distinction.
School-wide policies regulating the award of Master Degree with distinction may be found in the Academic Council Manual (Section 7.3)
Nomination Process:
ECE Department Student Award Committee (SAC) Composition: Nominations to the MSEE Degree with distinction are evaluated quarterly by the ECE Department SAC currently as follows:
Selection Process: The process is split in the following three phases.
First phase: Evaluation of the candidate’s QPR, GQPR, programs of study, and pre-selection of potential candidates.
Second phase: Advisors for pre-selected candidates are contacted by the SAC Chair and requested to fill the Advisor Feedback Form.
Note: Advisors feedback forms are an integral part of the evaluation process and are required for student to be considered during the second selection phase. It is the responsibility of the advisor to return the required paperwork in a timely fashion to insure consideration.
Outstanding Thesis Awards (OTA) are targeted towards students who have exhibited exceptional quality in their thesis research work. The OTA is specifically designed to acknowledge exceptional students who are self-starters, innovative thinkers and produced thesis technical work of quality significantly higher than what is included in the average MSEE thesis. OTAs take into consideration factors such as importance of the thesis topic, advancement of theory and/or application in filed, relevance of thesis to DoD/DoN, significance of thesis methodology and results, degree of difficulty, follow-on work (presentations, publications, patent applications, etc..), independence of work, quality of the thesis presentation, and thesis write-up. Joint-theses are NOT eligible for the OTA.
No more than 10% of the MSEE graduating students may receive the OTA in a given calendar year.
The transcript shall bear the annotation "received Outstanding Thesis Award". US students shall be responsible for preparing an appropriate bullet for their fitness report which documents both the research and the award.
Nomination Process:
ECE Department Outstanding Thesis Award Committee (OTAC) Composition (OTA): The OTA Committee is co-chaired by the ECE Department Chairman and the 590 Curriculum Program Officer.
Selection Process: The Nomination process has the following two phases:
First phase: Thesis advisor nominates the student to the ECE Chairman. Nominations are accepted only when the advisor and co-advisor/2nd reader have signed their final thesis draft.
Second phase: Committee meets and provides nominations. Nominated students must have their final draft signed and accepted by the thesis processor NLT the first week of the quarter following graduation to be eligible to receive the award.
