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January 11, 2011
(Last update: 01/12/11)
Handouts of the Graduate Faculty
Council
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TOEFL-IELTS-Pearson PTE Score Conversion
1/5/11
Jacque Smith
Graduate School
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
TOEFL tests are offered through Educational Training Service (ETS) (www.ets.org).
Along with the TOEFL exam, ETS also administers the GRE. Currently there are three
forms of the TOEFL exam – paper based, computer based, and internet based (iBT). Both
the paper based and computer based test are in the process of being phased out. The test
is offered in 4,500 test centers in 165 countries. The fee for the TOEFL exam varies by
country and ranges from $150 to $225.
The iBT TOEFL exam utilizes human raters and automated scoring. The test consists of
four scored sections.
•
Reading Section (Score of: 0 – 30)
•
Listening Section (Score of: 0 – 30)
•
Speaking Section (Score of: 0 – 30)
•
Writing Section (Score of: 0 – 30)
•
Total Score (0 – 120)
One examinee score report is issued and up to four score reports will be sent to selected
institutions or agencies. Additional score reports can be issued for a cost of $17 each.
TOEFL test score are valid for two years. The TOEFL exam is offered on Michigan
Tech’s campus 14 times throughout the academic year.
(http://www.admin.mtu.edu/ctlfd/toefl.php)
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TOEFL Scoring
Skill
Score Range
Level
Reading
0-30
Low (0-14)
Intermediate (15-21)
High (22-30)
Listening
0-30
Low (0-14)
Intermediate (15-21)
High (22-30)
Speaking
0-4 points converted to 0-30 score scale
Weak (0-9)
Limited (10-17)
Fair (18-25)
Good (26-30)
Writing
0-5 points converted to 0-30 score scale
Limited (1-16)
Fair (17-23)
Good (24-30)
Total Score
0-120
IELTS (International English Language Testing system)
IELTS is owned and run by an international consortium consisting of The British
Council, IDP:IELTS Australia, and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations
(www.IELTS.org). The IELTS test is taken by over three million people per year at 500
test centers in 107 countries. The current cost for the IELTS exam is $185. In 2010, over
3,000 institutions and programs in the United States accepted IELTS scores as proof of
English language skills.
IELTS Scoring
(Per Website)
There is no pass or fail in IELTS. Candidates are graded on their performance in the test,
using scores from 1 to 9 for each part of the test – Listening, Reading, Writing and
Speaking. The results from the four parts then produce an Overall Band Score.
The IELTS 9-band scale
Each band corresponds to a level of English competence. All parts of the test and the
Overall Band Score can be reported in whole and half bands - 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0.
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Band 9: Expert user: has fully operational command of the language: appropriate,
accurate and fluent with complete understanding.
Band 8: Very good user: has fully operational command of the language with only
occasional unsystematic inaccuracies. Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar
situations. Has the ability to handle complex detailed argumentation well.
Band 7: Good user: has operational command of the language, though with occasional
inaccuracies and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex
language well and understands detailed reasoning.
Band 6: Competent user: has generally effective command of the language despite
some inaccuracies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex
language, particularly in familiar situations.
Band 5: Modest user: has partial command of the language, coping with overall
meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to
handle basic communication in own field.
Band 4: Limited user: basic competence is limited to familiar situations. User has
frequent problems in understanding and expression and does not have the ability to use
complex language.
Band 3: Extremely limited user: conveys and understands only general meaning in very
familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur.
Band 2: Intermittent user: no real communication is possible except for the most basic
information using isolated words in familiar situations. Has great difficulty understanding
spoken and written English.
Band 1: Non-user: essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few
isolated words.
Band 0: Did not attempt the test: No assessable information provided.
Pearson PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English)
Pearson PTE is part of a group of companies that includes Graduate Management
Admissions Council (GMAC) and Penguin Publishing (www.pearsonpte.com). GMAC is
the group that provides services for students to take the GMAT exam. The cost of the
PTE ranges from $150 to $210, depending upon what country the test is taken. Pearson’s
PTE is currently available in 161 testing centers around the world and is globally
recognized by 2,055 institutions and programs. Pearson PTE markets to students the
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frequent availability to take the PTE, with options to “late book” the test, and receive test
score results in five days. Currently at Michigan Tech, the IPS office and Admissions
recognize the Pearson PTE for undergraduate applicants.
Pearson PTE Scoring
(Per Website)
76-84 Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts and recognize implicit
meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious
searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic
and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex
subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive
devices.
At this level a student can comfortably participate in all post-graduate activities,
including teaching. It is not required for students entering university at undergraduate
level.
59-75 Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract
topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization. Can interact with
a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers
quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide
range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and
disadvantages of various options.
At this level a student can participate independently in higher level language interaction.
It is typically the level required to be able to follow academic instruction and to
participate in academic education, including both coursework and student life.
43-58 Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters
regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to
arise whilst in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text
on topics, which are familiar, or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and
events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for
opinions and plans.
At this level a student has insufficient skills for full academic level participation in
language activities. A student at this level could ‘get by’ in everyday situations
independently. To be successful in communication in university settings, additional
English language courses are required.
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IELTS-TOEFL–Pearson Conversion Table
IELTS
TOEFL
Paper Based
8 or above
7.5
7
6.5
6
5.5
5
650+
627
600
577
550
525
500
TOEFL
Computer
Based
263
250
233
213
197
173
TOEFL
Internet Based
Pearson
PTE
116+
107
100
90
79
71
61
82+
76
68
61
54
46
Online Score Conversion Tool
(http://pearsonpte.com/PTEAcademic/widget/PublishingImages/widget_en.html)
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Test Comparison Article – Walton Burns
TOEFL or IELTS - Which is Better?
(http://ezinearticles.com/?TOEFL-or-IELTS---Which-is-Better?&id=925195)
Because universities want to make sure you have the English language skills necessary to
study at their school, almost all institutes of higher learning require you to take a test of
English. And TOEFL and IELTS are the two biggest standardized tests of the English
language. One of the most frequent questions I hear is which test is easier or which test is
better. The answer depends on what kinds of tests you excel at, as well as where you plan
to apply. This article breaks down the differences between the two tests so that you can
make your own decision.
Admissions
The IELTS test is administrated by the British Councils, the University of Cambridge,
and IELTS Australia. That is to say, it is associated with the British government and
traditionally was used by British universities, as well as New Zealand and Australian
universities to determine the language capability of foreign students. TOEFL is
administered by ETS, a US-based non-profit and is used widely by American and
Canadian universities. However, these days, in order to make it easy on international
students, universities all over the world take both TOEFL and IELTS. While you should
check with the specific university you want to apply to, in general any school in the US,
the UK, Australia or New Zealand will take either test score. So that's one worry off your
mind. Pick the test you think will be easier for you to complete. To do that, you probably
need to know the structure of each exam.
Structure of the TOEFL
As of last year, official TOEFL is almost universally given in the iBT (Internet Based
Testing) format. It consists of four sections:
Reading
The TOEFL Reading section asks you to read 4-6 passages of university level and to
answer multiple-choice questions about them (multiple-choice means you choose the
answer from provided options). Questions test you on comprehension of the text, main
ideas, important details, vocabulary, inferring, rhetorical devices and style.
Listening
The Listening Section presents long 2-3 conversations and 4-6 lectures. The situations are
always related to university life i.e. a conversation between a student and a librarian
about finding research materials or a lecture from a history class. The questions are
multiple choice and ask you about important details, inferences, tone, and vocabulary.
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The conversations and lectures are very natural and include informal English,
interruptions, filler noises like "uh" or "Uhm."
Speaking
The Speaking section is recorded. You will speak into a microphone and a grader will
listen to your answers at a later date and grade you. Two questions will be on familiar
topics and ask you to give your opinion and/or describe something familiar to you, like
your town or your favorite teacher. Two questions will ask you to summarize information
from a text and a conversation--and may ask your opinion as well. Two questions will ask
you to summarize information from a short conversation. Again, the topics of the
conversations are always university-related.
Writing
Finally, there are two short essays on the TOEFL. One will ask you to write your opinion
on a broad topic, such as whether it is better to live in the country or the city. One will
ask you to summarize information from a text and a lecture--often the two will disagree
with each other and you will need to either compare and contrast, or synthesize
conflicting information.
IELTS Structure
The IELTS contains the same 4 sections, Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing, but
the format is very different.
Reading
The reading section of the IELTS gives you 3 texts, which may be from academic
textbooks or from a newspaper or magazine--but all at the level of a university student.
One will always be an opinion piece--i.e. a text arguing for one point of view. The variety
of questions on the IELTS is quite broad, and not every text will have every question
type. One question type asks you to match headings to paragraphs in the text. You may
be asked to complete a summary of the passage using words from the text. Or you may
have to fill in a table or chart or picture with words from the text. There may be multiplechoice questions that ask you about key details. One of the hardest question types
presents statements and asks you whether these statements are true, false or not included
in the text. You may also be asked to match words and ideas. Finally, some questions are
short-answer but the answers will be taken directly from the text itself.
Some questions come before the text and may not require careful reading to answer.
Others come after the text and may expect you to have read the text thoroughly.
Listening
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The IELTS has four listening sections. The first is a "transactional conversation" in which
someone may be applying for something (a driver's license, a library card) or asking for
information (say calling for more details about an advertisement or a hotel). The second
section is an informational lecture of some kind, possibly a dean explaining the rules of
the university. Third is a conversation in an academic context and the final section will be
an academic lecture. For all sections you may be asked to fill out a summary, fill in a
table, answer multiple-choice questions, label a diagram or picture, or classify
information into different categories. You will be expected to fill out answers as you
listen.
Writing
There are two writing tasks on the academic IELTS. The first asks you to summarize a
table or chart in about 300 words. You will have to identify important information,
compare and contrast different figures or maybe describe a process. The second task asks
you to present your opinion on a statement about a fairly open topic such as: "Women
should look after children and not work" or "Too many people are moving to cities and
rural areas are suffering."
Speaking
Finally, the speaking section will be held on a different day from the rest of the test and
in the presence of a trained interviewer. The questions are the same for all examinees but
some parts may be more in the form of a conversation than a monologue. The first part of
the test will be a brief introductory conversation followed by some short questions about
familiar topics. The interviewer may ask your name, your job, what kinds of sports you
like, what your daily routine is, and so on. In the second part, you will be given a card
with a topic and a few specific questions to address. You will have to speak for two
minutes on this topic, which may be about your daily routine, the last time you went to
the movies, your favorite part of the world or a similar familiar topic. In the last section,
the interviewer will ask you to discuss a more abstract side of the topic in part 2--why do
people prefer daily routines? Why do people like the movies? How does travel affect
local life?
Which is Better for Me?
So now you have some understanding of what each test involves, but you might be
wondering which is better for you. Maybe in reading about the structure, you thought,
"Wow TOEFL sounds so easy," or, "Oh the IELTS sounds like it's kind of fun!" That
might be a good sign that one test will be easier for you than the other. More concretely,
there are a couple of key differences between the tests.
British versus American English
While both the UK and the US accept both tests, and while British English and American
English are not as different as some think, the fact of the matter is the IELTS tends to use
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British English and the TOEFL uses exclusively American English. On the IELTS, this
difference will have a larger effect because spelling counts, and that is one area where
Britain and the US do not always see eye-to-eye. Obviously if you have problems with
the British accent (and the test may include a wide variety of accents, including
Australian, New Zealand, Irish and Scottish). On the other hand, American accents may
throw you off. Certain terms are also different and you don't want to waste time in your
speaking test asking what a flat or a lorry is. So whether you are used to British or
American English is certainly a factor. If you are more comfortable with US English, the
TOEFL is a good bet but if you are used to British English and accents, you'll do better
on the IELTS.
Multiple choice versus Copying Down
For the reading and listening sections, TOEFL gives you multiple-choice questions,
whereas IELTS generally expects you to copy down words from the text or the
conversation word-for-word. Multiple-choice questions will tend to be require slightly
better abstract thinking, but the IELTS favors people who have good memories and think
more concretely. The good thing about multiple-choice is that it is easy to pick out wrong
answers, whereas the good thing about copying down is that the answer is sitting there in
the text. You just have to find it and repeat it. So, concrete thinkers will tend to do better
on the IELTS and abstract thinkers will tend to excel on the TOEFL.
Predictable or Different Every Time
Of course, the TOEFL is also more predictable than the IELTS. The IELTS throws lots of
different question types at you, and the instructions are often slightly different every time.
That makes it harder to prepare for. The TOEFL, on the other hand, is pretty much the
same test every time--pick A, B, C, D, or E. On the other hand, the IELTS certainly keeps
you on your toes and that can keep you more alert.
Speaking to a Person or a Computer?
Another large difference is in how the speaking section is carried out. For some people,
it's very relaxing to just record your answers into a computer because it feels like no one
is listening. You just try your best and forget about it until you get your grades. Because
the IELTS test is done in an interview format with a native speaker present, you might
get nervous or feel you are being judged. And they take notes: Oh God, did he write
down something good or something bad? On the other hand, you might feel more relaxed
in a conversation, with a person there to explain if you don't understand a question, or
simply having a face to look at, instead of a computer screen. Getting feedback from a
native speaker can be helpful too, in order to correct mistakes and improve during the
test. So it depends on what you are more comfortable with. If you like talking to people,
the IELTS is a better bet. If you just want to be alone and not feel judged, the TOEFL
will be more comfortable for you.
Holistic versus Criteria
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Finally, the speaking and writing sections of the TOEFL are graded holistically. The
grader gives you a score based on the overall quality of the essay, including vocabulary,
logic, style, and grammar. The IELTS by contrast is marked by individual criteria and
you are scored individually for grammar, word choice, fluency, logic, cohesion, and a
dozen other criteria. In other words, if you write well but have a lot of small grammar
mistakes, your TOEFL score might be quite good because graders will ignore small
mistakes if the overall essay is logical and detailed. The IELTS will not overlook bad
grammar. On the other hand, if your grammar and vocabulary are strong but you have
trouble expressing your opinion or organizing an essay, you could end up with a low
TOEFL score but the IELTS will give you good marks for language use. So while it may
sound like the IELTS is much tougher since it grades you on everything, in fact you can
get quite a good score if you are strong in a number of areas. The TOEFL emphasizes the
ability to put together a logical and detailed argument (or summary) and looks at clarity,
word choice, and style above all. If you don't feel comfortable writing essays but you
think you have excellent grammar and vocabulary and overall are a decent writer, the
IELTS will probably be easier for you.
What does this mean for a score user?
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Proposal to Establish Guidelines for Accelerated Master’s Programs at Michigan
Tech
Proposed Name for Policy: “Accelerated Master’s Programs”
Goals of the Proposed Policy:
• Develop a flexible policy framework that will allow individual departments/programs to
offer integrated bachelor’s/master’s degree programs that meet the needs of their
students, faculty, and academic discipline.
• Attract outstanding Michigan Tech bachelor’s students into our master’s programs.
• Allow exceptional Michigan Tech bachelor’s students an early opportunity to become
engaged in research and graduate level course work.
• Allow students to apply a limited number of credits taken while an undergraduate
student toward a master’s degree.
• Allow students in professional-focus degree programs (those that require neither a
thesis nor a report) to apply a limited number of credits towards both the bachelor’s
and master’s degrees.
Policy Guidelines:
For Programs:
• The recommended curriculum for an accelerated master’s program must be
established in advance by each department or program that wishes to offer an
accelerated master’s program to their students.
• Recommended curricula can allow students to earn up to one-third of the nonresearch credits required for a master’s degree while they are an undergraduate
student. Students will be charged undergraduate tuition for all credits that they take
while an undergraduate student.
• Recommended curricula for professional-focus programs can allow students to apply
up to six of the credits earned while an undergraduate to both their bachelor’s and
master’s degree.
• Accelerated master’s programs must require students to complete a minimum of
150 total credits for the bachelor’s and master’s combined.
• The maximum time to degree for students in an accelerated master’s program is 5
years from the time the student is accepted into the program.
• Proposed accelerated master’s programs that will result in students earning
bachelor’s and master’s degrees that are both currently offered by Michigan Tech do
not have to be reviewed or approved by the University Senate as they do not involve
development of new degree programs.
• This policy cannot be used to develop accelerated master’s programs that will result
in students earning a degree (either a bachelor’s or master’s) that is not currently
offered by Michigan Tech.
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•
Each plan for an accelerated master’s programs must be reviewed by the Graduate
School prior to the time it is made available to students. The Graduate School will
ensure that the plan conforms to this policy and will make information about
programs available to the Graduate Faculty Council and the University Senate and
will advertise the programs on the Graduate School website.
For Students
• Only students who intend to complete both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees at
Michigan Tech can enroll in an accelerated master’s program.
• Students already enrolled in a graduate program may not retroactively use this
policy.
• In order to be formally accepted into an accelerated master’s program students
must apply to and be accepted into the Graduate School at Michigan Tech.
Applications will be reviewed by departments and programs according to their
normal procedure.
• Students can apply for admission to an accelerated master’s program at any time
after they attain junior-level class standing and up until they are awarded their
bachelor’s degree.
• Only students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above are eligible to enter an
accelerated master’s program.
• Students who are accepted from the program will not be allowed to continue if their
cumulative GPA falls below 3.0.
For University Administration
• Students will be considered undergraduates for the purposes of financial aid, tuition,
and class standing until they complete all requirements for their undergraduate
degree.
• At the time undergraduate students who have applied and been accepted to an
accelerated master’s degree undergo their final degree audit prior to graduation,
they must supply the University Registrar with a list of courses and credits that they
wish to have coded as graduate level courses. This list must be approved by the
student’s undergraduate advisor and the graduate program director for the
student’s intended graduate program. Students must have earned a B or better in all
courses that will be coded as graduate level. Courses that are coded as graduate
level cannot be applied to a student’s undergraduate degree. The University
Registrar will notify the Graduate School regarding the status of each student’s
records once the graduate coding process is complete.
• Once students complete their undergraduate degree, they will be considered
graduate students for the purposes of financial aid, tuition, and class standing.
• Prior to completion of the master’s degree, students must indicate on their master’s
degree schedule which undergraduate-level courses (if any are allowed by the
program) and credits (up to a maximum of six, if allowed by the program for a
professional-focus degree) should be double counted for both their bachelor’s and
master’s degrees.
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Financial Analysis:
During the 2010-2011 recruiting season a total of 229 students who received a BS from
Michigan Tech applied to graduate school here. Of those, 132 were accepted to a graduate
program. Table 1 shows the final recruiting results and how values for 2010 differed from those
for the preceding year (2009).
Table 1: Data for the 52-week period ending August 28, 2010. Values shown are for the
students who completed a Michigan Tech undergraduate degree and applied to graduate
school here.
Number of Applicants
Change from
Number of Accepted
Change from
who Received BS from
Prior Year
Students who Received BS
Prior Year
Michigan Tech
(2010-2009)
from Michigan Tech
(2010- 2009)
229
-1
132
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The proposed policy is anticipated to result in both revenue loss and revenue generation.
Revenue will be lost by the University for students who pay take courses as an undergraduate
that are also applied to their graduate degree. The maximum amount of revenue that will be
lost in such cases is equivalent to 6 credits times the graduate tuition rate, currently $625 per
credit.
If all of the 132 students who completed a BS degree at Michigan Tech took advantage of the
new policy this would result in a loss of revenue of 132*6*625=$495,000.
Revenue will be generated by this policy if students choose to continue at Michigan Tech to
complete a graduate degree. To offset the revenue loss identified above ($495,000), the
University would need to recruit an additional 33 students (assuming that each of these
students pays for 24 rather than 30 credits).
It is anticipated that recruiting additional students will be enhanced by this policy and it seems
likely that 33 additional students could be recruited each year. As our graduate programs
develop formal statements of curricula plans that could lead to completion of both a bachelor’s
and a master’s degree within a 5-year time frame, the number of students recruited should
continue to grow.
It must be noted that our current Senior Rule policy makes it possible for Michigan Tech
undergraduates to earn up to 10 graduate level credits for which they pay undergraduate
tuition. These credits can later be used at Michigan Tech or applied toward a graduate degree
elsewhere. The proposed policy is intended to make it much more likely for students making
use of our current policy to continue their graduate education, particularly at the master’s level,
here at Michigan Tech in order to justify this investment in our students’ graduate education
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Sample Curricula:
As part of the benchmarking process leading to this proposal, similar programs at other
universities were examined. “4+1” programs are becoming increasingly common, and many
allow for a reduction in the required number of graduate for a graduate degree – either
through double-counting or a formal articulation for specific programs.
Example 1: B.S/M.S. Program in Applied and Engineering Physics – University
of Colorado (obtained from:
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/Web/education/undergrad/BS_MS_EPEN.pdf
)
This is an example of a “concurrent” degree in Applied and Engineering Physics
BS/MS in which both the BS and MS are awarded upon completion of the
program. It differs from the policy proposed for implementation at Michigan
Tech in that the Michigan Tech policy would lead to students completing the BS
first, followed by completion of the MS; this is a good example of a 5-year
curriculum however.
B.S./M.S. Program in Applied and Engineering Physics
Statement of Purpose: The proposed B.S./M.S. program in Applied and
Engineering Physics aims to provide new opportunities for undergraduate
Engineering Physics majors. The program is specifically addressed to the
students in Plan 4 Engineering Physics Major Program of the Department of
Physics. The Plan 4 major gives students a thorough grounding in theoretical
physics, applied mathematics, and broad exposure to engineering topics, so that
they are well prepared either to proceed with graduate work or with
professional employment in either basic science or in applied fields. For students
interested in graduate studies, the combined B.S./M.S. program in Applied and
Engineering Physics allows an early start on graduate course work and on
research in a broad range of areas (see below). This early exposure should allow
students to save one or two semesters in the time needed to begin Ph.D. work.
For students interested in immediate professional employment, the B.S./M.S.
program would serve as a terminal degree program that qualifies students for a
higher level of employment.
1. Admission to the program: Students are eligible to apply for the program at
the end of the first semester of their junior year (or upon completion of the
typical first semester Junior physics courses as described in the Plan 1
curriculum) and may apply at any time thereafter prior to completion of their
undergraduate studies. Applications are available in the main office of the
Department of Physics. The applicant should normally have a minimum GPA of
3.0 at the time of application (petitions for admission from students with a lower
GPA will be considered). The application should be accompanied by
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recommendation letters from two professors with whom the applicant took/are
taking upper division physics courses. The applicant should also produce a letter
of acceptance from a faculty sponsor/advisor to do research towards their
Master’s thesis. Upon acceptance of the applicant into the program at the
departmental level, the application will be forwarded to the Deans of the College
of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Graduate School for endorsement.
2. Continuation in the program: In order to continue in the program after
admission, the minimum cumulative GPA required at the end of the senior year,
with 128 hours completed, is normally 3.0. After the senior year, the student
should maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) in graduate physics courses.
3. Curriculum: The following charts show a typical curriculum for years 1 through
4 and the first year of graduate studies.
Fall
Spring
Freshman Year
PHYS 1120-4, General Physics 2
PHYS 1140-1, Exper. Physics 1
Sophomore Year
PHYS 2170-3 Foundations of
Modern Physics
PHYS 2150-1, Exper. Physics 2
Junior Year
PHYS 3220-3 Quantum
Mechanics and Atomic Physics
1
PHYS 3320-3, Principles of
Electricity and Magnetism 2
Senior Year
3 credits of Physics laboratory
elective.
3 credits of Physics elective
Freshman Year
PHYS 1110-4, General Physics 1
Sophomore Year
PHYS 2140-3, Methods of Theoretical
Physics
Junior Year
PHYS 3210-3, Analytical Mechanics
PHYS 3310-3, Principles of Electricity
and Magnetism 1
PHYS 3330-2, Electronics for the
Physical Sciences
Senior Year
PHYS 4230-3, Thermodynamics and
Statistical Mechanics
PHYS 4410-3, Quantum Mechanics
and Atomic Physics 2
3 credits of Physics elective.
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Example 2: B.S/M.S. Degrees for Excellent Mechanical Engineering Students –
University of Alaska (obtained from:
http://www.alaska.edu/uaf/cem/me/uafME_msbsFastTrack.pdf)
This is an example of a program in Mechanical Engineering that is designed to
allow students to complete both a BS and an MS in less than the normally
required amount of time. This is a good example of a program in engineering.
B.S./M.S. Degrees for Excellent Mechanical Engineering Students
The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a new integrated Mechanical
Engineering B.S./M.S. degree program for qualified undergraduate students to
complete B.S. and M.S. degrees in a shorter time than traditional B.S. plus M.S.
degrees. The combined accelerated degree for Mechanical Engineering
undergraduate students is designed for students to complete both Bachelor of
Science and Master of Science in five years.
Program Requirements:
1. Complete the following admission requirements:
a. ME major (junior preferred) or senior standing.
b. GPA 3.25 or above (based on minimum of 24 credits in ME major
requirements). Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 to
remain in the program.
c. Submit three letters of references.
d. Submit GRE (general) scores.
e. Submit a study goal statement.
f. Submit a UAF graduate application for admission.
2. Complete the general university requirements.
3. Complete B.S. degree requirements (As part of the B.S. degree requirements,
complete MATH F201X, PHYS F211X and PHYS F212X).
4. Complete the master’s degree requirements.
5. Complete the following B.S. program (major) requirements:
ES F101-Introduction to Engineering
ES F201-Computer Techniques
ES F209-Statics
ES F210-Dynamics
ES F301-Engineering Analysis
ES F307-Elements of Electrical Engineering
ES F331-Mechanics of Materials
6
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
18
ES F341-Fluid Mechanics
ES F346-Basic Thermodynamics
ESM F450W-Economic Analysis and Operations
MATH F202X-Calculus
MATH F302-Differential Equations
ME F302-Dynamics of Machinery
ME F308-Measurement and Instrumentation
ME F313-Mechanical Engineering
Thermodynamics
ME F321-Industrial Processes
ME F334-Elements of Materials
Science/Engineering
ME F403-Machine Design
ME F408-Mechanical Vibrations
ME 415W-Thermal Systems Laboratory
ME 441-Heat and Mass Transfer
ME 487 W,O-Design Project
4
3
3
4
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
6. Complete the following M.S. program (major) requirements:
ME F631-Advanced Mechanics of Materials
ME F634-Advanced Materials Engineering
ME F641-Advanced Fluid Mechanics
ME F642-Advanced Heat Transfer
ME F608-Advanced Dynamics
3
3
3
3
3
7. Complete the thesis or non-thesis requirements:
Thesis
Complete the following:
ME F699-Thesis
6
Electives*
9
Non-Thesis
Complete the following
ME F698-Project
3
Electives**
12
* At least 3 credits at the graduate level.
** At least 6 credits at the graduate level.
Electives are ME or other engineering, science, or mathematics courses at F400level or above approved by the student’s advisory committee.
8. A minimum of 150 credits is required for both degrees.
7
19
Note: This degree program must be completed in 7 years or the student will be
disqualified from the program. If a student is disqualified for exceeding the 7
year limit for the fast track degree program, a ME B.S. will be awarded if: 1)
completed in 10 years, and 2) meet ME B.S .requirements.
Taken separately, the degrees would require 161 credits (131 B.S. and 30 M.S.).
The difference of 11 credits comes from the electives of the B.S. program:
a. Taking the B.S. degree and the M.S. degree separately, the student needs
to take 11 elective credits (6 for ME electives, 3 for technical electives,
and 2 for free electives) for the B.S. degree, another 9 or 12 graduate
elective credits for the M.S. degree for the non-thesis and thesis option,
respectively.
b. Taking the B.S./M.S. degree, the student needs to take 9 or 12 elective
credits (for thesis and non-thesis option, respectively) instead of both B.S.
elective credits and M.S. elective credits.
FALL
Math 200X
ES 101
Core 1
Chem 105X
English 111
FALL
Math 202X
ES 209
ME 321
English 211/213
Physics 211X
FALL
ES 307
Core 4
ME 302
ES 301
ES 331
Sample Five-Year Study Plan YEAR 1
credits
SPRING
4
Math 201X
3
ES 201
3
Core 2
4
Chem 106X
3
Comm 131/141
17
= 17
YEAR 2
credits
SPRING
4
Math 302
3
ES 210
3
ES 346
3
Core 3
4
Physics 212X
17
= 16
YEAR 3
credits
SPRING
3
ES 341
3
Core 5
3
ME 313
3
ME 334
4
ME 308
16
= 16
8
credits
4
3
3
4
3
34
credits
3
3
3
3
4
33
credits
4
3
3
3
3
32
20
YEAR 4
FALL
ME 441
ME 408
ME 4xx or 6xx
ME 6xx
ESM 450W
credits
3
3
3
3
3
15
SPRING
ME 403
ME 415
ME 487 W,O
ME 6xx
Core 6
= 15
credits
3
3
3
3
3
30
SPRING
ME 6xx
ME 6xx
ME 6xx/699
credits
3
3
3
YEAR 5
FALL
ME 6xx
ME 4xx or 6xx
ME 6xx
ME 698/699
credits
3
3
3
3
12
=9
total
9
21
150
Proposal to Establish Guidelines for Accelerated Master’s Programs at Michigan
Tech
Proposed Name for Policy: “Accelerated Master’s Programs”
Goals of the Proposed Policy:
• Develop a flexible policy framework that will allow individual departments/programs to
offer integrated bachelor’s/master’s degree programs that meet the needs of their
students, faculty, and academic discipline.
•Attract outstanding Michigan Tech bachelor’s students into our master’s programs.
•Allow exceptional Michigan Tech bachelor’s students an early opportunity to become
engaged in research and graduate level course work.
•Allow students to apply a limited number of credits taken while an undergraduate student
toward a master’s degree.
• Allow students in professional-focus degree programs (those that require neither a
thesis nor a report) to apply a limited number of credits towards both the bachelor’s
and master’s degrees.
• Attract outstanding Michigan Tech bachelor’s students into our master’s programs.
Policy Guidelines:
For Programs:
• The recommended curriculum for an accelerated master’s program must be
established in advance by each department or program that wishes to offer an
accelerated master’s program to their students.
•Recommended curricula can allow students to earn up to one-third of the nonresearch credits required for a master’s degree while they are an undergraduate
student. Students will be charged undergraduate tuition for all credits that they take
while an undergraduate student.
• Recommended curricula for professional-focus programs can allow students to apply
up to six of the credits earned while an undergraduate to both their bachelor’s and
master’s degree.
• Accelerated master’s programs must require students to complete a minimum of
150 total credits for the bachelor’s and master’s combined.
• The maximum time to degree for students in an accelerated master’s program is 5
years from the time the student is accepted into the program.
• Proposed accelerated master’s programs that will result in students earning
bachelor’s and master’s degrees that are both currently offered by Michigan Tech do
not have to be reviewed or approved by the University Senate as they do not involve
development of new degree programs.
• This policy cannot be used to develop stand-alone accelerated master’s programs.
that will result in students earning a degree (either a bachelor’s or master’s) that is
not currently offered by Michigan Tech.
1
Formatted: Bullets and Numbering
•
Each plan for an accelerated master’s programs must be reviewed by the Graduate
School prior to the time it is made available to students. The Graduate School will
ensure that the plan conforms to this policy and will make information about
programs available to the Graduate Faculty Council and the University Senate and
will advertise the programs on the Graduate School website.
Formatted: Font: Bold
For Students
• Only students who intend to complete both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees at
Michigan Tech can enroll in an accelerated master’s program.
• Students already enrolled in a graduate program may not retroactively use this
policy.
• In order to be formally accepted into an accelerated master’s program students
must apply to and be accepted into the Graduate School at Michigan Tech.
Applications will be reviewed by departments and programs according to their
normal procedure.
• Students can apply for admission to an accelerated master’s program at any time
after they attain junior-level class standing and up until they are awarded their
bachelor’s degree.
• Only students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above are eligible to enter an
accelerated master’s program.
• Students who are accepted from the program will not be allowed to continue if their
cumulative GPA falls below 3.0.
For University Administration
• Students will be considered undergraduates for the purposes of financial aid, tuition,
and class standing until they complete all requirements for their undergraduate
degree.until their undergraduate degree has been awarded.
•At the time undergraduate students who have applied and been accepted to an
accelerated master’s degree undergo their final degree audit prior to graduation,
they must supply the University Registrar with a list of courses and credits that they
wish to have coded as graduate level courses. This list must be approved by the
student’s undergraduate advisor and the graduate program director for the
student’s intended graduate program. Students must have earned a B or better in all
courses that will be coded as graduate level. Courses that are coded as graduate
level cannot be applied to a student’s undergraduate degree. The University
Registrar will notify the Graduate School regarding the status of each student’s
records once the graduate coding process is complete.
• Once students complete are awarded their undergraduate degree, they will be
considered graduate students for the purposes of financial aid, and tuition, and class
standing.
• Prior to completion of the master’s degree, students must indicate on their master’s
degree schedule which undergraduate-level courses (if any are allowed by the
program) and credits (up to a maximum of six, if allowed by the program for a
2
Comment [AS1]: Senior rule
professional-focus degree) should be double counted forapplied to both their
bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
3
Financial Analysis:
During the 2010-2011 recruiting season a total of 229 students who received a BS from
Michigan Tech applied to graduate school here. Of those, 132 were accepted to a graduate
program. Table 1 shows the final recruiting results and how values for 2010 differed from those
for the preceding year (2009).
Table 1: Data for the 52-week period ending August 28, 2010. Values shown are for the
students who completed a Michigan Tech undergraduate degree and applied to graduate
school here.
Number of Applicants
Change from
Number of Accepted
Change from
who Received BS from
Prior Year
Students who Received BS
Prior Year
Michigan Tech
(2010-2009)
from Michigan Tech
(2010- 2009)
229
-1
132
-16
The proposed policy is anticipated to result in both revenue loss and revenue generation.
Revenue will be lost by the University for students who pay take courses as an undergraduate
that are also applied to their graduate degree. The maximum amount of revenue that will be
lost in such cases is equivalent to 6 credits times the graduate tuition rate, currently $625 per
credit.
If all of the 132 students who completed a BS degree at Michigan Tech took advantage of the
new policy this would result in a loss of revenue of 132*6*625=$495,000.
Revenue will be generated by this policy if students choose to continue at Michigan Tech to
complete a graduate degree. To offset the revenue loss identified above ($495,000), the
University would need to recruit an additional 33 students (assuming that each of these
students pays for 24 rather than 30 credits).
It is anticipated that recruiting additional students will be enhanced by this policy and it seems
likely that 33 additional students could be recruited each year. As our graduate programs
develop formal statements of curricula plans that could lead to completion of both a bachelor’s
and a master’s degree within a 5-year time frame, the number of students recruited should
continue to grow.
It must be noted that our current Senior Rule policy makes it possible for Michigan Tech
undergraduates to earn up to 10 graduate level credits for which they pay undergraduate
tuition. These credits can later be used at Michigan Tech or applied toward a graduate degree
elsewhere. The proposed policy is intended to make it much more likely for students making
use of our current policy to continue their graduate education, particularly at the master’s level,
here at Michigan Tech in order to justify this investment in our students’ graduate education
4
Sample Curricula:
As part of the benchmarking process leading to this proposal, similar programs at other
universities were examined. “4+1” programs are becoming increasingly common, and many
allow for a reduction in the required number of graduate for a graduate degree – either
through double-counting or a formal articulation for specific programs.
Example 1: B.S/M.S. Program in Applied and Engineering Physics – University
of Colorado (obtained from:
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/Web/education/undergrad/BS_MS_EPEN.pdf
)
This is an example of a “concurrent” degree in Applied and Engineering Physics
BS/MS in which both the BS and MS are awarded upon completion of the
program. It differs from the policy proposed for implementation at Michigan
Tech in that the Michigan Tech policy would lead to students completing the BS
first, followed by completion of the MS; this is a good example of a 5-year
curriculum however.
B.S./M.S. Program in Applied and Engineering Physics
Statement of Purpose: The proposed B.S./M.S. program in Applied and
Engineering Physics aims to provide new opportunities for undergraduate
Engineering Physics majors. The program is specifically addressed to the
students in Plan 4 Engineering Physics Major Program of the Department of
Physics. The Plan 4 major gives students a thorough grounding in theoretical
physics, applied mathematics, and broad exposure to engineering topics, so that
they are well prepared either to proceed with graduate work or with
professional employment in either basic science or in applied fields. For students
interested in graduate studies, the combined B.S./M.S. program in Applied and
Engineering Physics allows an early start on graduate course work and on
research in a broad range of areas (see below). This early exposure should allow
students to save one or two semesters in the time needed to begin Ph.D. work.
For students interested in immediate professional employment, the B.S./M.S.
program would serve as a terminal degree program that qualifies students for a
higher level of employment.
1. Admission to the program: Students are eligible to apply for the program at
the end of the first semester of their junior year (or upon completion of the
typical first semester Junior physics courses as described in the Plan 1
curriculum) and may apply at any time thereafter prior to completion of their
undergraduate studies. Applications are available in the main office of the
Department of Physics. The applicant should normally have a minimum GPA of
3.0 at the time of application (petitions for admission from students with a lower
GPA will be considered). The application should be accompanied by
5
recommendation letters from two professors with whom the applicant took/are
taking upper division physics courses. The applicant should also produce a letter
of acceptance from a faculty sponsor/advisor to do research towards their
Master’s thesis. Upon acceptance of the applicant into the program at the
departmental level, the application will be forwarded to the Deans of the College
of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Graduate School for endorsement.
2. Continuation in the program: In order to continue in the program after
admission, the minimum cumulative GPA required at the end of the senior year,
with 128 hours completed, is normally 3.0. After the senior year, the student
should maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) in graduate physics courses.
3. Curriculum: The following charts show a typical curriculum for years 1 through
4 and the first year of graduate studies.
Fall
Freshman Year
PHYS 1110-4, General Physics 1
Spring
Freshman Year
PHYS 1120-4, General Physics 2
PHYS 1140-1, Exper. Physics 1
Sophomore Year
PHYS 2170-3 Foundations of
Modern Physics
PHYS 2150-1, Exper. Physics 2
Junior Year
PHYS 3220-3 Quantum
Mechanics and Atomic Physics
1
PHYS 3320-3, Principles of
Electricity and Magnetism 2
Senior Year
3 credits of Physics laboratory
elective.
3 credits of Physics elective
Sophomore Year
PHYS 2140-3, Methods of Theoretical
Physics
Junior Year
PHYS 3210-3, Analytical Mechanics
PHYS 3310-3, Principles of Electricity
and Magnetism 1
PHYS 3330-2, Electronics for the
Physical Sciences
Senior Year
PHYS 4230-3, Thermodynamics and
Statistical Mechanics
PHYS 4410-3, Quantum Mechanics
and Atomic Physics 2
3 credits of Physics elective.
6
Example 2: B.S/M.S. Degrees for Excellent Mechanical Engineering Students –
University of Alaska (obtained from:
http://www.alaska.edu/uaf/cem/me/uafME_msbsFastTrack.pdf)
This is an example of a program in Mechanical Engineering that is designed to
allow students to complete both a BS and an MS in less than the normally
required amount of time. This is a good example of a program in engineering.
B.S./M.S. Degrees for Excellent Mechanical Engineering Students
The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a new integrated Mechanical
Engineering B.S./M.S. degree program for qualified undergraduate students to
complete B.S. and M.S. degrees in a shorter time than traditional B.S. plus M.S.
degrees. The combined accelerated degree for Mechanical Engineering
undergraduate students is designed for students to complete both Bachelor of
Science and Master of Science in five years.
Program Requirements:
1. Complete the following admission requirements:
a. ME major (junior preferred) or senior standing.
b. GPA 3.25 or above (based on minimum of 24 credits in ME major
requirements). Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 to
remain in the program.
c. Submit three letters of references.
d. Submit GRE (general) scores.
e. Submit a study goal statement.
f. Submit a UAF graduate application for admission.
2. Complete the general university requirements.
3. Complete B.S. degree requirements (As part of the B.S. degree requirements,
complete MATH F201X, PHYS F211X and PHYS F212X).
4. Complete the master’s degree requirements.
5. Complete the following B.S. program (major) requirements:
ES F101-Introduction to Engineering
ES F201-Computer Techniques
ES F209-Statics
ES F210-Dynamics
ES F301-Engineering Analysis
ES F307-Elements of Electrical Engineering
ES F331-Mechanics of Materials
7
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
ES F341-Fluid Mechanics
ES F346-Basic Thermodynamics
ESM F450W-Economic Analysis and Operations
MATH F202X-Calculus
MATH F302-Differential Equations
ME F302-Dynamics of Machinery
ME F308-Measurement and Instrumentation
ME F313-Mechanical Engineering
Thermodynamics
ME F321-Industrial Processes
ME F334-Elements of Materials
Science/Engineering
ME F403-Machine Design
ME F408-Mechanical Vibrations
ME 415W-Thermal Systems Laboratory
ME 441-Heat and Mass Transfer
ME 487 W,O-Design Project
4
3
3
4
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
6. Complete the following M.S. program (major) requirements:
ME F631-Advanced Mechanics of Materials
ME F634-Advanced Materials Engineering
ME F641-Advanced Fluid Mechanics
ME F642-Advanced Heat Transfer
ME F608-Advanced Dynamics
3
3
3
3
3
7. Complete the thesis or non-thesis requirements:
Thesis
Complete the following:
ME F699-Thesis
6
Electives*
9
Non-Thesis
Complete the following
ME F698-Project
3
Electives**
12
* At least 3 credits at the graduate level.
** At least 6 credits at the graduate level.
Electives are ME or other engineering, science, or mathematics courses at F400level or above approved by the student’s advisory committee.
8. A minimum of 150 credits is required for both degrees.
8
Note: This degree program must be completed in 7 years or the student will be
disqualified from the program. If a student is disqualified for exceeding the 7
year limit for the fast track degree program, a ME B.S. will be awarded if: 1)
completed in 10 years, and 2) meet ME B.S .requirements.
Taken separately, the degrees would require 161 credits (131 B.S. and 30 M.S.).
The difference of 11 credits comes from the electives of the B.S. program:
a. Taking the B.S. degree and the M.S. degree separately, the student needs
to take 11 elective credits (6 for ME electives, 3 for technical electives,
and 2 for free electives) for the B.S. degree, another 9 or 12 graduate
elective credits for the M.S. degree for the non-thesis and thesis option,
respectively.
b. Taking the B.S./M.S. degree, the student needs to take 9 or 12 elective
credits (for thesis and non-thesis option, respectively) instead of both B.S.
elective credits and M.S. elective credits.
FALL
Math 200X
ES 101
Core 1
Chem 105X
English 111
FALL
Math 202X
ES 209
ME 321
English 211/213
Physics 211X
FALL
ES 307
Core 4
ME 302
ES 301
ES 331
Sample Five-Year Study Plan YEAR 1
credits
SPRING
4
Math 201X
3
ES 201
3
Core 2
4
Chem 106X
3
Comm 131/141
17
= 17
YEAR 2
credits
SPRING
4
Math 302
3
ES 210
3
ES 346
3
Core 3
4
Physics 212X
17
= 16
YEAR 3
credits
SPRING
3
ES 341
3
Core 5
3
ME 313
3
ME 334
4
ME 308
16
= 16
9
credits
4
3
3
4
3
34
credits
3
3
3
3
4
33
credits
4
3
3
3
3
32
YEAR 4
FALL
ME 441
ME 408
ME 4xx or 6xx
ME 6xx
ESM 450W
credits
3
3
3
3
3
15
FALL
ME 6xx
ME 4xx or 6xx
ME 6xx
ME 698/699
credits
3
3
3
3
12
SPRING
ME 403
ME 415
ME 487 W,O
ME 6xx
Core 6
= 15
credits
3
3
3
3
3
30
SPRING
ME 6xx
ME 6xx
ME 6xx/699
credits
3
3
3
YEAR 5
=9
total
10
21
150
January 11, 2011
(Last update: 01/12/11)
Handouts of the Graduate Faculty
Council