Abu-Ghazaleh, Nael, Assistant Professor, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1997, University of Cincinnati: Parallel computer architectures. (1998)
Aggarwal, Sudhir, Professor and Chair, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1975, University of Michigan: Parallel and distributed systems, software engineering, design and analysis of protocols, modeling and simulation, computer networks, databases. (1990)*
Bergman, Craig, Lecturer, Electrical Engineering Department, MS, 1975, University of Illinois: Human factors, digital design, microprocessors. (1985)
Bourbakis, Nikolaos, Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, PhD, 1983, University of Patras: Artificial intelligence, machine vision, robotics, knowledge-based VLSI design. (1991)
Bracken, Barbara, Lecturer, Computer Science Department, MS, 1994, State University of New York at Binghamton: Distributed interactive digital multimedia (DIDM). (1996)
Cardullo, Frank, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, MS, 1972, State University of New York at Binghamton: Vehicle simulation, vehicle dynamics, man-machine systems. (1980)
Chatterjee, Monish, Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, PhD, 1985, University of Iowa: Nonlinear wave phenomena, nonlinear modeling, quantum electronics, acousto-optics, fiber optics and optical communications. (1986)
Clum, James, Professor and Chair, Mechanical Engineering Department, PhD, 1968, Carnegie Mellon University: Thermodynamics and kinetics of metallurgical reactions, materials characterization, materials/manufacturing processes, design of experiments. (1984)
Constable, James H., Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, Registered Professional Engineer, PhD, 1969, Ohio State University: Instrumentation, contact resistance, electrical noise, electronics packaging. (1974)
Cornacchio, Joseph V., Professor, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1962, Syracuse University: Distributed computer systems with emphasis on design, analysis and implementation of distributed operating systems and related system software. (1969)
Culver, Richard, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department and Director,
Division of Engineering Design, Registered Professional Engineer, PhD,
1964, Cambridge University: Dynamic instabilities in metal deformation,
engineering education. (1984)
Cutler, Michal, Associate Professor, Computer Science Department, PhD,
1979, Weizmann Institute, Israel: Parallel computation, design of algorithms,
design automation, information retrieval, expert systems. (1983)
Delgado-Frias, Jose, Associate Professor , Electrical Engineering Department, PhD, 1986, Texas A&M University: Computer engineering, VLSI/WSI design, parallel computer architectures. (1989)
Eckert, Richard, Associate Professor, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1971, University of Kansas: computer science education, computer graphics, computer architecture, microprocessor-based systems. (1983)
Emerson, C. Robert, Professor and Chair, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Department, PhD, 1970, Purdue University: Integrated manufacturing, quality assurance, decision support systems. (1986)
Fang, Jiayuan, Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, PhD, 1989, University of California at Berkeley: Computational electromagnetics, electronic packaging and interconnects, microwaves. (1990)
Feisel, Lyle, Professor, Electrical Engineering Department and Dean of the Watson School, PhD, 1964, Iowa State University: Physical electronics, thin films, semiconductors, continuing education. (1983)
Fellows, Sharon, Lecturer, Division of Engineering Design, MA, 1986, Goddard College, MS, 1983, University of Maine: Rhetoric, teaching, and writing curriculum development. (1995)
Fillo, John, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Associate Dean for Research and External Affairs , PhD, 1965, Syracuse University: Thermal fluid analysis, mathematical modeling, heat transfer in electronics, advanced technology. (1984)
Foreman, Dennis, Lecturer, Computer Science Department, MS, 1973, State University of New York at Binghamton: Design and development of operating systems and computers. (1994)
Gause, Donald C., Professor, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Department, MS, 1957, Michigan State University: Generic design processes, user-oriented systems design, problem resolution processes, adaptive programming. (1967)
Geer, James F., Professor Emeritus, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Department and Harpur College Mathematical Sciences Department, PhD, 1967, New York University: Nonlinear boundary-value problems, perturbation methods, symbolic computation. (1969)
Ghose, Kanad, Associate Professor, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1988, Iowa State University: Parallel processing, computer architecture, VLSI architectures, distributed systems, operating systems. (1987)
Goel, Narendra S., Professor Emeritus, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering and Computer Science Departments, PhD, 1965, University of Maryland: Quantitative modeling of biological, social, physical, and engineering systems, morphogenesis and aging, protein folding, computer simulation, computer graphics, remote sensing of vegetation. (1975)
Greenberg, Stacey, Lecturer, Computing Science Department, MS, 1982, State University of New York at Binghamton: Programming languages: REXX, Object REXX, C, C++, PL/AS, S370/Assembler, Pascal, HTML. (1996)
Gupta, Vipul, Assistant Professor, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1994, Rutgers University: Parallel and distributed systems, computer networks, computer architecture. (1994)
Guydosh, Nicholas, Lecturer, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1968, Syracuse University: Computer architecture, formal languages, theory of computation, logic design, parallel and distributed computing, computer science education. (1991)
Head, Eileen, Lecturer, Computer Science Department, MS, 1974, University of Texas at El Paso: Programming languages, algorithms, design patterns. (1994)
Head, Linda, Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, PhD, 1990, University of South Florida: Microelectronics, materials and devices, reliability, noise. (1990)
Hopkins, Douglas C., Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, PhD, 1989, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Power electronic devices, circuits and systems, and high-density packaging. (1993)
Iwobi, Margaret E., Lecturer and Program Coordinator , Computer Science Department, MS, 1975, State University of New York at Binghamton: Software engineering principles, computer science education and the development of programming principles and practices, software development environments. (1975)
Klir, George J., Distinguished Professor, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Department, PhD, 1964, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences: General systems methodology, information theory, expert systems, intelligent and fuzzy systems, fuzzy measure theory. (1969)
Kroger, Harry, Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, Director of Integrated Electronics Engineering Center, PhD, 1962, Cornell University, Electronics packaging, physics and fabrication of superconductor and semiconductor devices, superconductor-semiconductor hybrid circuits. (1992)
Land, Walker, Lecturer, Computer Science Department, MS, 1964, George Washington University: Evolutionary computing, neural networks, genetic optimization, simulated annealing, object application of object oriented paradigm to system software development. (1994)
Lander, Les, Associate Professor, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1973, University of Liverpool, England: Ada programming language, alternative programming (LISP, PROLOG, object-oriented), expert systems, formal aspects of software engineering. (1985)
Lehmann, Gary, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, PhD, 1986, Clarkson University: Fluid dynamics, numerical and experimental heat transfer cooling of electronics. (1985)
Lewis, Harold W. III, Associate Professor, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering, PhD, 1995, State University of New York at Binghamton: Fuzzy expert systems, approximate reasoning. (1998)
Lowen, Walter, Professor Emeritus, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Department, DSc, 1963, Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule, Zurich: Cognitive models, human factors, visual perception, systems design and systems modeling, artificial intelligence. (1967)
Madden, Patrick, Assistant Professor, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1998, University of California at Los Angeles: Computer architecture and VLSI CAD. (1998)
Maria, Anuradha, Assistant Professor, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Department, PhD, 1995, University of Oklahoma: Materials in electronics packaging, evolution based algorithms, multi-criteria optimization, simulation, interior-point methods. (1994)
Meng, Weiyi, Assistant Professor, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1992, University of Illinois at Chicago: Heterogeneous database systems, query optimization and translation, information retrieval. (1992)
Miles, Ronald, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, PhD, 1987, University of Washington: Vibrations, acoustics, mechatronics, bioacoustics. (1989)
Morris, James, Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, PhD, 1971, University of Saskatchewan. Registered Professional Engineer: Thin films, semiconductor devices, electronics packaging, sensors, engine control. (1984)
Murray, Bruce, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, PhD, 1986, University of Arizona: Thermal and fluid sciences, computational fluid dynamics, materials processing. (1997)
Pattee, Howard H., Professor, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Department, PhD, 1953, Stanford University: Theoretical biology, evolutionary models of complex systems, linguistic control of dynamic systems. (1975)
Phatak, Dhananjay, Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, PhD, 1994, University of Massachusetts at Amherst: Computer architectures, computer arithmetic, neural networks and applications. (1994)
Piotrowski, Walter, Associate Professor, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1990, State University of New York at Binghamton: Operating systems, distributed systems and networks, implementation issues associated with real or prototype systems, real time systems. (1982)
Pitarresi, James M., Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, PhD, 1986, State University of New York at Buffalo: Computational mechanics, vibration modeling and testing, electronics packaging. (1988)
Prakash, Mani, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, PhD, 1986, Kansas State University: Combined cutting mechanics and heat transfer model for PDC cutters. (1986)
Sackman, George, Professor and Chair, Electrical Engineering Department, Registered Professional Engineer, PhD, 1964, Stanford University: Signal processing, digital audio, acoustic space-time array processing. (1984)
Sahay, Chittaranjan, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department; PE, CMfgE; PhD, 1976, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi: Solid mechanics, manufacturing, and design engineering. (1981)
Santos, Daryl L., Assistant Professor, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering, BS, 1987, Cornell University, MS, 1990 and PhD 1993, University of Houston. Production scheduling and control, engineering management, engineering economy.
Schwartz, Richard, Professor Emeritus, Electrical Engineering Department, PhD, 1959, University of Pennsylvania, Registered Professional Engineer: Microwave theory and techniques, antennas and propagation, acoustics, speech and signal processing. (1985)
Singler, Timothy, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, PhD, 1982, University of Rochester: Experimental and analytical fluid mechanics, geophysical fluid mechanics, interfacial stability, applied mathematics. (1988)
Skormin, Victor, Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, PhD, 1975, Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys: Control engineering, operations research, applied statistics, computer simulation. (1986)
Srihari, Krishnaswami, Associate Professor , Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Department, PhD, 1988, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: Manufacturing systems, computer aided process planning, expert systems, computer integrated manufacture. (1988)
Su, Stephen Y. H., Professor, Computer Science Department, PhD, 1967, University of Wisconsin at Madison: Fault-tolerant computing, design automation, computer architecture. (1978)
Sun, D.C., Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Registered Professional Engineer, PhD, 1969, Princeton University: Mechanics, fluid and mechanical systems, and tribology. (1987)
Taylor, Charles, Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, MS, 1970, State University of New York at Binghamton: Automation, automatic controls, microprocessor applications, and robotics. (1979)
Wagner, Peter E., Professor, Electrical Engineering Department and Physics Department, PhD, 1956, University of California at Berkeley: Semicon ductor circuit elements, microwave resonance, surface electricity, applied optics. (1989)
Wexler, Sara, Lecturer, Computer Science Department, MSCS, 1988, State University of New York at Binghamton: Computer science education and the development of programming principles and practices, object-oriented programming and design. (1996)
Wu, N. Eva, Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, PhD, 1987, University of Minnesota: Approximation, optimization and stabilization of distributed parameter systems, robust control synthesis theory, control of robotic manipulators, signal processing. (1987)
Ziegler, William, Associate Professor, Computer Science Department, MS, 1982, Syracuse University: Program structure and design in procedural, functional and assembler languages, computer science education, university-industry interaction. (1982)
Adjunct Faculty
Agnew, Palmer, MS, 1996, Cornell University
Aigen, Michael L., MS, 1979, State University of New York at Binghamton
Anglin, Christopher R., MSIE, 1996, State University of New York at
Binghamton
Boden, Edward B., MSCS, 1982, University of Wisconsin
Bowers, John S., MSCS, 1996, State University of New York at Binghamton
Chen, Rongquen, MSCS, 1996, State University of New York at Binghamton
Czarnecki, Stephen, PhD, 1983, Princeton University
DeAngelo, Joseph, MS, 1990, State University of New York at Binghamton
Eckert, Doris, MS, 1970, University of Puerto Rico
Elias, Douglas, PhD, 1988, State University of New York at Binghamton
Frey, Robert, MSEA, 1972, Syracuse University
Fridrich, Jiri, PhD, 1995, State University of New York at Binghamton
Garger, Valery, PhD, 1979, Moscow Institute of Technologies
Glickstein, Ira S., PhD, 1996, State University of New York at Binghamton
Hinton, Rachel E., MSAT, 1989, State University of New York at Binghamton
Islam, Mohammed, PhD, 1964, Northeastern University
Kellerman, Anne, MS, 1964, Georgia Institute of Technology
Kelly, Barry L., MSSS, 1997, State University of New York at Binghamton
Lacey, Robert, MS, 1976, State University of New York at Binghamton
Massara, Joseph, BSME, 1970, Syracuse University
McNair, Patricia, MSCS, 1993, State University of New York at Binghamton
Monroe, Stephen, MS, 1973, State University of New York at Binghamton
Pittman, Robert, MS, 1982, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Poliquin, Molly, MA, 1989, State University of New York at Binghamton
Reksc, Stanley, MS, 1984, State University of New York at Binghamton
Rhodes, Donna, PhD, 1988, State University of New York at Binghamton
Robi, Dennis, MS, 1984, State University of New York at Binghamton
Sadeghi, Theresa, MS, 1978, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Schafer, John, PhD, 1967, Syracuse University
Scudder, David, BS, 1984, State University of New York-Empire State
College
Shafer, Stephen, MSCS, 1984, State University of New York at Binghamton
Simic, Berto, MSCS, 1980, State University of New York at Binghamton
Snethen, Thomas, MSEE, 1965, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
St. Clair, Ute, PhD, 1980, The Ohio State University
Standish, Charles, PhD, 1954, Cornell University
Steflik, Richard, MS, 1977, State University of New York at Binghamton
Woychik, Charles, PhD, 1984, Carnegie Mellon University
Watson School Of Engineering And Applied Science
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Watson School is to provide instructional and research services in the broad field of engineering and applied science. To fulfill this mission, the school will:
The Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science comprises
the Departments of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical
Engineering, and Systems Science and Industrial Engineering. The school
is housed in a 121,400-square-foot building designed and equipped specifically
for studies in engineering and computer science. Established in 1983, the
school combined existing programs in computer science and systems science
with new programs in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and
industrial engineering.
The Watson School offers bachelor of science degrees
in computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.
The computer science degree is accredited by the Computer Science Accreditation
Board (CSAB) and the engineering degrees are accredited by the Accreditation
Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
The following advanced degrees are also offered
by the Watson School: master of science in computer science, electrical
engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, systems science,
and a master of engineering (M.Eng.), a practice-oriented graduate degree.
In addition, there are doctoral programs in electrical engineering, computer
science, mechanical engineering, and systems science (with an optional
specialization in manufacturing systems).
To serve the technical community, the Watson School
provides extensive continuing education programs, including short courses,
symposia, and special contract instructional programs.
The Watson School's undergraduate degrees combine a strong
theoretical base extensive practical application through laboratory and
design projects as well as internships. Entering engineering freshmen participate
in the Design, Technology and Communications (DTeC) four-course sequence
which integrates instruction in computer applications, graphics and audio,
technical writing and speaking, and engineering design. Computer majors
are offered similar integrated educational experiences. Students are encouraged
to obtain technical experience in industrial science programs during the
summer. The engineering programs also accept students as junior transfers
from community college engineering science, other four-year engineering
programs, and other four-year watson school of engineering and applied
science colleges. The graduate program provides strong research opportunities
in a number of areas including electronics packaging, computing technologies,
and intelligent systems.
The school serves full-time and part-time degree
students as well as nondegree students in common course experiences. Many
graduate courses are offered in the late afternoon and early evening to
accommodate students employed in local industry.
Watson School Scholarships
Outstanding applicants to the undergraduate programs in engineering
and computer science are eligible for Watson School scholarships. Appointments
will be based on prior academic record. For more information on scholarships,
contact the Watson School Advising Office.
Nondegree Status
Individuals interested in taking courses for credit, but not in pursuing
a degree program, may apply for admission as nondegree students. All nondegree
students are subject to the administrative guidelines described elsewhere
in this bulletin. On acceptance, they may enroll as space permits in Watson
School courses for which they have completed the prerequisites. Courses
taken under nondegree status may be accepted later to satisfy requirements
in specific Watson School degree programs.
Continuing Education
In addition to the credit courses, various non-credit courses are offered
each semester by the continuing education program of the Watson School.
The goals of this program are to keep technical personnel informed of advances
in their fields and to stimulate innovation. These courses are conceived
and developed in close cooperation with the technical community. This enables
us to focus on immediate training needs and to design programs specific
to those needs. For more information, contact the director of continuing
education of the Watson School.
Academic Policies
The Watson School generally follows the academic policies announced
in this Bulletin, the Student Course Guide, the Schedule
of Classes, the Undergraduate Academic Handbook, and Rules
and Expectations. The following policies also apply to Watson School
students, who are expected to be familiar with and abide by the regulations
in this section and the University-wide policies in the publications listed
above.
All matriculated students follow the requirements for
graduation listed in the Bulletin current at the time they are admitted.
However, undergraduate students who interrupt enroll ments for three or
more consecutive semesters are governed by the Bulletin in effect when
they are readmitted.
Upon the advisor's recommendation and approval of petition
through the appropriate department chair, students may elect a later Bulletin
under which to fulfill their degree requirements. A combination of requirements
from different Bulletins, however, is not permissible.
Program Load and Planning
Students are considered full time if they are registered
for 12 credit hours or more. The maximum number of credits a Watson School
student may take, without an approved petition, is 18. General academic
petitions to overload are only approved for graduating seniors in good
standing, or for those with a 3.0 grade-point average and no grades of
incomplete.
Watson School students may drop below 12 credits without
permission and be classified as part time. Students receiving financial
aid should check with the Student Financial Aid and Employment Office before
dropping to part time, because their action may affect aid eligibility.
Requirements for Degrees
To receive any Watson School undergraduate degree, students must satisfactorily
complete at least 30 credits of Binghamton courses taken entirely in the
Watson School. Requests for exceptions to this policy must be made by petition
to the Watson School academic affairs committee and be approved by the
dean. For additional graduation requirements, consult the descriptions
for the specific degrees.
General Education Requirements
All newly admitted Watson School students are subject to the University's
General Education requirements. (These requirements are waived for all
junior transfers who have earned a minimum of 57 credits prior to entering
their Binghamton major.) For a complete description of General Education
refer to that section of the Bulletin.
For all Watson School majors, the science, mathematics,
and composition General Education requirements are automatically met within
each major. For Division of Engineering Design students, global vision
courses will be selected from the special humanities/social science list
provided by the Watson School Advising Office. Computer science freshmen
can spread the two global vision courses, plus the aesthetics course throughout
their freshman and sophomore years. For further information, refer to "General
Education and Your Watson School Major," available in Watson Advising (EB,
Area H).
Grading System
Students who enroll in courses offered outside of the Watson School
undergraduate programs will be graded according to the grading system of
the school offering the course. Such students may petition to have the
Watson School's undergradu ate grading system apply.
Watson School undergraduate courses are graded in one
of two ways: 1) A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F, W, WP, WF, or 2) P/F.
Students normally choose the first option. However, in certain cases, students
may elect the pass/fail option and receive a P (pass) or F (fail) rather
than a traditional grade. This option may be elected for a maximum of four
free-elective credits for computer science and for the two-credit free
elective in electrical engineering only, exclusive of any required course
that is offered only on a pass /fail basis.
Incompletes
Instructors may temporarily submit a grade notation of incomplete,
which appears in grade reports as I. A grade of incomplete must be removed
and replaced with a permanent grade no later than the last day of classes
of the semester following the one in which it was received; however, an
instructor may set an earlier date for completion of the work. If the grade
is not removed by the applicable date, and an extension has not been granted,
the grade of I automatically becomes a grade of F.
Withdrawal from a Course
If a student withdraws from a course after the official deadline to
drop a course, the instructor may assign a grade of WP (withdrawn passing)
or WF (withdrawn failing). A grade of W is assigned only when a student
has withdrawn from all courses and thus from the University. The grades
of WP and W do not count as courses taken. A WF is equivalent to an F.
No changes will be made to an undergraduate record after two years have
passed.
Add/Drop Policies
Students are expected to be familiar with the University-wide policies
governing changes in their course registration, specifically the add/drop
deadlines.
Add Deadline: End of the second week of the semester.
1. Deadline to add a course to the schedule.
2. Deadline to change "audit" to "credit."
Drop Deadline: Five class days after midsemester.
1. Deadline to drop a course without academic penalty.
2. Deadline to change "credit" to "audit."
3. Deadline to change a grading option (e.g., from normal to P/F).
Note: If an academic petition is approved for a late add or late drop because of extraordinary circumstances, the Student Accounts Office will impose a late add/drop fee.
Academic Standing
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students' academic progress is reviewed at the end of each regular
semester to ensure that satisfactory progress is maintained. Satisfactory
progress is defined as maintaining a 2.0 grade -point average (GPA). The
GPA is calculated on a 4.0 system using the following grade-point equivalents:
| A = 4.0 | A- = 3.7 |
| B+ = 3.3 | B = 3.0 |
| B- = 2.7 | C+ = 2.3 |
| C = 2.0 | C- = 1.7 |
| D = 1.0 | F = 0.0 |
For undergraduates, a D grade is considered passing.
However, some students are advised to retake a course. If a course is retaken,
that grade also becomes a part of the cumulative grade point average. However,
when a course in which a student has earned a grade of D or better is retaken,
it does not count toward full-time enrollment during the semester in which
it is retaken.
Academic Probation and Suspension
Provisional Probation.
Students whose GPA for a given semester falls below 2.0 will be placed
on provisional probation for the following semester, even if their cumulative
grade-point average is above 2.0. Provisional probation is not listed on
student transcripts.
Probation.
Students whose cumulative grade-point average for courses taken at
Binghamton falls below 2.0 will be placed on academic probation for the
following semester, and will be subject to the following restrictions:
Suspension.
Students on probation who again fail to meet both the 2.0 cumulative
GPA and the last-semester GPA given in the table below will be suspended.
The credit hours attempted are those taken as a matriculated student. Students
who meet the last-semester GPA requirement but still post a cumulative
GPA under 2.0 will remain on probation.
| Hours Attempted | Last Semester GPA |
| 0-16 | 2.0 |
| 17-32 | 2.1 |
| 33-48 | 2.1 |
| 49-64 | 2.2 |
| 65+ | 2.3 |
Dismissal.
Students who, after being suspended and readmitted twice, again fail
to meet the required academic standards will be dis missed. The Academic
Affairs Committee will hear a single appeal of dismissal after demonstration
of significant changes. Appeals of decisions of the Academic Affairs Committee
will be referred to the dean. For the purpose of determining academic standing,
credits earned prior to matriculation in the Watson School will be reviewed.
Grievance Procedure
Resolution of student-faculty grievances should be initiated on an
informal basis between the parties directly concerned or with the department
chair. If such attempts cannot bring about a conciliation, then the complaint
may be submitted to the Watson School grievance committee. Copies of the
grievance procedure are available in the dean's office.
Withdrawal and Readmission
Students who withdraw from the Watson School and wish to remain in
good standing must follow a formal withdrawal procedure. Mere absence from
class does not constitute withdrawal. Withdrawal forms may be obtained
from the Watson School Advising Office or the Registrar's Office either
in person or through the mail. A grade of W is assigned when the student
has withdrawn from all courses and thus from the University. Grades of
W do not count as courses taken.
The Watson School applies the same withdrawal and readmission
policies as established for the University, except that Watson School students
may drop below a twelve-credit program without permission.
Undergraduate students must apply for readmission
through the Undergraduate Admissions Office if they have not been in attendance
for one or more semesters.
Students who interrupt enrollment for three or more consecutive
semesters are governed by the Bulletin in effect when they are readmitted.
Summer sessions and the semester when a student officially withdraws are
not included in this count. Exceptions are made for students eligible to
continue at Binghamton who are forced to leave because of involuntary call
to military service.
Activities and Student Services
All Watson School students, degree or nondegree, are eligible to receive
the services provided for all students at Binghamton, and to participate
in the various student activities. Students should familiarize themselves
with the Bulletin sections on services for students and student
activities.
Student Organizations and Professional Societies
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
IEEE Computer Society Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
Pi Tau Sigma (mechanical engineering honor society)
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
Upsilon Pi Epsilon (honor society for the computing sciences)
Tau Beta Pi (engineering honor society)
Eta Kappa Nu (electrical engineering honor society)
Admission to the Graduate Programs
Prospective students should request application materials from the
Graduate Admissions Office. Official transcripts, the completed application
form, a statement of professional goals, Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
scores, and two letters of recommendation are required. International applicants
must also submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL) and a statement of financial means. Assistantships are awarded
on the basis of merit and required skills.
Prospective students may also be admitted to course work
by submitting an application to the Graduate Admissions Office for nondegree
status. Nondegree students are allowed to take courses without lengthy
documentation but are encouraged to apply for matriculated status after
one semester of study. This process is especially advantageous for students
who must first complete undergraduate prerequisite courses before beginning
graduate-level course work. This process should be discussed with one of
the program advisors.
Master's Programs
The Watson School offers master of science degrees in computer science,
electrical engineer ing, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering
and systems science. A Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree with various
specializations is also available. The M.Eng. is a practice-oriented degree,
which culminates in sequence of two courses that focus on engineering projects.
These programs are described fully under the appropriate headings below.
Doctoral Programs
The Watson School offers the PhD in computer science, electrical engineering,
mechanical engineering, systems science, and systems science with a specialization
in manufacturing systems.
The PhD programs prepare students for basic and
applied research in the areas of engineering, computer science, and systems
science covered by Watson School curricula. Research areas are multidisciplinary
and reflect the interests of the Watson School faculty. Current research
areas include: composites properties, reactive fluid models of metallurgical
processes, mechanical vibrations, convective heat transfer, Moire strain
analysis, general systems methodologies, systems design and systems modeling,
fuzzy logic and fuzzy systems, remote sensing, computer graphics, adaptive
systems, expert systems, information theory, symbolic computation, cognitive
models, computer architecture, computer networks, database systems, distributed
systems, information retrieval, fault testing and diagnosis, operating
systems, parallel processing, real-time systems, software specification
and verification and VLSI systems, thin films, optimization and controls,
neural networks, parallel architectures, machine vision, computational
electromagnetics, electronics packaging, switched-mode power supplies,
and device modeling. Prospective students should contact the Watson School
for an updated list of current research topics .
Minimum Requirements
a. Satisfaction of learning contract, including proficiency in teaching
and residence requirements.
b. Satisfaction of comprehensive qualifying requirement.
c. Presentation of colloquium on proposed research.
d. Acceptance of prospectus outlining dissertation research.
e. Submission of dissertation.
f. Defense of dissertation at oral examination.
Applicants: Additional Materials
For admission to a doctoral program, current students in a Watson School
master's program are required to present to the director of graduate studies
letters of recommendation from two Watson School faculty, and a statement
of the area of research in which they plan to do their dissertation. Students
from other institutions should write to the director of graduate studies
in their prospective program, Watson School, Binghamton University, PO
Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902-6000, and give a summary of their
academic background and a statement of their field of research interest.
Owing to the wide range of potential research topics and the limited enrollment
in the PhD program, preliminary discussions with the applicant are expected
before the student's acceptance.Applicants must submit GRE scores in the
verbal, quantitative, and analytical tests.
All application materials should be received before March
15 for decisions on fall admission, and before November 15 for decisions
on spring admission.
Guidance Committee
On acceptance into a program, students must form an approved guidance
committee. The guidance committee consists of from three to five members,
normally full-time Watson School faculty; however, students may propose
members from other schools at Binghamton University, faculty from other
universities, or professionals from outside academe. The guidance committee
advises the student and evaluates and certifies the student's performance
throughout the program of study and research.
Learning Contract
In consultation with the guidance committee, the student prepares a
learning contract in which a program of study is specified, including the
major area of research, additional course requirements, teaching requirement,
evaluation procedures, and the form of the comprehensive examination. Although
the learning contract may be modified as the research interests of the
student develop, to assure competence and depth in the major area and breadth
in relevant disciplines, each modification must be approved by the guidance
committee and properly documented. A copy of the learning contract is placed
on file in the Dean's Office.
Comprehensive Qualifying Requirement
On admission to a PhD program, the student must prepare to demonstrate
mastery of fundamental skills to the guidance committee. This comprehensive
qualifying requirement is normally satisfied by:
a. completing courses in academic areas specified in the learning contract;
and
b. completing a written and oral examination that covers material specified
in the learning contract and administered by the student's guidance committee.
In exceptional cases, with approval of the graduate studies
committee, a student may satisfy some of the requirements by means of previous
academic experience, publications, or other evidence of competence.
Candidacy
When the comprehensive requirement is accepted by the guidance committee,
the student is recommended for admission to candidacy. The student has
six months from completion of the comprehensive requirement to submit an
approved prospectus to the Dean's Office.
Colloquium and Prospectus
The student presents, for evaluation by the Watson School faculty,
a colloquium on the proposed research, demonstrating an ability to use
suitable research methodologies and to identify relevant problems in the
area of concentration. Using the results of the colloquium, the student,
in consultation with the guidance committee, prepares a more detailed prospectus
outlining the dissertation research, which is filed in the Watson School
Dean's Office.
Proficiency in Teaching
In addition to the course work and research, doctoral candidates must
demonstrate proficiency in teaching. Doctoral students must meet a teaching
requirement in one of the following ways:
a. the first preference would be as an instructor of record in an undergraduate
course.
b. the completion of WTSN 591 (Teaching Methods in Technical Courses)
and the teaching of one or more seminars or a portion of a course.
c. history of teaching experience comparable to choices a. or b. (above),
verified and approved by the guidance committee.
Residence Requirement
Refer to the Academic Policies and Procedures section of this Bulletin.
Language Requirement
There is no formal language requirement; however, individual students
might have a language requirement specified in the learning contract.
Dissertation
With the guidance of the dissertation advisor, the student completes
research and preparation of the dissertation, an original written contribution
demonstrating originality and competence in the chosen field of research.
The guidance committee has direct charge of all matters pertaining to the
dissertation, which must have the committee's unanimous approval before
arrangements are made for the final examination for the degree. The dissertation
is to comply with the format and filing requirements set forth in the Graduate
School Student Handbook.
In defense of the dissertation, the student is required
to pass an oral examination, open to the University community. The evaluation
of the student's performance in this oral examination is made by an examination
committee consisting of members of the student's guidance committee, augmented
by an outside examiner appointed by the vice provost for graduate studies
and teaching. The decision to recommend the candidate for the doctoral
degree is made by unanimous vote of the guidance committee.
Courses
The course descriptions listed under the department sections which
follow, while indicating the nature and scope of the Watson School undergraduate
programs, are not a historical record, nor do they include the school's
experimental or continuing education offerings.
All courses in the Watson School with numbers below 300
are classified as lower-division (freshman/sophomore) and do not require
prerequisites for enrollment, unless otherwise specified in the course
description. Courses numbered 300 and above are advanced courses normally
open only to students who have at least junior standing and who meet any
additional prerequisites stated in the course description. Students may
be granted a waiver of course prerequisites upon the recommendation of
a program advisor or with the permission of the appropriate department
chair.
Courses numbered 500 or higher are graduate courses. Undergraduate
students may file a general academic petition to take graduate-level courses
for which they are qualified. The petition must be signed by the course
instructor, the student's department chair, and the associate dean for
academic affairs. Credits from such courses may be used to meet baccalaureate
degree requirements. Students who are within eight credits of their baccalaureate
degree may petition through the Graduate Office to receive graduate credit
for up to two courses. This must be approved by the department of major
and the vice provost for graduate studies and teaching. Such credit may
not be used to meet undergraduate degree requirements.
*WTSN 573. ELEMENTS OF ENGINEERING PRACTICE
3 credits
The first in a set of two courses that serves as the capstone for the
master of engineering (M.Eng.) degree, this course prepares early-career
engineers to conduct the various kinds of projects they may be asked to
do as practicing engineers.
*WTSN 574. ENGINEERING PROJECT
3 credits
The second in a set of two courses that serves as the capstone for
the master of engineering (M.Eng.) degree, this is the execution of the
project defined in WTSN 573. Prerequisite: WTSN 573.
WTSN 581. ELECTRONICS PACKAGING SYSTEMS 1
credit
Exposes the student to the latest developments in the field of electronics
packaging by using a variety of academic and industrial experts. This course
will provide a broad perspective on the electronics packaging concepts,
terminology, industry, and recent developments. It will address design,
materials, and manufacturing aspects of electronics packages. Prerequisite:
graduate standing.
WTSN 591. TEACHING METHODS IN TECHNICAL COURSES 1
credit
Introduction to principles of effective teaching, including: course
design, use of objectives, lecturing, discussion methods, examination design,
theories of learning and personal style. Students present seminar for critique.
Complements research seminar. Contributes toward meeting doctoral teaching
proficiency requirement. Prerequisite: graduate standing.