Mar 28, 2024  
2016-2017 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 
    
2016-2017 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering



Al Sacco, Jr., Ph.D., Dean

100 Engineering | Box 43103 | Lubbock, TX 79409-3103
T 806.742.3451 | F 806.742.3493 | www.coe.ttu.edu

About the College

The Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering (WCOE) is an internationally recognized research institution ranked among the best in the nation. Award-winning faculty, interactive classes, and hands-on internships combine to empower students with the knowledge and experience they will need for a future in engineering.

By blending math, science, and creative thinking, engineers design solutions that improve society and transform the world. Each academic program includes not only an education in the basic sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences, but also the technical knowledge needed to help solve the technological problems confronting society.

WCOE historically produces quality graduates. One component of this emphasis on excellence is the requirement of a grade of C or better in all courses that are part of the degree plan. The college also monitors student retention on a regular basis and has developed programs and tools to improve student retention and help students learn.

WCOE provides an educational system that uses outcomes assessment. Examples of long-term outcomes are job placement and on-the-job success. The college has excellent job placement, and students will experience assessment and advisement based on outcomes as they complete their education. The capstone senior design course or sequence of courses offered by each department is a measure of the integrated knowledge and ability of students. By their senior year, students not only have developed technical knowledge, but they also have learned to work as part of a professional team, value ethics, and advance to a pattern of life-long learning.

The Bachelor of Science degree programs in chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, construction engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, and petroleum engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc., 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012, 410.347.7700, www.abet.org. The Bachelor of Science in computer science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc., 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012, 410.347.7700, www.abet.org.

The Master of Environmental Engineering, a five-year degree program that starts with the freshman year, is also accredited by ABET and is administered in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering. The option of a non-ABET accredited Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering is available to Master of Environmental Engineering students.

Academic Programs

Degree Programs

Undergraduate Degrees. Whitacre College of Engineering offers the following professional engineering curricula, each leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in the respective engineering fields: chemical, civil, computer, construction, electrical, industrial, mechanical, and petroleum. A degree in computer science is offered by the Department of Computer Science and supports teaching and learning in the areas of languages, systems, hardware, software, and related studies. Graduates are prepared to continue their formal study or work in a variety of industries.

A cooperative program between the Colleges of Engineering and Architecture leads to dual degrees from both colleges: a B.S. in Architecture and a B.S. in Civil Engineering. The Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering coordinates the program for WCOE.

WCOE is divided into instructional departments that offer coursework and supervise degree programs. These departments are presented on the following pages along with a descriptive list of the courses offered by each department. The courses listed in individual curriculum tables are prescribed for the various degrees. The course arrangement for the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years is the recommended sequence of courses, whether students begin in the summer or during a long session. Before registration for each semester, a student should check course prerequisites carefully to include courses that are prerequisite to those needed the next semester.

Accelerated Bachelor’s-to-Master’s Program. The college provides an accelerated bachelor’s-to-master’s program that allows students eligible for graduate school to earn both a B.S. and a M.S. degree with approximately 150 hours. Students are allowed to use graduate work that closely matches the subject requirements of the undergraduate degree to substitute for undergraduate courses. Application should be made during the first semester of the junior year following procedures available from graduate program coordinators in the department. Students interested in this program must apply to the Graduate School  prior to taking graduate courses. Early planning and contact with the department advisors are essential because in some cases students may be able to connect undergraduate research experience to their thesis work in graduate school.

Second Degree. A student who has completed the requirements for a first bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 GPA or greater from WCOE may acquire a second degree by completing the second program with the following restriction: at least 30 hours of the second degree requirements must be from courses not counted in attaining the first degree. The student must regain admission to enter the new degree program.

Advanced Degrees in Engineering. Programs are available through WCOE leading to Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in the fields of computer science and chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, and petroleum engineering. These programs are discussed within the catalog section of each department. The Master of Environmental Engineering is a 154-hour freshman-to-master’s degree described on page 141. In addition, the college offers a Master of Science in Bioengineering degree and also a Master of Engineering degree designed especially for practicing engineers desiring to continue their professional education. For more information on these two degrees, see page 140. Admission to the Graduate School  is based upon an above average undergraduate record and satisfactory standing on the Graduate Record Examination.

International Experience Requirement. Effective fall 2013, all incoming students must complete an international experience as a component of their graduation requirements. The international experience requirement may be satisfied by any of the following:

  • Academic Study Abroad (TTU-approved faculty-led programs, traditional reciprocal exchange agreements, or third-part programs).
    • Summer programs (minimum of six weeks in length and 3 course credit hours)
    • Semester Abroad — credit bearing
    • Year Abroad — credit bearing
  • Research Abroad
    • Credit or non-credit bearing programs, for a minimum of eight weeks in length.
  • Internship Abroad
    • Credit or non-credit bearing programs, for a minimum of six weeks in length.
  • Service Learning Abroad
    • Credit or non-credit bearing programs, for a minimum of six weeks in length.

Other international experience may be considered for the fulfillment of the requirement, such as an ROTC experience, residency abroad and prior international experience for transfer students, among others, prior approval from the Executive Associate Dean for International Programs, the College of Engineering and proper TTU channels. Students may qualify for an exemption from the international experience requirement by providing documentation to justify their exemption; however, they must also obtain approval from the Executive Associate Dean for International Programs.

WCOE Distance Learning Program. The WCOE Distance Learning Program offers educational opportunities to students, engineers, and science professionals interested in pursuing graduate coursework in engineering, but cannot come to campus. The WCOE Distance Learning Program is designed to meet the needs of both practicing engineers and industry. The graduate degrees and graduate certificate offered are:

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Systems and Engineering Management
  • Master of Science in Civil Engineering
  • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
  • Master of Science in Industrial Engineering
  • Master of Science in Systems and Engineering Management
  • Master of Science in Software Engineering
  • Master of Engineering (Interdisciplinary or Healthcare Option)
  • Cyber Security for Critical Infrastructure Certificate

The goal in the WCOE Distance Learning program is to offer a high quality education. There is no distinction between on-campus and off-campus students. Both are concurrently enrolled in the same course. Students enrolled in the program participate in classes through the use of an Internet connection. This approach allows students to manage career and family commitments while earning graduate credentials and upgrading their engineering skills. Location changes do not pose a problem for students because the program is offered via distance learning. Students who move, or are transferred, can continue work toward completion of their degrees or certificate.

Minors and Certificates

Departmental Minors. Students from other colleges within the university must have a 3.0 or higher Texas Tech GPA (as specified by the department) to minor in a WCOE academic program. Review the catalog for each department’s required course selection for the departmental minors. Each department will specify the required courses and number of hours that constitute a minor. Information on approved minors, if offered, is available from each department chair. WCOE foundational students are not allowed to declare a minor. No letter grades of D nor pass/fail will be accepted for any engineering minor courses (C or better only).

Engineering Minor (selected courses from different/multiple engineering departments). WCOE offers an engineering minor for students who have a 3.0 or higher Texas Tech GPA and are enrolled in academic programs outside the college. This minor consists of a minimum of 18 hours of engineering coursework with at least 6 hours completed at the junior level or above (3000- or 4000-level courses) and taken at WCOE. Because each degree program may have different requirements for upper-level courses, students should verify the requirements with either the WCOE lead advisor or WCOE representative. The WCOE academic dean must approve all programs of study for this minor. No letter grades of “D” nor pass/fail will be accepted for any engineering minor courses (C or better only).

International Engineering Minor. A minor in international engineering requires a minimum of 18 hours of coursework and is restricted to WCOE engineering majors. Three of those hours must be a foreign language, but only 6 hours of foreign language can be applied to the minor. Study abroad is also required. Students who wish to pursue this minor should contact the Engineering Opportunities Center, 806.742.3451.

Nuclear Engineering Minor. A minor in nuclear engineering is available through the Big 12 Engineering Consortium and is restricted to WCOE engineering majors. A small group of Big 12 universities offers nuclear engineering courses by distance education to students enrolled at any of the Big 12 institutions. For more information on the program, visit the Big 12 Engineering Consortium website at www.big12engg.org. Students who wish to pursue this minor should see their advisor or academic dean.

Graduate Program

For information on graduate programs offered by the Whitacre College of Engineering, visit the Graduate School  section of the catalog.

Admissions to Foundational Curriculum and Degree Programs

The engineering degree programs consist of a freshman foundational curriculum followed by an upper-division program that includes courses taken in the sophomore, junior, and senior years. Effective January 2013, the criterion for admission to the Whitacre College Foundational Curriculum requires that a first-time freshman or transfer student with fewer than 12 hours of transfer credit must be accepted to the university with assured admission status. Admissions for transfer students and second-degree students are described below.

The criteria used to determine assured admission status are SAT/ACT scores and class rank as shown in the Undergraduate Admissions  section of this catalog. Students who do not meet the assured admissions requirements may enter the Pre-Engineering Program and then work to qualify as a Foundational Engineering Student. Students who are assured admit and not TSI compliant will be admitted to Texas Tech as a pre-engineering student. Upon completion of the foundational curriculum, a student must apply and be successfully admitted to a WCOE upper-division degree program. Students who are not successfully admitted to an upper-division degree program must transfer out of the college.

Freshman Admission to WCOE Foundational Curriculum. The criterion for admission to WCOE Foundational Curriculum requires that a first-time freshman or transfer student with fewer than 12 hours of transfer credit must be accepted to the university with assured admission status. The college recommends prospective students enroll in math each year in high school, including trigonometry, pre-calculus or calculus, and at least one year of physics with another science course. The criteria used to determine assured admission status are SAT/ACT scores and class rank as shown in the Undergraduate Admissions  section of this catalog.

External Transfer Admission to WCOE Foundational Curriculum. A transfer student with fewer than 12 hours of transferable coursework must meet first-time freshmen assured admission standards. For admission to the foundational curriculum with an engineering degree program concentration, transfer students must have 24 or more hours of transferable coursework and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 that includes the work at all previous institutions. External transfer students must complete a minimum of 12 hours of Texas Tech engineering degree program coursework before application to the upper division. Eligibility for admission to the upper division is based exclusively on the cumulative GPA earned at Texas Tech (2.5 or higher).

Second Degree Transfer Admission. Students holding a bachelor’s degree from another institution must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA from that institution to be admitted to the WCOE foundational curriculum.

Internal Transfer Admission to WCOE Foundational Curriculum. Students entering Texas Tech and transferring to WCOE from other colleges within the university must have a minimum Texas Tech cumulative GPA of 3.0 on at least 12 hours of Texas Tech coursework that is included in the foundational curriculum.

Pre-Engineering. Students who do not meet the WCOE admission requirements are admitted initially to the Texas Tech Pre-Engineering Program and may apply for admission to the WCOE foundational curriculum upon satisfaction of the college internal transfer admission standards.

WCOE has partnered with Texas Tech University Advising to create the Pre-Engineering Program. This student retention and success initiative provides intense academic advising and support as students build the requisite math and science skills to be successful in an engineering degree program. While in Pre-Engineering, students will enroll in typical university core curriculum and foundational curriculum courses.

Engineering presents an extremely challenging course of study. For students who determine that engineering is not an appropriate choice, the advisors in University Advising have the specialized training and tools necessary to assist students in finding a course of study that is best suited to their unique talents and interests. The ultimate priority is for every student to graduate successfully from a best-fit major.

Admission to a WCOE Degree Program. All newly admitted students work to complete a foundational curriculum consisting of English I, English II, Calculus I, Calculus II, Physics I (calculus-based) plus another science course and a first engineering course that vary among the engineering degree programs. The foundational curriculum is supplemented with courses from the university core curriculum and general engineering courses (statics, thermodynamics, circuits, and materials science) to provide the opportunity for full course loads and scheduling flexibility.

When the foundational curriculum has been completed, students apply for admission to the upper division of their degree program. The acceptance criterion is based exclusively on a Texas Tech cumulative GPA that includes a minimum of 12 hours of coursework from the foundational curriculum. The specific GPA standard varies among the degree programs and may change from one academic year to the next as necessary to align enrollments with educational resources.

Students must be prepared to make an alternate choice of major if their foundational curriculum GPA does not qualify them for their preferred major. Students must make progress appropriate to their classification in their alternate choice of major as determined by each department for their degree programs. Students who are not admitted successfully to an upper-division degree program are not allowed to enroll in engineering courses and must transfer out of WCOE.

Refer to the program descriptions in this catalog for the specific foundational curriculum and upper-division GPA admission standards.

WCOE Academic Standards and Requirements

Progress Towards a Degree. WCOE students are expected to maintain good engineering academic standing (cumulative Texas Tech GPA of 2.5 or higher). Engineering students are expected to maintain continuous progress toward completion of their degree program regardless of catalog year. Specifically, a full-time student must achieve a C or better in 18 hours of coursework included in the degree program each year (two long semesters). Students are required to complete the foundation curriculum within four long semesters. Continued acceptance within WCOE for students who do not maintain this level of progress is subject to the discretion of the dean of the college.

Students not compliant with the 18 hours of coursework in two long semesters and completion of the foundation curriculum (see Admission to a WCOE Degree Program) will follow the guidelines specified in WCOE Expulsion.

Dean’s List. Full-time students who maintain a semester GPA greater or equal to 3.5 with at least 12 semester hours are placed on the Dean’s List. The student will be notified and a certificate may be picked up in the Engineering Opportunities Center.

WCOE Probation. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.5 are placed on “WCOE academic probation.” The student may not enroll for more than 15 hours without prior approval from their advisor or the academic dean. A student on WCOE probation (below 2.5 GPA) will be allowed to take no more than two engineering courses per semester (up to 6 hours of engineering course work), and those courses should be eligible for grade replacement (attempted previously and resulting in grades of D or F). In addition, the student must complete an academic recovery plan* before the start of the next long semester. While on WCOE academic probation, a student with less than a 2.0 cumulative GPA will be required to complete PADR 0091 , Strategies for Academic Achievement for the Engineering Major.

WCOE Continued Academic Probation. A probationary student whose current GPA is 2.5 or higher but whose cumulative GPA is below 2.5 will be placed on “WCOE continued academic probation” until the cumulative GPA is 2.5 or higher. The student may not enroll for more than 15 hours without prior approval from an advisor or academic dean. Students will not be allowed to be on WCOE academic probation for more than one long semester (summer not included). Failure to meet the conditions established will result in WCOE Expulsion.

WCOE Expulsion. A student on WCOE probation who has a current or cumulative GPA below 2.5 at the end of a two consecutive semesters will be on WCOE Expulsion unless grade replacements for courses completed at that time raise the cumulative GPA above 2.5. A student on WCOE Expulsion is not permitted to take engineering courses.

Students may return to WCOE after a WCOE Expulsion with a 3.0 TTU cumulative GPA and completion of the WCOE Student Expulsion Petition form with approval from the department and the engineering dean’s office. Students are not eligible to enroll in engineering classes due to their GPA. Students should make an appointment with University Advising (advising@ttu.edu) to seek guidance on other degree programs offered by Texas Tech.

Texas Tech Probation and Suspension. WCOE students whose Texas Tech GPA falls below a 2.0 also will follow the rules for Texas Tech probation and suspension depending on the student’s academic status as indicated in the Undergraduate Academics section of this catalog. Students will need to seek immediate counseling/advising to transfer to a non-engineering major.

When students meet the criteria for WCOE Expulsion, WCOE suspension, WCOE probation, Texas Tech probation, or Texas Tech suspension, the WCOE Dean’s Office will place an engineering hold on the student’s account. Students must follow similar guidelines for a return to engineering as described for WCOE Expulsion.

Transfer Students. If a transfer student needs to complete the foundational curriculum upon arrival at Texas Tech, the student will follow the process outlined in the “Admission to a WCOE Degree Program” section and must comply with processes outlined in the “WCOE Academic Standards” section of this catalog. For students who have completed the foundational curriculum prior to transferring and have a Texas Tech cumulative GPA less than 2.5 their first semester at Texas Tech, they will be placed on WCOE probation and will follow the guidelines specified in the “WCOE Academic Standards” section of this catalog.

Academic Integrity and Misconduct. WCOE will not tolerate academic dishonesty and behavior incongruent with behaviors acceptable for professional engineers and computer scientists. Please refer to the “Academic Integrity ” section of this catalog; the Code of Student Conduct, Part X, B3 of the Student Handbook; and Operating Policy 34.12 regarding academic integrity, cheating, and plagiarism. Also, please refer to the National Society of Professional Engineers Code of Ethics (www.nspe.org/resources/ethics/code-ethics) for ethical behavior expected of professional engineers and computer scientists. Ignorance provides no protection from the consequences and all students are expected to review and understand the academic integrity standards and professional ethical code behavior expected of professional engineers. WCOE has adopted the following policy:

Instances of academic dishonesty will be submitted to the Office of Student Conduct. The student will, at minimum, receive a grade of F for the assignment or exam, and/or may receive an F for the course. Also, students will be subject to the disciplinary sanctions as prescribed by the Office of Student Conduct. For students found responsible of an Academic Integrity violation or behavior not consist with the professional code of ethical behavior and the disciplinary action is suspension from the university, the student may be expelled from their degree program and the WCOE.

Core Curriculum Requirements. The university has established a set of core courses required for all students. These requirements ensure breadth in each academic program. Students should consult their advisors or chairperson regarding specific requirements. These requirements are incorporated into the curriculum of each major or specialization in the college. Students are required to seek advisement prior to their first enrollment to avoid losing credit. A listing of core curriculum requirements is in the Undergraduate Academics section of this catalog.

Engineering Science Courses. All designated engineering science courses in a degree program should be taken as early as possible. The designated engineering science courses are CE 2101 , CE 2301 , CE 3302 , CE 3303 , CE 3305 ; CHE 2421 , CHE 2421 ; ECE 3302 ; IE 2301 ; ME 2301 , ME 2302 , ME 3311 , ME 2322 , ME 3403 , and ME 3370 .

Chemistry and Math Placement Exams. Students enrolling in the college must take placement exams in chemistry and math unless they pass MATH 1451 , CHEM 1307 , and CHEM 1107  by exam or coursework with a grade of C or better. If a student receives advanced placement in a mathematics course (on the basis of high school mathematics classes, ACT-M, or SAT-M test scores) higher than the first required course in the particular degree program, the department may specify the replacement course. If not specified, the student has the option to take an additional higher-level mathematics course or substitute up to 4 hours of basic science for 4 hours of mathematics (some programs may specify the substitute course).

The student must take a minimum of 12 hours of mathematics and 12 hours of basic science as required by the degree program. To meet the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET requirements, a minimum of one year of a combination of college-level mathematics and basic sciences (some with experimental experience) appropriate to the discipline is required. Basic sciences are defined as biological, chemical, and physical sciences. The Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET requires mathematics appropriate to the discipline beyond the pre-calculus level. The basic science and mathematics courses used for the substitution may or may not be required by the degree program. In any case, the student must meet the minimum number of hours required for graduation.

Prerequisites. In scheduling courses, students must be aware that prerequisites and corequisites are mandatory.

Repeated Courses. Students will only be allowed to attempt any engineering course twice to obtain a grade of C or better. The grades of D, F, and DG require a second attempt. Additionally, if a student earns a grade of D or F in a prerequisite to a required course, the student must retake the prerequisite course before enrolling in the required course. If the student’s second attempt at an engineering course does not result in a passing grade, the student will not be permitted to continue studies in an engineering program. The engineering dean hold will not be released until the student has successfully transferred to a new college to pursue a new program of study. The student should make an appointment with University Advising (advising@ttu.edu) to seek guidance on other degree programs offered by Texas Tech.

Students may repeat up to three engineering courses during their program of study. Upon the need to repeat their fourth course, students will not be permitted to continue studies in an engineering program. The engineering dean hold will not be released until the student has transferred to a new college to pursue a new program of study. Students will follow the guidelines specified in WCOE Expulsion. The  student should make an appointment with University Advising (advising@ttu.edu) to seek guidance on other degree programs offered by Texas Tech.

Maximum Course Load. A normal course load is 15 to 19 credit hours. Students must have a Texas Tech GPA of 2.5 or higher to obtain approval from their academic advisors and the dean’s office to take more than 19 hours during a long semester or more than 8 hours during a summer term. Students on university academic probation or WCOE probation are not allowed to take more than 15 hours during a long semester. Students who work should adjust their course load accordingly. Check with the academic advisor or the dean’s office  for recommendations.

Computer Requirements. All students in the college are expected to have access to a personal computer, which should be a laptop at a minimum. Many instructors require students to transfer homework using email. Some instructors transfer information to students using the Internet. While computer facilities are available on campus, students do best when they have a personal computer and monitor their Texas Tech email address for official notifications. Students should check with their respective department for hardware and software recommendations.

* Students will review their past performance to develop goals/tasks and take the Strong Interest Career Inventory Survey to accomplish the Academic Recovery Plan with Learning Contract. A calendar of mentoring/tutoring with study hall will complete a process of recovery. Before the start of a long semester, students will be required to attend a one-day workshop to understand the process of academic recovery.

Course Credit

Credit by Examination. Credit for some engineering courses above the freshman level is available through departmentally prepared examinations. The student must present to the dean a written request to take the examination. The petition must state the extent and manner in which the student obtained competence in the subject. Upon approval by the dean, the petition should be presented to the chair of the department concerned for arrangements to take the examination.

Cooperative Education. A Cooperative Education Program for engineering students is available within the dean’s office. To participate in this program, students should contact the Director of Engineering Opportunity Center. Three parties are involved in the program: the college, the student, and the employer. These parties work together so that the student can learn and perform real-world engineering functions under the supervision of engineering professionals. This program consists of three work tours in industry alternated with semesters of coursework at the university. Work assignments are related to academic and career goals with progressively more responsible duties on the second and third tours.

Students typically begin their first work tour after completion of their sophomore year and complete the third tour before the beginning of their senior year. Industry supervisors are expected to evaluate each student’s work performance and education and share this evaluation information directly with the student. Information from this evaluation will be used confidentially to evaluate the effectiveness of the Cooperative Education Program at Texas Tech. Students must be registered for and meet the requirements of a qualifying cooperative education course during the semesters they are on tour in industry.

Transfer Course Evaluation. Students from community colleges generally transfer courses in English, history, political science, mathematics, and science. Community colleges that adequately prepare students to study engineering have designated faculty who function as liaisons between their schools and WCOE. Such cooperative arrangements provide students an opportunity to choose courses at the community college that are required by a specific engineering major. Problems in transferring are minimized by the student’s early awareness of the WCOE curriculum and early commitment to transferring to Texas Tech. Courses transferred from another institution will be evaluated for use in a given degree program. Each department evaluates transfer courses associated with courses taught in that department.

Grades for Transfer Courses. The highest grade for a repeated course, either at Texas Tech or another institution, will be the grade used to determine acceptance of the course for a degree program. Grades approved as passing at other institutions in the State of Texas will be honored for completion of core curriculum requirements. A minimum grade of C is required for all courses on any engineering or computer science degree plan. The only exception to this requirement is if a student transfers to Texas Tech core complete from an institution that defines passing of a course as a D or higher.

ROTC. Subject to the policies of the department and with the approval of the department chair, 3 hours of advanced ROTC credit may be counted for the general elective courses, if applicable.

Course Substitutions. Any substitution of courses specified in a degree program requires the written approval of the chair of the student’s major department and the dean of the WCOE. Degree credit for electives requires written approval by the chair of the department involved. A list of acceptable technical electives for a degree program can be obtained from the department. Courses considered remedial, duplicative, or inferior will not be accepted.

Multicultural Credit. The WCOE encourages students to seek multicultural credit using the international experience required of all students entering in Fall 2013 or later. To obtain multicultural credit, students must complete the Global Scholars Certificate Program, which is available through http://globalscholar.us/. The Global Scholar submissions will be reviewed by the Study Abroad Office.

Pass/Fail. All courses used to satisfy the degree program requirements must be taken for a grade. The pass/fail option is not allowed.

Scholarships

Students must meet the scholarship requirements to maintain the scholarship. The deadline to apply for a WCOE scholarship is February 1. For college scholarships, students must enroll as a full-time student (a minimum of 12 semester credit hours per semester) in accordance with their engineering degree plan, achieve a cumulative TTU GPA of 3.25 or higher each semester, and provide a letter of appreciation to the sponsor. Failure of the recipient to submit the letter of appreciation to the sponsor by 95 percent payment of mandatory tuition and fees or enrollment in a payment plan date will result in forfeiture of the scholarship. College scholarships are awarded for one-year only and students must reapply each year. The award may not be deferred to future semesters. For departmental scholarships, students must be full-time students and meet the department’s scholarship requirements.

Students must make satisfactory academic progress towards their degree to remain eligible for college-level scholarships. Credit hours attempted by undergraduate students may not exceed 150 percent of the educational program to remain eligible for the awarded scholarship. At least 75 percent of all credit hours attempted must have passing grades of C or higher. Failure to complete coursework successfully with passing grades by the end of each period of enrollment may put both current and future financial aid eligibility at risk.

A satisfactory pace is calculated by dividing the cumulative hours the student successfully completed by the cumulative hours the student has attempted. Scholarship evaluation is conducted during the renewal process. Incomplete grades (grades of “I”) do not affect a student’s cumulative GPA for satisfactory academic progress but count as credit hours attempted towards both pace and maximum hours. Students with grades of incomplete which become new letter grades prior to or during a subsequent period of enrollment and that may affect financial aid eligibility for that period of enrollment are encouraged to contact Student Financial Aid for further evaluation.

Graduation

Graduation Requirements. To fulfill graduation requirements, a student must complete each course specified in the degree program with grade of C or higher. The only exception to this requirement is if a student transfers to Texas Tech core complete from an institution that defines passing of a course as a D or higher. If the student is not core complete, only courses with a grade of C or better will be accepted for use on an engineering/computer science degree plan for core and non-core curriculum courses. Course substitutions may be used to fulfill degree program requirements and course substitutions must be completed as described previously.

Application for Degree. Students must file an “Application for Degree” with the office of the dean of the WCOE at least one year before the anticipated date of graduation. Subsequently, students will receive a list of courses and the number of credit hours that remain to be taken. Because they must meet all the requirements of a specific year’s catalog, students must indicate the year’s catalog under which they plan to graduate. This must be a year during which the student is registered in WCOE, with the restriction that all requirements for an undergraduate degree must be completed within seven years of the date of the catalog chosen.

Departments, Program Offerings & Course Descriptions

Course descriptions for the college’s various engineering specializations can be found within the catalog information for each department. Courses with an ENGR prefix are common to many disciplines within the college and can be viewed below.

Department of Chemical Engineering

Go to information for Department of Chemical Engineering.

Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering

Go to information for Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering.

Department of Computer Science

Go to information for Department of Computer Science.

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Go to information for Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Department of Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering

Go to information for Department of Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering.

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Go to information for Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering

Go to information for Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering.