UALR Engineering Science and Systems is an interdisciplinary engineering research and academic emphasis offering the Masters and Doctoral degrees through the Department of Applied Science. The emphasis is supported by faculty from the UALR Departments of Applied Science, Systems Engineering, and Engineering Technology. The emphasis goals are to perform high quality engineering research in the areas of mechatronics and robotics, telecommunications, rocketry, and materials engineering. The emphasis is also designed to allow students to pursue non-traditional research by combining engineering with developing areas such as information science and biotechnology. The opportunity exists to broaden the engineering education by taking supplementary or advanced courses in chemistry, physics, or biology.
Students are required to take a minimum of 15 credit hours in engineering related graduate courses. Most 5000 or 7000 level course in Applied Science and all 5000 level courses in Systems Engineering satisfy this requirement. Most students who enter the program with a BS in an engineering discipline will take 5000 level, candidacy preparation courses for their first two to three semesters. They may take one or two junior or senior level courses to remediate in an area of weakness. Once the student is ready, he will begin his advanced doctoral studies in the third or fourth semester.
Students who enter the program with an MS in an engineering degree will generally be ready to take the candidacy exams immediately. They should spend their first semester acclimating to the University and preparing for the exams. These students will usually take one semester of 5000 level courses. They will begin their advanced doctoral studies by the second or third semester.
Students who enter the program with a BS or MS in a non-engineering field, such as Physics, Mathematics, or Chemistry, should expect to undergo some remediation. These students should be prepared to take 5000 level engineering courses no later than their third semester. They must be prepared to take the Candidacy Exams by the beginning of the fifth semester.
The candidacy exams are designed to test a student on his fundamental engineering knowledge. These exams test the student on four distinct subjects. Subjects are grouped according to the following arbitrary categories:
- Measurement and Control Systems
- Fluid and Solid Mechanics
- Analog/Digital Electronics and Signal Processing
- Mechatronics and Robotics
- Materials Engineering
- Modeling and Simulation
- Telecommunication Systems
- Discipline Specific Applications
(For more information on specific subjects, material for each subject, courses supporting these subjects, preparatory texts, and past candidacy questions, consult the Engineering Science and Systems Candidacy Exam Guide which is available from the Engineering Science and Systems Liaison.)
View the Engineering Science & Systems Curriculum in PDF Format (you will need Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader).
