Vision
Our vision is to be acclaimed as a pre-eminent school for addressing the engineering and applied science challenges of the 21st century.
Mission
Our mission is to provide accessible advanced engineering and applied science education, create new knowledge and technology, advance the economy, and enrich the lives of people in the University, state, nation and world.
Goals
In order to advance this vision and achieve our mission, the faculty and staff of the Watson School are committed to the following goals:
The Watson School consists of the departments of Bioengineering, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering, and a joint Materials Science Engineering Program. The school is housed in three buildings on campus with facilities designed and equipped specifically for studies in engineering and computer science.
Established in 1983, the Watson School offers bachelor of science degrees in bioengineering, computer science, electrical engineering, computer engineering, mechanical engineering, and industrial and systems engineering. The computer science degrees are accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc. The engineering degrees are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc.
The following advanced degrees are also offered by the Watson School: the master of science in computer science, electrical engineering, industrial and systems engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, and systems science, and a master of engineering (MEng), a practice-oriented graduate degree. In addition, there are doctoral programs in electrical engineering, computer science, mechanical engineering, materials engineering, and systems science (with optional specializations in biosystems, intelligent systems and manufacturing systems). The master’s and doctoral programs in materials engineering are part of a collaborative program in materials science and engineering. The materials science track is described in a separate section listed under the Harpur College Division of Science and Mathematics.
Watson School graduate programs offer a wide array of academic and research opportunities. The specific program requirements, and areas of program concentration, are more fully described in subsequent sections of this publication.
Various 4+1 BS/MS programs and BS/MBA options are also available to Watson School juniors. For further information on BS/MS programs, contact the department of major. For information on BS/MBA 4+1 options, refer to the School of Management section of this publication.
The Watson School supports its graduates and the technical community with extensive professional development programs that address the lifelong learning needs of technical professionals. Programs include professional development symposia, seminars, research briefings and various non-credit courses designed to update practicing engineers across the state and nation. In addition to the credit courses, various non-credit courses are offered each semester by the engineering professional development 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 the school to focus on immediate training needs and to design programs specific to those needs. For more information, contact the director of engineering professional development of the Watson School.
[ top ]This curriculum is intended as a general engineering minor for students outside of engineering. Courses can be used to fulfill GenEd requirements. Courses (excluding prerequisites) used to fulfill requirements for the major cannot be used as courses satisfying requirements for the minor.
Students must complete the three prerequisite courses (see below) for the minor and achieve at least a 2.7 GPA in those three courses before applying to the program. In order to complete the minor, students must earn a GPA of at least 2.0 in the prerequisite and required courses.
Prerequisite Courses (12 credit hrs.):
Math (4 credit hrs.)
Required MATH 221 Calculus 1 [M]
Can be satisfied by AP Calculus
Physics (8 credit hrs.)
Required
PHYS 131 General Physics I, Calculus-based [L] (pre-req. MATH 221)
(Can be satisfied by AP Physics)
and
Recommended
PHYS 132 General Physics II, Calculus-based [L] (pre-req. PHYS 131, co- req. MATH 222 Calculus 2)
or
PHYS 122 General Physics II, Algebra-based [L] (pre-req. consent of instructor)
Required engineering courses: (17 hrs.)
Engineering Elective courses (minimum 9 hrs.)
Participants must take a minimum of nine hours of engineering electives from an approved list available form the Watson Advising Office, with at least one course from the Advanced Engineering section. Note: Individual courses may have prerequisites in addition to courses in the engineering minor.
Integrated Engineering and Design Projects (8 hrs.) (must have senior standing)
Participants must participate in two semesters of an integrated engineering and design project (capstone design courses). Students may elect to participate in this capstone experience on a team with bioengineering, systems science and industrial engineering, or electrical and mechanical engineering students.
Students will be advised by the director of the Engineering Design Division. The Engineering Minor pamphlet is also available from the Watson School Advising Office.
The application procedure for the Watson School’s undergraduate programs is the same as for admission to Binghamton University. Refer to the general information section on Admission in this publication.
Computer science majors are admitted at the freshman level or as transfer students directly into the computer science degree program. Students may enter the undergraduate engineering programs as freshmen by admission to the Engineering Design Division, or as sophomore transfers directly into bioengineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, industrial and systems engineering or mechanical engineering degree programs.
Transfers into engineering who expect to enter at the junior level should have completed the following courses, plus those noted especially for their major, if they intend to complete the BS in engineering in two years of full-time study, beginning in a fall semester. Credits are transferred on a course-by-course basis.
Major Notes: For bioengineering, transfers should select the following courses within their associate’s degree:
Transfer into this major may require additional time, due to two sophomore-level bioengineering courses not currently available at other institutions.
For electrical or computer engineering, select the following courses within your associate’s degree:
For industrial and systems engineering, select the following courses within your associate’s degree:
For mechanical engineering, select the following courses within your associate’s degree:
General Education Notes: Social science electives prior to junior level transfer should cover one U.S. history, one world history and one additional social science (preferably economics) course to most efficiently meet Binghamton University’s General Education requirements. (Refer to the General Education section of this publication.)
The Harpur College of Arts and Sciences 3-2 program, BA (physics) and BS (engineering), is noted under Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy in the Harpur College section. Other double degrees are possible, and may be discussed on an individual basis in the Watson School Advising Office.
A double degree program may also be arranged between computer science and other disciplines.
Watson School students are eligible to participate in the University’s financial aid program. Normally, such aid is available only to matriculated students. Those interested in obtaining financial aid should contact the director of student financial aid and employment as soon as possible to determine their eligibility.
Outstanding applicants to the undergraduate programs in engineering and computer science are selected for Watson School scholarships. These awards are based on prior academic record with no application necessary.
The Watson School Departmental Honors Program is designed to intellectually challenge extremely well-qualified students during their undergraduate college experience. Students in the Departmental Honors Program are required to satisfy three general requirements, the details of which are set by the individual departments in the Watson School. A summary of shared requirements is given here.
The general requirements to earn the Departmental Honors designation are that the student must:
Some of the benefits of the engineering honors program are:
Students in the second and third undergraduate years are eligible for admission to the program. Due to the additional course, research, and project requirements of the program, seniors are not eligible for initial admission to the program.
The number of students admitted to the program is limited by each department.
The general requirements for eligibility are:
Each department determines the exact values each year for eligibility to the program in that department.
The details of requirements for completion of the departmental honors programs are established by each department and advising should be sought from your program' s undergraduate director.
Please refer to the Computer Science Department section for details of the honors program in computer science.
Individuals interested in taking courses for credit, but not in pursuing a degree program, may apply for admission as continuing education students. All continuing education students are subject to the administrative guidelines described elsewhere in this publication. On acceptance, they may enroll as space permits in Watson School courses for which they have completed the prerequisites. Courses taken under continuing education status may be accepted later to satisfy requirements in specific Watson School degree programs. A student may take a maximum of 24 credit hours as a continuing education student.
Watson School follows the academic policies described in the Student Course Guide, the Schedule of Classes, the Watson School Undergraduate Academic Handbook and Rules for Student Conduct, which are all available on the Binghamton University website. 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 enrollments for three or more consecutive semesters are governed by the Bulletin in effect when they are re-admitted. Exceptions are made for students eligible to return to Binghamton who were forced to leave because of involuntary call to military service.
Undergraduate 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 consent and be classified as part time. Students receiving financial aid should check with the Office of Student Financial Aid and Employment Office before dropping to part time, because their action may affect aid eligibility.
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 Undergraduate Studies Committee and be approved by the dean.
Students must not be under any disciplinary action at the time of graduation. They must also pay or satisfactorily adjust all fees and bills.
For additional graduation requirements, consult the descriptions of the specific degrees.
All newly admitted Watson School students are subject to the General Education requirements. For a complete description of General Education, refer to that section of this publication.
For further information, refer to General Education and Your Watson School Major, available in the Watson School Advising Office.
Students who enroll in courses offered outside of Watson School undergraduate programs are graded according to the grading system of the school offering the course. Such students may petition to have the Watson School’s undergraduate grading system apply.
Watson School undergraduate courses are graded in one of two ways:
Watson School students must meet all degree requirements under the letter grade option. The only exceptions are for any General Education activity/wellness courses offered on a pass/fail basis. Computer science majors (only) are allowed an additional four credits of free elective work on a pass/fail basis.
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."
Under extraordinary circumstances, a student may seek a late withdrawal from a course using a Late Withdrawal petition. This is subject to Dean’s Office approval and requires the following attachments:
Both of the above are mandatory. A request must be received by the associate dean for academic affairs and administration no later than 72 hours before the last day of classes in the current semester. If the withdrawal is approved, the form allowing a waiver of the University deadline and a “W” in the grading area will be processed with copies distributed to the Registrar, the Watson School Advising Office, the department of major and the student. Forms are located in the Watson Advising Office.
When students repeat a course in which they earned a failing grade, the retaken course counts toward the rate of degree progress. The two grades are calculated into the grade-point average and both show on the student transcript.
While students may retake a course in which a passing grade was earned, only the first passing grade counts toward degree progress, but both show on the transcript. The retaken course is not considered part of the normal 12 credits required for full-time status and it is not calculated into the grade-point average. The Degree Audit Recording System (DARS) still uses the first passing grade for a repeated course.
Students are expected to be familiar with the University-wide policies governing changes in their course registration, specifically the add/drop deadlines. No changes are made to an undergraduate record after two years have passed.
Add/Drop Deadline: The add and drop deadline is midnight on the Friday of the second week of classes.
Course Withdrawal: The course-withdrawal period extends from the drop deadline until the end of the ninth week. Students who drop courses online during this period will receive a grade of W. Deadlines for summer courses and variable-credit courses are adjusted accordingly.
All above-mentioned deadlines can be found on the University calendar website.
Note: If an academic petition is approved for a late add or late drop because of extraordinary circumstances, the Student Accounts Office imposes a late add/drop fee.
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 |
C+ |
= |
2.3 |
|
A– |
= |
3.7 |
C |
= |
2.0 |
|
B+ |
= |
3.3 |
C– |
= |
1.7 |
|
B |
= |
3.0 |
D |
= |
1.0 |
|
B– |
= |
2.7 |
F |
= |
0.0 |
For undergraduates, a D grade is considered passing. However, some students are advised to retake a course. Only if a failed course is retaken does that grade become part of the cumulative grade-point average. 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. The first passing grade (D) is what is used in the student’s degree audit report (DARS) and to calculate the student’s grade-point average.
Students who complete any given semester with a 3.5 or better GPA are placed on the Dean’s Honors List. For both part- and full-time students, this honor is noted on the permanent transcript.
For graduation honors, the criteria are:
Probation: Students whose cumulative GPA for courses taken at Binghamton falls below 2.0 are placed on academic probation for the following semester, and are subject to the following restrictions:
Students are removed from probation when the achieved cumulative GPA is 2.0 or above.
Academic probation does not preclude students from receiving financial aid. Standards for financial eligibility are described in the Financial Information section of this publication.
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 are suspended. Suspension lasts for one academic semester, not including summer. If approved for readmission after a semester away, the student must maintain the minimum semester average noted below to avoid a second suspension. 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 remain on probation.
|
Hours |
Last Semester |
|
Attempted |
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, again fail to meet the required academic standards are dismissed. The Undergraduate Studies Committee will hear a single appeal of dismissal after demonstration of significant changes. Appeals of decisions of the Undergraduate Studies committee are referred to the dean.
For the purpose of determining academic standing, credits earned prior to matriculation in Watson School may be reviewed.
No student is required to take three final examinations in a 24-hour period. If a student is scheduled for three final examinations in a 24-hour period, and desires to change the time of one of the examinations, the student must initiate the following actions before the last week of classes:
Undergraduate students who withdraw from the Watson School during any semester 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 12-credit program without permission.
Undergraduate students must apply for readmission through the Undergraduate Admissions Office if they have not been in attendance for at least two semesters. Re-enrollment forms are available on the Binghamton University website or by phone request to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Students who interrupt enrollment for three or more consecutive semesters are governed by the Bulletin in effect when they are re-enrolled. 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.
Information concerning withdrawal for graduate students is located in the Graduate Information section of this publication.
All Watson School students 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.
Alpha Omega Epsilon (Engineering Sorority)
Alpha Pi Epsilon (Industrial Engineering Honor Society)
Alpha Pi Mu (Industrial Engineering Honor Society)
Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS)
Engineers Without Borders (EWB)
Eta Kappa Nu (electrical engineering honor society)
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Institute of Industrial Engineering (IIE)
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
Pi Tau Sigma (mechanical engineering honor society)
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
Society of Indian American Engineers and Architects
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
Tau Beta Pi (engineering honor society)
Theta Tau (national engineering fraternity)
Upsilon Pi Epsilon (honor society for the computing sciences)