Project Option
Beginning Fall 2020, all MS in ECE programs at the Pittsburgh Campus (Standard, Applied, Advanced Study and Applied Advanced Study) have the option to work extensively on a single research project with a CMU faculty member. This is called the Project Option. In the Project Option, a student will take a total of 36 units of graduate-level research to count towards their degree in two separate phases. The first phase of the Project Option is 12 units that will be taken no sooner than the student’s second semester in the program. The second phase is 24 units that will be taken in the following semester. Please see below for a timeline of the Project Option.
*Note: All MS in ECE programs have a Course Option or Project Option to fulfill the degree. To learn more about the Course Option where you can take between 1 and 27 units of research, please view each individual program page here.
Phase I |
||
---|---|---|
Step 1: Registering for project units |
Step 2: Conducting research |
Step 3: Conclusion |
|
|
|
Phase II |
||
---|---|---|
Step 1: Registering for project units |
Step 2: Conducting research |
Step 3: Conclusion |
|
|
|
Frequently asked questions
Can I complete the Project Option in one semester?
No, you cannot complete the Project Option in one semester. Central to the concept of the Project Option is a two-phase structure with an intermediate go/no-go evaluation point between semesters. You must complete the Project Option in no fewer than two semesters.
Can I work with a faculty member outside ECE?
Can I start the Project Option in my first semester on campus?
You are not advised to begin the Project Option in your first semester. You should take your first semester to build relationships with faculty and understand your research interests and then apply for projects starting in your second semester.
I am in the Advanced Study or Applied Advanced Study program. Can I start the Project Option in my third semester?
I am an IMB student, am I eligible for the Project Option?
If I do not receive an invitation to move on to Phase II of the Project Option, what will happen to my 12 units of research (18-980) I completed in Phase I?
If you are not invited to continue in the Project Option after Phase I, your 12 units of 18-980 will still count towards your degree. You will be finishing your degree under the “Course Option”. In the Course Option, you can count 12 units of 18-980 towards your core requirement and up to 15 units towards your CIT Elective requirement.
Can I do a project in Phase II different from the project I proposed to do at the end of Phase I?
Can I take a different amount of units in Phase I or Phase II besides 12 and 24 units?
Yes, however you must petition to receive approval to deviate from the standard configuration. Please note that the standard unit structure appropriately balances the effort a student dedicates to ideation, preliminary studies, and the core of the project work. Therefore, substantial deviation from this structure will risk an unsuccessful project and may not be approved.
Can I spread out the units into three semesters if I am in the Advanced or Applied Advanced Study programs?
Yes, this is possible. However, you must submit a petition to receive approval to deviate from the standard configuration.