College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

Department of Engineering

Graduate Student Handbook

2018-2020

Department Chair: Dr. Kyo Song

Graduate Program Coordinator: Dr. Sacharia Albin

Main Office Tel: (757) 823-2692

Main Office Fax: (757) 823-2698
(Revised August 2018)
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

PREFACE
This handbook provides an overview of the Engineering department’s graduate policies and
procedures. It is intended as a supplement to the Norfolk State University’s Graduate Catalog
which outlines the policies and procedures adopted by the School of Graduate Studies and
Research.
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE ................................................................................................................................ 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................... 3
Message from the Graduate Program Coordinator .................................................................. 4
The Engineering Department ................................................................................................... 5
1. The Engineering Graduate Program Mission .................................................................. 5
M.S. in Electronics Engineering .................................................................................. 5
2. Academic Policies ............................................................................................................ 6
a) Thesis Option ............................................................................................................... 6
i) Thesis Advisor ......................................................................................................... 6
ii) Non-Departmental Research Advisor ...................................................................... 6
iii) Change of Thesis Advisor ........................................................................................ 6
iv) Thesis Committee Selection .................................................................................... 7
v) Thesis Committee Change ....................................................................................... 7
vi) The thesis Proposal.................................................................................................. 7
vii) Proposal Defense Request ....................................................................................... 7
viii) The Thesis................................................................................................................ 8
ix) Thesis Defense Request .......................................................................................... 8
x) Thesis Completion ................................................................................................... 8
xi) Graduation Requirements ........................................................................................ 9
xii) Thesis Requirements ................................................................................................ 9
b) Non-Thesis Option ..................................................................................................... 11
i) Advising ................................................................................................................. 11
ii) Graduation Requirements ...................................................................................... 12
3. Honor Code and Standards of Conduct ......................................................................... 12
4. Probation and Dismissal Policies ................................................................................... 12
5. Time Limit for Degree and Transfer Credit ................................................................... 12
6. Assistantships and Other Awards .................................................................................. 12
7. Office Responsibilities ................................................................................................... 16
8. Other Policies and Procedures ....................................................................................... 16
9. Other Issues and Requirements ...................................................................................... 16
Appendix A ............................................................................................................................ 19
Appendix B ............................................................................................................................ 32
Appendix C ............................................................................................................................ 42
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

Message from the Graduate Coordinator

Welcome!

The Department of Engineering at Norfolk State University strives to develop leaders for a
technology-driven global society. We are delighted that you are up to the challenge and
decided to join us to pursue your graduate studies. This handbook provides you with an
overview of the departmental requirements for the MS Electronics Engineering program.
Please browse and become familiar with it and contact me if you need any additional
information.

To help you achieve your goals, I will serve as your Graduate Academic Advisor to schedule
your courses, help select your Thesis Advisor, and navigate you towards a timely graduation.
Ms. Debra Brown, Graduate Program Assistant, will be your point of contact for all non-
academic matters.

The Faculty and Staff at the Engineering Department join me in wishing you a productive
and enjoyable time in your pursuit of a highly successful MSEEN degree.

Sincerely,

Dr. Sacharia Albin

Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC)
Professor of Engineering
RTC Room 410
Norfolk State University
Phone: (757) 823-2843
E-mail: salbin@nsu.edu
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

The Engineering Department

The Department of Engineering is one among the eight departments in the College of
Science, Engineering, and Technology (CSET). It offers undergraduate degree programs in
Electrical and Electronics Engineering (B.S.EEE) and Optical Engineering (B.S.OEN) and a
graduate degree program in Electronics Engineering (M.S. EEN). The B.S. degrees are
ABET accredited. Engineering faculty are actively involved in the PhD program in Materials
Science and Engineering.

1. The Engineering Graduate Program Mission

The mission of the engineering graduate program is to empower students with the
knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for successful professional careers in industry and
academia; to encourage innovation, creativity, and an entrepreneurial spirit; to instill a sense
of community responsibility; and to develop leaders for a technology-driven global society.

Following is a short description of the MS program:

M.S. in Electronics Engineering

The Engineering Department offers a graduate degree program: Masters of Science in

Electronics Engineering (M.S.EEN). The M.S.EEN program offers both thesis and non-thesis
options. The M.S.EEN program offers a challenging and rigorous curricula, excellent faculty,
and a state-of-the-art infrastructure that provide students exciting opportunities to conduct
research. Applicants holding baccalaureate degrees in Electrical and/or Computer
Engineering or Optical Engineering or related disciplines from an accredited institution are
eligible for admission. Science and Technology majors should consult the Graduate Program
Coordinator for additional prerequisite courses.

The Department’s areas of research include nanoengineering, microelectronics, thin films,

Semiconductor devices and processes, photovoltaic materials and technologies, photonics,
quantum optics, bioengineering, cardiac modeling and simulation, neural engineering and
power electronics.
The graduate students in the thesis option conduct their research under the guidance of thesis
advisors. Research may be conducted on or off campus in industry or at federal research
facilities such as NASA Langley Research Center and Thomas Jefferson National
Accelerator Facility, with prior approval of the GPC. The program is designed to provide
students with fundamental knowledge, analytical skills, and research experience necessary to
have a successful career with leading industries. The program also prepares the students to
continue research towards a Ph.D. degree in their chosen field.
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

The M.S. program requires 30 graduate credit hours of course work including a thesis or a
project. The 30 credits include 15 credits of core courses for all students. Thesis students
need 9 elective course credits and 6 thesis credits. Non-thesis students need 12 elective
credits and 3 project credits. All degree requirements must be completed within four calendar
years. Fulltime students with a B.S. degree in Engineering should expect to complete the
M.S. degree with thesis in 2 years and non-thesis in 1-1/2 years. The core courses include
(Appendix A): Advanced Engineering Mathematics, Microcontrollers, Analog Integrated
Circuits, Communication Systems, VLSI Systems Design, and Research Methods. The
program offers the following tracks: Microelectronics and Photonics; and Biomedical and
Modeling and Simulation. (See Appendix A for details.)

2. Academic Policies

The M.S. EEN program offers two options for graduation: Thesis Option and Non-Thesis
Option.

a) Thesis Option

The thesis option requires 24 credits of course work and six thesis credits, as defined in
section 1 above and Appendix A. The thesis credits must be completed under the supervision
of a research advisor.

i) Thesis Advisor

Students enrolled in the thesis option should seek the advice of GPC in choosing their Thesis
Advisors, based on the mutual research interests of the students and the faculty members.
Students are encouraged to discuss their research interests with the faculty in order to identify
a suitable Thesis Advisor. A student must choose the Thesis Advisor before starting the
Thesis I course, which is generally taken in the first semester of the second year of the
program. The student completes the Thesis Advisor Selection Form (Appendix B) for
approval.

ii) Non-Departmental Thesis Advisor

If sponsored research opportunities are available with NSU faculty outside the Engineering
Department, the Graduate Committee will review it for approval.

iii) Change of Thesis Advisor

In the event that a student wishes to change the thesis advisor, the student needs to initiate the
process using the Thesis Advisor Change Form (Appendix B), for GPC’s approval.
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

iv) Thesis Committee Selection

Following the selection of a Thesis Advisor, the student completes a Thesis Committee
Selection Form (Appendix B). The selection of a thesis committee must be completed and
approved by the fourth week of the Thesis I course, to ensure the committee has enough time
to oversee the thesis research. The Thesis Committee membership shall include a minimum
of three members; two members shall be chosen from the Engineering Graduate Faculty (in
addition to the Thesis Advisor). Additional external members from the graduate faculty at
NSU, any higher education institution, national research facility, or industry may be included
at the discretion of the Thesis Advisor and with approval of the GPC. In the case of a Non-
Departmental Thesis Advisor, the committee shall include four members: the Thesis Advisor
and three committee members from the Engineering Graduate Faculty, one of whom will
serve as chair.

v) Thesis Committee Change

For a change of the Thesis Committee, the student is required to submit a Thesis Committee
Change Form (Appendix B) for approval.

vi) The Thesis Proposal

The Thesis Proposal is part of the final examination for the Thesis I course. The student is
expected to defend it satisfactorily in a closed-door defense with the approved Thesis
Committee in attendance. Final approval by the Thesis Committee is based on the review of
the thesis proposal document and the proposal defense presentation. The thesis proposal
document follows the format of the thesis document (Appendix C). The proposal document
will contain an introduction to the research including the problem statement; background and
rationale for the research (including a thorough literature review of the state of the problem);
a proposed research chapter which presents the proposed system design, software model,
experimental procedure, etc.; preliminary results, if applicable; and a thesis completion
timeline.

If the proposal defense is not completed by the end of the semester in which the Thesis I
course is registered, the student will receive an Incomplete (I) grade and will not be allowed
to register for the Thesis II course until the thesis proposal is defended and approved. If the
student fails in the proposal defense, the student will be asked to change to non-thesis
program.

vii) Proposal Defense Request

A Proposal Defense Form (Appendix B) is to be completed and submitted to the GPC ten
(10) days before the anticipated proposal defense date. A copy of the approved form will be
provided to the student and committee members, and placed in the student folder in the
departmental records.
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

viii) The Thesis

The thesis is a scholarly work that results from careful and methodical research for solutions
to engineering problems. Hence thesis writing is important to express the novelty of the ideas
and processes resulting from the student’s research. The thesis serves as the evidence of the
student's mastery to understand engineering problems and present appropriate solutions. A
thesis must include the following:
 Introduction to the proposed research including the problem statement
 Background: Previous work and rationale of the research including a thorough
literature review of the problem
 A systematic analysis of the problem, an evaluation of new solutions (theoretical
and/or experimental)
 Results: discussion of results and how they compare with previous solutions
 Conclusions – important findings and contributions of the research
 References – a list of relevant references that have been utilized for the research,
adhering to an acceptable format

Additional information regarding can be found in the Thesis Format Requirements, Section
xii on Page 10.

The thesis will be examined by the Thesis Committee. The thesis candidate will present a
public colloquium followed by a closed session defense of the thesis to the Thesis
Committee.

The student is expected to register in the Thesis II course and complete the thesis defense
before the end of the semester. In the event the thesis is not completed and defended by the
end of the semester, the student receives an Incomplete (I) grade for the course. The student
needs to ensure completion within a year from the date the ‘I’ grade is assigned in order to
avoid the ‘I’ grade being converted to an ‘F’. It is the responsibility of the student to keep
track of the ‘I’ grades on the transcript. If the student fails in the thesis defense, the student
will be asked to change to non-thesis program.

ix) Thesis Defense Request

The Thesis Defense Request Form (Appendix B) is to be completed and submitted to the
GPC ten (10) days before the anticipated thesis defense date. A copy of the approved form is
provided to the student and committee members, and placed in the student folder in the
departmental records.

x) Thesis Completion
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

Once a student has successfully defended the thesis, the Thesis Defense Completion Form
(Appendix B) is completed and submitted to the GPC. This implies the student has
completed the oral requirement for the Thesis II course. This does not indicate completion of
all program requirements such as the thesis document.

xi) Graduation Requirements

In order to be eligible for graduation, a thesis student must complete all required courses and
obtain average GPA 3.0 or higher and successfully defend a thesis, including the submission,
printing and binding of the approved thesis document. The student must submit a
Graduation Application form (found at the Registrar’s office or in the Engineering
Department) by the University assigned deadline. This form has to be approved by the GPC
and the department chair.

All departmental thesis requirements should be completed by November 1st for a December
graduation, April 1st for a May graduation, and July 1st for Summer graduation. If all
documentation is not completed or not submitted to the GPC by the assigned departmental
deadlines, the student’s graduation will be postponed to the next semester. If the student does
not graduate during the originally intended semester, the Graduation Application form must
be resubmitted with any associated fees for the next semester.

xii) Thesis Requirements

Thesis Content Order

Preliminary Pages:

 Title and Approval page (page (i), page number doesn't appear)*
 Copyright Page (optional)
 Abstract*
 Dedication and Acknowledgments
 Table of Contents*
 List of Tables (if two or more tables in text)
 List of Figures (if two or more figures in text)
 List of Code Listings (if two or more listings in text)

Text: (with Arabic numeral page numbers)

 Introduction (as first chapter or section)*

 Main body of text divided into various chapters or sections (Background,
Research Methods, Implementation, Results, etc.)*
 Conclusion or Summary (as the last chapter or section)*

References and Supplemental Sections

 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

 Reference section*
 Bibliography
 Appendix material

Sections marked with an asterisk (*) must be included in the thesis.

Details of the thesis format and content can be found in the thesis template in Appendix C.

Copyright

A thesis is legally classified as a publication. Thus, authors should take care to avoid
violating the United States copyright laws. Standard styles and reference credits should be
given for quoted or paraphrased text within the narrative; this includes figures, tables,
images, block diagrams, and even code segments if applicable. Authors should obtain
permissions from the copyright holders for figures and/or tables taken from copyrighted
sources. Evidence of written permission must be included in the thesis as appendices.

Paper Quality, Type, and Spacing

The entire thesis must be written in Times New Roman font size 12. The manuscript is one
and a half spaced. All thesis materials must be printed single-sided on white paper. This must
be used for all pages except for special photographic paper or fold-out pages if necessary.
However, all figures or tables on those pages must conform to the pre-defined margins.

Paper quality for the Departmental archival copy of the thesis is:

1. Size 8-1/2" x 11"

2. 100% cotton

3. White in color

4. 20 - 24 lbs in weight.

5. May or may not have a 100% cotton watermark.

Paper quality for the remaining four copies of the thesis is:

1. Size 8-1/2" x 11" bond

2. White in color

3. 20 - 24 lbs in weight.
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

If you are unsure of the quality of paper or where to purchase it, please ask the GPC. The
GPC reviews the final copy of the thesis for format compliance before submitting it to the
School of Graduate Studies and Research for final approval and printing. Five copies should
be printed and submitted for binding.

Binding and Distribution

The Engineering Department requires thesis authors pay for printing and binding five thesis
copies to be given to: the Department (with original signatures page), the Dean’s office, the
Library, the Research Advisor, and the student. The thesis must be bound at Longs-Roullet
Bindery Norfolk, Virginia (757-623-4244; www.longs-roullet.com). Since binding takes two
to three weeks to complete, the author must present the original receipt from Longs-Roullet
for proof of binding to the Graduate Coordinator before the Department can approve
graduation. Once this is received, the GPC will submit a change of grade for the Thesis II
class to complete the graduation requirements. The School of Graduate Studies and Research
also will have information on thesis binding and distribution.

Thesis/Product Document Length

The length of the thesis is not important in itself. If the contents are acceptable, the text of the
document may be from 10 to 1000 pages.

Electronic Copy of Thesis and Supplemental Materials

Required along with the bound thesis is a USB containing all electronic materials that deal
directly with the documentation (word processor files, graphics, source code, models,
program binaries, etc.) Thesis students should provide the completed USB to the GPC along
with the receipt for binding.

b) Non-Thesis Option

Non-thesis students need 15 core credits, 12 elective credits and 3 project credits. All degree
requirements must be completed within four calendar years. Fulltime students with a B.S.
degree in Engineering should expect to complete the M.S. degree with non-thesis in 1-1/2
years. The curriculum can be found in Appendix A.

i) Advising

A non-thesis student requires a project advisor who will be assigned by the GPC. The project
topic will be selected based on the mutual interests of the faculty and the graduate student.
The project report and presentation is similar to an independent study course.
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

ii) Graduation Requirements

In order to be eligible for graduation, a non-thesis student must complete all required courses
and obtain average 3.0 GPA or higher and successfully defend a project. A student must
submit a Graduation Application form (found at the Registrar’s office or in the
Engineering Department) by the University assigned deadline. This form has to be approved
by the GPC and the department Chair. If the student does not graduate during the originally
intended semester, the Graduation Application form must be resubmitted with any associated
fees for the next semester.

3. Honor Code and Standards of Conduct

All graduate students are expected to agree to and practice the University and Engineering
Department code of conduct (https://www.nsu.edu/dean-of-students/student-conduct.)
Students are also expected to practice good professional and academic ethics while studying
at Norfolk State University.

4. Probation and Dismissal Policies

Students receiving an average GPA less than 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. A
student placed on probation will immediately lose his/her departmental assistantships
(stipend and/or tuition). If the student improves his/her GPA to a 3.0 or above, he/she may
be eligible for future funding pending availability of funds.

5. Time Limit for Degree and Transfer Credit

The Engineering Department adheres to the NSU graduate handbook in all academic
policies. These can be found at https://www.nsu.edu/Academics/Academic-Resources/NSU-
Catalog/files/graduate/Graduate-Catalog-2018-2020.aspx .

6. Assistantships and Other Awards

There are different types of assistantship awards from many sources: department personnel
budget, special grants, and research grants and contracts. Some awards may be for an
academic year (9 months); some may be for a calendar year. If a student receives a calendar
year award, work will be expected to continue throughout the summer. If the student receives
a calendar year award and does not wish to work in the summer, the graduate student should
inform the GPC by April 15. Awards will not be made beyond expected time for graduation.
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

There are three types of graduate assistantships:

 Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)

o Lab Teaching Assistant
o Grader
 Graduate Lab Assistant (GLA)
 Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

Students funded by departmental funds will be assigned as either a GTA or a GLA by the
Graduate Coordinator in consultation with the department chair. Only students funded by
research grants through their research advisor will be assigned as a GRA. These students will
receive their GRA duties from their research advisor. The awards may also be a combination
of GRA/GTA/GLA. GTAs and GLAs are expected to fulfill their contractual obligations,
attend and perform well in classes, and conduct thesis research with their research advisors.

An Assistantship Award is a contract between the student and the Engineering Graduate
Program. Full-time students should expect to work at least 20 hours a week during the
academic term. If the award is for a calendar year, the student is also expected to work 40
hours a week during the summer on research and/or departmental and college duties.
Students receiving a Graduate Tuition Assistantship only or a Stipend Assistantship only
during the academic year are required to work 10 hours a week as either a GTA or a GLA as
assigned by the Graduate Coordinator in consultation with the department chair. To continue
to receive an Assistantship Award, the student should maintain full-time status, remain in
good academic standing (3.0 GPA), and fulfill assigned duties in a satisfactory manner. All
assistantships are subject to availability of funds. Funding may be cut in the middle of a
semester if a student does not fulfill his/her duties satisfactorily.

A full time student who is fully funded (stipend and tuition) is not permitted to work
outside of NSU. Students who are partially funded (stipend only or tuition only) should seek
permission of the Graduate Program Coordinator if they require to work beyond their
assistantship duties. Students who work outside without permission may lose their
assistantships immediately.

Advisors who fund graduate students from their research grants may terminate an assistant at
any time with the consent of the Engineering Graduate Program Coordinator.

Students may apply for new or different awards at any time.

A Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) is a student enrolled full time in the MS program in
Engineering and receives a tuition waiver and/or a stipend for the academic/calendar year to
perform research duties for an average of twenty hours per week during the academic year
and 40 hours a week during the summer. The Research Assistant may apply for re-
appointment at the end of the academic year and must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Duties

The GRA shall:

 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

a) Assist the faculty in research activities.

b) Attend workshops sponsored by various University offices as required by their Research
Advisor.
c) Attend graduate seminars and departmental colloquia.
d) Submit a year-end final research report to their faculty advisor.
e) Hold weekly meetings with the research advisor.
f) Assist the research advisor in mentoring undergraduate student projects.
g) Be assigned space, equipment, and support needed to perform duties.
h) Assist the advisor in data collection, data analysis, maintaining records, writing papers,
presenting papers, preparing papers for publication, and other tasks required of the
advisor.
i) Be conditionally evaluated by the research advisor at each semester with a final
evaluation at the end of the first summer session. The Curriculum Work Sheet will be
used for evaluation. (See Appendix B)

A Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) is a student enrolled full time in the MS program in
Engineering and receives a tuition waiver and/or a stipend for the academic/calendar year to
perform specified duties for an average of twenty hours per week during the academic year
and 40 hours a week during the summer. The Teaching Assistant may apply for re-
appointment at the end of the academic year and must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Duties

The GTA shall:

a) Teach or work with an instructor on an undergraduate engineering course and assist with
tutoring in the laboratories. Depending on the work load determined by the GPC and the
Department Chair, this may include several different types of responsibilities including
Grader assignments.
b) Hold 8 office and tutoring hours each week for full time GTA assignment and 4 hours a
week for a part time GTA assignment.
c) Attend workshops sponsored by various University offices as required by the
Engineering Graduate Program Coordinator.
d) Attend graduate seminars and departmental colloquia.
e) Be closely supervised by the course coordinator working in conjunction with the GPC
and department Chair.
f) Work to gain skills to become a competent teacher.
g) Not be assigned as an assistant for a course while enrolled in that course.
h) Be assigned space, equipment, and support needed to perform duties.
i) Be professionally attired when teaching and working in the department.
j) Be conditionally evaluated by the course coordinator at the end of each semester with a
final evaluation by the Graduate Program Coordinator and the department chair at the end
of the first summer session. The Curriculum Work Sheet will be used for evaluation.
(See Appendix B)
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

Other Requirements: A GTA will be assigned duties by the GPC. This is generally an
academic year employment. In the event no undergraduate courses are offered during the
summer, the GTA will be assigned to GLA duties.

A Grader is a student enrolled full time in the MS program in Engineering and receives a
tuition waiver and/or a stipend for the academic/calendar year to perform specified duties for
an average of twenty (20) hours per week during the academic year and forty (40) hours a
week during the summer. The Grader is considered a GTA, may apply for re-appointment at
the end of the academic year, and must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0. A Grader
assignment may be full time (20 hours a week) or part time (10 hours a week).

Duties

The grader shall:

a) Assist the course instructor/s with grading homeworks, tests, and/or exams. Depending
on the work load determined by the GPC and the Department Chair, this may include
several different types of responsibilities.
b) Hold 8 office and tutoring hours each week for full time GTA (Grader) assignment and 4
hours a week for a part time GTA (Grader) assignment.
c) Attend workshops sponsored by various University offices as required by the GPC.
d) Attend graduate seminars and departmental colloquia.
e) Be closely supervised by the course instructors working in conjunction with the GPC and
department Chair.
f) Work to gain skills to become a competent teacher.
g) Not be assigned as a grader for a course while enrolled in that course.
h) Be assigned space, equipment, and support needed to perform duties.
i) Be professionally attired when teaching and working in the department.
k) Be conditionally evaluated by the course instructors at each semester with a final
evaluation by the GPC and the department Chair at the end of the first summer session.
The Curriculum Work Sheet will be used for evaluation. (See Appendix B)

A Graduate Laboratory Assistant (GLA) is a student enrolled full time in the MS program
in Engineering and receives a tuition waiver and a stipend for the academic/calendar year to
perform specified duties for an average of twenty (20) hours per week during the academic
year and forty (40) hours a week during the summer. The laboratory assistant may apply for
re-appointment at the end of the academic year and must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Duties

The GLA shall:

a) Perform a variety of duties including work with the fulltime laboratory staff in support of
the undergraduate and graduate engineering programs, manage and set up specialized
laboratories and computer configurations.
b) Attend workshops sponsored by various University offices as required by the GPC.
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

c) Attend graduate seminars and departmental colloquia.

d) Be supervised by a departmental Technical Staff member.
e) Submit a report of all work completed to the departmental Technical Staff member once
each month.
f) Be assigned space, equipment, and support needed to perform duties.
g) Be conditionally evaluated by the departmental Technical Staff member at the end of
each semester with a final evaluation by the GPC and the department chair at the end of
the first summer session. The Curriculum Work Sheet will be used for evaluation. (See
Appendix B)

There may be combined duties of TAs, RAs, and LAs depending on the needs of the
department and the sources of funding.

7. Office Responsibilities

Most graduate assistants will be allowed to use special workstations in the graduate offices.
They must log out of these computers after their use. After-hours access is permitted, but the
graduate student must keep all doors locked after entering and leaving the buildings and labs.
Any intentional or unintentional destruction of office equipment will be the student's liability.
Replication of documents on the photocopier is permitted within the legal bounds of U.S.
copyright laws. Telephone use is permitted, but no long distance/international calls may be
charged to the University.

8. Other Policies and Procedures

Other policies dealing with standards of content, graduation requirements, minimum and
maximum loads, make up of incomplete grades, and so forth are outlined in the Graduate
School’s web site and the University's academic catalogue.

9. Other Issues and Requirements

Attendance at Colloquia and Seminars

Attendance is required of all full time students at colloquia and seminars sponsored by the
department.

Exceptions to Requirements

All exceptions to the requirements in this document must be approved by the Engineering
Graduate Committee and placed in its minutes.
College of Science, Engineering, and Technology
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

This handbook is assumed to be consistent with University, Graduate School, and the
College of Science, Engineering, and Technology requirements. The procedures included
here, if incorrect or inconsistent, revert to University guidelines. This document is subject to
continuous review and update by the Engineering Graduate Committee.
College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

APPENDIX A

CURRICULUM DESCRIPTION
 College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

c) Dr. Sacharia Albin, Program Coordinator

757-823-2843, salbin@nsu.edu

The Master of Science in Electronics Engineering program at Norfolk State University

offers a rigorous and high quality graduate education that prepares the students for
successful professional careers in engineering. Award-winning engineering faculty guide
and mentor students to become innovative researchers and leaders for a technology-driven
global society.

M.S. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The M.S. program requires 30 graduate credit hours of course work including a thesis or a
project. The 30 credits include 15 credits of core courses for all students. Thesis students
need 9 elective course credits and 6 thesis credits. Non-thesis students need 12 elective
credits and 3 project credits. All degree requirements must be completed within four
calendar years. Fulltime students with a B.S. degree in Engineering should expect to
complete the M.S. degree with thesis in 2 years and non-thesis in 1-1/2 years. A cumulative
GPA of 3.0/4.0 is required for graduation.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical and/or Computer Engineering or optical

engineering from an accredited institution. Science and Technology majors should consult
the Graduate Program Coordinator for additional prerequisite courses.
Undergraduate GPA 3.0/4.0 or better.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online ( https://secure.vzcollegeapp.com/nsu/ )

Include:
 Official transcripts. For international applicants, we require an official, evaluated
transcripts from an approved agency such as the World Education Services (WES) or
Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) .
 Two letters of recommendation
 Resume
 TOEFL/IELTS score of 80/6.5 or better (for international students)
 Personal Statement
 Non-refundable application fee ($50)
 GRE scores of 155 or better in each section of verbal and quantitative, and 3.5 or
better for the analytical section. GRE scores may be waived for applicants who
 majored in electrical, electronics, or optical engineering and earned at least a 3.2
GPA in engineering courses.
The School of Graduate Studies and Research will review your application and the
Departmental Graduate Committee will make the final selection for admission and
assistantship and scholarship awards.

ASSISTANTSHIPS

Financial assistance for graduate studies can include federal and state financial aid. The
Engineering Department awards a number of teaching assistantships, research assistantships,
and laboratory assistantships each semester.
Renewals of these awards are subject to semester and annual reviews and available funding.
In general, the awards are available only for four semesters.

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOME

The program’s Student Learning Outcomes are as follows:

Outcome 1: Program graduate will be able to analyze and solve advanced engineering
problems.
Outcome 2: Program graduate will be able to apply knowledge to design and/or produce
effective and comprehensive solutions to complex engineering problems and applications.
Outcome 3: For thesis students only: Program graduate will be able to conduct original and
independent research.
Outcome 4: Program graduate will be able to explore new and advanced technologies in
engineering.
Outcome 5: Program graduate will be able to demonstrate good oral and written
communication skills and be able to present their ideas and designs in a professional
setting to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Outcome 6: Program graduate will be able to demonstrate knowledge of and display
commitment to professionalism.

CURRICULUM

CORE COURSES COURSE TITLE

EEN 683 VLSI System Design
EEN 610 Advanced Engineering Mathematics
EEN581 Analog Integrated Circuits
EEN 551 Communication Systems
EEN 531 Microcontrollers
TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED 15
 BIOMEDICAL / MODELING & SIMULATION TRACK
ELECTIVE COURSES COURSE TITLE
Biomedical Engineering Micro Devices and
EEN 541
Systems
EEN 570 Intro to game Design
EEN 571 3D Game Programming
EEN 582 Bioelectrics
EEN 590 Research Methods
EEN 601 Systems Modeling
EEN 602 Principles of Modeling and Simulation
EEN 641 Biomedical Signal Processing
EEN 690 Advanced Topics I
EEN 691 Advanced Topics II
EEN 697 Project
EEN 698 Thesis Research I
EEN 699 Thesis Research II
CSC 560 Structured Programming
TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED 15

COURSE SEMESTER I SEMESTER II

EEN XXX Core #1 Core #4
EEN XXX Core #2 Core #5
EEN XXX Core #3 Elective #2
EEN XXX Elective #1 Elective #3
TOTAL CREDITS 12
12

MICROELECTRONICS AND PHOTONICS TRACK

ELECTIVE COURSES COURSE TITLE
EEN 562 Semiconductor Processing and Technology
EEN 590 Research Methods
EEN 621 Electromagnetic Field Theory
EEN 663 Solid State Devices
EEN 690 Advanced Topics I
EEN 691 Advanced Topics II
EEN 697 Project
EEN 698 Thesis Research I
EEN 699 Thesis Research II
OEN 520 Optical Design and Instrumentation
OEN 530 Optical Materials
OEN 540 Lasers and Photonics
OEN 560 Optical Communications
OEN 580 Quantum Mechanics
OEN 630 Opto-electronic Devices
OEN 660 Advanced Optical Communications
MSE 533 Chemistry of Modern Materials and Polymers
MSE 535 Electronic and Photonic Materials Engineering
PHY 653 Solid State Physics
TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED 15

GRADUATION REQUIREMENT

THESIS
NON-THESIS
CORE 15
15
ELECTIVE 9
12
THESIS /
6
PROJECT 3
TOTAL HOURS 30
30
 COURSE DESCRIPTION

EEN 531 Fall

MICROCONTROLLERS Three Credits
A hands-on approach to microprocessor and peripheral system programming, I/O
interfacing, and interrupt management. A sequence of mini-projects requiring the
programming (in assembly language) of a microcontroller are conducted. A midterm and
final project provide a venue for complex project design and implementation. Projects
require a Motorola microcontroller evaluation board and accessories supplied by the
department/student.

EEN 541 Spring Three Credits

Biomedical Engineering Devices and Systems

This course introduces graduate students to the concepts and theory of biomedical
engineering devices, especially for sensing and modulation purposes. The course provides
classroom lectures on the operation mechanism and applications of micro-sensors and
modulators for glucose, neurochemicals, biopotentials, cellular ions using electronic or
optical transduction. Students will also conduct team projects to design, fabricate and
analyze biomedical engineering device and systems.

EEN 551 Spring

COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS ENGINEERING Three Credits
Presentation of the fundamentals of modern digital communication systems and evaluation
of their performance. Topics include a brief review of random processes theory, principles of
optimum receiver design for discrete and continuous messages, matched filters and
correlation receivers, signal design, and error performance for various signal geometries.
The course also treats aspects of system design such as propagation, link power calculations,
noise models, RF components, and antennas.
EEN 562
SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY Three Credits
This course presents the fundamentals of semiconductor processing technology, including
semiconductor substrates, microfabrication techniques, and process integration.
Lithography, oxidation, diffusion, ion implantation, methods of film deposition and etching,
metal interconnections, measurement techniques and packaging will be discussed. Future
trends and challenges in semiconductor manufacturing will also be discussed. Modeling of
the fabrication of semi-conductor devices will be performed using a process simulation
program. A design project is required in this course.
EEN 581
ANALOG INTEGRATED CIRCUITS Three Credits
Topics include design and analysis of analog integrated circuits; feedback amplifier analysis
and design, including stability, compensation; layout and floor planning issues associated
with mixed-signal IC design; selected applications of analog circuits such as A/D and D/A
converters, amplifiers, current sources; extensive use of CAD tools for design entry,
simulation; and creation of an analog integrated circuit design project.
EEN 582 Three Credits
BIOELECTRICS

This course covers application of basic electrical engineering principles to understand how
electrical signals are generated in a biological cell their role in proper functioning of various
bioelectric systems in our body. This course covers the important concepts of bioelectrics,
bioelectric system modeling and diagnosis. Although emphasis will be given to
cardiovascular system, students will be able to apply the principles of bioelectricity to any
bioelectrical system.

EEN 590
RESEARCH METHODS One Credit
Introduces students to the various styles of technical writing. Style manuals used for
master’s theses at Norfolk State and the standard technical style manuals that are used for
technical journals will be introduced. Students will also learn how to do detailed database
searches on technical topics. Exhaustive bibliographic studies of technical issues will be
developed.

EEN 601 Three Credits

SYSTEMS MODELING

Principles of systems biology modeling will be covered in this course. Various numerical
techniques for solving a system of coupled differential equations commonly encountered in
biomedical systems modeling will be covered. Practical aspects related to numerical
implementation on a computer such as solver methods, memory requirements and accuracy
will also be covered.
EEN 602 THREE CREDITS
INTRODUCTION TO MODELING AND SIMULATION

The course introduces students to the major areas of simulation and the languages and systems used
in these areas. Areas of simulation to be covered include gaming, military, health, network, business
processes and transportation. The types of simulation software to be discussed include process
oriented, discrete event oriented, general purpose, and simulation environments.

EEN 621
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THEORY Three Credits
Topics include techniques for solving and analyzing engineering electromagnetic systems;
relation of fundamental concepts of electromagnetic field theory and circuit theory,
including duality, equivalence principles, reciprocity, and Green's functions; applications of
electromagnetic principles to antennas, waveguide discontinuities, and equivalent
impedance calculations.

EEN 641
BIOMEDICAL SIGNAL PROCESSING Three Credits
This course introduces graduate students to the concepts and theory of biomedical signals,
instrumentation, signal processing, transformation, detection of events and signal analysis
methods. The course includes a team project component for hands-on-experience of
electrophysiology, biomedical instruments, signal acquisition, processing and analysis.

EEN 663
SOLID STATE DEVICES Three Credits
Introduces semiconductor device operation based on energy bands and carrier statistics.
Describes the operation of p-n junctions and metal semiconductor junctions. Extends this
knowledge to descriptions of bipolar and field effect transistors, and other microelectronic
devices.

EEN 683
VLSI SYSTEMS DESIGN Three Credits
Introduction, design tools, the CMOS transistor, fabrication, layout and design rules
implementing logic in CMOS, design of adders, dynamic CMOS logic high speed adders
and ALUs, CMOS transistor theory, circuit characterization, delay estimation, CMOS
performance optimization, clocking strategies, other building blocks and memory, control
design, electrical effects, introduction to design verification, introduction to testing, design
of high performance circuits, low power design, high performance processor design,
introduction to timing verification, introduction to formal verification, verification of large
designs, design for testability, design of asynchronous circuits, future trends.

EEN 690 Fall and Spring

ADVANCED TOPICS I Three Credits
This course is designed to facilitate the faculty to offer courses on specialized topics that are
relevant to student’s research work or in a specific research area that is of interest to a
select individual or group which are not in course catalog..

EEN 691 Fall and Spring

ADVANCED TOPICS II Three Credits
This course is second course in a series designed to facilitate the faculty to offer courses on
specialized topics that are relevant to student’s research work or in a specific research area
that is of interest to a select individual or group which are not in course catalog.
EEN 697 Fall and Spring
MASTERS PROJECT
EEN 698 Fall and Spring
MASTER’S THESIS I Three Credits
Prerequisite: Completion of at least 15 hours of approved graduate courses
First semester of the Master’s thesis sequence. Under the supervision of the thesis advisor,
students prepare a thesis proposal and work toward the goal of completing all background
material needed for their research. Minimally, a successfully defended thesis proposal will
be used to satisfy completion of the course. The thesis committee should approve thesis
topic.
EEN 699 Fall and Spring
MASTER’S THESIS II Three Credits
Prerequisite: EEN 698
This is the sequel to Master’s Thesis I. This is marked by the completion of research work
of the student culminating into a thesis that is defended in front of a committee and
approved by the same.

OEN 520
OPTICAL DESIGN AND INSTRUMENTATION Three Credits
Introduces geometrical and physical optics systems and their ramifications will be discussed.
Course exposes the student to a variety of optical equipment, including mirrors, prisms,
beam splitters, couplers, polarization equipment, lasers and laser coupling techniques.
Laboratory experiments will introduce basic photonic, geometric and physical optics
instrumentation as well as measurement techniques.
OEN 530
OPTICAL MATERIALS Three Credits
This course relates optical behavior to the fundamental chemical, physical and micro-
structural properties of conductors, insulators and semiconductor materials. Specialty topics
such as Kerr effect, Stark effect, Zeeman shift, radiative and non-radiative transitions, up-
conversion processes and other energy transfer mechanisms will be discussed, with an
emphasis on semiconductor materials. Students will gain an insight into the kinds of
materials engineering and processing conditions that are necessary to produce a material
with a desired optical property.
OEN 540
LASERS AND PHOTONICS Three Credits
Reviews the electromagnetic principles of optics; Maxwell’s equations; reflection and
transmission of electromagnetic fields at dielectric interfaces; Gaussian beams; interference
and diffraction; laser theory with illustrations chosen from atomic, gas, and semiconductor
laser systems; detectors, including photomultipliers and semiconductor-based detectors; and
noise theory and noise sources in optical detection.
OEN 560
OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS Three Credits
Advantages of optical communication and the fundamental components of a communication
system will be covered. Topics will include waveguide theory, signal impairments such as
fiber attenuation and dispersion, laser modulation, photo detection and noise and coherent
communications.
OEN 580
QUANTUM MECHANICS Three Credits
This course develops the foundations of quantum optics, interactions of two-level atoms
with light; basic elements of laser theory; fundamental consequences of the quantization of
the light field and introduction to modern topics in quantum optics.

OEN 630
OPTO-ELECTRONIC DEVICES Three Credits
Materials for optoelectronics, optical processes in semiconductors, absorption and radiation,
transition rates and carrier lifetimes are discussed. Principles of LEDs, lasers,
photodetectors, modulators and solar cells and optoelectronic integrated circuits are
discussed in detail.

OEN 660 ADVANCED OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS Three Credits

Continues the discussion in optical communications with a brief review of sources, detectors
and signal degradation mechanisms in optical fibers. The remainder of the course deals with
optical system network elements such as amplifiers, wavelength division multiplexers,
switches and other passive optical components. Basic system design, testing and
measurements will also be covered with the aid of system modeling software.
APPENDIX B
 Department of Engineering
Norfolk State University

Proposal Defense Form

I, _______________________________________________, request to defend my thesis

Student Name

proposal on ___________________________.
Date

Thesis title: _____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________ ______________________
Student Signature Date

The above named student successfully completed the thesis proposal defense requirement of
the Department of Engineering. The defense date was: ________________________.
Proposal Defense Date
The thesis committee consisted of the following approved members. Their signatures appear
below documenting their approval.

Print Name Signature Date

1) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

(Thesis Advisor)
2) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

3) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

4) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Graduate Program Coordinator Signature Date

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Department Chair Signature Date
 Department of Engineering
Norfolk State University

Thesis Advisor Selection Form

I, ___________________________, enrolled in ________________________________

Student Name Graduate Program Title

program, have selected ____________________________________________ to be my

Graduate Faculty Name

advisor. After consultation, he/she has agreed to be the mentor for my thesis research.

______________________________ _____________________
Thesis Advisor Signature Date

______________________________ _____________________
Student Signature Date

APPROVED:

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Graduate Program Coordinator Signature Date

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Department Chair Signature Date
 Department of Engineering
Norfolk State University

Thesis Advisor Change Form

I,_________________________, enrolled in ___________________________ program,

Student Name Graduate Program

request the change of my thesis advisor selection from ___________________________

Current Advisor Name
to ________________________________.
New Graduate Faculty Name

Reason for Request:

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

I have consulted with both faculty members regarding this request.

Agreed
______________________________ _____________________ YES NO
Current Thesis Advisor Signature Date

______________________________ _____________________ YES NO

New Thesis Advisor Signature Date

______________________________ _____________________ YES NO

Student Signature Date

APPROVED:

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Graduate Program Coordinator Signature Date

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Department Chair Signature Date
 Department of Engineering
Norfolk State University

Thesis Committee Selection Form

This is a request for the formation of the following graduate thesis committee for

__________________________________________, ____________________________,
Student Name Student ID

enrolled in ______________________________________________________ program.

Graduate Program Title

Thesis committee members:

Print Name Signature Date

1) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

2) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

3) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

4) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

(Committee Chair/Thesis Advisor)

I concur with this committee selection

_______________________________ ______________________
(Student Signature) (Date)

APPROVED:

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Graduate Program Coordinator Signature Date

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Department Chair Signature Date
 Department of Engineering
Norfolk State University

Thesis Committee Change Form

This is a request for the change of the graduate thesis committee for

__________________________________________, ____________________________
Student Name Student ID

enrolled in ______________________________________________________ program.

Graduate Program title

Current Committee New Committee Signature

Print Name Print Name New Member

1) _________________________ _________________________ _____________

2) _________________________ _________________________ _____________

3) _________________________ _________________________ _____________

4) _________________________ _________________________ _____________

(Committee Chair) (Committee Chair)

____________________________________________
Signature of Current Thesis Advisor/Committee Chair

____________________________________________
Signature of New Thesis Advisor/Committee Chair

I concur with this committee selection

___________________________________ ______________________
(Student Signature) (Date)

APPROVED:

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Graduate Program Coordinator Signature Date

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Department Chair Signature Date
 Department of Engineering
Norfolk State University

Thesis Defense Request Form

This is a request for permission for __________________________________________,

Student Name
_____________________, enrolled in ________________________________________
Student ID Graduate Program title
program to defend his/her Masters Thesis on __________________________________.
Date

Theses title: ___________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.

Thesis committee members:

Print Name Signature Date

1) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

2) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

3) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

4) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

(Committee Chair/Thesis Advisor)

APPROVED:

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Graduate Program Coordinator Signature Date

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Department Chair Signature Date
 Department of Engineering
Norfolk State University

Thesis Defense Completion Form

FROM: _______________________________________________ (Research Advisor)

RE: ____________________________________, _____________________________

Student Name Student ID

DATE: ___________________________

The above named student successfully completed the thesis defense requirement of the
Department of Engineering. The defense date was: _____________________________.
Defense Date

Thesis title: _____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

The thesis committee consisted of the following approved members. Their signatures appear
below documenting their approval.

Print Name Signature Date

1) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

(Thesis Advisor)
2) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

3) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

4) ____________________________ _____________________ _____________

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Graduate Program Coordinator Signature Date

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Department Chair Signature Date
 Department of Engineering
Norfolk State University

Program Change Form

I,_________________________, enrolled in ___________________________ program,

Student Name Graduate Program

request the change of my program from ____________________to _________________.

thesis/non-thesis thesis/non-thesis

Reason for Request:

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

I have consulted with my advisor regarding this request.

Agreed

______________________________ _____________________ YES NO

Advisor Signature Date

______________________________ _____________________ YES NO

Student Signature Date

APPROVED:

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Graduate Program Coordinator Signature Date

_______________________________ ______________________ ______________

Department Chair Signature Date
 Norfolk State University
Department of Engineering
College of Science, Engineering, and Technology (CSET)
Masters Curriculum Worksheet
(Please share this file only through: https://filelocker.nsu.edu/ )
d) Student’s Information
Full Name Mr. Somebody Nice NSU ID: 123456
Program MS. EEN. CC. T Semester Fall 2018
GPA 3.964 GRE 500/790/3 Start Date August, 201X Graduation August, 201Y
(V/Q/AW) Date
CORE COURSES (15 Credits) Benchmarks
EEN 610 Advanced Engineering Mathematics Admission Status Regular
EEN 551 Communication Systems (Regular/Provisional)
EEN 581 Analog Integrated Circuits Change of Status (from
EEN 531 Microcontrollers Provisional to Regular)
EEN 683 VLSI System Design
Initial Plan of Study Approval 10/11/15
BIOMEDICAL/MODELING & SIMULATION TRACK Date
EEN 541 Biomedical Engineering Micro Devices & Systems Thesis Committee Dr. Makarand Deo
EEN 582 Bioelectrics Dr. Demetris Geddis
EEN 570 Intro to game Design Dr. Hargsoon Yoon
EEN 571 3D Game Programming
EEN 601 Systems Modeling
Thesis Committee
EEN 641 Biomedical Signal Processing
Approval Date 09/17/2015
EEN 602 Principles of Modeling and Simulation
FORM Signed
CSC 560 Structured Programming
Thesis Proposal Defense/ Date
11/04/2015
MICROELECTRONICS AND PHOTONICS TRACK
EEN 562 Semiconductor Processing and Technology Thesis Proposal Decision/ Approved
EEN 581 Analog Integrated Circuits Date 11/05/2015
EEN 650 Microelectromechanical Systems FORM Signed
OEN 630 Opto-electronic Devices Thesis Defense Date 5/10/2016
EEN 621 Electromagnetic Field Theory Thesis Defense Decision (P/F)
EEN 663 Solid State Devices FORM
OEN 520 Optical Design and Instrumentation (3 Credits) Faculty Advisor’s Evaluation for the previous Semester
OEN 530 Optical Materials (3 Credits) Strength, Weakness, Accomplishments, Improvements needed
OEN 540 Lasers and Photonics (3 Credits)
OEN 560 Optical Communications (3 Credits) Academic: Scored A grades in all courses taken in this semester.
OEN 580 Quantum Mechanics (3 Credits) Research: Completed experiments; analyzed data; manuscript under
OEN 660 Advanced Optical Communications (3 Credits) preparation.
Common Courses: TA: Assignments were completed on time.
EEN 590 Research Methods (1 credit) – thesis students Volunteered as a tutor for Math to EE UG students.
EEN 690/691 Advanced Topics I/II
EEN 697 Project – Non-Thesis Students
EEN 698/699 Thesis Research I /II
Thesis Topic
Core Courses for All Students: 15 Credits
Thesis students: 9 elective credits & 6 thesis credits.
Diamond Photonics
Non-thesis students: 12 elective credits & 3 project credits.

Courses Taken/ Grade/Semester/Year Current Courses Photograph

EEN 510 / A / Fall /2014
EEN 581 / A / Fall /2014
EEN 663 / A / Spring /2015
EEN- 603 / A / Spring /2015
EEN-582 / A /Fall/2015
EEN 551 / A / Fall /2014
EEN 531 / A- / Fall /2014
OEN 630 / A / Spring /2015
EEN 590 / A / Spring /2015
EEN 698 / P /Fall/2015

Total Course Credits Completed/GPA 25/3.964 Total Research Credits Completed 3

Advisor’s Name and Approval Dr. Good Professor - Approved
GPC’s Approval
APPENDIX C
 Formatting Guidelines for Thesis Document

DOCUMENT PAGE SETTINGS

 Page margins: 1.5” for Left and 1.0” for Right, Top, and Bottom Page margin settings.
 All Paragraph texts: fully justified in the whole thesis document.
 All typing area: within the 9" x 6" area except for the page number.
 All page numbers: placed at the bottom right corner.
 Every page in the thesis except the Title and Approval Page (TAP) must be numbered.
 The preliminary page numbers: lower-case Roman numerals.
 The TAP is numbered (i) but should not be shown.
 The second numbered page is the Abstract, which is numbered (ii).
 The numbering system changes with the Thesis main sections starting with the
Introduction Chapter. Here the numbering starts at 1.
 In order to achieve this separation of numbering systems, you will need to insert a
continuous break from the Page Layout -> Breaks menu right before the change in
numbering is to occur.

TITLE PAGE
For the title page the following guidelines need to be followed.
 The font type: Times New Roman for entire page.
 The font style: “Strong”
 Font size: 20 for the title
 The font style for the rest of the page: “normal”
 The Font size for the rest of the page: 14

ABSTRACT
For the Abstract page the following guidelines need to be followed. Limit to 1 page.
 Leave 1 line after the Abstract heading
 The Abstract heading font size: 14 in Intropages style, and in bold
 The font type for this entire page: Times New Roman
 The Thesis Title size on this page: 12 and in all Caps.
 Leave one line of space after thesis title
  Next put your name, institution and year where you received your most recent degree,
then your thesis director name. All are centered. All are font size 11.
 Leave one line of space after thesis advisor name.
 Now start writing your abstract.
 Leave one line of space between paragraphs.
 Font size: 11 or 12
 Paragraph spacing size between paragraphs: 1.5 lines with 0 pt before and after spacing.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Here you will have all your acknowledgements. Keep it professional but you can make it
personal. Make sure you follow formal writing procedures for this page. No slang language is
allowed. Limit to one page.
 Use the Intropages style for this heading
 Leave one line after heading then start text.
Next comes the table of contents followed by list of figures, list of tables, list of code listings,
List of equations, and Acronyms.
 Each one of these need to be on it’s on own page.
 Heading size: 14, Bold, ALL CAPS, and use the “Intropage” style.

DOCUMENT BODY SETTINGS

 The Chapter heading is numbered and ALL CAPS BOLD.

 Font is Times New Roman (TNR) 14 point. Leave two lines and the chapter body text
starts here.
 Narrative body text is TNR Font, 11 or 12 pt with 1.5 line paragraph spacing (0 point
before and after spacing).
 Leave one line of space between paragraphs.
 All text has to be fully justified.
 Single spacing may be used only for long, blocked, and inserted quotations; footnotes;
endnotes; and itemized or tabular material.
 Any quotations of six or fewer typed lines should use the same spacing as the narrative
body text.
 The following figure (Error! Reference source not found.) shows the paragraph
settings for the major chapter headings.
 This should be automatically set in the template example. It is shown here in case the
template is not fully functional.
 You should cross reference any figures, code listings, tables etc. This saves you time and
effort if you move your text around Microsoft updates the figure numbers for you.
 You can use the insert cross reference option from the References menu to do this as
shown in Error! Reference source not found..
 If you insert new images into your document, all you have to do is go and Update Field
for the figure references in the text and it will automatically make the appropriate
changes in the document text.

Figure 1. Paragraph Setting for Major Headings

 Figure 2 Cross Reference Option for any Image or Table Insertion

10.Second Headings
 The Second level heading format has first letter of each word in CAPS. Bold.
 12 point TNR font. Leave two lines of space before this heading. Error! Reference
source not found. below shows what the setup of the Paragraph style should be for this
heading.
 Figure 3. Heading Paragraph Setting

 Try to leave one line of space after any figure before your start a new paragraph.
 Sometimes you will have to improvise and work with the font size on the empty line to
make figures fit on a page.
 Figures and graphs are centered on the page with figure captions inserted using the
Reference menu.
 Figure Captions are 10 point Bold. Try to leave one line before figures and one line after
the figure caption. Error! Reference source not found. shows the setup for the body
text paragraph settings.
 Leave a line before starting a major heading. Any images, equations, figures, tables etc.
used need to be referenced at the end of their captions.
 Figure 4. Paragraph Setting for Body Text

e) Headings Under The Second Heading

 Heading is TNR, 12 point, Bold with first letter of first word in Caps and rest of the
heading in small caps. Leave one line before the heading.
 The paragraph setting will provide the spacing for after the heading.
 There should be no lines of space after the heading.
 Always leave a line of space between paragraphs.

TABLE, EQUATIONS, AND CODE LISTINGS

 Code listings are placed similar to figures and their captions follow figure captions
format.
 Always have the figure captions capital first letter of each word.
 Tables (Error! Reference source not found.) are inserted in any format/style you like.
 Keep text all in Black as well as any headings for tables.
 Captions for tables are placed on top left justified. 10 point font bold Times New Roman.
  Text inside tables or figures has to be at least 10 points in size.
 To insert an equation, the author is expected to use the equation editor available in Word.
 The equation should be centered.
 The caption should be on the following line right justified. Always include chapter
numbers in all captions.

11.Third heading format

 Heading is TNR, 12 point, Bold with first letter of first word in Caps and rest of the
heading in small caps. Leave one line before the heading.
 The paragraph setting will provide the spacing for after the heading.
 Always leave a line of space between paragraphs.

Fourth Heading looks like this

 This level is indented one tab to allow the reader to see its place within the text.
 Heading is TNR 12 point underlined with only first letter of first word CAPS.
 Body text format follows rest of document. Figures, tables, captions etc follow
same rules.

REFERENCES

 References are placed using [ ] brackets. Citations should be inserted using the insert
citation option from the Reference tab.
 The style you use should be the IEEE-NSU [1] style.
 “If the text is verbatim then it should be in quotes and the citation should appear after the
quotes.” [2]

APPENDIX
In this section you should have any complete code listings, mathematical solutions, detailed
proofs, etc. Your thesis may not need to have an Appendix. Please use this only if this applies to
your thesis documentation needs. Follow the same look as the body of the thesis. Here headings
can be bold 11 point Times new roman.
 Use the Intropages style for the title of this section. It is TNR BOLD 14 point. Leave at
least two lines after heading.