A new CEE program will enable engineers to become certified in a specific body of knowledge without formally pursuing a graduate degree.
With scientific knowledge and the global marketplace for technology changing as rapidly as they are, engineers - especially mid-career and late-career engineers - sometimes need to develop a depth of expertise in a new topic or subdiscipline which requires more than a single course but less than a full degree program. Similarly, companies may need to reeducate their valued engineers rather than resorting to the painful alternative of firing-and-hiring to obtain a needed expertise. The CEE certificate program is designed to meet these needs.
This fall, a certificate in Digital Signal Processing will be available from CEE and Purdue's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. This certificate requires completion of 15 hours of graduate course work, including two required courses and three electives. The required courses are Random Variables and Signals (EE 600), and Digital Signal Processing (EE 538)
The electives cover a broad range of related topics, allowing the engineer to focus in a specific area of digital signal processing (DSP) which may be especially relevant to job requirements. Some examples are digital image processing and speech processing by computer. A supporting mathematics course may also be taken as one of the electives.
To be eligible for the DSP certificate program, an individual must have earned a bachelor's degree, with a grade point average of at least 3.0, in an area which provided the necessary mathematical preparation (e.g., engineering, science, mathematics).
Successful completion of the program and receipt of the certificate requires a B average in the required courses and a B average over all courses counting towards the certificate. Engineers who have already earned credit for one or more of the relevant courses may apply these credits towards the certificate. All requirements for the certificate must be completed within years.
It is not necessary to be admitted to the Graduate School to earn the certificate. However, prospective degree seekers are cautioned that at most 12 hours of course work taken prior to admission can be counted towards a graduate degree. Thus someone who completed the 15 credit hours required for the certificate and who subsequently decided to go on for a master's degree would not be able to count all 15 credits towards the degree. The decision to apply to the Graduate School should be made at an earlier time in order not to lose credits. Credit may be counted toward both the certificate and the master's degree, subject to approval by the individual's master's advisory committee.
A brochure with complete information about the Digital Signal Processing certificate may be obtained by contacting CEE.
CEE will work with its Industrial Advisory Committee and the engineering faculty to identify other technical areas in which a certificate program would be of value to engineers and their employers. Your suggestions are welcomed.