Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program

The Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program is a consortium of state universities providing televised graduate engineering courses and master's degree programs via NETWORK.VIRGINIA, a state-wide ATM network. The telecommunications system is two-way video and two-way audio between faculty teaching resident classes and students in classrooms throughout the Commonwealth. All classes are also videotaped for later viewing by students.

Throughout Virginia, the program is administered by host institutions and regional academic centers which provide classrooms and support services to students taking televised courses. Classes are received directly at a number of convenient classroom sites at company facilities as well.

Purpose of the Program
To provide engineers and other qualified individuals with strong backgrounds in the sciences with an opportunity to pursue a program in graduate studies leading to a master's degree in engineering.

The Degree Programs

The following master's degrees are offered through the CGEP program:

• University of Virginia
  - Chemical Engineering
  - Civil Engineering (Structural)
  - Electrical Engineering
  - Engineering Physics
  - Materials Science and Engineering
  - Mechanical Engineering (Manufacturing Systems)
  - Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  - Systems Engineering
  
• Virginia Tech
  - Civil Engineering (Environmental and Infrastructure)
  - Computer Engineering
  - Electrical Engineering
  - Engineering Administration
  - Systems Engineering (Interdisciplinary)
  
• Old Dominion University
  - Design and Manufacturing
  - Engineering Management
  - Experimental Methods
  - Modeling and Simulation
  - Manufacturing Design
  - Coastal Engineering (Certificate)
  
• Virginia Commonwealth University
  - Engineering
• George Mason University
  - Computer Science

Desktop Internet Delivery

The Volgenau School offers a number of courses in Computer Science and other disciplines via desktop Internet delivery. This needs only a typical Windows or Linux computer with sound card and an Internet connection (good modem connection is adequate). The instructor's voice and slides are delivered through your own computer, at home or office, in real time, and you can interact either by speaking or typing questions.

Televised Courses

The program consists of graduate degree offerings in several disciplines of engineering and information technology by the five cooperating institutions: George Mason University, Old Dominion University (ODU), University of Virginia (UVA), Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and Virginia Tech (VT). Engineering courses are offered by televised programming with two-way interactive video, audio, and data connection from live classrooms at ODU, UVA, VCU and VT. Several of these courses may be cross-listed with course offerings from George Mason, which also offers televised and web-cast instruction from the School of Information Technology and Engineering.

Classroom Locations

• George Mason University, Fairfax campus
• George Mason University, Prince William campus
• UVA/VT, Northern Virginia Center, 7054 Haycock Road, Falls Church

Course Offerings

Spring 2010
Note: All courses are online. See this link for more information about the NEW education software.

CS 540 Language Processors
Mondays 4:30 – 7:10 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. Elizabeth White

CS 555 Computer Communications and Networking
Mondays 7:20 – 10:00 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. J. Mark Pullen

CS 571 Operating Systems
Wednesdays 4:30 – 7:10 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. Hakan Aydin

CS 580 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Mondays 7:20 – 10:00 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. Gheorghe Tecuci

CS 583 Analysis of Algorithms
Thursdays 4:30 – 7:10 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. Jana Kosecka

CS 635 Foundations of Parallel Computation
Wednesdays 7:20 – 10:00 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. Pearl Wang

ECE 699-003 Nanoelectronics
Mondays 7:20 – 10:00 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. Dimitris Ioannou

ISA 656 Network Security
Thursdays 4:30 – 7:10 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. Xinyuan Wang

SWE 619 Object Oriented Software Specification
Tuesdays 7:20 – 10:00 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. James Baldo

SWE 620 Software Requirements Analysis and Specification
Thursdays 7:20 – 10:00 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. Frank Armour

SWE 621 Software Model/Architecture Design
Wednesdays 4:30 – 7:10 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. Hassan Gomaa

SWE 622 Distributed Software Engineering
Wednesdays 7:20 – 10:00 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. Sam Malek

SWE 625 Software Project Management
Mondays 7:20 – 10:00 p.m.
Instructor: Dr. Kenneth Nidiffer

Not all courses are offered at all sites. Television courses are scheduled based on advance enrollments. If no advance registrations are received, it is not possible to guarantee that a class will be available. For the latest information on course offerings, see the GMU Schedule of Classes.

Further information on the CGEP program may be obtained from the web sites of the individual universities in the program:

• Old Dominion University
• University of Virginia
• Virginia Tech
• Virginia Commonwealth Universtity
• George Mason University

Transfer of Graduate Credit

Students must take at least 50 percent of their courses from the school from which they will receive their degree. Transfer of all credit from courses offered from the other cooperating institutions is subject to prior approval by the student's graduate program advisor.

Participation in CGEP

Individuals who are currently enrolled at one of the CGEP member institutions are eligible to participate in the program through Mason. Mason requires prospective participants to request permission a minimum of 10 business days before the start of classes. The three step process is below:

Step 1: Download and complete the GMU CGEP Participation Request form. Pay special attention to the instructions and directions included on the form. Depending on your responses, you may be asked to complete/collect a number of items, including, but not limited to:

(1) Transcripts from your current degree program at a CGEP member institution (printout from student system is acceptable)
(2) Application for in-state tuition (if a tuition payment will be made to Mason)
(3) Signature from your current advisor/dean verifying that you are in good standing.

Incomplete forms may result in significant processing and approval delays.

NOTE: GRE, recommendations, and essays are not required as part of the CGEP participation request process at Mason. However, if you are not currently enrolled at one of the member institutions, you will be required to go through the regular admissions process at Mason before participation will be allowed and all regular admissions requirements will apply. If you need to apply for graduate studies at Mason, begin the admissions process first and visit http://volgenau.gmu.edu/graduates.

Step 2: Submit your completed participation request form and supplementary documentation before the deadline to:

Cindy Slaton, CGEP Administrator
Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program
Mail Stop 4A3
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: (703) 993-1497
Fax: (703) 993-1734

Please do not mail your participation request form to the admissions office!

Step 3: Once your participation in the program has been fully approved, you will be notified of instructions regarding your enrollment/registration. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully, and follow up with Mason’s CGEP Administrator if you have questions.”

Find updated information on the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program and courses offered statewide at http://cgep.virginia.gov.

GMU Campus Resources

• Academic Calendar
• Schedule of Courses
• Parking
• Campus Map & Directions
• Volgenau School of Information Technology and Engineering

Correspondence and Information

Program information and the processing of applications is coordinated through:
Sharon A. Caraballo, Director
Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program
Mail Stop 4A3
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: (703) 993-1497
Fax: (703) 993-1734

Contact: Cindy Slaton
Email: cgep@gmu.edu