In addition to the general policies described in the Academic Policies chapter, specific policies of the MMS program are as follows:

Deferred Admission Students admitted for full or part-time study must register for and complete at least one course in the fall semester in which they are admitted. Students who are admitted and do not complete one course in the first semester will be withdrawn from the program and must reapply as described above.

Transfer Credit Students who have completed graduate-level courses specifically related to manufacturing at a regionally accredited institution of higher education other than USM may request in writing no more than two of the courses (the equivalent of six semester hours) be considered for credit in the MMS. The Graduate Advisor, in coordination with the Office of Transfer Affairs, will make all decisions related to transfer credit.

Time Limit Once admitted to the MMS program all requirements for graduation must be completed within six years. Any work not completed within six years of beginning the program must be repeated.

Non-Degree Release Students admitted as Certificate of Graduate Study candidates must sign a release stating they will not pursue the MMS degree from USM on the basis of accumulated credit, unless they gain admission through the formal admission process described above.

Certificate of Graduate Study Candidates for the Certificate of Graduate Study must comply with the same admission and performance requirements as degree seeking students.

Grade Policy A student whose grade point average (GPA) falls below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. In this case, a student will be allowed 12 semester hours to raise their GPA to, or above, the 3.0 minimum by taking only graduate-level courses. Students unsuccessful in raising their GPA during a probationary period may be dismissed from the program. A 3.0 GPA is required for graduation from the MMS program.

The First Course The first course taken by students participating in a degree or certificate seeking status must be MBA 604, Probability and Statistics for Business Decision Making. Successful completion of MBA 604 with a 3.0/B or better is a requirement before taking any other courses beyond the first semester.

Elective Courses A list of courses that may be used to satisfy the electives requirement has been provided below. Additional elective courses will be developed as part of the MMS program and will be available as needed/requested. Students in the MMS program may also complete elective courses offered by academic departments not participating directly in the MMS program so long as the course(s) are specifically related to manufacturing and are approved by the Graduate Coordinator. Any course taken as an elective for the MMS degree or Certificate of Graduate Study requires prior approval from the Graduate Coordinator.

Publication Requirement Candidates for the Master of Science, Manufacturing Systems degree must prepare and submit a manuscript to a refereed journal related to manufacturing. Manuscripts are to be based on the applied manufacturing research completed as part of a thesis.