Graduation with Departmental Distinction

Requirements

• Attend an organizational meeting
• Complete an Independent Study course
• Give two oral presentations:
  • 15-minute presentation at mid-semester, and
  • 30-minute final presentation
• Write a final report
• Complete a 500-level technical course
• Maintain a minimum Duke QPR of 3.5

Organizational Meeting

During the first week of classes each semester a meeting is convened for students and their advisors. During this meeting, the schedule for oral presentations and deadline for written reports are provided.

Any questions regarding exceptional circumstances should be raised at that time, or earlier.

Independent Study Course

The independent study is satisfied with a minimum one (1) course registration. Pratt Fellows requirements can be satisfied concurrently.

Course Numbers

• For Mechanical Engineering majors, course numbers are ME 491 or ME 492
• For Pratt Fellows, course numbers are ME 394, ME 493 and ME 494

Approval Form

An approval form should be completed and submitted to the Duke MEMS Director of Undergraduate Studies at the time of pre-registration for the appropriate semester. These forms are available in the MEMS department office in 144 Hudson Hall.

Ensuring Independence

Except in truly exceptional circumstances, only independent project work performed at Duke will be accepted for GWDD. No transfer credit.

Projects that are part of a larger group effort require special permission of the GWDD Committee. The student and advisor will be asked to address the issue of independence.

Oral Presentations

A student enrolled in the special projects course must give a 15-minute oral progress report to the GWDD committee at mid-semester for each semester that the student participates in the project.

The first of these reports is the qualifying presentation, at which time the committee will approve the scope of the project and make recommendations, if needed, to revise the scope in accordance with the expectations of a GWDD project.

At the end of each semester, an additional oral progress report will be made. If a student is continuing with the project for an additional semester, progress-to-date will be reported. If the student is terminating work on the project, a 30-minute final oral report will be made.

Written Report

A final written report is required, in addition to the oral presentations.

The report should:

• Describe the student’s efforts and the important results of the project
• Satisfy the specific guidelines given to the student well in advance

500-Level Technical Course

A student seeking Graduation with Departmental Distinction must also successfully complete a 500-level technical course in engineering, science or mathematics.

If possible, the course should be on a subject relevant to the independent study component. The 500-level course may be taken prior to, concurrent with, or subsequent to the project.

Except under unusual circumstances, the course may not be an independent study taken concurrently with the GWDD project.

If the course being considered is a 490 Special Topics Course, approval by the GWDD Committee is required.

Important Notes

• The faculty supervisor is responsible for project supervision and the course grade. The grade for the ME 492 project does not depend on approval for Graduation With Departmental Distinction
• The conferring of Graduation with Departmental Distinction is made by the whole faculty upon recommendation of the GWDD Committee.