Curriculum
While not a distinct track within the College of Engineering and its Department of Mining Engineering, the Mine Health and Safety training program includes curricula for both master’s- and doctoral-level training. These are integrated into the CARERC’s broader transdisciplinary program that includes occupational and environmental health, ergonomics, occupational injury prevention, occupational medicine, and occupational epidemiology.
The M.S. in Mining Engineering degree is a professionally oriented degree. Thus, it is most useful to students who are interested in further education for professional betterment. These degrees can also be useful for pursuing a career in research, problem solving or teaching, as the degree is considered a prelude to the doctorate. There are two plans for the M.S. candidate to pursue.
The Master of Science in Mining Engineering, with thesis (Plan A), requires a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework plus a thesis that reports on an original contribution to the body of knowledge. In no case will independent work, taken as MNG-780 or MNG-790 and used for part of the thesis, be counted as part of the 24 hours of coursework. The thesis must be actively supervised by a member of the graduate faculty.
The Master of Science in Mining Engineering, without thesis (Plan B), requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of coursework plus one or two written reports. The report(s) should represent the total equivalent of approximately six (6) semester hours of work; no credit for this effort may be included in the minimum 30-hour requirement. The report(s) must be written with a level of content and style which may be reasonably expected of a graduate student.
Examples of suitable reports include the following
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A description of results of a research study
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A description of the development of a new and significant computer program
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A state-of-the-art paper
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A design report
The Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering is the terminal degree for those interested in research, problem solving, and university teaching. It is comprised of a period of residency, course work, and original research that contributes to the body of knowledge. The Ph.D. course work should complement the intended area of expertise to be developed. The candidate and his or her advisor should develop a coherent set of courses, the successful completion of which would signal readiness for the Qualifying Examination, for review and approval by the student’s advisory committee. Because the Ph.D. subsumes a master’s degree, the list of courses for which a student is held responsible in the master’s degree also pertains to Ph.D. coursework.
All qualified MHS Trainees who maintain adequate progress will be funded throughout their respective degree programs.
The required curriculum is designed to be completed within four semesters by full-time students, both M.S. and Ph.D. If the candidate does not have a B.S. degree in Mining Engineering, he/she will need to complete four additional courses to demonstrate competency in basic mining engineering concepts.
Core Courses - Required of all Mine Health & Safety trainees