2021-2022 Graduate Catalog and Handbook

Welcome to the Florida Poly Graduate Catalog and Student Handbook

The catalog serves as the primary source for all curricula, policies, processes, and other information that a Florida Poly graduate student needs to navigate their chosen program. The Graduate Student Handbook has been incorporated into this document as well to minimize looking for things, and details on Thesis and Project Report preparation and processes are provided here as well.

University Mission & Vision

Serve students and industry through excellence in education, discovery and application of engineering and applied sciences.
Florida Poly will be a premier STEM university known for producing highly desirable graduates and new technology solutions.

About the Graduate Catalog & Handbook

The University is proud to launch its first independent, stand-alone graduate catalog and handbook. This document is effective with summer 2021 academic terms and reflects the most recent program changes.

Catalog Year: When a student enters the University, the academic catalog in effect at that time represents an agreement between the institution and the student that so long as they continue at the University and adequately progress, the University will continue to offer the degree program the student has chosen to complete. Broadly, this includes the basic plan of study, but it is customary that changes to that plan will occur, concentrations or tracks be added or removed, course substitutions be made, and other exceptions as allowable will result. Even degree names may change. In such cases, students will have the option of moving to the new catalog and degree name or staying with the previous degree name, noting that program content may change in either case, to no loss of credit to the student. Should the University or its Board of Trustees decide at any time during that student’s tenure at the institution that it will no longer offer a program, a reasonable teach-out program must developed and communicated with students.

Prerequisites: Prerequisites (courses that must be taken before advancing in the curriculum) do not follow a catalog. While a catalog establishes the expectation that a program will continue to be offered, it does not dictate that the plan of study will be offered in exactly the same way or that courses will be be delivered in the same way every year. This means that if it is determined that a prerequisite is required for a course that was not previously required, then all new offerings of that course will carry the new prerequisite requirement. In some circumstances, exceptions may be made. The prerequisite change is not arbitrary nor is it done lightly, but is a decision prompted by the program faculty who have studied student success and propose the change through an established university process for review and consideration before being approved. Such changes are done to ensure that the content of the course can be delivered at a level that meets expectations for accreditation, transfer to other institutions, and disciplinary and professional standards. When a course’s prerequisites change, the content of the course changes to presume that students entering the course will have the skills and knowledge circumscribed by the prerequisite. Institutions must have the ability to make these changes otherwise such things as continuous improvement or quality enhancement never occur.

Courses and Modality (Distributed Learning): In an effort to ensure a high-quality educational experience and accomplished graduates, Florida Poly Academic Affairs and faculty carefully consider the delivery modality for each course. In-person delivery is strongly preferred, and class content is created by the professors for in-person learning. In-person learning fosters greater learning and retention in our highly technical curriculum. The majority of our courses are designed to require key in-person engagements. While we do offer the occasional online course, it is done so with an explicit design for that modality that meets the requirements of credit hour, content development, course design and quality standards in compliance with Florida and other professional standards.

Courses and their approved modality are listed in the CAMS course schedule. Any student request for an adjustment to course delivery, or modality chosen by the University is not reasonable and fundamentally alters the course.

He/She - His/Hers: We have tried our best to limit the use of gendered pronouns but you may still encounter a few places in the catalog where we failed. We hope that you can forgive us and not let this distract you from the important information we wish to communicate with you. It is not our intention to have a “he” vs. “she” exchange, but rather an “us” exchange.

^{Disclaimer: T}^{he policies, regulations, and requirements published in this catalog are for informational purposes and are subject to continual review and amendment in order to serve the needs of the University’s students, faculty, and staff. The University reserves the right to change policies, regulations, and requirements at any time. The ultimate responsibility for knowing University policies, regulations, and requirements rests with the applicant, student or employee. For the latest up-to-date information please refer to the University website or contact the appropriate office.}^{This catalog is not a contract, either expressed or implied, between any applicant, student, or employee and Florida Polytechnic University.}

Vol.1 (Effective Summer 2021)

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