College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture

The College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture (CETA) provides challenging programs that prepare graduates for stimulating, meaningful, and rewarding professional careers.

A National Science Foundation study has predicted a shortage in the engineering workforce. The complexities of today’s products and processes require more education and continued retraining of engineers. Engineers currently in the workplace, as well as those who will graduate in the future, must augment their technical knowledge and skills in order to stay abreast of new developments and provide the technical leadership that will be needed.

The graduate program in engineering prepares its students for a meaningful profession that anticipates trends in engineering practice. Students are trained to think independently to solve engineering problems in a global framework.

Architecture prepares students for a variety of professional careers in the design and construction industries. The program emphasizes an integration of artistic principles, engineering fundamentals, and business understanding with the constant exploration of innovative design.

Mission

The College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture delivers a high-quality education and prepares individuals for professional careers in engineering, technology, and architecture, or further graduate studies. Our programs prepare individuals to function as effective members of a global society. Programs promote technical excellence, reasoning ability, communication and interpersonal skills, and an understanding of ethical and moral issues. Our graduates are strongly encouraged to pursue professional registration in their chosen fields. Programs are available to both day and evening students. Practice-oriented educational experiences are offered at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Faculty

The faculty of CETA combine impressive educational backgrounds with broad experience in business and industry. Their primary commitment is to teaching. The college’s full-time faculty members are joined by a select group of architects, engineers, and researchers from local industry who serve as adjunct faculty. Their experience reflects pioneering work in their specialties.

The faculty in the Department of Architecture are practicing, registered, professional architects, who engage in consulting and design. This professional involvement brings a high degree of technical, managerial, and design experience to the classroom. The full-time faculty members are joined by a select group of architects from local firms who serve as adjunct faculty.

The faculty in the engineering departments are professional engineers who are currently engaged in consulting and research in their specialties. This professional involvement and the leadership roles that faculty play in their professional communities bring a high degree of technical and managerial ability to the classroom.

Awards received recently include grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Society of Manufacturing Engineering, Hewlett-Packard, the Department of Energy, and Connecticut Innovations, Inc.

Students enrolled in the E²M program also benefit from the Barney School faculty’s contacts and experiences with the regional, national, and international business communities.

Accreditation

All CETA graduate programs are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) and by the Board of Higher Education of the State of Connecticut.

The Master of Architecture program is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) 1735 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20006; www.naab.org. In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted up to an 8 year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards. Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

The University of Hartford’s College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture, Department of Architecture, offers the following NAAB-accredited degree program: M.Arch. (preprofessional degree plus 64 graduate credits).

The University’s next accreditation visit is tentatively scheduled for 2025.

Facilities

The extensive, modern facilities of the Integrated Science, Engineering, and Technology complex, the Hursey Center, the Harry Jack Gray Center, and the Auerbach Computer Center provide ample classroom and conference space, as well as laboratories and state-of-the-art computer hardware and software and studio facilities. CETA has more than 350 microcomputers that can be used as stand-alone systems or in an interfacing environment with the University server. The college also operates a Local Area Network (LAN) that links faculty and student laboratory computers. The laboratories provide opportunities for research in acoustics, vibrations, heat-power, power systems, data acquisition, energy conversion, automatic controls, electronics, digital signal processing, fuzzy logic, neural nets, VLSI, FPGA/CPLD, fluid mechanics, water resources, instrumentation, materials, computer engineering and science, geotechnical engineering, geographical information systems, manufacturing, computer-aided manufacturing, design, mechatronics, metrology,  biomechanics, advanced AutoCAD, advanced digital presentation, 3-D modeling, and designated architectural studio space. Specialized computer programs are also available, such as COMSOL, Working Model, Human CAD, DFM, Mechanical Desktop, Watershed Modeling Systems (WMS), ArcGIS, Idrisi, MARC, ANSYS, Fluent, Virtual Prototyping Software (ADAMS), Multisim, PSpice, Cadence, MATLAB, Revit, Simulink, VisSim, LabVIEW, Neural Ware, Xlinix and Altera. 

Engineering Applications Center

The Engineering Applications Center at the University of Hartford is managed by the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture with support from the Barney School of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences. It comprises the Acoustics and Vibrations Laboratory, the Advanced Manufacturing Institute, the Biomechanics Institute, the Environmental Institute, the Clean Energy Institute, the Institute for Life Support and Sustainable Living, and the Signal-Processing Institute.

The center provides local business and industry the opportunity to apply new technologies to their products and processes through application projects, demonstrations, short courses, symposia and forums in a wide range of current interest areas. In addition to providing resources to industry for interdisciplinary technology transfer, the center contributes to the quality of engineering education at the college by involving students in its projects.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements include the following:

1. Completed application form
2. Application fee
3. Letter of intent
4. Official transcripts (a minimum 3.0 GPA as an undergraduate*)
5. Professional letters of recommendation: two for engineering, three for architecture
6. Architecture candidates must submit a portfolio.
7. Engineering candidates must have an appropriate baccalaureate degree in engineering from an engineering degree program accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).*
8. TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or Doulingo (international students)
9. Guarantors Statement (international students)
10. Admission to the E²M program also requires application and acceptance to the MBA program in the Barney School of Business
11. E²M applicants require GMAT

For application and program information, contact the Center for Graduate and Adult Academic Services at 860.768.4371.

*Applicants who hold baccalaureate degrees in engineering fields not usually considered typical (electrical, mechanical, civil, aerospace, chemical, computer, or control engineering are typical engineering degrees), or who hold baccalaureate or master’s degrees in nonengineering fields or in engineering technology, or those whose undergraduate GPA is below 3.0 but who have appropriate architecture or engineering experience will be considered on an individual basis. The same applies to applicants holding bachelor’s degrees from institutions not accredited by EAC/ABET. Applicants in these categories may be required to complete specified undergraduate engineering courses before being admitted to the Master of Engineering program. Students should obtain at least a B grade in all such preparatory courses. Applicants may enroll for up to 6 credits on a nonmatriculated basis prior to making formal application for admission. Grades of courses taken on this basis will be considered in the review of the application.

Transfer Credit

Students who wish to receive transfer credit for courses completed while enrolled outside CETA must petition the CETA Graduate Academic Standards and Policies Committee (GASPC). Transfer credit must be recommended by a CETA department chair and may be granted only after admission to the graduate program. A maximum of 6 credits of graduate work obtained at accredited institutions other than the University of Hartford may be applied toward a master’s degree, provided a grade of B or better was attained. A transfer course must also be analogous to a CETA course that the student has not taken. Course credits transfer, but grades do not. Independent study courses not taught in a lecture-style format taken at another institution will not be accepted as transfer credits. Graduate engineering courses taken online may be transferred only if a grade of B or better is scored in an exam administered by a University of Hartford professor in the appropriate department. Course work completed more than seven years prior to admission to a CETA graduate program is generally not considered to meet contemporary standards and is not accepted. Transferred courses will appear on a student’s transcript as the analogous CETA course with a transfer designation added.

Financial Assistance

Student loans are administered through banks in the home state/country of the individual students.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are available for eligible full-time graduate students, subject to funding constraints. The amount of assistantship awards and required student work commitments may vary. Students interested in assistantships should contact the appropriate department.

For architecture students, partial-tuition scholarships are available for applicants to the program. The awarding of the scholarships will be determined by the Graduate Admission Committee in consultation with the department at the time of admission. Additional scholarships are offered in the Spring semester for the following academic year. These are determined by the Graduate Scholarship Committee within the department of Architecture.

The engineering departments have a number of openings available for graduate assistantships. To qualify, a graduate student must be matriculated and carrying at least 9 credits per semester. Official Graduate Record Examination scores are also required but only for the first semester of study. The amount of an assistantship varies with support up to $2,500 per semester, reflecting a commitment of up to 10 work hours per week. Work assignments are determined by the department that oversees the student’s technical specialty. Assistantships will be awarded on the basis of academic and work performance and financial need. Cumulative and most-recent-semester grade point averages will determine academic performance. Assistantships will be awarded on a semester basis. Consideration for continuation of an assistantship requires a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.6.  Assistantships will be determined by the Graduate Committee each semester.

Connecticut Space Grant College Consortium

The University’s commitment to engineering and technology excellence is apparent as visitors enter the Integrated Science, Engineering, and Technology complex and note the office of the NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium (CTSGC). CTSGC is a federally mandated grant, internship, and scholarship program that is funded as a part of NASA Education. There are Space Grant Consortia in all 50 states, plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. NASA CTSGC, in an effort to encourage broader participation in NASA research programs, was formed in 1991 by the following post-secondary education institutions: Trinity College, University of Connecticut, and University of New Haven with the University of Hartford as the lead institution. CTSGC is located in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture.

The partnership between the University of Hartford (lead institution) and its academic affiliates to is to further the efforts started through NASA’s Education Strategic Framework, Lines of Business, and the National Space Grant Program Goals and Objectives. Specifically, NASA CTSGC has three major goals:

To establish and promote NASA-related research opportunities that draw on the collaborative strength of private, academic, and government sectors

To support education initiatives that will inspire students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)

To promote workforce development that recognizes the current and future needs of the Connecticut economy.

Fellowships, scholarships, internship opportunities and grants are available to U.S. Citizens who are full-time students or faculty at affiliate institutions. Public outreach programs target the involvement of traditionally underrepresented groups in science, engineering, and technology careers.

Further information may be found on the Institute’s website at www.ctspacegrant.org, by email at ctspacegrant@hartford.edu, or by calling 860-768-4813.

International Students

English Proficiency

International students for whom English is a second language may be tested for English proficiency upon arrival. Students who need improvements will be required to complete English courses in the English Language Institute prior to beginning graduate studies. International students must submit TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or Duolingo score, meeting the minimum score required to obtain admission into the program.

Financial Support

International students must provide a Guarantor’s Statement of Financial Support with their application for admission.

Guidelines

Grading

Professors may assign the following grades:

Pass/No Pass Grade

Graduate students in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture must take courses for letter grades. The Pass/No Pass option is available to undergraduate students only.

Withdrawals

A W (withdrawal) is assigned to a student who has attended a course for three to 10 weeks. A withdrawal before the third week removes the course from the transcript. Withdrawals are not permitted after the 10th week of classes. To withdraw, an add/drop form must be approved by the student’s advisor and filed with the registrar.

Incompletes

An I (incomplete) may be assigned by an instructor to a student who has attended an entire course and, due to extenuating circumstances, needs an extension to complete outstanding work. Incomplete work is to be submitted on a schedule agreed to between the student and the instructor.

Academic Standards

The minimum cumulative grade point average required for awarding of a master’s degree in CETA is 3.0 (A=4.0).  All students must have their plan of study approved by their respective advisor and the chair after completion of 12 credits and before registering for future courses. Students must take 12 credits (not including transfer credits) in order to establish a cumulative GPA. If one F or two Cs (including C- and C+ grades) are received within these 12 credits, the student is subject to dismissal. Once a cumulative GPA is established, the GPA must be maintained at or above 2.8 in order for the student to make satisfactory academic progress toward the degree. A student whose average falls below this level will be reviewed by the Graduate Academic Standards and Policies Committee and is subject to being placed on probation or dismissal. Once a student is placed on probation, a subsequent semester average below 2.8 will result in dismissal. Dismissal may be appealed in writing within seven days to the Graduate Academic Standards and Policies Committee, CETA c/o the Office of Graduate Studies, United Technologies Hall, room 205. Appeals must provide a substantive basis for consideration.

Time Limit

Graduate students in CETA must complete their program within seven years. Students who require more time to complete their degree must request an extension in writing from the appropriate department chairman.

Registration

Students may register on-line in their self-service account prior to the first class meeting. In-person registration may be done with their faculty advisor. Registration continues until classes have met once. Late registration continues until classes have met twice. Admission after the beginning of a class requires the permission of the instructor. All application materials must be submitted prior to initial registration for a class. Engineering applicants may register as nonmatriculated students for up to 6 credits.

Classes

Graduate classes in CETA are limited in size to encourage interaction among students and faculty. Classes begin in the late afternoon and run through the evening.  Select classes in the Architecture program are held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Professional Societies

The University is a member of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).

Master options in Engineering

Graduate studies in engineering at the University of Hartford lead to the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) or Master of Science (M.S.). Engineers require a broad, analytical engineering capability and an engineering management perspective. The program emphasizes applied design and stresses communication, which is very important for a successful career. Specialty concentrations are offered in civil, and mechanical engineering, with further concentrations in structural, transportation, manufacturing and turbomachinery. The program provides excellent preparation for an engineering career and for continued graduate study.

4+1 Program (B.S. + Master degrees)

This program allows full-time and part-time University of Hartford engineering students to earn their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years of study. Two graduate-level courses taken in the undergraduate program may be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Students usually commit to the program at the start of the second semester of their junior year, and juniors who are interested should contact their department chairman. In order to be accepted into the program, students must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average at the end of the junior year.

Excellence in Engineering and Management (E²M) Program (M.Eng. and M.B.A.)

This program allows full- and part-time engineering students in the graduate program to earn both M.Eng. and M.B.A. degrees by taking fewer credits. The prerequisite is a bachelor’s degree in engineering, and students will have to satisfy all requirements necessary to pursue an M.Eng. degree. Students with a bachelor’s degree in physical sciences, mathematics, and other fields may also apply but will have to take additional courses at the undergraduate level to remove deficiencies in the engineering major they plan to pursue. GMAT test scores are required of all applicants.

Areas of Research Concentration

Students may select from an extensive list of research concentrations, including Energy Systems, Acoustics and Noise Control, Mechatronics, Design for Manufacturing and Disassembly, Surface-Finish Research, Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing, Biomechanics, Mechanical Design, Coronary Artery Diagnostics using signal characteristics analysis (CADSCAN) and acoustic sensors, Digital Control of satellites, Inverted Pendulum, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles tracking and flight controls, tracking of missiles/aircrafts in flight using FLIR sensors, Electrical Power Generators stability and performance, Comparison of Deterministic and Random Sampling Techniques for Quality Analysis of Integrated Circuits, Advances in Surface Roughness Measurement, Investigation of Fractal Sounds and Their Musical Implications, Applications of Data Acquisition Techniques to Electric Machinery, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Concurrent Product and Process Design, Cost-Effective CAD for Robust Design of Integrated Circuits Using Artificial Neural Networks, Detection Threshold Selection for Tracking Performance Optimization, Dynamic and Static Insertion Loss Measurements of In-Duct Muffler Designs, Mechatronics of Computer Interface, Multitarget Tracking: Recent Advances and Development, Multirate-PDA Tracker, Noise Control Study of QL-Type Transformers, Nuclear Pulse Processors Using Digital Filters and Wavelet Transformers, Pole Placement Algorithms for Multirate-Sampled Systems, Real-Time Fault Diagnostics of Power Transformers, Structural Model Building for Ankle-Foot Orthoses, Suppression and IMD Generation in a Hard Limiter Transponder, Personal Communications System Design, Satellite Communications Systems, DSP for Communications Systems, Sensor Array Processing, Digital Signal Processing Software and Hardware, Power Systems: Analysis and Design, Application of Remote Sensing in Environmental Engineering, Applications of GIS in Environmental Engineering, Air Quality Modeling, Aeration and Mass Transfer, and Groundwater Modeling.

Full-Time Study

Full-time students must register for a minimum of 9 credits per semester. Full-Time Architecture students must register for 15,16 or 17 credits per semester as defined in the curriculum. All students in the M.Arch. program are full-time

Summer Studies

Selected courses may be offered during the summer, subject to minimum numbers of students registering for the scheduled courses. Graduate project courses can continue during the summer, subject to satisfactory arrangements between graduate students and faculty advisors.  Summer courses are required for Track 1 Architecture students. Track 1 students take four courses during the summer. 

Comprehensive Final Project

The Master of Science program in engineering requires a comprehensive final project under the course title of Master Thesis. A minimum of six credits is required. Each of these involves independent research, the completion of a final report published in the University Library and a presentation to faculty. Thesis may not begin until the student has completed 12 graduate credits, completed an approved thesis proposal and formed a thesis committee.

Master of Architecture students are required to complete a six credit comprehensive thesis project in their final semester.