Certificate Programs
15-CREDIT HOUR CERTIFICATES WITHIN THE
MS in TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Three, 15-credit hour certificates may be taken within the MS in Telecommunications Program. Students are allowed to take these certificates as stand-alone items or as part of their degree program. For the former, they will be required to enroll in a certificate program; for the latter, since they are already enrolled in a degree program, they need only apply for the appropriate certificate after they have satisfied its requirements. The courses within the certificates are drawn directly from the MS in Telecommunications Program. If a student initially signs up only for a certificate program, it will be possible to transfer into the degree program later, with up to 12 credits transferring into the degree program. Students must therefore ensure they have transferred into the degree program prior to starting coursework beyond 12 credit hours in the certificate program to ensure that all credits from the certificate program may transfer into the degree program. A student who transfers from a certificate program into the degree program may earn both qualifications (certificate and degree) on satisfactory completion of both requirements. Applicable courses may count for both the certificate and the degree program. An example of such a combined certificate and degree program is given at the end.
Section 2.1 gives the courses required for the certificate in Network Technologies and Applications; section 2.2 gives the courses required for the certificate in Wireless Communications; and section 2.3 gives the courses required for the certificate in Telecommunications Systems Modeling. The content of the first two certificates was modified in fall 2002. Students who entered the MS in Telecommunications program prior to summer 2003 may opt to take either the original or the new certificate programs.
2.0 MS in TELECOMMUNICATIONS CERTIFICATES
2.1 Certificate in Network Technologies and Applications
Objective
To provide a broad understanding of the technologies used in telecommunications networks and the various applications of telecommunications networks.
Original Certificate Course Content (applies to students entering prior to summer 2003)
Mandatory Core Courses (9 credit hours)
TCOM 501 (1.5 credits) Data Communications and Local Area Networks
TCOM 502 (1.5 credits) Wide Area Networks and Internet
TCOM 504 (1.5 credits) Asynchronous Transfer Mode Networks
TCOM 509 (1.5 credits) Internet Protocols
TCOM 505 (1.5 credits) Networked Multicomputer Systems
TCOM 510 (1.5 credits) Client-Server Architectures and Applications
Elective Courses (6 credits)
Student may elect to take any additional six credits worth of courses from Specialty Modules 1 and 2.
Revised Certificate Course Content (applies to students entering in, or after, summer 2003)
Mandatory Core Courses (9 credit hours from 10.5 credit hours)
TCOM 504 (1.5 credits) Asynchronous Transfer Mode Networks
TCOM 509 (1.5 credits) Internet Protocols
TCOM 519 (1.5 credits) Voice over IP
TCOM 505 (1.5 credits) Networked Multicomputer Systems
TCOM 510 (1.5 credits) Client-Server Architectures and Applications
TCOM 555 (3 credits) Network Management
Elective Courses (6 credits)
Student may elect to take any additional six credits worth of courses from Specialty Modules 1, 2, and 3.
2.2 Certificate in Wireless Communications
Objective
To provide a broad understanding of the technologies, applications, and systems used in all forms of wireless communications.
Original Certificate Course Content (applies to students entering prior to summer 2003)
Mandatory Core Courses (9 credits)
TCOM 507 (1.5 credits) Introduction to Satellite Communications
TCOM 508 (1.5 credits) Advanced Satellite Communications
TCOM 551 (3.0 credits) Digital Communications Systems
TCOM 552 (3.0 credits) Introduction to Mobile Communications
Elective Courses (6 credits)
Student may elect to take any additional six credits worth of courses from Specialty Modules 1, 2, and 3.
Revised Certificate Course Content (applies to students entering in, or after, summer 2003)
Mandatory Core Courses (9 credit hours from 12 credit hours)
TCOM 551 (3.0 credits) Digital Communications Systems
TCOM 552 (3.0 credits) Introduction to Mobile Communications
TCOM 607 (3.0 credits) Satellite Communications
TCOM 506 (1.5 credits) PCS
TCOM 518 (1.5 credits) 3G Mobile Telephony
Elective Courses (6 credit hours)
Student may elect to take any additional six credits worth of courses from Specialty Modules 1, 2, and 3.
2.3 Certificate in Telecommunications Systems Modeling
Objective
To provide a broad understanding of the end-to-end systems engineering approach to telecommunications projects.
Certificate Course Content
Mandatory Core Courses (9 credits from 12 credits shown below)
TCOM 521 (3.0 credits) Systems Engg. Approach to Telecommunications Management
TCOM 540 (1.5 credits) Network Optimization, Flow Mgmt., and Capacity Modeling
TCOM 541 (1.5 credits) Network Design and Pricing
TCOM 545 (3.0 credits) Reliability and Maintainability of Networks
TCOM 546 (3.0 credits) Financial Models of Telecommunications
Elective Courses (6 credits)
Student may elect to take any additional six credits worth of courses from Specialty Modules 4 and 5.
3.0 ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The certificate programs in Network Technologies and Applications, Wireless Communications, and Telecommunications Systems Modeling are open to all students who hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited university and meet the admissions requirements for the MS in Telecommunications degree.
4.0 REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
4.1 New Students
New students who are interested in the certificate programs should apply for admission in either degree or non-degree status. A box on the admission forms permits the certificate option to be selected.
4.2 Students already enrolled in the MS in Telecommunications Program
Students who are currently enrolled in the MS in Telecommunications program and who wish to take advantage of a certificate within their degree program while pursuing their master's degree may complete an application for a certificate once the appropriate fifteen credit hours have been satisfied with the required grades in each course. Students who have taken advantage of the accelerated BSSE/MS in TCOM program may count graduate level courses taken towards their master's degree while in undergraduate status towards their certificate. For courses taken at George Mason University towards the certificate programs, no more than 6 credit hours of C grades may be included (as in master's degree programs). The GPA within the certificate must be 3.0 or above and no transfer course may be used towards the GPA calculation.
4.3 Transfer Students
Students may transfer 3 credit hours of courses earned at another university into any of these certificate programs provided the grade earned in that course was a B, or above. Students who have been admitted as certificate-seeking students within the MS in Telecommunications program may apply to transfer to a regular masters degree in the MS in Telecommunications program at any time. If they are admitted into the regular masters program, a maximum of 12 credit hours may be carried into that regular masters program from their certificate program. Such students, like all students in the regular MS in Telecommunications program, may apply for the appropriate certificate at any time they have satisfied the fifteen-credit hour requirement of that certificate.
5.0 EXAMPLES of DUAL STUDY PROGRAMS
5.1 Student 1 enters Certificate Program - Transfers to Degree
Student enters the Certificate in Network Technologies and Applications program as a non-degree student.
Summer 1: Takes TCOM 501/502
Fall 1: Takes TCOM 504, TCOM 509, and TCOM 551
Student submits application for MS in Telecommunications degree program by October 1st and is admitted into regular MS degree status by the end of the fall semester.
Spring 1: Takes TCOM 500 and TCOM 505/510
Summer 2: Takes TCOM 521
Fall 2: Takes PUBP 726 and TCOM 552
Student has now satisfied the 15 credit hour Certificate requirement [TCOM 501/502 (3 cr), TCOM 504 (1.5 cr), TCOM 509 (1.5 cr), TCOM 551 (3 cr), TCOM 505/510 (3 cr), and TCOM 552 (3 cr)]; has 12 credit hours from the core of the Telecommunications degree [TCOM 500 (3 cr), TCOM 501/502 (3 cr), PUBP 726 (3 cr), and TCOM 521 (3 cr)]; and has a total of 24 credit hours towards fulfilling the degree requirement of 30 credit hours.
Spring 2: Takes TELE 750 and TCOM 503/513
Student has now completed the requirements for both an MS in Telecommunications degree and for a certificate in Network Technologies and Applications.
5.2 Student 2 enters the MS in Telecommunications degree program in regular status
Fall 1: Takes TCOM 500 and TCOM 501/502
Spring 1: Takes TCOM 551 and TCOM 607
Summer 1: Takes TCOM 521
Fall 2: Takes TCOM 552 and PUBP 726
Student has completed 12 credit hours in the core of the TCOM program [TCOM 500, TCOM 501/502, PUBP 726, and TCOM 521] and has also completed the core of the Certificate in Wireless Communications [TCOM 607, TCOM 551, TCOM 552] giving a total of 21 credit hours in the degree program.
Spring 2: Takes TCOM 509/519 and TCOM 503/513
Summer 2: Takes LAW 181
Student has now completed the requirements for both an MS in Telecommunications degree and for a certificate in Wireless Communications
Last updated March 7, 2003
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