New UVA Master’s Degree Program in Cooperation with CCAM

Modern manufacturing is experiencing a transformation driven by digitization, robotics and automation, modeling and simulation, sensing, computing, and additive and subtractive manufacturing. In order to harness the power of Industry 4.0, there is a growing need to fully understand manufacturing processes to exploit the use of digital data for achieving innovative designs, optimizing productivity, ensuring quality, and enabling distributed manufacturing.

Currently, the main need for a faster adoption of Industry 4.0 is the absence of a trained and agile workforce. Unfortunately, traditional engineering curriculums have limited capabilities to stay up to date with fast changing technologies. 

CCAM members are grateful to Dr. Pam Norris and Dr. Rich Martukanitz for developing a novel education program between CCAM and the University of Virginia (UVA). This is a program which creates a hands-on Master’s degree education for students. Enrollees will be able to uniquely experience practical factory training at CCAM while continuing their studies at the Master’s level through UVA. 

Two students are currently under review for acceptance into the program: one from Columbia University, and another from George Mason University.

UVA is able to utilize this program as a Material Science and Engineering recruitment tool to offer real world training and education; Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech are in the process of creating their own programs. Virginia State University has an existing program and have acquired Lorin Sodell as a fellow and researcher Andwele Grant from CCAM to their efforts. This type of collaboration answers the growing needs of our industry. 

Dr. Pamela M. Norris is the Executive Dean in the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Frederick Tracy Morse Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Dr. Richard P. Martukanitz is the University of Virginia Additive Manufacturing Fellow at CCAM.

How to apply:

The School of Engineering and Applied Science of the University of Virginia is seeking outstanding students to participate in the Master’s of Science or Engineering program being conducted in conjunction with the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM).  The program is directed at students that have completed an undergraduate degree in engineering and wish to pursue graduate work in the field of advanced manufacturing.  Graduate study would be conducted in any one of the departments within the School of Engineering and Applied Science, with graduate research activities being augmented during research internships at the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing.  The program offers an ideal opportunity for students interested in pursuing an advanced degree while simultaneously developing and applying their knowledge in the field of advanced manufacturing.

Description and Requirements for the Program

The program is designed to enable students, having a strong interest in engineering and manufacturing technology, to broaden their knowledge in a particular engineering discipline, while actively applying their skills in an industrial research environment.  Students accepted into the program may pursue a Master of Science (M.S.) or Master of Engineering (M.E.) degree.  For both degrees, the student is required to complete 30 graduate-level credits, with 18 credits being in the area of major study.  The M.S. degree requires at least 6 credits of independent research leading to successful defense of a research thesis, which may be linked to the student’s activities while at the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing.  The M.E. degree does not require a thesis but does require an additional 6 credits of course work.  Selective courses for completing the M.E. degree may be taken online while participating as a research intern at the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing.

Further Details

Students participating in the program must be accepted for graduate study within the School of Engineering and Applied Science.  Upon acceptance in the program, they will be supported for a two-year period through a tuition allowance and a graduate student stipend while on grounds at the University of Virginia (UVA) and on-site at the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing.  Students will be at CCAM, located in Prince George County, during the first year prior to beginning course work at UVA.  They will also spend a second summer and an additional semester at CCAM prior to completing their degree.  The table below shows a typical progression during the program.  Students accepted into the program will have an appointed advisor within their academic department, as well as a university co-advisor while at CCAM.

Students interested in additional information regarding the program should contact Dr. Richard Martukanitz at rm6px@virginia.edu.