Gateway to the West
November 14, 2007
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State University (MSU) and the Bagley College of Engineering (BCoE) have hit the information super-highway heading straight to the Silicon Valley. Through a new partnership with San Jose State University (SJSU), engineers in California can now benefit from Southern hospitality first-hand.
The recently instated Mississippi State University/San Jose State University Engineering Ph.D. Gateway Program allows engineers to earn a doctoral degree from MSU without leaving their familiar San Jose campus or their highly coveted jobs in the Silicon Valley.
“Currently San Jose State University has 2,000 master’s students, most of whom are also working professionals,” said Dr. Roger King, associate dean for research and graduate studies. “Prior to this partnership, these students would have had to give-up their jobs to earn Ph.Ds from other universities in California. Now, they can stay in their profession while earning a world-class education from Mississippi State.”
Since the 1960s, California has not allowed State universities to offer doctoral degrees, which has kept SJSU from meeting the local engineering community’s demand for advanced degrees. Residency requirements or out-of-state tuition rates at other institutions often prevented working professionals from pursuing doctoral degrees. However, under this mutually beneficial agreement, MSU will waive non-resident tuition and provide the courses and faculty necessary for advanced education via the Internet.
Operating much like distance learning, the Gateway program will use technology to connect doctoral candidates with their professors at MSU while giving them access to the facilities and equipment at SJSU. Students will then be able to earn research credit through their companies under the supervision of SJSU and MSU faculty.
“This program will help us build relationships with the companies in the Silicon Valley, many of which have worked closely with San Jose State University to provide equipment and opportunities for their students. Through this partnership we hope to share resources and be able to offer some of these opportunities to our students in Starkville,” King said.
The program, which has already earned national attention, will help the Bagley College of Engineering increase its impact on engineering around the country while bringing in new students to the university. The BCoE’s doctoral program currently enrolls 256 candidates. To maintain the quality of education and advancement currently held by the college, gateway students will be subject to admissions requirements to ensure their level of dedication. With help from SJSU, Mississippi State will maintain its rigorous standards for doctoral work and research even though the students’ time on the MSU campus will be limited.
MSU alumnus, college namesake and Lam Research Cooperation CEO James Worth Bagley helped provide the leadership to begin the MSU/SJSU Engineering Ph.D Gateway Program. A lifelong supporter of higher education, Bagley has been influential in the growth of engineering at Mississippi State and through his position at Lam Research has helped bring industry support to SJSU. Located in the heart of the Silicon Valley, home to some of the nations most wealthy and influential technology companies, SJSU is also linked with industry leaders such as CISCO, Hewlett Packard and Intel.
For more information about the Mississippi State University/San Jose State University Engineering Ph.D Gateway Program, please contact Dr. Roger King.