Program Description
The course is offered using on-line learning methods. Students will learn by listening to the on-line lectures and through directed self-study. The lectures can be accessed at the designated website at the time convenient to the student. Alternatively, a student may use recorded versions on a CD or a DVD. The Blackboard, Inc. software package is used in course administration.

Student and Program Outcomes
The special skills and knowledge that graduating students will acquire include the following:

• An advanced understanding of characteristics of selected mining processes and their mutual relationships;
• An ability to design selected mining processes, as well as select the relevant equipment as determined by the specifics of the operation;and
• An ability to use cutting-edge engineering tools and knowledge to solve mining-related problems in an economical, safe and efficient way

Class Size
The enrollment will generally be limited to 15 students per class. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. This limit is set to allow us to provide the best service to the enrollees.It is expected that several of the students will attend the class in person at Missouri S&T while the rest of the class will use on-line facilities.

Hardware/Software Requirements
To participate in on-line class each student needs to secure access to an Internet-connected computer. We recommend a 56-kbps connection and a computer equipped with 128 MB of RAM, a 1-GB hard disk, a sound card with appropriate speakers, a graphics card, and a 32X CD drive.A recent version of MS Explorer or a Netscape browser is required. It is the responsibility of each student to make sure that she/he has access to a computer that is sufficiently powerful.

M.E. Course Design and Requirements
Total credits required for graduation - 33 credit hours: The program is an advanced mining engineering program that takes advantage of current developments in on-line learning. It has a limited research component and can be completed without the need to attend classes at Missouri S&T. To complete the program and attain the degree a student needs to complete 33 hours of graduate credit.

Residency Requirement
This is an on-line learning program without a formal residency requirement. However, the students enrolled in courses that have a laboratory component may be required to complete a three-day to one-week long laboratory session at the Missouri S&T, at a time agreed to with the course instructor.

Courses
Each course in this offering is worth 3 credit hours. The program consists of the following course requirements:

• 12 credits for required courses
• 3 credits for Design Project or Problem Report, and
• 18 credits of elective courses

The required courses are designed to assure that the student gains knowledge of state-of-the-art mining practice, while the electives allow her/him to
choose an area of specialization. The final choice of the courses needs to be approved by the Program Coordinator.

Required Courses - total of 12 credit hours

MIN 231 Rock Mechanics I or equivalent
MIN 324 Underground Mining Methods for Metal and Industrial Minerals
MIN 326 Surface Mining Methods
MIN 376 Environmental Aspects of Mining

Note: If any of these, or other courses below have already been taken for credit during the undergraduate degree, the student will need to take other courses that match his/her professional needs.

Technical Elective Courses - maximum of 18 credit hours

MIN 221 Mine Exploration
MIN 270 Mining Industry Economics
MIN 302 Computer Applications in the Mining & Minerals Industry
MIN 306 Material Processing by High Pressure Water Jet
MIN 307 Principles of Explosives Engineering
MIN 311 Mine Plant Management
MIN 318 Mine Atmospheric Control I
MIN 322 Mine Management
MIN 343 Coal Mine Development and Production
MIN 345 Strata Control
MIN 350 Blasting Design and Technology
MIN 383 Tunneling and Underground Construction
MIN 400 Special Problems
MIN 402 Environmental Controls for Blasting
MIN 403 Optimization Applications in Mining
MIN 404 Advanced Mining Systems
MIN 405 Non-Explosives Rock Fragmentation
MIN 408 Ore Reserve Analysis and Geostatistics
MIN 409 Mining Feasibility Studies & Evaluation Procedures
MIN 415 Adv. Mine Health and Safety Design I
MIN 416 Health and Safety in Mineral Engineering Design II
MIN 418 Mine Atmospheric Control II
MIN 432 Advanced Rock Mechanics
MIN 433 Rock Mechanics IV

Note: Additional 200-, 300-, or 400-level electives may be available (1 to 6 credit hours) as these become ready for on-line offering

Technical Electives
Six credit hours are technical electives that can be selected from outside of the Department, should the student wish to do so, offered either via on-line or through traditional classroom teaching. The technical electives need to be approved by the Program Coordinator or by the Department Chair.

Advanced credit - Maximum 9 credits

Of the total 33 credit hours required to obtain the degree, a maximum of nine (9) credit hours of graduate-level work, with a minimum grade of "B" (top
50% of the class), can be transferred from other universities. The balance of the credits has to be taken through Missouri S&T.

Design Project or Problem Report
There is no requirement for a thesis or internship. However, to develop independent study skills and ability to synthesize learned information each student is required to complete the Design Project or a Problem Report (3 credit hours). The topic needs to be approved by the course coordinator and is expected to relate to student's professional interests.

Graduation Requirements
In order to graduate a student needs to obtain the following credits:

1. Credit for all four required courses, if not taken previously as part of the Bachelor's degree (12 credit hours as listed above).
2. Additional 18 credit hours for technical electives.
3.Credit for a 3-credit-hour design project or problem report.

Program Pre-requisites
Candidates for the program should have an undergraduate degree in a physical science or engineering discipline and have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 (on a 4-point scale). If a candidate has another Bachelor’s degree and extensive experience in the mining industry, then it may substituted for the degree requirement, if approved by the Program Coordinator. Candidates may choose to enter through the Graduate Certificate Program first, which does not require a GRE, and,  upon successfull completion, transfer to the on-line M.E. Program.

International Students
International students for whom English is not the native language must submit a TOEFL score of at least 550 or satisfactorily complete an English Language course approved by the Program Coordinator. A GRE score is required of all international students.

If an applicant's educational and/or industrial background appears to be lacking, the applicant may be accepted provided he or she agrees to take selected background courses selected to ensure his/her success. Depending on the student's background, up to four fundamental mining courses may be required.

Enrollment
Enrollment can be done by completing the registration forms:

Graduate Student Application

The completed application form must be faxed to the Mining Engineering Department at (573) 341-6934.

Fees
Current tuition fees for this program may be found at the following web site:

http://dce.mst.edu/admissions/fee_schedule.html

The fees entitle the student to participate in all activities related to the course(s) he/she is enrolled in.

Additional information can be obtained from:

Dr. Jerry Tien
tien@mst.edu
Tel. (573) 341-4757

Mrs. Judy Russell
jrussell@mst.edu
Tel. (573) 341-7652