If the student wishes to join the MS Environmental Engineering program at GT-Shenzhen but does not have all the credentials ready at this time, he/she can apply to enroll as a PDO student first.
PDO students take courses alongside GT-Shenzhen degree program students and follow the same requirements for the courses. PDO students must complete the same homework and project assignments and take the same exams as degree-seeking students. PDO students are evaluated the same way as degree-seeking students and receive course grades reported on Georgia Tech Professional Education (GTPE) transcript. Please note that the GTPE transcript is different from the GT transcript for degree-seeking students. PDO students are not allowed to enroll in more than 3 courses total before being admitted into the GT-Shenzhen Master’s degree program.
For those who are admitted by the MS Environmental Engineering program at GT-Shenzhen within a year of taking PDO courses, upon approval, up to 3 courses taken as GT-Shenzhen PDO students can be transferred into the GT-Shenzhen MS Environmental Engineering program. In order to qualify for the transfer, the specific course grades earned as PDO students must be A or B. Transfer courses do not enter into GPA calculation however for the degree program. If the student does not enroll in the GT MS Environmental Engineering program or does not enroll within the 12-month time period, the PDO course credits will still be kept on the student’s GTPE user account and become a part of the student’s professional development history. We will review credits older than one year on a case-by-case basis.
GT-Shenzhen reserves the right to terminate a student’s PDO program participation if during the semesters of PDO enrollment, the student does not attain a 3.0 GPA.
Registration for PDO courses is done via the student’s GTPE user account.
PDO cost: During the academic year, the GT-Shenzhen PDO cost is $2,250 USD per course.
Application deadline:
- Spring enrollment: December 1
- Summer enrollment: May 1
- Fall enrollment: July 30
PDO application requirements:
- GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) is required of all PDO applicants.
- A completed PDO Information Form
- Earned a four-year Bachelor’s degree. Please submit a scanned copy of your undergraduate diploma (if any) and college transcripts (front and back). If you have received graduate education as well, you are welcome to submit a scanned copy of your graduate school transcripts and diploma (if any).
- Personal statement
- CV
- English proficiency as demonstrated by any one of the following:
- CET 4 or CET 6 (≥425); CET = College English Test (China)
- You may want to provide other English proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, GRE, etc.) you took.
Please submit a scanned copy of any or all of the above test results.
Send all attachments in one email to gtshenzhen@nullce.gatech.edu . Please write in the Subject line: PDO application_Name
REGISTRATION OF CLASSES:
Once accepted, please visit this page to set up a GTPE user account. Please see the PDO Courses page for courses and further instructions. PLEASE READ the Canvas instructions and FAQs on how to setup your Dashboard to review course content, etc. A PDO student is only allowed to enroll in one or two courses per semester unless they have met the English proficiency requirement for the intended GT degree program.
Methods of payment:
- Credit card is the most convenient method of payment. The payment is posted to your student account immediately.
- Alternatively, you can pay by wire transfer. Wire transfer fees are the student’s responsibility. It will take a few days for the wire to appear on the student’s account. Following the wire transfer, the student must email Robin Finey the following: Name of the student, GTID, wire transfer amount, and please attach the wire transfer confirmation from the bank. This will help GTPE match up the payment with the registration.
Summary of key information:
- PDO students do not apply through the ordinary online GT graduate admissions interface, but are expected to submit a PDO Information Form and scanned copies of required documents.
- PDO students have GTPE student status but not GT degree program student status.
- PDO students receive GTPE transcript, not GT transcript for degree-seeking students.
- PDO students can transfer credits earned during the PDO phase to the GT-Shenzhen MS Environmental Engineering program, if the courses were taken during the 12 month period leading up to the matriculation at GT-Shenzhen. Transfer courses are limited to those with A or B grades. A maximum of 3 courses can be taken as a GT-Shenzhen PDO student.
- Course registration and tuition payment are done via the GTPE website.
Inquiries/Contact:
Email: gtshenzhen@nullce.gatech.edu