POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY 2005-2007

TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM
DISSERTATION DEFENSE
The culmination of the student’s PhD
work is the oral presentation and defense
of the final draft dissertation. A defense
is generally scheduled after the
Dissertation Committee has reviewed
the draft dissertation and determined
that it is complete and of sufficient quality
to be presented and defended.
The defense is organized and scheduled
by the Dissertation Committee. All
University faculty members are invited
to observe and ask appropriate questions
at all Polytechnic dissertation defenses.
Therefore, the date of the defense must
be announced University-wide at least
one month prior to the event, and copies
of the draft dissertation must be made
available to any faculty member who
requests one in a timely fashion and in
no case less than two weeks prior to the
defense.
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE
PROGRAMS
The Transportation Program offers graduate
certificates to students completing
15 units of study in specified areas of
concentration. These are intended for
students who do not wish to commit to a
full advanced degree program.
Applicants may be students with bachelor’s
degrees seeking to specialize in an
aspect of transportation or those with
advanced degrees wishing additional
course work in a highly focused area of
the profession.
Students in certificate programs may
apply for transfer to degree programs
without any loss of credits, assuming
they are admitted to the degree program
and that the courses are appropriate to
the degree. Admission to a certificate
program does not guarantee admission
to a full degree program.
The Department of Civil Engineering
offers the following certificate programs
with their requirements:
Certificate in Traffic Engineering:
Course No. Course Title
Units
TR 681 Traffic Studies & Characteristics 3
TR 682 Freeways & Rural Highways 3
TR 683 Intersections: Design & Control 3
TR 684 Arterials & Networks 3
TR 810 Introduction to Intelligent
Transportation Systems 3
15 Units
Certificate in Transportation Planning:
Course No. Course Title
Units
TR 605 Travel Demand Forecasting 3
TR 607 Urban Trans Planning & Congestion
Management 3
TR 609 Transportation Economics & Finance 3
Select two from:
TR 810 Introduction to Intelligent
Transportation Systems 3
TR 851 Transportation Policy 3
TR 852 Public Transportation Systems &
Operations 3
TR 920 Transportation Analysis I 3
TR 921 Transportation Analysis II 3
15 Units
Certificate in Transportation
Management:
Course No. Course Title
Units
TR 609 Transportation Economics & Finance 3
TR 850 Transportation Management 3
TR 851 Transportation Policy 3
TR 852 Urban Public Transportation Systems
& Operations 3
MG Management Elective 3
15 Units
GRADUATE COURSES
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING,
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
TR 605 Transportation Demand
Forecasting 2 1 ⁄2:0:0:3
This course covers the theory and application
of travel demand forecasting methods
for the prediction of the amount and
nature of travel on urban transportation
systems. The course covers the four-step
process of urban travel demand forecasting:
trip generation, trip distribution,
modal split and traffic assignment modeling.
Collection and use of data for travel
demand forecasting is also covered, as
are models of land use development.
Introductions to available software packages
are included.
TR 607 Urban Transportation
Planning and Congestion Management
2 1 ⁄2:0:0:3
The theory and practice of urban transportation
planning is covered in this
course, with specific attention to methods
and techniques for alleviating traffic congestion
in urban areas. Travel demand
and transportation systems management
techniques are emphasized. Application
areas include travel corridors, major
activity centers and residential neighborhoods.
This is a “hands on” course with
an emphasis on practical implementation
of techniques.
TR 609 Transportation Economics
and Finance 2 1 ⁄2:0:0:3
Basic principles of engineering economic
analysis and their application to transportation
projects are covered in detail.
Concepts of present worth, capital recovery,
sinking funds and annual cost are
applied to economic comparisons and
evaluations of alternatives. Unit costs of
various transportation systems are investigated.
Private and public transportation
operations and agencies are studied with
respect to such issues as profit, depreciation
and return on capital. Historical perspectives
on the financing of highway
systems, public transportation systems
and transportation agencies are presented.
Other subjects include privatization, balance
sheets, financial control, cash flow
and preparation of a private-venture business
plan.
TR 920 Transportation Analysis I
2 1 ⁄2:0:0:3
Focuses on regression analysis and discrete
choice models and their applications
in transportation planning and engineering.
The course covers estimation
and model testing techniques, statistical
tests and sampling methods. Application
of regression and discrete choice models
is selected from demand, supply and
management areas. Prerequisites: undergraduate
calculus, statistics and TR 681
or equivalents.
TR 921 Transportation Analysis II
2 1 ⁄2:0:0:3
Focuses on the formulation of traffic
assignment models and the application of
commonly-used software packages to
traffic assignment modeling. The course
covers optimization methods, their formulation
and their application to the traffic
assignment process. Hands-on experience
using case studies is provided.
Prerequisite: TR 605 or equivalent.
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