The Major Qualifying Project (MQP)

The qualifying project in the major field of study should demonstrate application of the skills, methods, and knowledge of the discipline to the solution of a problem that would be representative of the type to be encountered in one's career. The project's content area should be carefully selected to complement the student's total educational program. In defining the project area within which a specific topic is to be selected, the student and academic advisor should pay particular attention to the interrelationships that will exist between the bodies of knowledge represented by courses, independent studies, and Preliminary Qualifying Projects; and by the Interactive Qualifying Projects.

MQP activities encompass research, development, and application, involve analysis or synthesis, are experimental or theoretical, emphasize a particular subarea of the major, or combine aspects of several subareas. In many cases, especially in engineering, MQP's involve capstone design activity. Long before final selection of a project topic, serious thought should be given as to which of these types of activities are to be included. Beyond these considerations, the MQP can also be viewed as an opportunity to publish or to gain experience in the business or public sectors.

Off-campus MQPs are also very valuable for access to stateof- the-art resources and contacts for future professional work.

Getting Started on an MQP
Project topics are originated by students, faculty, or practicing professionals participating in WPI's off-campus project programs. A faculty member in each academic department acts as Project Coordinator for all majors within the department. The Project Coordinator has assembled MQP topic descriptions being proposed and has identified the faculty who will serve as project advisors for each topic. All project opportunities-MQP, IQP, PQP, on-campus originated and off-campus originated-are made available to the student body through a planned information- sharing program of activities during C and D terms of the academic year prior to the start of the project.

Project Proposals
Students are strongly encouraged to begin their MQPs with a project proposal. A detailed guide to preparing project proposals is available in department offices or on the Projects Program web page.

MQP Learning Outcomes 

By completing their MQP, WPI students will achieve the following learning outcomes at a level at least equivalent to that of an entry level professional or graduate student.

Students who complete a Major Qualifying Project will:

1. apply fundamental and disciplinary concepts and methods in ways appropriate to their principal areas of study.
2. demonstrate skill and knowledge of current information and technological tools and techniques specific to the professional field of study.
3. use effectively oral, written and visual communication.
4. identify, analyze, and solve problems creatively through sustained critical investigation.
5. integrate information from multiple sources.
6. demonstrate an awareness and application of appropriate personal, societal, and professional ethical standards.
7. practice the skills, diligence, and commitment to excellence needed to engage in lifelong learning

Specific disciplinary programs may add additional MQP outcomes, such as design or mathematical skills or teamwork, as appropriate.

MQP Project Centers

Each project center has a WPI faculty member as the director, well-defined procedures for completing project work, and selective admissions processes. The Centers tend to be highly structured and require superior performance.

At the present time, the WPI project centers close to campus are:

• Lincoln Laboratory Project Center.
• Gillette Company Project Center.
• UMass Memorial Health Care, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, and Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine Project Centers.

See also Global Perspective Program for residential Project Centers at a distance from WPI.

Lincoln Laboratory Project Center

MIT Lincoln Laboratory located in Lexington, MA, was founded in 1951 as a Federally Funded Research and Development Center of MIT. The Laboratory's fundamental mission is to apply science and advanced technology to critical problems of national security. The scope of problems includes air defense, communications, space surveillance, missile defense, tactical surveillance systems, and air traffic control.

The WPI-MIT Lincoln Laboratory Project Center conducts nine week, off-campus MQPs. Many students selected for this MQP program will also seek summer employment at Lincoln Laboratory during the summer preceding their MQP. During A-Term 2009, the students will work on their projects full time (five days a week) for 9 weeks at Lincoln Laboratory. The first two weeks, arranged immediately prior to the normal scheduled A term, formally serves as the PQP period. Student teams are often interdisciplinary, and work with a mentor from Lincoln Laboratory and with one or more WPI faculty advisors. A variety of project opportunities are available.

Admission to the WPI-MIT Lincoln Laboratory MQP Program is based on the following criteria: judicial and academic standing and performance, essay response, evidence of maturity and independence, availability of projects in a specific area, qualifications relevant to the project offered, and results of an interview.

Project opportunities typically exist in the following disciplines:

• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
• Physics
• Mathematics
• Robotics Engineering

Gilette Company Project Center

Gillette is the world leader in grooming products. Their South Boston Manufacturing Center (SBMC) is their primary location for the manufacture of shaving systems such as the Mach 3 and Venus razors, where over a billion units are produced each year. Many major qualifying project opportunities are available, principally in mechanical and manufacturing engineering. Projects can range from the design of equipment for automated production systems to the analysis and modeling of the kinematics, dynamics, and vibrations of existing systems. Students who do these projects will have the opportunity to solve real engineering problems, interact with professional engineers at one of the most automated assembly facilities in the world, and demonstrate their presentation skills. Those interested in exploring project opportunities at Gillette should contact Professor Robert L. Norton, Mechanical Engineering Department..

UMass Memorial Health Care/University of Massachusetts Medical School/Tufts Univeristy School of Veterniary Medicine Projects

Biomedical projects (MQP, IQP, PQP, and thesis) are available at nearby UMass Memorial Health Care, University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), and Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine (TUSVM) for students from all disciplines on campus. 

It is recommended that students spread their projects over the entire academic year. However, in some cases, full-time activity for a term can be accommodated. Students interested in project opportunities should contact the Biomedical Engineering Department well in advance of their planned project activity.