DIGRI

The Distributed Graduate Instruction (DIGRI) of the U.P. College of Engineering is an asynchronous mode of delivering lectures to graduate students through the internet. It employs modern technology in the creation and delivery of lecture modules that enhance student learning experience. Being instructor led, it provides guidance and feedback to student progress

The DIGRI Advantage

DIGRI addresses the growing needs of working engineers to obtain advanced studies in Engineering without the usual constraint of travel time. It has in mind professionals who travel frequently or who may be unexpectedly assigned to other plants or sites. DIGRI offers flexibility to working professionals as it allows them to access lectures through the internet and study the materials anytime, anywhere and at their convenience. While DIGRI offers convenience and flexibility, students must have the highest level of self-discipline to succeed as U.P.’s standard of excellence applies regardless of the mode of instruction.

The University Virtual Learning Environment (UVLE) developed by the University of the Philippines addresses the problem of student-teacher interaction typical in asynchronous setup. It provides a discussion board for students to interact with their instructor or discuss among themselves interesting problems and topics in the course. The UVLE also acts as a course management system as it allows the posting of lecture materials and assignments. Moreover, students can also check their class standings and scores in exams and quizzes.

Current Programs Offered in DIGRI

The graduate programs currently offered in DIGRI are: (1) Master’s in Engineering in Microelectronics (MEEE), and (2) Master’s of Science in Materials Science and Engineering (MSMSE). These are the programs identified by Intel, Philips and TI as areas where they need to elevate the technical capabilities of their employees. The programs are designed to be finished in 6 semesters with a typical load of 6 units per semester.

Faculty Members in DIGRI

All faculty members handling DIGRI courses hold master’s or doctoral degrees and are experts in their areas. Aside from teaching, they are also involved in various researches which enable them to relate to the practical aspects of the courses.

Student Support

The Graduate Office of the U.P. College of Engineering assists DIGRI students in matters of enrollment and administration. Likewise, technical support is provided for by key members of the DIGRI team. Intel, Philips and TI, as partners in DIGRI, have offered education assistance to their employees to encourage them to pursue graduate degree. More crucial, however, is the support of managers on their staff doing graduate studies as this will afford them time to study and satisfy the requirements of a course.

Tuition and Fees

DIGRI students will be assessed an additional fee per unit on top of the College’s tuition fee. The additional fee is computed to cover expenses related to the reproduction of materials and maintenance of equipment used in DIGRI. All other fees, such as miscellaneous, are the same as with other graduate students who are not enrolled in DIGRI.

What the Future Holds!

A number of companies have already expressed interests in DIGRI. With the successful run of the project, it is envisaged that more companies will participate and more working professionals will opt to enroll in this mode as it becomes a more viable alternative for them to earn their graduate degree. A multi-level evaluation is set at the end of the semester for the purpose of fine tuning and enhancing the DIGRI. It is expected that, with enough demands, other graduate programs will be offered through DIGRI.