Program Overview

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a demanding, world-class research program in advanced engineering. PhD students in our department are prepared to assume leadership roles in academia, industry, and research institutions.

Program Overview

All PhD students are required to complete graduate-level coursework; conduct advanced independent research; complete a doctoral dissertation; and successfully pass a Qualifying Exam, General Exam, and Final Exam.

Credits, Enrollment, and Time-to-Degree

• Total Credits: PhD students are required to complete a minimum of 90 graduate-level credits. All required courses (other than research credits) must be numerically graded.
• Enrollment: PhD students are expected to maintain full-time enrollment of at least 10 credits per quarter.
• Time-to-Degree: PhD students in our department typically complete their degrees in 5-6 years.

Curriculum and Requirements

After meeting the requirements of their specific degree pathway, all PhD students will complete the same series of exams and research requirements. The curriculum includes:

• MSAA, Graduate Fundamentals, or Post-Master's "Doctoral Residency" Credits
• Qualifying exam
• Establish doctoral supervisory committee
• "Doctoral coursework"
• General exam
• Dissertation
• Final exam

Pathways

PhD students may pursue their PhD through one of three different paths:

• MSAA en route to PhD
• Direct-to-PhD (no master's degree awarded)
• Post-Masters Admission (master's degree earned elsewhere)

Qualifying Exam

The purpose of the Doctoral Qualifying Examination is to evaluate a student’s overall academic preparation for the PhD program. The exam consists of a written paper or literature review, an oral presentation, and responses to questions from the committee.

Doctoral Supervisory Committee

A Doctoral Supervisory Committee should be established as soon as possible after successfully passing the Qualifying Exam. The committee must consist of at least five members, including a Committee Chair, Depth Area Faculty Members, a Breadth Area Faculty Member, and a Graduate School Representative.

General Exam

The General Examination is an oral exam that evaluates the student's research proposal and progress. Students must schedule the General Exam at least one year after passing the Qualifying Exam and complete a minimum of 60 credits of graduate-level work.

Dissertation

After passing the General Exam, PhD Candidates are expected to focus primarily on completing their doctoral dissertation. The dissertation requires a substantial effort and must demonstrate original, independent research and achievement.

Final Exam

The Final Examination is a presentation and defense of the dissertation. The exam should last approximately two hours and consist of a presentation from the candidate followed by oral examination.

Ready to Graduate

After successfully passing the Final Exam, students must complete several final steps before graduating, including submitting their dissertation, completing the Survey of Earned Doctorates, and returning all library books.