Program Overview

PhD Program in Civil and Environmental Engineering

The PhD program in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northwestern University is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in the field, preparing them for careers in research, academia, and industry.

Overview

The program is tailored to individual students' backgrounds and interests, with a typical study plan including two years of coursework followed by at least one year of intensive research under faculty supervision.

Curriculum and Requirements

• Students' programs are tailored to their individual backgrounds and interests.
• A typical study plan includes two years of coursework followed by at least one year of intensive research under faculty supervision.
• The first year of coursework is similar to that pursued by master of science students.
• In subsequent years, PhD students delve more deeply into methodological areas related to their research interests through courses in such fields as urban planning, operations research, economics, psychology, marketing, and computer science.
• The program culminates in PhD dissertation research, which advances the student's knowledge, perspective, and intellectual maturity, and contributes to the state of the art in transportation.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

• Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 and a good performance on graduate coursework, based on subjective assessment by all transportation systems analysis and planning faculty members.
• Students must also have support of at least one faculty member to serve as the research advisor.

Candidacy

1. A PhD student should be considered for Admission to PhD Candidacy no earlier than the end of the first academic year (3 quarters) and no later than the end of the second academic year.
2. PhD students must have a research advisor who has agreed to supervise their PhD studies before consideration.
3. For each PhD student, the Program Areas conduct a Qualifying Exam that the student must pass before consideration.
4. Once a quarter, the Program Areas forward a list of the PhD students to be considered for Admission to PhD Candidacy by the CEE Graduate Committee.
5. The Graduate Committee will review the records of all students, and discuss their research potential, and issue approvals.
6. PhD students will be admitted to PhD Candidacy only upon this final approval by the Graduate Committee.

Prospectus

• The prospectus process typically involves development of a written research proposal that will culminate in the dissertation.
• This research proposal is also typically delivered in oral form to the prospectus committee.

Dissertation Defense

• The program culminates in PhD dissertation research, which advances the student's knowledge, perspective, and intellectual maturity, and contributes to the state of the art in transportation systems analysis and planning.
• Significant milestones in the completion of a dissertation include a proposal defense taking place 1-2 years prior to completion, as well as an oral defense, which occurs upon completion of the work.
• The average completion time for a dissertation is four to five years.

Specializations

• Environmental Engineering and Science Specialization
• Underground Science and Engineering Specialization
• Structural Engineering and Design Specialization
• Transportation Systems Analysis and Planning Specialization
• Mechanics, Materials, and Structures Specialization

Research Areas

• Material Systems
• Ecosystems
• Urban Systems
• Human Systems

Faculty

• Core Faculty
• Affiliated Faculty
• Emeritus Faculty

News and Events

• News
• Newsletter
• All Events
• Special Seminars
• Department Seminars

Student Information

• Career Opportunities
• Current Students
• Scholarships, Fellowships, & Competitions
• Professional Practice
• Student Organizations & Professional Societies
• Forms & Documents
• Student Handbooks

Program Structure

• The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in the field, preparing them for careers in research, academia, and industry.
• The program is tailored to individual students' backgrounds and interests, with a typical study plan including two years of coursework followed by at least one year of intensive research under faculty supervision.