Program Overview

Introduction to the Transportation Science Ph.D. Program

The interdisciplinary graduate program in Transportation Science at the Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) includes faculty from five academic units: the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Department of Urban Policy and Public Planning, the Department of Economics, the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and the School of Law. The program is designed to educate students in a broad set of competencies and perspectives that mirror the actual state of policy, practice, and research in various areas involving mobility, transportation, and logistics.

Program Overview

The program offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Transportation Science. Admission is limited to a small number of exceptionally talented, independent, and self-disciplined students. The deadline for application for admission is March 1 for the fall quarter. All applicants must take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) prior to the application deadline. Applicants whose first language is not English must also submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores.

Program Requirements

The Ph.D. program is a 48-unit program requiring a qualifying examination and dissertation defense. Prior to the qualifying examination, students must have completed a minimum of 36 units of coursework, a replication project, or a publishable research paper as first author, and a dissertation proposal.

Course Requirements

Courses are selected from one of the four areas listed below:

• Area 1: Transportation Systems Engineering
  • ENGRCEE 220A: Travel Demand Analysis I
  • ENGRCEE 220B: Travel Demand Analysis II
  • ENGRCEE 221A: Transportation Systems Analysis I
  • ENGRCEE 222: Transit Systems Planning
  • ENGRCEE 223: Transportation Systems III: Planning and Forecasting
  • ENGRCEE 224A: Transportation Data Analysis I
  • ENGRCEE 226A: Traffic Flow Theory I
  • ENGRCEE 228A: Urban Transportation Networks I
  • ENGRCEE 229A: Traffic Systems Operations and Control I
• Area 2: Urban and Transportation Economics
  • ECON 210A: Microeconomic Theory I
  • ECON 281A: Urban Economics I
  • ECON 281B: Urban Economics II
  • ECON 282B: Transportation Economics II
  • ECON 289A-Z
• Area 3: Transportation Planning
  • UPPP 202: History and Theory of Urban Planning
  • UPPP 207: Land-Use Law
  • UPPP 212: Transportation Planning and Policy
  • UPPP 235: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Problem Solving in Planning
  • UPPP 237: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Area 4: Computer Science
  • COMPSCI 206: Principles of Scientific Computing
  • COMPSCI 248A: Introduction to Ubiquitous Computing
  • COMPSCI 260: Fundamentals of the Design and Analysis of Algorithms
  • COMPSCI 268: Introduction to Optimization
  • COMPSCI 271: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
  • COMPSCI 274A: Probabilistic Learning: Theory and Algorithms

Replication Project or Publishable Paper

Students entering the program with an M.S. are encouraged to transform a course project or thesis from this program or an earlier one into a publishable paper. The dissertation supervisor and the Director of the Transportation Science Program must approve the replication project or paper prior to the date of the qualifying exam.

Dissertation Proposal

Dissertation proposals differ across areas but a typical proposal would be 15-30 pages long and would include an introduction, a review of related literature, a plan for the dissertation research, and an indication of the sorts of products that will emerge from the project.

Qualifying Examination

The qualifying exam must include five faculty members, of which at least three members must be selected from the Transportation Science core faculty, and at least one of whom must be outside of that group. The qualifying exam is primarily an oral presentation of the dissertation proposal but might also include a discussion of other major research efforts conducted by the candidate.

Research Facilities

Research is coordinated at the UCI Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS), which includes classrooms, remote teaching and seminar facilities, and offices for faculty and researchers. ITS also offers extensive computer lab and software support. Approximately 30 to 40 graduate students have their desks at ITS and are employed as research assistants each year. Funded research projects at ITS have focused on topics such as intelligent transportation systems, artificial intelligence applications in transportation, planning and analysis of transportation systems, and more.

Conclusion

The Transportation Science Ph.D. program at the University of California, Irvine, offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary education in transportation science, preparing students for careers in research, policy, and practice. With its rigorous coursework, research opportunities, and faculty expertise, the program provides students with a strong foundation in transportation systems engineering, urban and transportation economics, transportation planning, and computer science.