The PhD Program
General Requirements
The Ph.D. program is intended to prepare the student for a research career in industry, academia or national laboratories. A dissertation, presenting significant new information, is the primary requirement of the degree. Other requirements for the Ph.D. degree include:
- A minimum of one academic year in residency. Residency is defined as one continuous academic year of full-time graduate work (9 credits per semester).
- A certification by the candidate’s Guidance Committee that the candidate is qualified to pursue the Ph.D. degree.
- Successful completion of a preliminary comprehensive examination.
- An approved dissertation proposal.
- Completion of an approved course curriculum
- A Ph.D. dissertation.
- A final oral examination.
Additional University requirements are listed in the Graduate School Handbook.
Students considering a doctoral degree are strongly encouraged to obtain an M.S. degree in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering before attempting to establish candidacy in the Ph.D. program. Although this is not a requirement, experience indicates that previous research experience provides better preparation for Ph.D. dissertation work.
Graduate School Enrollment (Full-Time) Status
Full-time status as a graduate student is defined by the Graduate School Policy as:
- a graduate student is enrolled for nine (9) or more credits.
- candidates working full-time (20 hr/wk) GRA/GTA on contract (as certified by the GPD).
- candidates in continuous enrollment working full-time on their doctoral dissertation research, regardless of their funding status.
- a candidate defending their thesis/dissertation in their final semester.
Graduate School Residency Requirement
“A doctoral candidate must spend the equivalent of at least one continuous academic year of full- time graduate work (nine credits per semester) in residence at the University. The residency year must be either in a Fall/Spring or Spring/Fall sequence. During this year, the student must spend some part of each week physically on campus.”
