Doctorate of Philosophy Degree
Students pursuing the PhD must complete a total of eight courses. Five of these courses are the required core courses and three are depth and breadth courses:
Required Core Course in Engineering Mathematics (two courses):
- ME 452 Mathematical Methods In Engineering I (plus one of the following courses)
- ME 453 Mathematical Methods In Engineering II OR ME 413 Numerical Methods in Mechanical Engineering
Required Core Courses in Mechanical Engineering (miniumum of two courses, up to three courses):
- ME 423 Heat and Mass Transfer
- ME 430 Advanced Fluid Mechanics
- ME 433 Linear Systems and Control
- Mech 406 Fundamentals of Solid Mechanics
- Mech 425 Analytical Methods in Dynamics and Vibrations
- Mech 450 Advanced Mechanics of Materials
Optional Core Course (maximum of one course):
- ME 402 Advanced Manufacturing Science
Abbreviated Overview of Requirements
1. Select a PhD advisor, then complete and submit the Advisor Selection Form
2. Complete five core courses with a minimum gpa of 3.35/4.0 within the first three semesters of graduation study. The student must use the first five core courses taken for the gpa calculation. Core courses may not be retaken. (If ME 453 is not taken as part of the course course sequence, it must be taken at a later point).This requirement represents the first stage of candidacy at the Department level
3. Form the PhD Committee (required for administration of General Examination)
4. Complete the General Examination. Students who started their PhD prior to the Fall 2018 semester can take either the existing form of the General Examination, or, if the PhD advisor, the student and the PhD committee are all in agreement, the student can take the new form of the General Examination. Students who start their PhD program as of the Fall 2018 semester must take the new form of the General Examination. The existing form of the General Examination must be completed no later than the end of the second semester after the minimum core course gpa is attained. The new form of the General Examination is taken during the fourth semester when the core course requirements will have been completed. Note: The University requirement is that the General Examination must be completed no later than seven months prior to the time when the candidate plans to receive the degree. This requirement represents the second stage of candidacy at the Department level
5. Write the proposal for the PhD program. The proposal includes the proposed research and the course plan. For students starting their PhD program as of the Spring 2019 semester or thereafter, the course plan must include three additional depth and breadth courses beyond the five core courses.
6. Present the PhD proposal to the PhD Committee no later than the end of the semester following the semester in which the General Exam was passed.
7. File for PhD candidacy at the College level. After the proposal is approved by the PhD Committee, submit the original General Exam Signature page, the original Proposal signature page, a copy of the proposal, and a completed Application to Candidacy form to Ms. Brie Lisk, 314A Packard Lab. Approval of the proposal by the Associate Dean admits the student to candidacy for the PhD in the P. C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science.
8. Present the dissertation research. A dissertation defense announcement is sent to all faculty and graduate students at least one week prior to the defense presentation.