Doctor of Philosophy

Candidates for the Ph.D. must complete a minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate, of which 60 must be spent in course work and 12 in dissertation work. Students with no previous graduate work experience may be required to complete the academic requirements for the master�s program during the first 30 semester hours in the doctoral program. In addition to the required minimum number of credit hours, all students are expected to enroll in Graduate Seminar each semester.

For specialization in Dynamics and Controls of Aerospace Systems, students must take the following courses: Mathematics MATH-234, MATH-245, and MATH-246; Electrical Engineering ELEG-553; Mechanical Engineering MEEG-501; MEEG-505; MEEG-506; MEEG-520; MEEG-610; MEEG-612; and ELEG-431. Electives may be chosen from Mathematics MATH-235, MATH-236; Physics PHYS206, PHYS207, and Civil Engineering CIEG-536 and CIEG-513; Electrical Engineering ELEG-502/503, ELEG-555, and ELEG-556; Mechanical Engineering MEEG-503, MEEG-507, MEEG-509, MEEG-512, MEEG-515, MEEG-521, MEEG-613, and MEEG-615; and Computer Science SYCS-551, SYCS-628, and SYCS-339.

Students specializing in Fluid and Thermal Sciences must take the following courses: Mathematics MATH-234, MATH-236, MATH-245, and MATH-246; Mechanical Engineering MEEG-503, MEEG-504, MEEG-505, MEEG-507, MEEG-509, MEEG-510, MEEG-511, MEEG-512, MEEG-519 and MEEG-611. Electives may be selected from Mathematics MATH-237; Physics PHYS204, PHYS205, PHYS222, PHYS223, PHYS272, and PHYS273; Electrical Engineering ELEG-502/503; Mechanical Engineering MEEG-514, MEEG-521, MEEG-607, MEEG-612 and MEEG-614.

For specialization in Applied Mechanics, students must take Mechanical Engineering MEEG-505, MEEG-507, MEEG-508, MEEG-512, MEEG-521, and MEEG-612; Civil Engineering CIEG-524, CIEG-535, and CIEG-536; Mathematics MATH-229, MATH-245, and MATH-246. Electives may be chosen from Mathematics MATH-230, MATH-231, MATH-232, MATH-234, MATH-236, MATH-239, MATH-247, and MATH-248; Electrical Engineering ELEG-555, and ELEG-556; Civil Engineering CIEG-513, CIEG-514, and CIEG-520.

For specialization in CAD/CAM and Robotics, students must take Mechanical Engineering MEEG-505, MEEG-532, MEEG-535, MEEG-606; Electrical Engineering ELEG-502, ELEG-503; Mathematics MATH-245, MATH-246. Electives may be chosen from Mechanical Engineering MEEG-533, MEEG-534, MEEG-612, MEEG-616, MEEG-419, MEEG-436, MEEG-444, MEEG-501, MEEG-503, MEEG-507, MEEG-508, MEEG-511, MEEG-512, MEEG-521, MEEG-609; Mathematics MATH-234, MATH-235, MATH-236, MATH-240, MATH-247, MATH-248; Electrical Engineering ELEG-509, ELEG-510, ELEG-555, ELEG-561, ELEG-604, ELEG-605; Computer Science SYCS-522, SYCS-548, SYCS-551, SYCS-552, SYCS-556, SYCS-615, SYCS-632, SYCS-750; Physics PHYS219.

Candidates must demonstrate a proficiency in reading one of the following languages (not the native tongue): French, Russian, German, or any approved technical language. As an alternative, students must successfully complete, with a grade of B or better and with the approval of the Graduate Program Committee, a course in technical writing and also one in speech or oral communication.

Qualifying Examination

Each doctoral candidate must pass a written and oral qualifying or comprehensive examination, administered and supervised by the department. This examination must be taken at any time during the student�s first 48 semester hours of relevant course work beyond the bachelor�s degree credited toward the Ph.D. with the permission of the Graduate Program Committee. This examination is given only once each semester.

The Graduate Committee may pass one of the following resolutions regarding the student�s performance on the qualifying exam:

• Pass. The student may proceed to complete the other requirement for the Ph.D.
• Pass with Stipulations. The student has passed a majority of the areas covered in the examination but in lieu of reexamination in certain area(s), the student will be required to complete additional specified course(s) with a specified minimum grade at the earliest opportunity.
• Reexamination. The student must appear for a reexamination to be given the following semester. The Committee may request the student to strengthen his/her knowledge in a specific area and then to appear for reexamination in that area, or the student may be asked to take the entire examination again. Any student who fails the qualifying examination twice will be automatically dropped from the Ph.D. program.
• Termination. The student is not eligible to work towards the Ph.D. but may complete work for a master�s degree in Mechanical Engineering. If the candidate already holds a master�s in Mechanical Engineering, it will be recommended that the student terminate graduate studies in the department.