Current PhD Students

PhD Degree Requirements

Students pursuing a PhD degree complete a combination of advanced coursework, research, teaching, and dissertation requirements. Regardless of their research area, all students must meet the following requirements:

• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to maintain good academic standing.
• All courses taken toward the course requirements should be graduate level.
• Advisors may also include additional course requirements.

The table below outlines the degree requirements for all students pursuing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. 

Additional Degree Requirement Information

Minor Concentration

• PhD students are required to take a sequence of three graduate level courses in a minor area before taking the qualifying exam. Pre-approved minor requirements (Solid Mechanics, Design and Manufacturing, and Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Science) can be located on the MEC Graduate Brightspace Page. Students choosing a minor outside the pre-approved minors must submit a list of five coherent courses from the proposed field with an explanation to the Graduate Program Director. 

Non-MEC/Transfer Credits

• Credits counted toward another degree are not transferable
• Maximum of 6 credits from outside institutions and/or non-MEC departments may count
• All transfer credits require Graduate Program Director and Graduate School approval
• Courses directly related to fundamental mechanical engineering will be considered
• Typically, graduate courses offered in the following schools/departments are approved:
  • College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS)
  • Math Department
  • Physics Department
  • Chemistry Department
  • Biology Department

PhD Milestones

In addition to coursework requirements, PhD students must successfully complete the following milestones to progress toward degree completion.

1. Teaching Requirement

Complete 3 credits of MEC 698 - Practicum in Teaching II or obtain approval of equivalent teaching experience from the Graduate Program Director.

• MEC 698 is completed under the supervision of a faculty advisor.
• Teaching activities may include class presentations, recitation instruction, and laboratory preparation or supervision.
• All Teaching Assistants are required to complete MEC 697 - Practicum in Teaching I, which does not fulfill this requirement.

2. Qualifying Examination

The Qualifying Examination is offered annually in January and may be attempted up to two times before dismissal from the PhD program.

• The examination consists of two parts:
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Area of Concentration
• Students are provided with previous examinations to assist with preparation.
• Students must notify the Graduate Program Coordinator and Graduate Program Director at least one month before the examination date.

3. Dissertation Proposal

Students must submit a written dissertation proposal and complete an oral proposal examination conducted by the dissertation committee.

The proposal evaluates the student's:

• Research objectives and significance
• Problem formulation
• Research methodology and approach
• Research progress and direction
• Knowledge of related research areas

The dissertation proposal must be approved at least one year before the dissertation defense.

4. Advancement to Candidacy

PhD students qualify as candidates for the doctoral degree through a formal recommendation by the Graduate Program Director.

• Complete all PhD coursework requirements.
• Complete the Teaching Requirement, Qualifying Examination and Dissertation Proposal.
• Advance to candidacy (G5) within one year of passing the Qualifying Examination.

5. Dissertation Defense

The dissertation defense is a public oral presentation of the student's original research and scholarly contributions.

• The defense may occur at least one year after successful completion of the dissertation proposal.
• Students must clearly communicate the results and significance of their research.
• Final approval of the dissertation is determined by a majority vote of the dissertation examining committee.

Instructions and additional information regarding program requirements can be found on the MEC Graduate Brightspace Page.