Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering
The Doctor
of Philosophy Degree
Award
of the Doctor of Philosophy degree is based on exceptional performance
in coursework as well as evidence of ability to formulate and
execute original research. The PhD program has two components:
(1) An academic program of graduate-level courses which provides
depth in a specific area of civil engineering (the major field)
as well as other coursework that provides additional exposure
at an advanced level to one or more other science discipline (the
minor field); and (2) the Dissertation, an extended independent
research effort on a relevant technical problem resulting in an
original contribution to the field.
Each student’s
mastery of subject matter is measured by a Qualifying Examination
covering a subset of subjects selected from the major field. A
Doctoral Dissertation Committee periodically monitors research
progress, and the candidate is required to present and defend
his or her research results before an expanded group of faculty
and research staff upon completion of the work.
The Doctoral program
is deliberately designed to be flexible with respect to subject
area. Since the PhD is primarily a research degree, the program
must be adaptable to changes in research needs.
Qualifying
Examination and Degree Candidacy
The Qualifying Exam includes written and oral components. Its
content depends upon the educational background and objectives
of the student. In general, the written component covers subject
matter at the Master’s degree level selected from the major
field and includes basic engineering and science disciplines,
as well as Civil Engineering application areas. The oral component
measures general comprehension and aptitude for research. If a
student fails the exam, s/he may re-take it one time with the
permission of the Qualifying Examination Committee.
Students must take
the Qualifying Exam during the first eighteen months of their
PhD program. Upon successful completion of the exam the student
is classified as a Doctoral Candidate.
Dissertation
Once degree candidacy
is established, a Doctoral Candidate may proceed with his or her
Dissertation. The Candidate must write a Dissertation proposal
and name a Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty member
as the Dissertation Adviser. A Dissertation Committee formed by
the student and his or her Dissertation Adviser will monitor progress
and approve the final document. The Dissertation Committee shall
have no fewer than four members, at least three of whom must be
full-time faculty from the CEE Department. Each Doctoral Candidate
must defend his or her Dissertation within seven years from the
start of the PhD program.
Course
Requirements
Each student, along with a faculty adviser, must jointly develop
a proposal defining the content of the academic program, subject
to review by the Qualifying Examination Committee. Intellectual
rigor, connectivity of subject matter, and compatibility with
departmental interests are critical issues. The Qualifying Exam
Committee’s approval of the proposal represents a mutual
agreement between the student and the Committee. The CEE department
encourages flexibility in program definition, especially in areas
where complementary courses exist in other departments, or where
expertise resides outside the department and where the objective
is to introduce new technology in Civil Engineering practice.
The academic program
must include at least fifty-two semester hours of graduate-level
coursework beyond the Bachelor’s degree. Students with a
Master’s degree in Civil Engineering must complete a minimum
of twenty semester hours of coursework at Northeastern University.
A student may count
no more than four semester hours of independent study (such as
Special Project in Civil Engineering) towards the minimum course
requirements. A minimum of forty semester hours must be related
to the major field but may include courses from other departments
when appropriate. The minor field must include a minimum of eight
semester hours of coursework in science disciplines of interest
to civil engineers (e.g., biology, chemistry, computer science,
earth sciences, health science, mathematics, materials science).
Upon successful completion
of the Qualifying Exam and the majority of required course work,
each Doctoral Candidate must register in two consecutive semesters
for CIVE 9990 (formerly CIV G890) Dissertation. Upon completion
of this sequence, the
Candidate must register for CIVE 9996 (formerly CIV G899) Dissertation
Continuation in every semester until the Dissertation is complete.
Students may not register for Continuation until they fulfill
the two-semester Dissertation sequence.
Residence
Requirement
Students must complete at least two successive semesters of full-time
study on campus to establish residence. The total effort for a
PhD program involves a minimum of three years of full-time work
beyond the Bachelor’s degree. Students who enter the Doctoral
program with a Master of Science degree may complete the requirements
in less time, but should anticipate at least two years of full-time
effort.
Language
Requirement
Each Doctoral Candidate must be proficient in technical writing
and oral presentation in the English language. The Qualifying
Examination Committee may require additional coursework in the
case of any deficiency in these areas.
Comprehensive
Examination
The Comprehensive Exam is a defense of the doctoral research work
and an examination on subject matter related to the Dissertation
area.
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