Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

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.