The PhD is awarded to those candidates who demonstrate high academic achievement and research competence in the fields of Mechanical or Industrial Engineering. To earn a PhD a student must complete an approved, rigorous program of advanced coursework and submit and defend an original Dissertation of independent research. The MIE Department expects all successful Doctoral Candidates to show depth-of-knowledge and research innovation in their chosen field of specialization.

The MIE Department admits applicants to the PhD program either directly after earning a suitable Bachelor’s degree, or after earning a Master’s degree. Upon acceptance into the program an applicant is designated a Doctoral Student. This designation is changed to Doctoral Candidate upon successful completion of the Doctoral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Qualifying Examinations

In order to qualify as a Doctoral Candidate a Doctoral Student must successfully complete both a written preliminary examination and an oral area examination. All Doctoral Students who hold a Master’s degree must take these exams in their first academic year of study. Those admitted directly with a Bachelor’s degree must take the exams within the first two years of study.

The MIE department offers the written preliminary exam twice during each academic year, typically in September and January. The objective of this exam is to test the student’s fundamental knowledge of core subjects in a specific engineering discipline, and to test skill in implementing the methods of inquiry in that field. The exam is six hours in length and covers, with equal emphasis, four different subjects from among the nine subject groups listed below. Each student’s Dissertation Adviser must approve the student’s four subject selections. All written exams shall be closed-book; however, students may prepare and use a single double-sided 8½” x 11” sheet of reference material. Students may find further guidance in The Doctoral Qualifying Examination Handbook, as prepared and distributed by the MIE Graduate Committee. Students should also consult extensively with their advisers regarding all aspects of the qualifying exams.

Preliminary Examination

The MIE Graduate Committee will review all students’ performance in the preliminary exam. In consultation with the student’s Dissertation Adviser the Committee will recommend one of three possible exam results:

1. Pass: This grade indicates successful completion of the preliminary exam. In this case the student is prepared to develop a research plan and literature survey. However, in some cases, the MIE Graduate Committee may recommend additional coursework in subjects where the preliminary exam indicated some weakness.
2. Conditional: The student is invited to re-take the full preliminary examination at the next offering. The result of the second preliminary exam will be either Pass or Fail.
3. Fail: The student is not permitted to continue as a Doctoral Student in any of the programs offered by the MIE department.

The results of the preliminary exam and any recommended coursework become part of the student’s record.

Preliminary Examination Subjects:

Area Examination

Students must take the area examination no more than six months after successfully completing the preliminary exam. The area exam comprises two parts:

1. An oral presentation by the student of a written literature survey and initial plan of research (independently developed results are not required at this stage)
2. An oral exam of the student covering topics specifically related to the student’s field of research. The objective of the area exam is to assess the student’s potential to perform independent research in the chosen field of specialization. The student’s Dissertation Committee will invite any additional faculty deemed appropriate to that field; this Area Examining Committee will then conduct the area exam. Each student’s Dissertation Committee must comprise at least three members; two of those three must be MIE faculty members.

The Area Examining Committee may either recommend admission to Doctoral Candidacy or may allow the student a single additional opportunity to complete the area exam successfully. Students not admitted to Doctoral Candidacy after a second attempt at the area exam will no longer be eligible for Candidacy in any of the PhD programs offered by the MIE department. The Committee’s recommendation, the literature survey, and the initial research plan are added to the student’s record upon admission to Doctoral Candidacy.

Course Requirements

A typical program of study includes at least forty-eight semester hours of coursework beyond the Bachelor’s Degree, or twenty-four semester hours of coursework beyond the Master’s degree.

A minor field of study is also required, comprising at least eight semester hours of coursework in a discipline other than that in which the candidate is concentrating (and which may also be taken outside the MIE Department). Doctoral Candidates must attain a minimum 3.000 QPA in minor area coursework. Each Doctoral Student, together with his or her Dissertation Adviser, should develop an initial program during the first semester of study. The final program is also subject to the approval of the Area Examining Committee, who will add the program of study to the student’s record upon admission to Doctoral Candidacy.

Upon successful completion of the PhD qualifying exams and the majority of required coursework, the Doctoral Candidate must register in two consecutive semesters for IEM/MTM G890 Dissertation. Upon completion of this sequence, the student must then register for IEM/MTM G899 Dissertation Continuation in every semester until the Dissertation is completed. A student may not register for continuation until s/he fulfills the two-semester sequence.

Final Oral Examination

All Doctoral Candidates must pass a Final oral examination. This exam will be scheduled once the Dissertation Committee agrees that the Candidate’s research is in a form appropriate for formal presentation, and after completion of all other requirements for the PhD, including all coursework approved in the final program of study. The objective of the exam is for the Candidate to present and defend the results of the Dissertation research and to demonstrate depth-of-knowledge and significant expertise in the area of that research under questioning from the Dissertation Committee and other attendees.

The exam shall be publicly advertised at least one week in advance and all faculty members may attend and participate. At the conclusion of the presentation and subsequent question period, the Dissertation Committee will convene to determine the outcome. The Committee may recommend that the Candidate be awarded the PhD, or may require additional research and/or modifications of the Dissertation. In some cases Candidates may be asked to present themselves for an additional Final oral exam.

Residency Requirement

The residency requirement is satisfied by two semesters of full-time graduate registration.