OVERVIEW
OBJECTIVES
STRUCTURE & REQUIREMENTS
OVERVIEW
The Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering (Ph.D. in Engineering) degree is awarded to candidates who successfully complete the taught courses and research components of the program. The students are required to complete a program of advanced courses in engineering. They are also required to carry out an independent investigation of a specialized area in engineering. Candidates for this degree are supervised by experienced researchers and are expected to demonstrate initiative in their approach and innovation in their work. The Ph.D. Candidates prepare and present a thesis on their chosen area. Research may be undertaken in a variety of topics corresponding to the areas of focus identified by the University.
A candidate applying to the program may opt to apply for a Ph.D. in Engineering with concentration/specializations in one of the engineering areas listed below or for an interdisciplinary/ multidisciplinary Ph.D. in Engineering (i.e., with no one specialization):
- Aerospace Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
- Engineering Systems and Management
- Material Science and Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering
- Petroleum Engineering
- Robotics
The title of the degree and the selected concentration will be specified on the diploma (certificate) and academic record (transcript) of the students who opt for a particular specialization. However, for students who prefer to pursue interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary form of research, which is highly encouraged as it allows them to expand the boundaries of their research across multiple fields, only the title of the degree will be stated on the diploma and transcript of the student.
OBJECTIVES
Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) are broad statements that describe the career and professional accomplishments that graduates are expected to attain within few years of graduation. The PhD in engineering program aims to produce graduates with the disciplinary preparation and ability to:
- Synthesize scientific and technical engineering knowledge to identify, formulate and solve research challenges, and effectively disseminate the results to a variety of audiences.
- Work across multiple disciplines and develop their individual academic, professional and career focus.
- Keep abreast of the latest advances in science and engineering that contribute to the advancement of knowledge for the benefit of society.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) are comprehensive, broad statements pertinent to the knowledge, skills and aspects of competence that a learner is expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. Students graduating with a PhD in Engineering will have the ability to:
-
- Demonstrate appropriate breadth and depth of knowledge that is at the frontier of their disciplines and areas of specialization.
- Conduct and defend original independent research that results in significant contributions to knowledge in the field and leads to publishable quality scholarly articles.
- Understand and value diverse methodologies and techniques for solving critical problems in research.
- Verify, justify and evaluate the various aspects of the solution to a complex engineering problem.
- Communicate effectively and professionally, in written and oral forms, the major tenets of their field and their work to a variety of audiences.
- Demonstrate a commitment to ethical behavior in research and professional activities.
- Contribute effectively in multidisciplinary collaborative environments.
STRUCTURE & REQUIREMENTS
PhD in Engineering
The PhD in Engineering degree program consists of two main components:
- Taught Courses Component: the student is required to complete a program of advanced study. This consists of a minimum of 24 credit hours (8 courses of 3 credit hours each).
- Research Component: the student is required to carry out an independent investigation in a particular area of engineering. This consists of a minimum of 36 credit hours.
For the award of the PhD in Engineering degree, the student must satisfy the following requirements:
- Courses: The student must satisfy the taught courses requirement of the program, which consists of a minimum of 24 credit hours that must be passed with a minimum CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) of 3.00 out of 4. This also includes two zero-credit PhD Research Seminar courses.
- Written Qualifying Exam (WQE): The technical background of the student will be assessed by a written qualifying exam, which is administered no later than the end of the 2nd regular semester after a full-time student admission into the PhD program, and before the end of the 4th semester in the case of a part-time student.
- Research Proposal Examination (RPE): In addition to satisfying the taught courses and WQE requirements of the program, the student is required to prepare and submit a research proposal and to pass the oral RPE before being allowed to progress further in the program. This oral exam should be completed before the end of the 4th semester for full-time students and before the end of the 6th semester for part-time students.
- Dissertation: The student who passes the Research Proposal Examination must then complete a dissertation on original research and defend it successfully in a viva voce Dissertation Defense examination.
Summary of the PhD in Engineering Program Structure and Requirements
Category |
Credit hours Required |
Program Core |
3 |
Program Electives |
21 |
PhD Research Seminars |
0 |
PhD Research Dissertation |
36 |
Total |
60 |
Program Core (3 credit hours)
- ENGR 701 Research Methods in Engineering
- ENGR 703 PhD Research Seminar I
- ENGR 704 PhD Research Seminar II
Technical Electives (21 credit hours)
- The PhD in Engineering program requires the students to complete a minimum of 21 credit-hours of technical elective courses selected from an approved list of doctoral level electives. However, a maximum of 6 credit-hours from Master of Science level courses can be taken subject to the approval of the student’s advisor/s and the graduate studies committee. The selected MSc level courses must be different from those taken by the student previously to satisfy the requirements of her/his MSc degree.
- For a PhD in Engineering with concentration/specialization in a given area, at least 12 credit hours of the technical electives must be selected from the themed list of technical courses for that particular concentration/specialization.
- For a PhD in Engineering without a concentration in a given area, the selected technical elective courses must be aligned to the interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary research the student will be conducting towards the PhD dissertation.
PhD in Engineering Dissertation
ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation (36 credit hours)
A student must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours of PhD Research Dissertation that involves novel, creative, research-oriented work under the direct supervision of at least one full-time faculty advisor from the College of Engineering. The research findings must be documented in a formal dissertation and defended successfully in a viva voce Dissertation Defense examination.
Typical Study Plan
Typical study plans for full-time and part-time students enrolled on the PhD in Engineering program are shown below. Each student must select the technical elective courses in consultation with her/his advisor.
Typical Study Plan for Full-Time Students |
|
Semester 1 |
Semester 2 |
Year 1 |
- ENGR 701 Research Methods in Engineering
- Technical Elective 1
- Technical Elective 2
|
- Technical Elective 3
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
- ENGR 795 PhD Written Qualifying Exam (WQE)
|
Year 2 |
- Technical Elective 4
- Technical Elective 5
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
|
- Technical Elective 6
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
- ENGR 796 PhD Research Proposal Examination (RPE)
|
Year 3 |
- Technical Elective 7
- ENGR 703 PhD Research Seminar I
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
|
- ENGR 704 PhD Research Seminar II
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
|
Year 4 |
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
|
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
- PhD Research Dissertation Examination
|
Typical Study Plan for Part-Time Students |
|
Semester 1 |
Semester 2 |
Year 1 |
- ENGR 701 Research Methods in Engineering
- Technical Elective 1
|
- Technical Elective 2
- Technical Elective 3
|
Year 2 |
- Technical Elective 4
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
|
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
- ENGR 795 PhD Written Qualifying Exam (WQE)
|
Year 3 |
- Technical Elective 5
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
|
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
- ENGR 796 PhD Research Proposal Examination (RPE)
|
Year 4 |
- Technical Elective 6
- ENGR 703 PhD Research Seminar I
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
|
- Technical Elective 7
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
|
Year 5 |
- ENGR 704 PhD Research Seminar II
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
|
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
|
Year 6 |
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
|
- ENGR 799 PhD Research Dissertation
- PhD Research Dissertation Examination
|
PhD in Engineering Concentrations and Courses
For a PhD in Engineering with a concentration/specialization in a given area, at least 12 credit-hours of the technical electives of the program must be selected from the themed list of technical courses for that particular concentration/specialization. A student can only select one concentration. The concentrations of the PhD in Engineering program and their list of technical elective courses are given below.
Aerospace Engineering
AERO 701 |
Nonlinear Structural Dynamics |
AERO 702 |
Advanced Composite Materials and Structures |
AERO 703 |
Numerical Methods in Aerofluids |
AERO 711/ MEEN 701 |
Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue |
AERO 712/ MEEN 702 |
Damage Mechanics of Solis and Structures |
AERO/ MEEN 723 |
Advanced Combustion |
AERO/ MEEN 761 |
Advanced Process Dynamics and Control |
AERO/ MEEN 764 |
Optimal Control |
AERO 794 |
Selected Topics in Aerospace Engineering |
Biomedical Engineering
BMED 711 |
Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering |
BMED 712 |
Rehabilitation and Augmentation of Human Movement |
BMED 713 |
Advanced Physiological Systems |
BMED 716 |
Medical Device Innovation |
BMED 794 |
Selected Topics in Biomedical Engineering |
Chemical Engineering
CHEG 700/CIVE 714 |
Sustainable Desalination |
CHEG 705/CIVE 717 |
Membrane Technology |
CHEG 710 |
Physical and Chemical Treatment of Waters |
CHEG 711 |
Heterogeneous Catalysis |
CHEG 715 |
Biological Wastewater Treatment |
CHEG 720 |
Modelling and Engineering Microbial Environmental Bioprocesses |
CHEG 730 |
Experimental Techniques and Instrumentation |
CHEG 735 |
Electrochemical Engineering |
CHEG 745 |
Multicomponent Mass Transfer |
CHEG 750 |
Molecular Thermodynamics |
CHEG 755 |
Phase Equilibria |
CHEG 760 |
Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics |
CHEG 765 |
Computational Fluid Dynamics |
CHEG 780 |
Applied Nanotechnology |
CHEG 790 |
Dynamic Behavior of Process Systems |
CHEG 794 |
Selected Topics in Chemical Engineering |
Civil Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering
CIVE 703 |
Ground Water Hydrology |
CIVE 707 |
Environmental Remote Sensing and Satellite Image Processing |
CIVE 712 |
Remediation Engineering |
CIVE 714/ CHEG 700 |
Sustainable Desalination Processes |
CIVE 717/ CHEG 705 |
Membrane Technology |
CIVE 718 |
Advanced Topics in Applied Environmental Chemistry |
CIVE 719 |
Climate Dynamics |
CIVE 720 |
Nanotechnology in Water Purification |
CIVE 721 |
Aquatic Chemistry |
CIVE 722 |
Solid and Hazardous Waste Management |
CIVE 730/ ESMA 790 |
Public Transit Operations and Planning |
CIVE 750 |
Non-Linear Mechanics of Construction Materials |
CIVE 751 |
Non-linear FE Analysis of Civil Engineering Structures |
CIVE 755 |
Geotechnical Natural Hazards Mitigation |
CIVE 756 |
Chemo-mechanical Modelling & Design of Flexible Pavements |
CIVE 760 |
Construction Procurement |
CIVE 761 |
Productivity Improvement in Construction |
CIVE 762/ ESMA 770 |
Advanced Building Info Management |
CIVE 794 |
Selected Topics in Civil Infrastructural and Environmental Engineering |
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
ECCE 701 |
Power System Modelling and Control |
ECCE 703 |
Embedded Generation Operation and Control |
ECCE 706 |
Power Quality and FACTS Devices |
ECCE 710 |
Analysis of Power Systems Over-voltages and Transients |
ECCE 711 |
Advanced Power System Grounding and Safety |
ECCE 714 |
Application of Heuristic Optimization Techniques to Power Systems |
ECCE 721 |
Analog Mixed Signal Design Techniques |
ECCE 722 |
Numerical Simulation of Circuits and Systems |
ECCE 723 |
High Speed Communication Circuits |
ECCE 731 |
Distributed Computing |
ECCE 732 |
Machine Learning and Applications |
ECCE 733 |
High Speed Computer Arithmetic |
ECCE 734 |
Advanced Computer Architecture |
ECCE735 |
Advanced Computer Vision Paradigms |
ECCE 736 |
Advanced Topics in IoT and Blockchain |
ECCE 737 |
Network and Information Security |
ECCE 738 |
High Performance Computing |
ECCE 741 |
Advanced Digital Communications |
ECCE 742 |
Advanced Concepts in Stochastic Processes, Detection, and Estimation Theory |
ECCE 743 |
Broadband Communication Systems |
ECCE 744 |
Optical Wireless Communication Systems |
ECCE 751 |
Discontinuous Control Systems |
ECCE 752 |
Nonlinear Control Systems |
ECCE 753 |
Computational Prototyping of Dynamical Systems |
ECCE 754 |
Computational Prototyping of Partial Differential Equations |
ECCE 755 |
Cognitive Robotics |
ECCE 756 |
Robotic Perception |
ECCE 771 |
Advanced Integrated Circuits Technology |
ECCE 772 |
Advanced Microsystem Design |
ECCE 773 |
Photonic Materials and Metamaterials Design for Engineers |
ECCE 774 |
Advanced Photonic Integrated Circuits |
ECCE 778 |
Physics and Manufacturability of Advanced Micro and Nano Devices |
ECCE 781 |
The Physics of Solar Cells |
ECCE 794 |
Selected Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering |
Engineering Systems and Management
ESMA 701 |
Advanced Systems Optimization |
ESMA 710 |
Times Series Analysis Modeling and Prediction |
ESMA 711 |
Advanced Business Analytics |
ESMA 720 |
Advanced Production and Operations Management |
ESMA 721 |
Stochastic Processes and Applications |
ESMA 722 |
Technology strategy |
ESMA 730 |
Complex Network Analysis |
ESMA 740 |
Sustainable Development and Policy |
ESMA 741 |
Advanced Modeling for Energy Planning |
ESMA 742 |
Energy Economics Finance and Policy |
ESMA 743 |
Engineering Energy and Poverty Solutions |
ESMA 780 |
Advanced Urbanism: Urban Design Ideals and Action |
ESMA 781 |
Modeling Urban Energy Flows |
ESMA 782 |
Advanced Topics in GIS |
ESMA 770 / CIVE 762 |
Advanced Building Info Management |
ESMA 790/ CIVE 730 |
Public Transit Operations and Planning |
ESMA 794 |
Selected Topics in Engineering Systems and Management |
Material Science and Engineering
MSEN 701 |
Electrochemical Processes and Devices |
MSEN 710 |
Advanced Solid State Physics |
MSEN 712 |
Imaging of Materials: Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray Microanalysis |
MSEN 715 |
Advanced Imaging of Materials: Transmission Electron Microscopy |
MSEN 730 |
Science and Engineering of Thin Films, Surfaces and Interfaces |
MSEN 740 |
Investigation of Intermolecular and Surface Forces |
MSEN 750 |
High Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells: Designs and Technologies |
MSEN 760 |
Thin Film Solar Cells: From Design to Applications |
MSEN 794 |
Selected Topics in Materials Science and Engineering |
Mechanical Engineering
MEEN 701/ AERO 711 |
Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue |
MEEN 702/ AERO 712 |
Damage Mechanics of Solis and Structures |
MEEN 703 |
Linear and Nonlinear Finite Element Methods |
MEEN 704 |
Computational Inelasticity |
MEEN 705 |
Micromechanics of Materials |
MEEN 706 |
Theory of Plasticity |
MEEN 721 |
Computational Fluid Mechanics |
MEEN 722 |
Non Newtonian Fluid Mechanics |
MEEN/AERO 723 |
Combustion Physics |
MEEN 724 |
Advanced Cooling Systems |
MEEN 725 |
Multiphase Flow in Porous Media |
MEEN 741 |
Advanced Conduction and Radiation Heat Transfer |
MEEN 742 |
Advanced Convection Heat Transfer |
MEEN 743 |
Micro-Nano Energy Transport |
MEEN 744 |
Interfacial Transport and Phase Change Heat Transfer |
MEEN 745 |
Concentrated Solar Power and Thermal Energy Storage |
MEEN/AERO 761 |
Advanced Process Dynamics and Control |
MEEN 762 |
Analysis and Simulation of Mechatronics Systems |
MEEN 763 |
Theory and design of digital control systems |
MEEN/AERO 764 |
Optimal Control |
MEEN 765 |
Acoustics and Noise Control |
MEEN 766 |
MEMS Theory and Applications |
MEEN 782 |
Materials Characterization Techniques |
MEEN 792 |
Nanomaterials and Their Mechanical Applications |
MEEN 794 |
Selected Topics in Mechanical Engineering |
Nuclear Engineering
NUCE 701 |
Advanced Computational Methods of Particle Transport |
NUCE 702 |
Nuclear Systems and Materials/Accident analysis |
NUCE 703 |
Aging Management of Nuclear Materials |
NUCE 704 |
The Reactor Core Design Analysis for light water reactors |
NUCE 705 |
Nuclear Criticality Safety Assessment |
NUCE 794 |
Selected Topics in Nuclear Engineering |
Petroleum Engineering
PEEG 723 |
Stimulation of Conventional and Unconventional Reservoirs |
PEEG 730 |
Fluid Flow and Transport Processes in Porous Media |
PEEG 732 |
Hybrid Enhanced Oil Recovery |
PEEG 733 |
Miscible Gas Flooding |
PEEG 749 |
Characterization and Modelling of Unconventional Reservoirs |
PEEG 752 |
Simulation of Naturally Fractured Reservoirs |
Robotics
ECCE 732 |
Machine Learning and Applications |
ECCE 735 |
Advanced Computer Vision Paradigms |
ECCE 755 |
Cognitive Robotics |
ECCE 756 |
Robotic Perception |
MEEN/AERO 761 |
Advanced Process Dynamics and Control |
MEEN 762 |
Analysis and Simulation of Mechatronics Systems |
MEEN 763 |
Theory and design of digital control systems |
MEEN/AERO 764 |
Optimal Control |
MEEN 765 |
Acoustics and Noise Control |
MEEN 767/ ECCE 757 |
Control of Robotic Systems |