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PhD in Engineering

The Ph.D. program in Engineering offered by Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering is designed to ensure that students have a good understanding of fundamental areas within their chosen specialization while providing them with in-depth knowledge in at least one area of their chosen specialization, and teaching students the entire research process, such that they are capable of performing independent research. A graduate of the Ph.D. in Engineering program is perfectly poised to pursue a career in academia, a national lab, or industry, working in research and development.

Following specialties are offered in the program: 

• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Sustainable Energy Engineering

Admission Requirements

Admission is highly competitive and decisions are based on the evaluation of multiple factors, including the need, capacity, and resources of the program. The general admission for the Ph.D. program in Engineering requires that applicants:

• Must have earned a  master’s or bachelor’s degree in engineering or science
• Must submit complete curriculum vitae, copies of transcripts from each institution of higher education attended, a statement of purpose describing their research interests, three letters of recommendation from their academic or professional contacts
• Complete application along with payment of a nonrefundable application fee
• Submit copies of the GRE scores and TOEFL scores for applicants whose native language is not English.

  Specific requirements for Direct BS to Ph.D. Route

• Must have a BS degree in specific disciplines; students with BS in related disciplines (e.g., physics) should first obtain an MS degree before being admitted into the Ph.D. program
• Must have faculty willing to advise them; otherwise, admit them into the MS program
• No minimum GPA or GRE (GRE is required for non-TAMUK students); if a faculty agrees to supervise and fund a student, that student should be admitted
• A direct admit Ph.D. student (i.e., has a B.S. but not an M.S. degree) who has received any form of support from TAMUK (e.g., TA, RA, fellowship, etc.) is NOT allowed to switch to an M.S. degree without receiving written approval from his/her major advisor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs
• A direct admit PhD student is required to take 93 total credits, including at least 42 credits of didactic coursework

  Coursework Requirements

• A total of 63 credits to meet the graduation requirements
• A total of 9 credits of required didactic courses: 1) Advanced Engineering Math, 2) Modeling and Performance Analysis, and 3) Seminar and Research Integrity, which are 3 credits each
• A minimum of 18 credits of didactic 6xxx coursework, which includes the above 9 credits
• A minimum of 30 credits of dissertation
• Remaining 15 credits can be a combination of additional coursework, dissertation or summer internships
• 5xxx courses can be taken for additional coursework
• Summer internship earned at 1 credit/internship are limited to 3 credits

A full-time status course load is nine-semester credit hour during the fall or spring semesters and three-semester credit hour during each summer session. For students at the dissertation stage, enrollment in Research/Dissertation Writing courses constitutes a full load.

Transfer Credits

The student’s Advisory Committee may recommend the transfer of up to a maximum of 12 credits for graduate courses taken by the student at any other institution. Transfer credits may be recommended under both core and elective categories. These courses must not be a part of the requirements of a prior degree earned and have a grade of B and above.

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Best Graduate Engineering Program in the U.S.

Of phd students are fully funded, nsf fellows, what starts here changes the world.

Imagine what doors will open to you when you take on graduate studies in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin . Whether you aspire to join academia, work in national laboratories or industry, or launch your own startup – the possibilities start here.

As part of a program ranked No. 7 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report, enhance your technical and teamwork skills. Learn from an award-winning, world-class faculty community. Shape groundbreaking research that addresses challenges in energy, human health, sustainability and more. Engage in collaborative partnerships, advance world-changing ideas and join a vibrant community of inspiring, focused and innovative engineers.

Students select UT for its academic excellence, its commitment to research and teaching, and its location in the heart of a city that is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live, study, and start a career (see  About the Department ). And all of our chemical engineering Ph.D. students are guaranteed full funding.

So, what are you waiting for? See yourself at UT and apply today.

Broadening Participation

Through a sustained effort to strengthen diversity, provide equitable opportunities, and develop an inclusive environment within the Texas ChE community, we have developed specific actions, communications, policies, and processes that we strive toward. Learn more about our Broadening Participation commitments and goals.

Graduate Program Snapshot

• 100%  of our graduate students receive full funding, including tuition, health insurance, and a competitive stipend 
• 1 in 2  receive additional fellowships to offset living expenses, on top guaranteed full funding
• 41  National Science Foundation fellowship students
• 156  current enrolled graduate students
• 30 - 40  new Ph.D. students enroll annually
• 42%  of our incoming class are women
• 35% underrepresented minority
• Our students come from  25+  different countries

We Are Community-Focused, Family-Friendly

• Academic milestone extensions for family needs
• Access to lactation rooms on-site and the UT Child Development Center
• 80+  engineering student organizations including groups with a focus on diversity, representation and equity, support of students with diverse backgrounds, the LGBTQ community, and women engineers

World-Class Faculty

• 28  full-time faculty
• 100%  of our faculty have been recognized with prestigious or coveted national or international awards in research, teaching, career accomplishments, or all three.
• Over 95  US issued patents
• 84%  of faculty work in two or more research areas
• 1/3  of faculty hold dual appointments in UT departments including chemistry, physics, pharmacy, mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering
• Over 35% of faculty have founded or co-founded startups in fields that include biotechnology, medical therapy, diagnostics and water treatment.

Interdisciplinary Programs

• About  20%  of our graduate students have more than one faculty adviser. This collaborative and flexible approach lets students tailor their research projects to areas they are passionate about.
• Over 30  cross-disciplinary centers and programs
• 25+  specialized degree portfolios
• Students have access to classes and resources across campus, including the Dell Medical School, Natural Sciences, McCombs School of Business, the School of Law and more.

Career Paths

Our graduates succeed in a wide variety of career paths:

• Entrepreneurship
• Over 125  alumni are currently academic faculty around the world

Professional development support

• Certificate in Engineering Education to prepare future faculty
• The Austin Technology Incubator for innovation commercialization
• Professional development workshops
• Student travel funding

Welcome to Austin

Austin, Texas, the state’s vibrant capital city, is one of the nation’s major tech hubs with booming startups and large companies calling the city home, including Dell, Whole Foods, Google, National Instruments, Silicon Labs, Freescale Semiconductor, and others. Austin boasts SXSW, BBQ, live music and a sunny, temperate climate year-round.

• #5 Best Place to Live in the US – U.S. News & World Report
• #1 Best Place in the U.S. to Start a Business – Inc 

Program Requirements

During their time in the program, all students complete a minimum of 18 hours of coursework (typically equivalent to 6 courses), serve two semesters as TAs in the department, and present their work as part of a seminar series during their 3rd year. They must write a preliminary research proposal and pass an oral exam before advancing to candidacy. Finally, all students submit dissertations and pass final oral examinations to complete the program. All of these requirements are designed to prepare students for careers in academia or industry, while allowing ample flexibility and time to focus on research. Although our students can earn a master’s degree on the way to their doctorate, our program is a PhD-only program; we do not admit students to pursue a terminal master’s degree.

We fund our students through a combination of Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs), Teaching Assistantships (TAs) and fellowships.  All of our students are 100% fully funded , which includes a competitive stipend, tuition, and health insurance. More on  funding here .

In the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, the $20.5 million in annual research funding supports programs in six broad research areas.

Learn about some  highlights of research  being done by faculty and graduate students in our department.

Read more about the  Research Areas in the department

• Advanced Materials, Polymers & Nanotechnology
• Biotechnology
• Environmental Engineering
• Modeling & Simulation
• Process Engineering

Helpful Links

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Tom Truskett Graduate Advisor

Nate Lynd Graduate Recruitment Chair

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Engineering Doctoral Degree Programs

Preparation and Convenience

Are you ready for a doctoral program designed to meet your schedule, enhance your career prospects, and satisfy your curiosity and desire for knowledge that will enable you to create viable solutions to today's most pressing problems? Start Your Application Today!

A Comprehensive Program for Researchers

The College of Engineering is the most comprehensive in North Texas and the fourth-largest in Texas. It offers 14 master's and 9 doctoral degrees.

Outstanding Research and Location Highlight Graduate Engineering Programs at UTA

Our wide reach allows us to provide students with the resources, support, inspiration, and expert knowledge they need to succeed.

Are you ready to begin your doctoral studies at UTA?

Ph.D. Programs

• Aerospace Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
• Materials Science & Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

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College of Engineering

634 Nedderman Hall Box 19019 416 Yates Street Arlington, TX 76019-0019

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Phone: 817-272-2571

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Mechanical and Energy Engineering Ph.D.

Want more info.

We're so glad you're interested in UNT! Let us know if you'd like more information and we'll get you everything you need.

Why Earn a degree in Mechanical and Energy Engineering?

Our Doctor of Philosophy degree is the first of its kind in Texas, and the innovative curriculum allows you to study and conduct research with world-class faculty members. This collaboration can lead to being published in professional journals, providing a validation of your hard work and strong research.

In addition, you'll work with faculty members to develop a broad and in-depth knowledge for solving energy problems. You'll explore topics such as:

• Bio-based green and sustainable products
• Energy-efficient intelligent vehicles
• Energy-efficient products and structures
• Fundamentals of energy
• Renewable and alternative clean energy
• Solid mechanics and controls
• Thermal energy and fluids

You can conduct research with faculty members in laboratories containing the most modern equipment in the nation. Among our facilities is the Zero Energy Research Laboratory where various energy technologies aimed at achieving net-zero consumption of energy are tested. The facility is the first of its kind in Texas. Other facilities include:

• Bioproducts Lab
• Center for Advanced Scientific Computing and Modeling
• Composite Mechanics and Manufacturing Lab
• Computer-Aided Design and Analysis Lab
• Functional Cellular Solids Lab
• Laboratory of Small Scale Instrumentation
• Manufacturing and Engineering Technology Lab
• PACCAR Technology Institute
• Thermal Fluid Science Lab
• Scholarly excellence
• Identify knowledge gaps
• Innovative research leadership
• Communication of complex problems /solutions
• Conceptualize/develop scientific reports/manuscripts

Mechanical and Energy Engineering Ph.D. Highlights

Mechanical and energy engineering ph.d. courses you could take.

Learn More About UNT

Explore more options.

Materials Science and Engineering Ph.D. with a concentration in Mechanical and Energy Engineering

It’s easy to apply online. Join us and discover why we’re the choice of nearly 47,000 students.

Texas A&M University Catalogs

Doctor of engineering in engineering.

The Doctor of Engineering (DEng) program has as its objective the education of men and women to function at the highest levels of the engineering profession, with emphasis on solving problems which arise in the use of technology to benefit society at large. Since these problems frequently have a societal impact which is non-technical in nature and since technological advances are implemented through business and industry, the Doctor of Engineering program seeks to couple understanding of the characteristics of social and business institutions with high competence in solving engineering problems.

Following entry into the Doctor of Engineering program, students will complete a minimum 36-semester-credit-hour course of study prior to a one calendar year (4 credit hours per semester) internship in which they will extend their education in a practice-oriented environment such as an industrial organization. The Doctor of Engineering program is administered by the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering with the Graduate and Professional School.

The final oral/written examination for the Doctor of Engineering degree is administered by the student’s advisory committee, as approved by the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering and the Graduate and Professional School. Additional information can be obtained from the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering.

An individual possessing a minimum of an ABET-accredited bachelor’s degree in engineering or the equivalent may apply for program admission. A person applying with only a bachelor’s degree must have a graduate point average of at least 3.00/4.00. An individual applying with a master’s degree in engineering must have a grade point average of at least 3.25 for his/her overall graduate studies. To be admitted to the Doctor of Engineering program, an applicant must complete the appropriate application form, provide transcripts of all academic work taken beyond the secondary school level, prepare a 300-word essay dealing with the applicant’s motivation for seeking admission to the program, be interviewed by the admissions subcommittee of the Doctor of Engineering program committee, and be approved by the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering. A student is required to pass the oral and written examinations associated with the Doctor of Engineering qualifying examination described in “Examinations.”

This program is also approved for delivery via asynchronous or synchronous distance education technology.

Program Requirements

• Student's Advisory Committee

Degree Plan

Transfer of credit, final examination, record of study, student’s advisory committee.

On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs

After receiving admission to the Doctor of Engineering program, the student will consult with the head of his or her administrative department concerning appointment of the chair of the advisory committee. The student’s advisory committee will consist of not fewer than four members of the graduate faculty representative of the student’s several fields of study. One member of the committee must have an appointment to a department other than the student’s administrative department.

The student’s internship supervisor, a practicing engineer, also is a member of the advisory committee. The chair, in consultation with the student will select the remainder of the advisory committee. The chair will notify the tentative members of the advisory committee, giving the student’s name and field of study, requesting that they consider serving on the advisory committee. The student will interview each prospective committee member to determine whether he or she will accept the assignment.

The student’s advisory committee has the responsibility for guiding and directing the entire academic and internship programs of the student and for initiating all actions concerning the student. The chair of the advisory committee, who usually has immediate supervision of the student’s program, has the responsibility for calling required meetings of the advisory committee and calling meetings at any other time considered desirable.

The duties of the advisory committee include responsibility for the proposed degree program, the Doctor of Engineering qualifying examination (written and oral), the technical adequacy of the internship program, the qualifications of the student to embark on the internship, the internship report, and the final examination. In addition, the advisory committee, as a group and as individual members, is responsible for counseling the student on academic matters, and, in the case of academic deficiency, initiating recommendations to the Dean of the College of Engineering and the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate and Professional School.

The student’s advisory committee will evaluate the student’s previous education and degree objectives. The committee, in consultation with the student, will develop a proposed degree plan which will constitute the basic academic requirements for the degree. The degree plan must be filed with the Graduate and Professional School following the deadline imposed by the student’s college, and no later than 90 days prior to the preliminary examination. The degree plan should be submitted through the online Document Processing Submission System located on the website http://ogsdpss.tamu.edu .

The graduate portion of the proposed degree plan will include a minimum of 96 semester credit hours. Of these, 80 semester credit hours of coursework are required; the Professional Internship (see section on “Internship”) will earn 4 semester credit hours per semester and per summer term.

The 80 semester credit hours of graduate coursework shall include a minimum of 20 semester credit hours of required core coursework, 12 semester credit hours of elective professional development courses, 32 semester credit hours of department-oriented graduate level courses, 12 semester credit hours of engineering design courses and 4 semester credit hours of professional development seminar.

Additional coursework may be added by petition to the approved degree plan by the student’s advisory committee if such additional coursework is deemed necessary to correct deficiencies in the student’s academic preparation. No changes can be made to the degree plan once the student’s Request for Final Examination or Request for Final Examination Exemption is approved by the Graduate and Professional School.

For non-distance degree programs, no more than four courses may be taken by distance education without approval of the Graduate and Professional School and no more than 50 percent of the non-research credit hours required for the program may be completed through distance education courses.  To receive a graduate degree from Texas A&M University, students must earn one-third or more of the credits through the institution’s own direct instruction. This limitation also applies to joint degree programs.  A maximum of 9 hours of 400-level undergraduate courses may be used toward meeting credit-hour requirements for the Doctor of Engineering.

Courses for which transfer credits are sought must have been completed with a grade of B or greater and must be approved by the student’s advisory committee and the Graduate and Professional School. These courses must not have been used previously for another degree. Except for officially approved joint degree programs with other Texas A&M University System institutions, credit for thesis or dissertation research or the equivalent is not transferable. Credit for “internship” coursework in any form is not transferable. Courses taken in residence at an accredited U.S. institution or approved international institution with a final grade of B or greater will be considered for transfer credit if, at the time the courses were completed, the courses would be accepted for credit toward a similar degree for a student in degree-seeking status at the host institution. Credit for coursework taken by extension is not transferable. Coursework in which no formal grades are given or in which grades other than letter grades (A or B) are earned (for example, CR, P, S, U, H, etc.) is not accepted for transfer credit . Credit for coursework submitted for transfer from any college or university must be shown in semester credit hours, or equated to semester credit hours.

Courses used toward a degree at another institution may not be applied for graduate credit. If the course to be transferred was taken prior to the conferral of a degree at the transfer institution, a letter from the Registrar at that institution stating that the course was not applied for credit toward the degree must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School.

Grades for courses completed at other institutions are not included in computing the GPA. An official transcript from the university at which transfer courses are taken must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.

A student admitted to the program is required to pass a comprehensive written and oral examination called the Doctor of Engineering Qualifying Examination. It will be administered when semester credit hours equivalent to the number required for a Master of Engineering degree have been accumulated. An individual holding a master’s degree when he/she enters the Doctor of Engineering program will be expected to take the Doctor of Engineering Qualifying Examination during his/her first semester of enrollment. The examination determines whether or not the student is prepared to continue study toward the Doctor of Engineering degree. A student who fails the Qualifying Examination may, with the approval of the advisory committee, retake the examination once. The second examination will be administered after a suitable period of preparation, normally not less than six months, upon the recommendation of the advisory committee.

The student’s major department and advisory committee may require departmental, cumulative or other types of examinations at any time deemed desirable. These examinations are entirely at the discretion of the department and the student’s advisory committee. For instance, these examinations may be used for determining the technical depth and breadth required for the internship project. The candidate for the degree of Doctor of Engineering must pass a final oral examination in the final semester following the internship. The student is allowed only one opportunity to take the final examination. This exam will include presentation of results of internship work. The student’s advisory committee, as finally constituted, will conduct this examination, which will include the internship experience and closely allied topics as well as the broad field of the candidate’s training. A positive vote by all members of the graduate committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on his or her exam. A department can have a stricter requirement provided there is consistency within all degree programs within a department. Persons other than members of the graduate faculty may, with mutual consent of the candidate and the major professor, attend final examinations for advanced degrees. Upon completion of the questioning of the candidate, all visitors must excuse themselves from the proceedings. The advisory committee will submit its recommendations through the Dean of Engineering to the Graduate and Professional School regarding the acceptability of the candidate for the doctoral degree.

If the chair of a student’s advisory committee voluntarily leaves the University and the student wants the chair to continue to serve in this role, the student is responsible for securing a current member of the University Graduate Faculty, from her/his academic program and located on the respective Texas A&M University campus, to serve as the co-chair of the committee. If the committee chair is on an approved leave of absence, s/he can remain as chair without a co-chair for up to one year with written approval of the Department Head or chair of the intercollegiate faculty. Extensions beyond the one year period can be granted with additional approval of the Dean.

A record of study, which usually is a report of the student’s internship experiences, must be prepared in accordance with guidelines issued by the Doctor of Engineering program committee. By deadlines announced each semester, the candidate must submit to the Office of the Dean of Engineering one copy of the record of study in final form. The suggestions and corrections of the members of the advisory committee must be incorporated, and the report must bear the signature of the department head and the members of the student’s advisory committee. The record of study must be the original work of the candidate. This record of study must also be approved by the Graduate and Professional School as in the case of a PhD dissertation.

Guidelines for the preparation of the record of study are available in the  Thesis Manual , which is available online at  https://grad.tamu.edu/ . After successful defense and approval by the student’s advisory committee and the head of the student’s major department (or chair of the Intercollegiate Faculty, if appropriate), a student must submit his/her record of study in electronic format as a single PDF file. The PDF file must be uploaded to the website at  https://grad.tamu.edu/ . Additionally, a signed approval form must be brought or mailed to the Graduate and Professional School. Both the PDF file and the signed approval form are required by the deadline.

Except as noted in the sections above, the requirements for the Doctor of Engineering degree are identical to those for the Doctor of Philosophy.

Deadlines for submitting are announced each semester or summer term in the Graduate and Professional School Calendar (see Time Limit statement). These dates also can be accessed via the website  https://grad.tamu.edu/ .

Before a student can be “cleared” by Thesis and Dissertation Services, a processing fee must be paid through Student Business Services. This processing fee is for the thesis/dissertation services provided. After commencement, dissertations are digitally stored and made available through the Texas A&M Libraries.

A record of study that is deemed unacceptable by the Graduate and Professional School because of excessive corrections will be returned to the student’s department head. The manuscript must be resubmitted as a new document, and the entire review process must begin anew. All original submittal deadlines must be met during the resubmittal process to graduate.

Additional Requirements

Continuous registration, scholarship, internship or practicum.

• 99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degrees
• Application to Degree

​ On-Campus Degree Program

A student who enters the DEng program with baccalaureate degrees must spend two academic years in resident study at Texas A&M University. A student who holds a master’s degree when he/she enters the program must spend one academic year in resident study. In this context, an academic year is defined as two regular semesters, two 10-week summer semesters or a regular semester and a 10-week summer semester. To satisfy the residence requirement, the student must complete a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester or 10-week summer semester in resident study at Texas A&M University for the required period.

Students who are employed full-time while completing their degree may fulfill total residence requirements by completion of less-than-full time course loads each semester. In order to be considered for this, the student is required to submit a Petition for Waivers and Exceptions along with verification of his/her employment to the Graduate and Professional School.

Distance Education Degree Program

The distance education modality does not have any residence requirement.

A student in a program leading to a Doctor of Engineering who has completed all coursework on his/her degree plan other than 684 (Internship) is required to be in continuous registration until all requirements for the degree have been completed. See  Continuous Registration Requirements . However, colleges or departments may have additional or higher requirements.

To remain in good standing, a student admitted to the Doctor of Engineering program must maintain a GPA of 3.00 during his/her graduate studies.

As part of the degree requirements after completing courses on the approved degree plan (except  ENGR 684 ), each student will spend a minimum of one calendar year working under the supervision of a practicing engineer in industry, business or government. The objectives of the internship are two-fold:

• to enable the student to demonstrate the ability to apply both knowledge and technical education by making an identifiable contribution in an area of practical concern to the organization or industry in which the internship is served, and
• to enable the student to function in a non-academic environment in a position in which he or she will become aware of the organizational approach to problems, in addition to those of traditional engineering design or analysis.

During the internship phase of the program, the student must be continuously enrolled in the University.

The nature of the internship experience will be determined by mutual consent among the student, the advisory committee and the supervising organization prior to commencement of the internship period. It is expected that the internship experience will be at a level in the organization which will enable the student to deal with broadly based problems affecting more than one facet of the organization, rather than a single narrow or specific technical problem. The student is responsible for identifying and arranging a suitable internship. Specific arrangements for the internship will be made through the student’s major department, and an internship agreement must be negotiated between the student and the advisory committee, and the internship supervisor and appropriate representatives of the industrial organization. Copies of all agreements must be approved by the College of Engineering.

 99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degrees

In Texas, public colleges and universities are funded by the state according to the number of students enrolled. In accordance with legislation passed by the Texas Legislature, the number of hours for which state universities may receive subvention funding at the doctoral rate for any individual is limited to 99 hours. Texas A&M and other universities will not receive subvention for hours in excess of the limit.

Institutions of higher education are allowed to charge the equivalent of non-resident tuition to a resident doctoral student who has enrolled in 100 or more semester credit hours of doctoral coursework.

Doctoral students at Texas A&M have seven years to complete their degree before being charged out-of-state tuition. A doctoral student who, after seven years of study, has accumulated 100 or more doctoral hours will be charged tuition at a rate equivalent to out-of-state tuition. Please note that the tuition increases will apply to Texas residents as well as students from other states and countries who are currently charged tuition at the resident rate. This includes those doctoral students who hold GAT, GANT, and GAR appointments or recipients of competitive fellowships who receive more than $1,000 per semester. Doctoral students who have not accumulated 100 hours after seven years of study are eligible to pay in-state tuition if otherwise eligible.

Doctoral students who exceed the credit limit will receive notification from the Graduate and Professional School during the semester in which they are enrolled and exceeding the limit in their current degree program. The notification will explain that the State of Texas does not provide funding for any additional hours in which a student is enrolled in excess of 99 hours. Texas A&M University will recover the lost funds by requiring students in excess of 99 hours to pay tuition at the non-funded, non-resident rate. This non-funded, non-resident tuition rate status will be updated for the following semester and in all subsequent semesters until receipt of a doctoral degree. Please see the  Tuition Calculator  at the non-resident rate for an example of potential charges.

The following majors are exempt from the 99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degrees and have a limit of 130 doctoral hours:

• Biochemistry
• Biomedical Sciences
• Clinical Psychology
• Counseling Psychology
• Epidemiology and Environmental Health
• Genetics and Genomics
• Health Services Research
• Medical Sciences
• Microbiology
• Neurosciences (School of Medicine)
• Oral and Craniofacial Biomedical Sciences
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Public Health Sciences
• School Psychology

Application for Degree

For information on applying for your degree, please visit the  Graduation  section.

McKelvey Engineering offers graduate certificate in financial engineering

Graduate students in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis now can earn a graduate certificate in financial engineering. While a second major in financial engineering already was offered for undergraduate students, this is WashU’s first graduate certificate in the specialty.

A collaboration between the McKelvey School of Engineering and Olin Business School, the certificate program is administered by the Preston M. Green Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering and led by Vladimir Kurenok, director of the second major in financial engineering program. Faculty from a variety of McKelvey Engineering programs along with Olin finance faculty will teach the courses.

Financial engineering combines applied math, statistics, computer science, financial theory and economics to analyze financial markets.

“We already have a second major in financial engineering that was established in 2017,” Kurenok said. “The wish has been to expand this successful program to graduate students because many of them have expressed interest in having such a program.”

Read more on the McKelvey Engineering website.

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Doctor of Philosophy

With this degree option, students complete a minimum of 64 or 96 hours on their degree plans. The total number of hours on the degree plan, as well as the required number of hours of formal coursework, is dependent upon the student’s previous degree(s). As part of this research-intensive degree, students will pass the doctoral qualifying exam known as the Aerospace Engineering Fundamentals Exam ( AFQE ) qualifying exam in their second semester.  Following completion of the AFQE , the preliminary exam and a research proposal, the student will write and defend a dissertation.  A PhD requires a committee of four or more graduate level faculty members, including one faculty to act as the primary adviser for each candidate. Students may enter this program with the master’s or bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or an equivalent field. (If the previous degree is not in engineering, leveling courses may be required—perhaps even an undergraduate degree.) For more information about applicant qualifications and application deadlines, see the  Consideration for Admission  page. Students entering with a bachelor’s degree will be required to complete a 96-hour Doctor of Philosophy degree plan, and students who have earned at least a master’s degree, will complete a 64-hour Doctor of Philosophy degree plan.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering

Program description.

Biomedical engineering involves the application of engineering principles and methods to define and solve problems in medicine and biology. Students choose biomedical engineering to be of service to people, for the challenge of working with living systems, and to apply advanced technology to problems of health care delivery. Biomedical engineering careers can be found in industrial, health care, academic, private laboratory and government settings. The typical biomedical engineer will work in a team environment that may include physical scientists, engineers, clinicians and life scientists.

The objective of the PhD in Biomedical Engineering program is to produce graduates who can identify future applications in the field, analyze current technology capability and synthesize new solutions that extend the state of the art in biomedical applications. Combined expertise in electrical, mechanical and materials engineering, coupled to life sciences platforms will allow graduates to create new tools, processes and implementations that provide solutions to more complex medical and health-related problems. PhD graduates will have the ability to evaluate difficult life sciences-related issues and create solutions of the future.

The PhD in Biomedical Engineering requires 75 semester credit hours minimum beyond the baccalaureate degree. For complete admission and degree requirements, view the Graduate Catalog at  catalog.utdallas.edu .

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program seek positions including: Professor, Research and Development Engineer in areas such as bioinstrumentation, biomaterials, biomechanics, tissue engineering or rehabilitation engineering and Consulting Engineer in the public and private sector.

Marketable Skills

Review the marketable skills for this academic program.

Contact Information

Department of Bioengineering Email: [email protected]

Leah Mathison Academic Support Coordinator Email: [email protected] Phone: 972-883-7268

Andy Rhodes Degree Plan Evaluator Email: [email protected] Phone: 972-883-4486 Office: BSB 11.102F

Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, EC 39 The University of Texas at Dallas 800 West Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080-3021 Office – ECSS 3.201

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Doctoral Student Receives NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Congratulations to Cole Dickerson, just named a 2024 recipient of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, supporting his work on unmanned aerial platforms with AERPAW.

Cole Dickerson, an electrical engineering Ph.D. student advised by Ismail Guvenc, professor of electrical and computer engineering, has been awarded a prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation.

The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. A goal of the program is to broaden participation of the full spectrum of diverse talents in STEM. The five-year fellowship provides three years of financial support.

Dickerson is part of the  AERPAW Initiative  under Guvenc, his doctoral advisor, with his research focusing on the convergence of 5G-wireless technology and autonomous drones. He graduated as a Brinkley-Lane Scholar from East Carolina University with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a minor in mathematics. He has co-authored three published research papers in electrical and ocean engineering conference proceedings.

“I’m very grateful to have had wonderful advisors here at NC State and during my undergraduate career. Dr. Ismail Guvenc, who is my Ph.D. advisor, and Dr. Dror Baron both encouraged me to apply for the fellowship and helped me through the revision process,” thanked Dickerson. “Dr. Tarek Abdel-Salam and Dr. Zhen Zhu at East Carolina University wrote wonderful letters for me and helped me build a CV that was competitive for this award. Winning this fellowship wouldn’t have been possible without all of their help and support. I am also very appreciative of the NSF for investing in me and, by extension, the AERPAW group.”

Based at NC State, AERPAW—Aerial Experimentation and Research Platform for Advanced Wireless—is the first wireless research platform to study the convergence of 5G technology and autonomous drones. AERPAW is funded by a $24 million grant, awarded by the PAWR Project Office on behalf of the National Science Foundation, to develop an advanced wireless research platform, led by NC State, in partnership with the Wireless Research Center of North Carolina, Mississippi State University and Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; additional partners include Town of Cary, City of Raleigh, North Carolina Department of Transportation, Purdue University, University of South Carolina, and many other academic, industry and municipal partners.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have garnered significant attention and enthusiasm for their diverse applications such as delivery services, agricultural monitoring, establishment of aerial base stations, search-and-rescue missions, and enforcement of wireless spectrum regulations. With the increasing proliferation of advanced UAV technology, airspace congestion is becoming a pressing concern, necessitating the establishment of a robust air traffic management system.

In response to this challenge, various government entities, industry leaders, and drone manufacturers are collaborating to develop a dependable and secure UAV Traffic Management (UTM) system. Amidst these efforts, Dickerson aims to investigate the integration of search-and-rescue operations and spectrum monitoring into the UTM framework.

Both search-and-rescue missions and spectrum enforcement rely on signal source search and localization capabilities, wherein UAVs are tasked with pinpointing signals from mobile phones of missing individuals or identifying signal jammers, respectively. Leveraging the advantages of higher altitude signal capture and the autonomous 3D maneuverability of UAVs, this approach has demonstrated greater efficacy compared to terrestrial methods.

His research encompasses three primary goals: Firstly, to conduct foundational research aimed at refining algorithms to enhance the speed and accuracy of signal localization in search-and-rescue and spectrum monitoring scenarios. Secondly, to seamlessly integrate these localization systems into the broader UTM infrastructure. Lastly, to validate and assess the proposed concepts through deployment and testing within the real-world wireless and UAV AERPAW testbed hosted at NC State.

Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering

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Texas Tech Awarded Approximately $2.5M from DOE for Cybersecurity Center

Allen Ramsey

April 1, 2024

The center is part of a $15 million investment establishing six university-based centers across the country.

Texas Tech University was awarded approximately $2.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a university-based cybersecurity center focused on the rural electric industry. 

The project is part of a $15 million investment from the DOE to establish six university-based electric power cybersecurity centers across the country. 

Stephen Bayne , the department chair for the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering in the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering will lead the project for Texas Tech. 

“Congratulations to Dr. Bayne and his team,” said Whitacre College of Engineering Dean Roland Faller . “I am particularly proud that the research leadership and collaborative spirit of our great faculty, staff and students are increasingly recognized by the federal government.”

Texas Tech's project, selected by the DOE's Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), will partner with energy sector owners and operators, vendors and DOE National Laboratories to conduct innovative cybersecurity research and develop cybersecurity trainings.

“This investment in university-based cybersecurity centers will enable us to simultaneously grow the U.S. cyber workforce and build the expertise we need to take on the evolving cyber threats to our nation's energy systems,” said Director of CESER, Puesh M. Kumar. “The U.S. competitive advantage has always depended on cutting-edge research and a high-skilled workforce. Through these projects, we are advancing our economic and national security.” 

Bayne and his team will focus on rural utilities within the Texas power grid and create a framework that addresses the various stages of cyber-physical attacks, including attack detection, prevention, impact analysis and recovery plans. 

“This research project is an outstanding opportunity for Texas Tech researchers and students to work in the area of cyber-physical security for the electrical power grid,” Bayne said. “Cyber-physical attacks are a growing concern for national security. This project will help train the next generation of energy professionals, which is critically needed for the cyber-physical resiliency of the electrical power grid.”

tags: WCOE News

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College of Engineering

Outstanding innovation: five questions with georgios karles, ph.d., in 2020, karles received the outstanding innovator award by the virginia section of the american chemical society for outstanding innovation and industrial leadership in technology..

April 8, 2024

Georgios Karles, Ph.D., is preparing to teach students at the VCU College of Engineering after a long and successful career. Most recently a vice president of new product science at Juul Labs, Karles served as a VCU Engineering industry advisor for electrical and computer engineering as well as chemical and life science engineering. His experience in industry and academia gives Karles a unique perspective that he looks forward to sharing with students.

Tell me a bit about your experience in the industry. What led you to engineering?

Since graduating with a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, I enjoyed a fulfilling career in industry for more than 30 years, engaging primarily in improving or designing new consumer goods and manufacturing processes. I had the opportunity to work on exciting research and new product and process development initiatives leveraging a deep and broad understanding of engineering principles and physicochemical sciences.

As I advanced in my career, I held multiple leadership positions at Altria, including director of modeling and simulation, senior director of analytical sciences, managing director of ALCS engineering and, most recently, vice president of new product science at Juul. A passion for problem solving and a drive for continuous learning were some of the forces that aligned my interest in engineering and helped me build a successful professional career.

Tell me about the research you have conducted over your career. 

My research interests are quite broad, being documented in more than 35 publications and conference presentations and more than 95 patents. Among other things, I have worked on polymer process development, chemical reaction modeling, diffusion modeling, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, encapsulation technologies, flavor delivery technologies and innovations for reduced-risk tobacco products. Recently, I developed an interest in Industry 4.0 Technologies and the ongoing digital transformation of manufacturing and industrial processes. My focus is on promoting a comprehensive framework to leverage scientific and engineering principles to understand causal relationships in systems, thus improving decision making. It is the latter that I will be using as the foundation for teaching systems modeling. 

What inspired you to teach at VCU Engineering?

I have been involved with the VCU College of Engineering for quite some time now, serving on the industry advisory boards for both electrical and computer engineering and chemical and life science engineering. In addition, I’ve had the privilege of recruiting engineers from different disciplines across the VCU College of Engineering.

As I observed upcoming engineers in either academic or industrial positions, I developed an appreciation for upskilling opportunities that could help prospective engineers face the demands and challenges of a career in industry. I would further suggest that critical thinking and digital literacy are key skills that can springboard an engineer’s career. I am hoping this new curriculum in systems engineering, which initially benefits master’s students, will eventually aid undergraduate teaching as well.

From your perspective, what are the key industry trends driving the demand for professionals skilled in systems engineering? How do you intend on utilizing your industry expertise to teach these integral skills?

System complexity, competitive pressures, resource utilization, environmental concerns, productivity demands and societal imperatives offer significant challenges to many industries and institutions. Benefiting from the advent of computing power; advances in sensor technology; the enabling power of the Internet of Things; and advancements in AI, modeling and simulation are a must-have area of competency for any organization that is involved in system development and deployment. 

My experience in the field will highlight the ability of modeling and simulation to answer questions of how to improve products and processes, extend asset-useful life and utilization, improve process efficiency and accelerate troubleshooting. I plan to teach a variety of modeling methodologies, such as discrete event, system dynamics and agent-based modeling, Monte Carlo Simulations and Markov chains, among many others. 

What advice would you give to students pursuing careers in electrical and computer engineering and systems engineering?

In general, I would recommend to prospective engineers to develop a wide breadth of skills and embrace ambidexterity. They will also need to become comfortable with uncertainty, ambiguity and, above all, cultivate the humility necessary to succeed in industry. Most engineering problems are highly interdisciplinary. To succeed in their careers, engineers need to be collaborative and embrace diversity of thought and experience. In other words, engineering, especially systems engineering, is a team sport.