Must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA
A cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation
Grades of C- or lower are not permitted on the program of study
All graduate students must submit School of Graduate Studies forms and requirements for their chosen plan
A doctorate must be completed within eight years of entering the degree program. Additional time may be requested by the student’s committee and submitted to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies for review
Coursework over eight years old at the time of degree completion may not be used for a graduate degree unless it is revalidated
Three PhD qualifying exams must be passed
A proposal defense and a formal final defense are required for the dissertation. The dissertation must meet School of Graduate Studies and MAE Department requirements
- Successful defense and submission of the dissertation to the library
A paper related to the dissertation, with the student as the first author, must be submitted for publication in a refereed journal prior to scheduling the final defense
Students may choose to earn a Plan C Aerospace Engineering or Mechanical Engineering MS degree while completing their PhD; this option increases the PhD minimum requirement to 81 credits
Credits in the following areas are not acceptable: foreign languages, continuing graduate advisement, individual home study, military science, and courses numbered below 5000
In-person attendance at 12 MAE Research Seminar Series presentations before graduating
Approval of academic forms required for doctoral students by the School of Graduate Studies
- Supervisory Committee
- Program of Study
- Application for Candidacy
- Appointment for Examination
- Record of Examination
- SGS and library review and approval

Two program plans are available for the Mechanical Engineering PhD degree.

The PhD beyond a Bachelor’s requires 72 credits (minimum):

30 credits of approved MAE coursework
6 credits of approved 5000-level (or above) math course
36 credits of dissertation research
Only 12 credits of 5000-level courses allowed

The PhD Degree beyond a Master’s requires 42 credits (minimum):

12 credits of approved MAE coursework
30 credits of dissertation research

Mechanical Engineering - PhD

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Program Overview

Program Requirements

Program Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes