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Engineering College Overview

Departments: Dan F. Smith Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Phillip M. Drayer Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering

Srinivas Palanki, Dean, 2016 Cherry Building (409) 880-8741

Victor Zaloom, Associate Dean, 2014 Cherry Building, (409) 880-8741

Jack R. Hopper, Dean Emeritus, Engineering Research Building 101A, (409) 880-8745

Katrina Brent, Senior Director, Engineering Outreach and Student Services, Suite 2300 Cherry Engineering Building, (409) 880-7797

Deidra Mayer, Director, Engineering Marketing, Suite 2300 Cherry Engineering Building, (409) 880-7870

Becky Caddy, Senior Academic Advisor, 2612 Cherry Engineering Building, (409) 880-8063

Paula Dunigan, Academic Advisor, 2612 Cherry Engineering Building, (409) 880-7442

Debbie Graves, Executive Assistant

Engineering Endowed Chair Professors:

Srinivas Palanki, Charles and Eleanor Garrett Chair 
T.C. Ho, Michael E. and Patricia P. Aldredge Chair of Industrial Infrastructure
David Cocke, Jack Gill Chair of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
Robert L.Yuan, Andrew and Joyce Green Chair of Composites and Structural Engineering
Harley Myler, William B. and Mary G. Mitchell Chair of Telecommunications

Degrees Offered

Undergraduate Degrees
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Industrial Technology

Graduate Degrees
Master of Engineering Science (M.E.S.)
Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Engineering
Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Studies
Master of Engineering (M.E.)
Master of Engineering Management (M.E.M.)
Doctor of Engineering (D.E.)
Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering (Ph.D.)

College of Engineering Mission

The mission of the College of Engineering is to provide an environment and infrastructure to support the educational objectives of its programs. The college establishes an interface to the university and entities external to the university to provide and prepare engineering students to be leaders and problem-solvers. The college supports a foundation of strong theoretical emphasis, the development of practical engineering skills, experience in interpersonal communication and teamwork, and an emphasis on ethics, professional conduct, and critical thinking. We offer strong and varied academic programs to a diverse student population that prepares our graduates for the challenges of lifelong learning.

The departments in the College of Engineering are associated with their respective national honor societies, which include Alpha Pi Mu, Chi Epsilon, Eta Kappa Nu, Omega Chi Epsilon, Pi Tau Sigma, and Tau Beta Pi.

Cooperative Education Program

A Cooperative (Co-op) Education Program, in which the student spends alternate terms at work and at study, is offered to qualified students in the College of Engineering. Internships for work periods in summer terms only are also offered. Programs are available for engineering and industrial technology students.

To meet the minimum qualifications for the co-op program, a student must

  1. Complete all the work in the first two semesters of the degree program (30 hrs.).
  2. Maintain a 2.5 overall grade point average.

To remain in the program, the student must maintain a grade point average above a 2.5 and perform in a manner satisfactory to the employer and Â鶹AV. A co-op is considered to be a full-time student during any work term in which the co-op is registered for Career Development. By participating in the co-op program throughout the sophomore and junior years, a student extends the time required to obtain a degree to five years; however, in doing so, he gains the equivalent of almost two years experience in industry. A student may apply for admission to the co-op program through the Engineering Cooperative Education Office.

Engineering Programs

Undergraduate degree programs are available in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Technology.

The five undergraduate curricula in engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET,

Undergraduate Entrance Requirements

Entering freshmen and new transfer students are considered provisional majors. The Engineering Advisors in the University Undergraduate Advising Center are responsible for the academic advisement of provisional engineering majors.

The entrance requirements from high school for engineering degree programs are

  1. English - 4 units
  2. Mathematics:  Algebra - 2 units, Geometry - 1 unit, Pre-calculus or Equivalent - 1 unit
  3. Natural Sciences: Chemistry - 1 unit, Physics - 1 unit
  4. Foreign Language - 1 unit

Transfer students must have a cumulative transfer GPA of at least 2.0 to be accepted into the Engineering program. Transfer credit is considered for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) coursework with a grade of “C” or better.  Returning students (engineering or other majors) must have a cumulative Â鶹AV GPA of at least 2.0 to be accepted into the Engineering program.  Students will be permitted to major in a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology.

In addition to the university requirements, the College of Engineering enforces the following standards:

  1. Students are required to take courses in the sequence shown in the Â鶹AV General Catalog for each degree program.
  2. Engineering students are required to maintain a GPA of 2.0 to remain in the program. Those students who fall below the required GPA of 2.0 will be placed on probation and given two long semester to raise their GPA to a 2.0 or better (maximum load of 13 semester hours). Students who fail to meet this requirement will be suspended from their Engineering Major for one long term but have an option to stay in the College of Engineering by switching majors to a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology. Students returning from suspension must prepare a performance contract in consultation with their academic advisor. A minimum term of the contract requires the student to remove deficiencies every semester of enrollment. Students who fail to meet the terms of their contract will be permanently suspended.
  3. Engineering students are expected to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) courses.
  4. A course may be repeated for additional credit toward a degree only as specified by the official course description in the General Catalog. Excluding courses that may be taken for additional credit toward a degree, a student may not register for any course more than four times. Any student who wishes to repeat a course must do so before completing a more advanced course in the same subject matter field.
  5. Upon the completion of at least 51 semester hours of the Common Program students with a GPA of 2.0 (Civil, Electrical, Industrial and Mechanical) or 2.25 (Chemical) or higher on all required courses, will be considered for admission to their professional engineering program. For all engineering programs, it is required that 45 semester hours (at least 25 semester hours in engineering at the 3000 and 4000 level) be earned after admission to the professional program.
  6. The student’s advisor must approve all electives.

The Dean of Engineering may require students to meet the current degree requirements or program standards.

Please see each department’s four-year suggested program of study.

Graduate Program – College of Engineering

The objectives of the graduate programs in Engineering, Environmental Science and Studies, and Engineering Management are to

  1. Advance the state-of-the-art of the practice of engineering.
  2. Advance the state-of-the-art of the teaching/learning process in engineering.
  3. Contribute to the economic well being of the residents of Southeast Texas, the entire state, and nation.
  4. Improve the safety, health, and environment of Southeast Texas, the entire state, and nation.

The requirements of the various graduate programs in the College of Engineering are described below.

The College of Engineering offers graduate degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels. At the master’s level, both non-thesis and thesis degrees are available from each of five engineering departments. Non-thesis degrees offered are the Master of Engineering (M.E.) and the Master of Engineering Management (M.E.M.). The Master of Engineering Science (M.E.S.) offered by each engineering department; the Master of Science in Environmental Engineering, and the Master of Science in Environmental Studies require a thesis.

The Doctor of Engineering (D.E.) degree is offered through each of the five engineering departments. This degree requires a written field study documenting the findings of an advanced engineering design or applied research project completed by the degree candidate.  The D.E. program is a minimum of 61 hours, including a maximum of 6 graduate hours that may be transferred from another university or a Â鶹AV Master's Program with approval of the student's graduate committee.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering, emphasizing methodology and technology development for sustainability of chemical and allied industry, environment, and economics, is offered through the Dan F. Smith Chemical Engineering Department in the College of Engineering.

Graduate degree programs are offered as follows:

Master of Engineering Management (M.E.M.)

Master of Engineering Science (M.E.S.)

Master of Engineering (M.E.)

Doctor of Engineering (D.E.)

Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (M.S.)

Master of Science in Environmental Studies (M.S.)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemical Engineering

Admission Requirements

In addition to the General Requirement in the Graduate College, the College of Engineering sets the following admission criteria for  the Master of Engineering, Master of Engineering Science, Master of Engineering Management, and Doctor of Engineering.

For Domestic Students: We accept the most qualified students based on prior academic record, experience and accomplishments, test scores, and areas of expertise.

1) Bachelor degree in engineering or equivalent, or permission of the Graduate Advisor.

2) Official transcripts from:

            a) Higher education institutions where degrees were earned, and

            b) Most recently attended institution, if different and not covered by those institutions referred to in a) above

3) GRE Score

4) Three reference letters (optional but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships)

5) Resume (optional but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships)

6) Personal Statement (optional but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships)

7) Students with a bachelor's degree other than engineering need to submit all the undergraduate transcript(s) for detailed evaluation to determine the eligibility and pre-requisites if provisional admission is granted. The Graduate Admission Committee will conduct the evaluation.

8) In addition, for Doctor of Engineering:

a. Applicants need to have a master's degree in engineering or equivalent, or completed at least 18 credit hours of graduate courses in engineering

b. Students with a master's degree other than engineering need to submit the past undergraduate and graduate transcripts for detailed evaluation to determine the eligibility for admission and pre-requisites required. The Graduate Admission Committee will conduct the evaluation.

Application deadline: See graduate admissions.

For International Students: Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. must submit items 1-8 and the following:

9) TOEFL or IELTS score (waived if student has completed a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited university located in the United States or in another country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language of the country. All years of the degree must be completed in the qualifying country.)

10) Proof that the applicant has the financial resources to attend Â鶹AV. As part of the application process, international students must submit a written Confirmation of Financial Resources form that contains personal, family, and/or sponsor financial information and a bank verification of financial holdings. All international students are required to have health and accident insurance for themselves and all their dependent family members in the United States. Insurance may be purchased at the university during the registration period.

Master of Engineering Management (M.E.M)

The Master of Engineering Management is a non-thesis degree program which can be completed on campus or online. Course work is designed to build onto the education received after completing an accredited bachelor’s degree in engineering and the individual’s professional experience. Hence, practicing engineers generally will not require undergraduate prerequisites.

A total of 36 credit hours are required at the graduate level. Included among these 36 credit hours are 14 hours of core courses required of all M.E.M. students. Course work in addition to the required core courses is tailored specifically to the needs of the student, but generally has approximately one-third of the courses in the general area of technical management, one-third in Business Administration, and one-third in the student’s technical discipline such as Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering. The M.E.M. program of study is tailored for each individual student, providing the optimal set of electives for personalized career paths. There are no cohorts and the selection of the courses in the program are completed on individual bases.

Admission standards are designed to ensure that all enrolled students are qualified professionals serving in a leadership role in their engineering discipline.

Admission Requirements

The primary requirements are as follows:

  1. B.S. in engineering or equivalent.
  2. Two years of engineering experience in a leadership role or a prior master's degree
  3. Letter of recommendation for the program from someone in direct supervision over the applicant in his/her primary employment.

Degree Requirements for M.E.M.

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. Completion of a core program of 14 semester hours of specified courses.
  3. Completion of a minimum of at least 36 semester hours from an approved list of courses. (See typical programs.)

Core Courses for M.E.M. Degree

  1. INEN 5369 Engineering Management
  2. INEN 5320 Statistical Decision-Making for Engineers or INEN 5370 Operations Research
  3. INEN 5316 Industrial Management  or INEN 5376 Occupational Ergonomics
  4. INEN 5366 Advanced Engineering Economics
  5. ACCT 5200 Financial Accounting

Typical Program Options

Each student in consultation with an advisor should design a program tailored to meet his or her own specific educational objectives. The following typical program options are suggested. Substitutions and/or modifications to the courses on each of these programs can be accomplished with the approval of the student’s advisor.

  1. M.E.M. for Industrial Engineering
  2. M.E.M. for Quality Management
  3. M.E.M. for Construction Project Management
  4. M.E.M. for Environmental Management
  5. M.E.M. for Chemical Engineers
  6. M.E.M. for Electrical Engineer
  7. M.E.M. for Industrial Project Management
  8. M.E.M. for Mechanical Engineers

Online M.E.M. program option

The M.E.M. online program is designed for students to complete the program of studies through online education. The M.E.M. online program at Â鶹AV has the following courses available online:

  1. ACCT 5200           Financial Accounting Foundations
  2. BULW 5200         Legal Environment of Business
  3. ECON 5200          Foundations of Economics
  4. FINC 5200            Foundations of Finance
  5. INEN 5312           Quality Control
  6. INEN 5316           Industrial Management
  7. INEN 5319           Design of Experiments
  8. INEN 5320           Statistical Decision Making
  9. INEN 5350           Production and Inventory Control
  10. INEN 5354           Lean Manufacturing
  11. INEN 5357           Supply Chain Management
  12. INEN 5363           Six Sigma
  13. INEN 5366           Adv. Engineering Economics
  14. INEN 5369           Engineering Management
  15. INEN 5370           Operations Research
  16. INEN 5375           Simulation
  17. MGMT 5200       Organizational Behavior
  18. MGMT 5370       Supply chain management
  19. MISY 5340           ERP Overview
  20. MISY 5360           Business Intelligence
  21. MKTG 5200         Marketing Concepts

The list of the courses online is constantly being revised and updated. Please consult with the program academic advisor for the most recent list of courses available online.

Master of Engineering Science (M.E.S.), Master of Engineering (M.E.), and Doctor of Engineering (D.E.)

The Master of Engineering Science, Master of Engineering, and Doctor of Engineering programs are administered by the Graduate Steering Committee. Students entering these programs are responsible to this committee until a permanent graduate committee including a chairman is selected and approved. The student should select an advisor and a permanent graduate committee must be formed before the student has completed 15 semester hours of graduate work. No credit toward a graduate degree will be granted unless approved by either the Graduate Steering Committee or the student’s permanent graduate committee.

Core Course Categories for the M.E.S., M.E., and D.E. Programs:

1. Mathematics/Statistics
ENGR 5301-07 Sp. Topics: Process Modeling – Neural Networks
ENGR 5388 Special Topics: Engineering Systems Analysis
INEN 5320 Statistical Decision Making for Engineers
INEN 5303 Regression Analysis
MEEN 5304 Advanced Engineering Analysis
INEN 5305 Reliability
INEN 5319 Design of Experiments
ELEN 6314 Computer Control and Instrumentation

2. Optimization/Management
ENGR 5301-05 Sp. Topics: Optimization of Chemical Processes
ENGR 6349 Engineering Applications of AI and Expert Systems
CVEN 6388 Comp. Mtds. of Engr. Project Management
INEN 5370 Operations Research
MEEN 5312 Optimization of Thermal/Mechanical Systems

3. Simulation/Control
 CHEN 5357 Process Simulation
CVEN 5324 Models in Hydrological Systems
ELEN 6358 Industrial Automation and Process Control
INEN 5375 Simulation of Industrial Systems
MEEN 5326 Control of Mechanical Systems

Master of Engineering Science (M.E.S.)

The Master of Engineering Science degree requires the completion of 30 semester hours of graduate course work, including a thesis.

Admission Requirements

For admission to the program, the student must meet the following requirements:

  1. The general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies.
  2. Hold a bachelor’s degree in a field of engineering or related discipline with credit substantially equivalent to that required for bachelor’s degrees at Â鶹AV.
  3. These are minimum admission requirements. Individual departments may be more selective.

Degree Requirements

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. A minimum of three semester hours (one course) from those courses listed above as core courses.
  3. A minimum of 21 semester hours (seven courses) of electives. Additional core courses may satisfy part of this requirement.
  4. Satisfactory completion and defense of thesis (ENGR 5390 and ENGR 5391).

Master of Engineering (M.E.)

The Master of Engineering degree is a non-thesis, 36-semester-hour* program designed to suit the needs of the practicing engineer.

Admission Requirements

For admission to the program, the student must meet the following requirements:

  1. The general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies.
  2. Hold a bachelor’s degree in a field of engineering or related discipline with credit substantially equivalent to that required for bachelor’s degrees at Â鶹AV.
  3. These are minimum admission requirements and may be more selective for individual departments.

Degree Requirements

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. Completion of one course from each of the three categories of core courses for a total of nine semester hours of core course work. The core course categories and core courses are listed above.
  3. A minimum of 27 semester hours* (nine courses) of electives. Additional core courses may satisfy part of this requirement.
  4. Satisfactory completion of a final comprehensive examination.

*A graduate student who has passed the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination or a graduate student who is a Professional Engineer registered in the State of Texas (or registered in another state where requirements do not conflict with the provisions of the Texas Engineering Practice Act and are of a standard not lower than those specified in Section 12 of that Act) may satisfy course requirements by completing 24 semester hours of electives toward a total of 33 semester hours provided ENGR 6310 (Design Project) is included.

Doctor of Engineering (D.E.)

The Doctor of Engineering degree is designed to permit the practicing engineer to study practical engineering problems of a complex nature.

Admission Requirements

For admission to the program, the student must meet the following requirements:

The general requirements of the College of Graduate Studies.

  • The applicant must hold a Bachelor of Science degree in a field of engineering.
  • The applicant must have an overall GPA and quantitative section of the GRE score that meets the following criteria: (50*GPA + GRE) must equal or exceed 800. International students must have satisfied the English requirements specified by the Admissions Office.
  • The applicant must hold a master’s degree or have completed at least 30 semester hours of course work at the graduate level in a field of engineering or a closely related discipline.

These are minimum admission requirements. Individual departments may be more selective.

Degree Requirements

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. The student shall complete a residency of at least one year.
  3. The student shall register for ENGR 6110, Professional Seminar, each semester in which the student is registered for more than six hours or in which the student is registered for field study. A minimum of 4 hours is required.
  4. Completion of one course from each of the three categories of core courses for a total of nine semester hours of core course work. The core course categories and core courses are listed above. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the Director of Engineering Graduate Studies.
  5. Completion of the diagnostic examination. This examination has the objectives of determining the student’s qualifications for a doctoral program and to provide guidance for the selection of a study program.
  6. Completion of a minimum of 18 credit hours of field study preparatory courses in a concentration designed to form a cohesive degree plan and must be approved by the student’s advisory committee. The field study preparation includes completion of one semester of ENGR 6320, Justification of Engineering Project.
  7. Completion of candidacy examination. The purposes of this examination are to test the ability of the student to comprehensively relate the subjects of the study program and to ascertain the student’s qualifications to perform the field study.
  8. Completion of the field study. After the student is admitted to candidacy, a formal engineering proposal must be presented to the doctoral committee. Upon committee approval of the proposed field study, the work is initiated. Normally, 30 semester hours of field study is required.
  9. Defense of field study. Upon completion of the field study, a formal report with a standard thesis format shall be submitted to the committee and defended in an oral examination.

Master of Science in Environmental Engineering

Until recently, environmental engineers were primarily concerned with municipal water systems and sewage treatment facilities. The bulk of the course work dealt with the application of engineering solutions to human health problems. Today, the field includes the study of water quality, air quality, and methods for disposing of toxic/hazardous wastes. Overall, environmental engineers are engaged in solving the large and complex environmental problems threatening the natural ecosystem.

The Master of Science in Environmental Engineering program is designed to provide engineers with the highly specialized chemical/civil engineering background needed by industry and by regulatory agencies on the federal, state, and municipal levels.

Admission Requirements

For admission to the program, the student must meet the following requirements:

  1. The general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies.
  2. Hold a bachelor’s degree in a field of engineering that is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree at Â鶹AV.
  3. Because of the diversity of the scientific disciplines that are admitted to the environmental studies program, some students may be lacking in certain fundamental subject areas, usually undergraduate level courses in engineering, microbiology, basic chemistry, geology, and/or mathematics. These courses must be taken in addition to the curriculum required for the master’s degree program.

Degree Requirements

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. A minimum of 12 semester hours (four core courses) from those listed below: CHEM 5301 Special Topics in Environmental Chemistry1, CVEN 5325 Fundamentals of Air Pollution, CVEN 5329 Water Supply and Treatment, CVEN 5331 Biological Wastewater Treatment, CHEN 6344 Multimedia Transport of Pollutants, CVEN 6387 Hydraulics of Environmental Systems2
    1 with committee approval, an equivalent chemistry course may be substituted.
    2 with committee approval, Hazardous Waste Management (ENGR 6339) may be substituted.
  3. A minimum of 15 semester hours (five courses) of designated electives from the list below or other approved electives: BIOL 5301 Special Topic: Microbiology, BIOL 5430 Limnology, BIOL 5470 Ecology of Polluted Waters, CHEM 5411 Biochemistry I, CVEN 5324 Models in Hydrological Systems (HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS), CVEN 5326 Hydrologic and Hydrodynamic Processes, CVEN 5338 Solid Waste Management, CHEN 5342 Reactor Design for Environmental Systems, CVEN 5343 Industrial Waste Treatment, CVEN 5351 Unit Operation in Environmental Engineering, GEOL 5301 Special Topic: Hydrogeology, CVEN 6339 Hazardous Waste Management, ENGR 6389 Computer-Aided Software Engineering (Geographic Information System)
  4. Satisfactory completion and defense of thesis

Master of Science in Environmental Studies

The environmental studies program is designed for students who wish to continue to work in their scientific specialty but as it relates to environmental affairs. The degree is especially intended for individuals who wish to work in the evaluation, operations, and/or regulatory aspects of the field as opposed to the design or engineering areas. Consequently, the program will provide an understanding of environmental problems and processes from the point of view of the chemist, biologist, or geologist and provide the interdisciplinary perspective needed to cope with various environmental issues.

Admission Requirements

For admission to the program, the student must meet the following requirements:

  1. The general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies.
  2. Hold a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology, geology, the subdivisions of those fields (e.g. microbiology, organic chemistry, hydrogeology, etc.), or other closely related fields with credit substantially equivalent to that required for bachelors’ degrees at Â鶹AV.
  3. Some applicants to this program may be required to take undergraduate level courses in engineering, geology, microbiology, basic chemistry, and/or mathematics. These courses must be taken in addition to those required for the master's program and will be selected in consultation with the advisor early in a student’s graduate career.

Degree Requirements

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. A minimum of six semester hours (two graduate courses) in the student’s science specialty.
  3. A minimum of 12 semester hours (four core courses) from those listed: CHEM 5301 Special Topics in Environmental Chemistry,1 CVEN 5325 Fundamentals of Air Pollution, CVEN 5329 Water Supply and Treatment, CVEN 5331 Biological Wastewater Treatment, CHEN 6344 Multimedia Transport of Pollutants, CVEN 6387 Hydraulics of Environmental Systems2
     1 with committee approval, an equivalent chemistry course may be substituted.
    2 with committee approval, Hazardous Waste Management (ENGR 6339) may be substituted.
  4. A minimum of nine semester hours (three courses) of designated electives from the list below or other approved electives: BIOL 5301 Special Topic: Microbiology, BIOL 5430 Limnology, BIOL 5470 Ecology of Polluted Waters, CHEM 5411 Biochemistry I, CVEN 5324 Models in Hydrological Systems (HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS), CVEN 5326 Hydrologic and Hydrodynamic Processes CVEN 5338 Solid Waste Management CHEN 5342 Reactor Design for Environmental Systems CVEN 5343 Industrial Waste Treatment, CVEN 5351 Unit Operation in Environmental Engineering, GEOL 5301 Special Topic: Hydrogeology, CVEN 6339 Hazardous Waste Management, ENGR 6389 Computer-Aided Software Engineering (Geographic Information System)
  5. Satisfactory completion and defense of thesis

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemical Engineering

Admission Standards

A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a graduate GPA of 3.5/4.0, a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) minimum score (verbal + quantitative) of 1200, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement of educational goals are required to be considered for admission into the Ph.D. program. For international students, a TOEFL score of at least 550 is also required. For applicants without a chemical engineering degree, the Department Graduate Coordinator will determine a plan of study that will facilitate successful completion of all requirements for the Ph.D. degree. This may include additional coursework, independent study, or other means to enhance the student’s knowledge of key elements in this field.

Degree Requirements

Credit Hour Requirements

Ph.D. candidates must complete a minimum of 70 credit hours of course work beyond the bachelor’s degree. The Â鶹AV Chemical Engineering Ph.D. program requires a coherent program of

  1. 15 credit hours selected from the specified core courses,
  2. 21 credit hours of elective courses in chemical engineering or related fields (electives from other colleges must be approved on a case-by-case basis),
  3. four hours of Professional Seminar (ENGR 6110),
  4. a research project of at least 12 hours of research courses (CHEN 6680 for regular semester; CHEN 6380 for summer) prior to admission to candidacy, and
  5. 18 hours of Ph.D. dissertation courses (CHEN 6690 and CHEN 6691 for regular semester; CHEN 6390 and CHEN 6391 for summer) after admission to candidacy.

  • Direct Action Items

    • Ph.D. Advisor and Advisory Committee: The Ph.D. advisor is mutually selected by the student and the faculty member. The Ph.D. advisor must be a Â鶹AV graduate faculty member in the Department of Chemical Engineering. The Ph.D. Advisory Committee will consist of a minimum of three Â鶹AV graduate faculty members in the Department of Chemical Engineering and one graduate faculty member from another department or one qualified expert from other institutions, organizations, or industry with the invitation of the advisor and the approval of the Department Chair, the Dean of Engineering, and the Dean of Graduate Studies. In addition, the Dean of Graduate Studies will appoint a graduate faculty member from another college as the Graduate Council Representative at both the defense of the dissertation proposal and the oral defense of the dissertation.
      • Written Qualifying Examination: Each student desiring the Ph.D. degree is required to pass a written qualifying examination. The purpose of the written qualifying examination is to test the student’s understanding of basic scientific and engineering principles and their application to the student’s research interests. Students must attempt the written qualifying examination during either their second or third long semester in the program. The written qualifying examination is administered once each long semester. The student’s cumulative graduate GPA must be at least 3.0 at the time of the examination. The written qualifying examination is an eight-hour written examination with a selection of problems from Transport Phenomena, Thermodynamics, Kinetics, and Engineering Mathematics designed to test understanding of basic concepts and principles. Based on the results of the written qualifying examination, the Ph.D. qualifying examination committee will recommend the student (1) be allowed to prepare a dissertation proposal, (2) be granted a second and final attempt at one or more parts of the examination, or (3) be withdrawn from the Ph.D. program.
      • Degree Plan Students must select their Ph.D. advisor within one semester after passing the Ph.D. written qualifying examination. Students must submit their degree plans within one year of passing the Ph.D. written qualifying examination. The degree plan must be approved by the Ph.D. advisor, the Department Graduate Coordinator, the Department Chair, the Dean of Engineering, and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
      • Dissertation Proposal: The general field of dissertation research should be agreed upon by the student and the Ph.D. Advisory Committee. As soon thereafter as the research project can be outlined in reasonable detail, the student should complete the dissertation proposal. The dissertation proposal must be approved at a meeting of the student’s Advisory Committee. The committee will also review the feasibility of the proposed research and the adequacy of available facilities. The approved proposal must be signed by all members of the student’s Advisory Committee (with the exception of the Graduate Council Representative), the Department Chair, and the Dean of Engineering. It must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies at least 14 weeks prior to the scheduling of the final examination. Students performing research involving human subjects, animals, infectious biohazards, or recombinant DNA must receive approval from the College of Graduate Studies prior to conducting their research. The student is admitted to candidacy only after the defense and the approval of the dissertation proposal and the completion of a minimum of 12 graduate credit hours.
      • Dissertation Preparation: After the dissertation proposal is approved, the candidate may begin to prepare the dissertation under the guidance of the Ph.D. advisor and the Advisory Committee. The dissertation must be an original work of the candidate that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform independent research. Acceptance of the dissertation is based primarily on its scholarly merit, but it must also exhibit credible literary workmanship. The format of the dissertation must be acceptable to the College of Graduate Studies. The candidate must submit a single, unbound copy of the dissertation in final form to the College of Graduate Studies at least 10 days before the oral dissertation defense (final exam).
      • Dissertation Defense: The candidate for the Ph.D. degree must pass a dissertation defense by deadline dates announced in the Academic Calendar each semester or summer term. No student may defend a dissertation without having current official cumulative and degree plan GPAs of 3.0 or better and without having been admitted to candidacy. There must be no grades of D, F, I, or U for any course listed on the degree plan. To absolve a deficient grade, a student must repeat the course and achieve a grade of C (or S) or better. Students must be registered during the semester in which the dissertation defense takes place and must have completed all course work on their degree plans with the exception of remaining dissertation courses. The qualifying examination results and the dissertation proposal must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies at least 14 weeks prior to the date of the defense. The request for permission to hold and announce the dissertation defense must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies a minimum of 10 working days in advance of the scheduled defense date. The dissertation defense for the Ph.D. degree must be administered on campus unless otherwise authorized by the College of Graduate Studies. The student’s Ph.D. Advisory Committee, as finally constituted, will evaluate this dissertation defense. A positive vote by members of the Ph.D. Advisory Committee (with the exception of the Graduate Council Representative) with no more than one dissension is required to pass the defense. The candidate and all visitors must excuse themselves from the proceedings before the vote.
    • Transfer of Credits Courses for which transfer credits are sought must have been completed with a grade of A, B, or S (Satisfactory) and have been accepted as graduate credits by an accredited institution where the work was taken. Transfer credits must be approved by the student’s advisor, the Department Graduate Coordinator, the Department Chair, and the College of Graduate Studies. For students with a master’s degree from another accredited institution, only the graduate-level courses taken during their study for a master’s degree and pertaining to the field of current study can be transferred. For students without a master’s degree, a maximum of six hours may be transferred. Students may transfer a maximum of six hours of Ph.D. courses beyond the credits used for the master’s degree.
    • Residence Students who enter the Ph.D. degree program with only a baccalaureate degree must spend at least two academic years in resident study. Students holding master’s degrees upon entering the Ph.D. degree program must spend at least one academic year in resident study. One academic year may include two adjacent long semesters or one long semester and two adjacent six-week summer semesters.
    • Continuous Enrollment Requirement: From the time they advance to candidacy until the defense of their dissertation, Ph.D. students must maintain continuous enrollment by registering for at least six credit hours each long semester until the dissertation is approved and accepted. Special cases must be approved by the advisor, the Department Graduate Coordinator, the Department Chair, the Dean of Engineering, and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
    • Time Limit: All requirements for the Ph.D. degree must be completed within a period of 10 consecutive calendar years for the degree to be granted. A course will be considered valid until 10 years after the end of the semester in which it is taken. Graduate credit for course work more than 10 calendar years old at the time of the final oral examination may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.
    • The Advisory Committee will submit its recommendations on the appropriate form to the College of Graduate Studies regarding acceptability of the candidate for the Ph.D. degree. Defenses that are not completed and reported as satisfactory to the College of Graduate Studies within two working days of the scheduled defense date will be recorded as failures.

By dates announced each semester in the Academic Calendar, the candidate must submit to the College of Graduate Studies three official copies of the dissertation in final form on rag content paper with two extra copies of the abstract. The dissertation must include all suggestions and corrections of the members of the student’s Advisory Committee and must bear the signatures of the advisor, the Department Chair, the Dean of Engineering, and the members of the student’s Advisory Committee, with the exception of the Graduate Council Representative.

Special Conditions

Final corrected copies of the dissertation and record of study must be accepted by the College of Graduate Studies no later than one year after the dissertation defense or within the 10-year time limit, whichever occurs first. Failure to do so will result in the degree not being awarded.