PhD Degree

Our PhD program requires a commitment of 4 to 5 years (for students with a master’s degree this will be 3 to 4 years).

The program consists of coursework, written and oral examination, and conducting research guided by one or more faculty advisors leading to a dissertation and defense.

REQUIREMENTS:

• 50 graduate credit classroom hours (During MS and/or PhD)
• With approved MS this will drop down to 20 classroom hours (The applicant with a master’s degree in a closely-related field should generally plan to spend a minimum of one additional year in organized classroom studies)
• At least 1 term of Candidacy Credits (NA 995)
• 3 Math Courses (During MS and/or PhD)

Maximum of 4 credit hours of Independent Study can be included in the classroom hours (exception: Master’s Thesis NA 592 is counted in full)

TO BECOME A CANDIDATE, THE STUDENT MUST SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE:

• The Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship (RCRS) requirement; take 4 Mandatory RCRS Workshops –  https://rcrs.engin.umich.edu/workshops/

• PART I – Written closed book exams in three areas

Mathematics and choice of two (2) from the following subjects:

• • • • • Structures
        • Hydrodynamics
        • Rigid Body Dynamics
        • Probabilistic Methods
        • Control and Feedback Dynamics

The Part I Qualifying Exams are taken in the second term of the MS/MSE degree. When finished with Part I, student will enroll in PhD Program (Only with Advisor)

• PART II – Research prospectus presentation and oral exam

       Open session – 30 minutes (25 minute – oral presentation of the research prospectus with 5 minutes for questions)
       Closed session – 90 minutes (with dissertation committee and the candidate)

Note: Under normal circumstances, a student is expected to pass the Part I exam within 1 ½ years of starting your graduate studies at the University of Michigan. Candidacy should be achieved within 1 ½ years of passing the Part I exams.

After finishing the RCRS Workshops and passing PART I and PART II, the graduate coordinator will submit a recommendation for candidacy to Rackham

AFTER BECOMING A CANDIDATE, THE STUDENT MUST:

• Register in the Fall and Winter terms for 8 credit hours of NA 995 (Candidate/Dissertation credits)
• Write and finish your PhD Thesis
• Verbally present and defend the dissertation