Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering

Students in the Ph.D. program must complete:

• 90 total credit hours
• Four core courses
• EMA 6920 – Professional Development (1 credit)
• EMA 6940 – Supervised Teaching (4 credits)
• Formation of a supervisory committee
• A Qualifying Examination
• A doctoral dissertation and final defense

Students must earn a grade of B or better in each core course and in EMA 6001.

All work for the doctorate must be completed within five years after passing the Qualifying Examination.

The Ph.D. program requires 90 total credits of coursework and research.

Required coursework includes:

• Four core Materials Science and Engineering courses
• EMA 6920 – Professional Development (1 credit)
• EMA 6940 – Supervised Teaching (4 credits)

EMA 6940 is typically taken during the fall semester of the second year.

A minimum grade of B is required in all core courses and EMA 6001.

Each Ph.D. student is guided by a supervisory committee responsible for overseeing the student’s research program and approving the doctoral dissertation.

The committee:

• Sets specific degree requirements
• Conducts and reports oral examinations
• Approves the dissertation

Students should meet at least annually with their supervisory committee to review their progress.

Committee Composition

The supervisory committee must include four members:

• The chair (research advisor) — must be Graduate Faculty in Materials Science and Engineering
• Two additional members selected based on the student’s research area
• One external member outside the MSE graduate faculty

The advisor does not need to be an MSE department faculty member, but must have graduate faculty status in Materials Science and Engineering.

Important Deadlines

Students must:

• Select a research advisor by November 1 of the first semester
• Form their supervisory committee by the end of the second semester or after 12 credits

Students must submit the Appointment of Supervisory Committee form to establish the committee.

Students without a research advisor may be assigned departmental teaching assistant duties.

The Qualifying Examination determines whether a student has the knowledge and research skills necessary to complete a Ph.D. dissertation.

The exam includes:

• A written research proposal
• An oral defense of the proposal
• Evaluation of knowledge in the four core subject areas

The written and oral components are graded separately as pass/fail. Students must pass both components to pass the exam.

Timeline

Students must:

• Take the exam within two years of entering the program
• Have a maximum of two attempts
• Complete the exam no later than the fifth academic term (including summer)

Students who transition from the M.S. program may receive one additional semester.

Students must prepare a Ph.D. research proposal modeled after proposals submitted to federal funding agencies such as National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Energy.

The proposal must demonstrate:

• Original research ideas
• Understanding of relevant literature
• Clear research objectives
• Appropriate experimental or analytical methods

The document must:

• Be no more than 20 pages (excluding references)
• Use 12-point font and 1.5 line spacing
• Include figures and tables within the page limit

Typical proposal sections include:

• Summary (1 page)
• Introduction and problem statement
• Research objectives
• Literature review
• Proposed research plan
• Methods and procedures
• Preliminary results (if available)
• Expected outcomes and broader impacts
• Timeline and resources
• References

Students must submit their proposal title and abstract four weeks before the exam and the full proposal at least five business days before the oral examination.

The oral exam includes:

• Public presentation of the research proposal (~30 minutes)
• Questions from the audience and committee
• A closed examination session with the supervisory committee

During the closed session, the committee evaluates:

• The proposed research
• The written proposal
• The student’s knowledge of core materials science topics

Following the exam, the committee will deliberate and issue a pass or fail decision.

Students who fail a component may retake that component in the following academic term.

All Ph.D. students must complete four credits of EMA 6940 – Supervised Teaching.

Students typically serve as Teaching Assistants (TAs) for two courses, with an expected workload of about five hours per week per course.

Teaching responsibilities may include:

• Holding office hours
• Leading review sessions
• Grading assignments and exams
• Assisting with course materials
• Proctoring exams
• Attending lectures or labs

Under special circumstances, students may deliver a lecture.

TA performance is evaluated by both:

• The course instructor
• Students enrolled in the course

Students receiving unsatisfactory evaluations must repeat the teaching assignment.

The final examination for the Ph.D. degree is a public dissertation defense.

The defense consists of:

• A public presentation and open questioning
• A closed session with the supervisory committee

Requirements include:

• The dissertation must be complete and editorially acceptable before the defense
• The defense must be announced online at least two weeks in advance
• The entire supervisory committee must attend
• The chair and external member must attend in person

Final examination forms must be submitted within five business days of the defense.

Students must submit the Electronic Thesis or Dissertation (ETD) to the Graduate School according to university deadlines.

The defense must occur within six months of the degree being awarded.

Students who receive a U (unsatisfactory) grade must retake the exam in the following semester. The exam may be retaken only once.

MSE Graduate Coordinator

Kevin Jones, Ph.D.
MSE Graduate Coordinator, Distinguished Professor
(352) 846-3301

Email: MSE Graduate Coordinator

Advising Office