Graduate Bulletin

Engineering, Ph.D.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: June 1; March 1 international

Spring: November 1; August 1 international

Applications are processed on a continual basis. Ordinarily, the applicant is informed of an admissions decision within 4 to 6 weeks of receipt of all supporting application documents.

Applicants who plan to matriculate full-time are automatically considered for financial aid awards so no separate application for financial aid is required. To ensure financial aid consideration for the intended semester of study, however, applicants should submit a complete application by January 15 (Fall) and August 1 (Spring).

Both admissions and financial aid award decisions originate in the various departments within the College of Engineering. Thus, it is vital that applicants designate their department of interest in their Statement of Goals. Indicate whether the application is to be considered by the Department of Bioengineering (BIO), Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), or Mechanical Engineering (ME).

Further, applicants are encouraged to contact the appropriate departmental Graduate Program Director for advice and consultation in the application process. This assistance shall include identifying and providing contact information for departmental faculty who might share the applicant’s research interests. The applicant is encouraged to personally contact the identified departmental faculty for advice and information about her/his research in an effort to establish mutual areas of research interest between applicants and faculty.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.

Letters of Reference:

Number Required: 3

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from college or research faculty who are familiar with the applicant's competency. If the applicant has an established career in engineering, one of the letters should be provided by the applicant's immediate supervisor. If the applicant has been out of school long enough that relevant academic reference letters appear impractical, s/he should contact the appropriate departmental Graduate Program Director to obtain a waiver of this admission requirement.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:

Students not adequately prepared for advanced courses may be required to take a number of prerequisites. The department of application identifies the needed coursework on a case-by-case basis.

Master's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

A master's degree is not required, but it is preferred.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

A bachelor's degree is required; a master’s degree is preferred, but not required.

University regulations stipulate that the applicant must have earned a 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale in her/his undergraduate studies, but admission exceptions are made for a variety of circumstances. (See Graduate School Policy 02.23.11.03.) The appropriate departmental Graduate Program Director helps the applicant navigate the admission possibilities and assists in the assessment of her/his overall educational qualifications with respect to the departmental requirements for the Ph.D. program.

Statement of Goals:

The Statement of Goals should describe the applicant's relevant technical experiences, career goals, and specific research interests. It should be one to two pages in length and clearly identify the applicant’s department of interest within the College of Engineering:  Bioengineering (BIO), Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), or Mechanical Engineering (ME).

Standardized Test Scores:

The GRE is required. Applicants must submit scores taken no more than 5 years in advance of the application date. (See Graduate School Policy 02.23.12.) Applicants who require a waiver of the GRE should consult the appropriate departmental Graduate Program Director concerning the mechanics and consequences of obtaining an exception.

Minimum TOEFL score needed to be accepted: 79 iBT or 550 PBT. (See Graduate School Policy 02.23.13.01.)

Resume:

A resume is required.

Advanced Standing:

Both transfer credit for courses taken at another institution while matriculated at Temple and/or advanced standing credit for courses taken within the five-year period prior to matriculating at Temple may be applied toward the Ph.D.-level didactic coursework requirement. Written approval is required from the student’s doctoral advisor, the College’s Associate Dean for Graduate Study, and the Graduate School. (See Graduate School Policy 02.24.21.) Up to six credits of advanced standing for courses taken within the five-year period prior to matriculating at Temple may be used to satisfy the master’s-level didactic coursework requirement. Approval of the appropriate departmental Graduate Program Director is required. The courses must be equivalent to courses offered at Temple in the student's area of study and research, and the grades must be "B" or better.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:

Minimum Number of Credits Required Beyond the Bachelor’s:  60, including 24 credits of master’s-level didactic coursework*, 15 credits of Ph.D.-level didactic coursework**, and 15 credits associated with Ph.D. examinations and dissertation research

Minimum Number of Credits Required Beyond the Master's:  30, including 15 credits of Ph.D.-level didactic coursework** and 15 credits associated with Ph.D. examinations and dissertation research

In the first semester, the student and her/his departmental Graduate Program Director jointly determine the cohort that is appropriate for the student and initiate the “Ph.D. in Engineering Plan of Study.” The Plan of Study form lists all required courses and suggests a Ph.D. program-requirement execution sequence for the student to follow. This form is used to track the student's progress, and is updated and annotated at least once a year as the student completes the various benchmarks in the Ph.D. program.

Note that, in general, students who want to take graduate coursework to satisfy either the Ph.D.-level or master’s-level didactic coursework requirement in schools/colleges other than the College of Engineering need to obtain the appropriate written approvals on their Plan of Study form.

* Master’s-level didactic coursework may include up to, but no more than, 3 credits of ENGR 9182:  Independent Study.

** Ph.D.-level didactic coursework may include up to, but no more than, 3 credits of ENGR 9282:  Independent Study. Typically, this coursework is selected by the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee and notated in the student’s Plan of Study form.

Internship: No internship is required.

Language Examination: No language examination is required.

Culminating Events:

Formation of the Doctoral Advisory Committee:

One of the student’s first important tasks is to select a research advisor and form a Doctoral Advisory Committee. The Doctoral Advisory Committee selects the student’s Ph.D.-level coursework and is responsible for guiding the progress of the student’s dissertation research. The time frame for selecting a doctoral advisor depends on the student’s level of preparation upon entering the Ph.D. program: 

• Students admitted to the 30-credit cohort are sufficiently experienced to form their Doctoral Advisory Committee before the end of their second regular semester of study.

• Students admitted to the 60-credit cohort ordinarily take one or two years of master’s-level coursework before forming their Doctoral Advisory Committee by the end of their fourth regular semester in the program.

See Graduate School Policy 02.28.11 for clarification on the composition of the Doctoral Advisory Committee.

Preliminary Examination:

Whether the student is a member of the 30-credit cohort or the 60-credit cohort, s/he must complete all didactic coursework in her/his program of study prior to taking the preliminary examination. (See Graduate School Policy 02.27.11.) Students in the 30-credit cohort ordinarily take the exam before the end of their fourth regular semester. Students in the 60-credit cohort typically take the exam before the end of the eighth regular semester.

The preliminary exam tests both the student’s core knowledge in her/his engineering discipline and her/his capacity to synthesize and interpret research communications. The specific form, content, and frequency of the preliminary exam vary by department. Further, administration of the departmental preliminary exam is supervised by the departmental Graduate Program Director. Questions about the specific form and content of the examination should be directed, therefore, to the appropriate departmental Graduate Program Director.

The student should coordinate the scheduling of the preliminary exam with the appropriate departmental Graduate Program Director. Students have two opportunities to pass the preliminary exam and must register for one credit of ENGR 9994: Preliminary Exam Preparation in each semester that the exam is attempted. Students are dismissed upon the second failure.

Dissertation Proposal:

Within one of year of passing the preliminary exam, the student must develop a written research proposal and present it in an open College seminar. The student is responsible for scheduling the proposal and posting an announcement at least 10 days in advance of this seminar. Ordinarily, the proposal seminar is immediately followed by a meeting of the Doctoral Advisory Committee in which the student is closely questioned about the details and strategy of her/his proposed research.

The proposed dissertation research is considered “approved” when the Graduate School receives the Dissertation Proposal Transmittal for Elevation to Candidacy form signed by all of the Doctoral Advisory Committee members. The student is considered to be a doctoral candidate after her/his dissertation proposal has been accepted by her/his Doctoral Advisory Committee and the signed transmittal form has been received by the Graduate School. (See Graduate School Policy 02.28.12 for further procedural specifics.)

Research Credits:

Students carry out research throughout their studies and thus must register for research credits throughout the Ph.D. program. The type of research credits that a student registers for depends, however, on the student’s progress in the Ph.D. program, specifically:

• In the semesters prior to passing the preliminary exam, credit hours associated with the student’s research should be registered under ENGR 9991: Directed Research.

• After the preliminary exam is passed, but before elevation to candidacy, credit hours associated with the student’s research should be registered under ENGR 9998: Pre-Dissertation Research.

• After elevation to candidacy, the student’s research credits should be registered under ENGR 9999: Dissertation Research. Students are required to register for at least two credit hours of ENGR 9999 following their elevation to candidacy. (See Graduate School Policy 02.28.15.)

Dissertation:

In the semester that the student intends to defend her/his dissertation, the Dissertation Examining Committee must be formed. This committee consists of the original Doctoral Advisory Committee plus one additional “external” member who is not faculty in the College of Engineering. If the external examiner is not a member of Temple University’s Graduate Faculty, s/he must be approved by the Graduate School at least four weeks prior to the dissertation defense.

The Chair of the Dissertation Examining Committee is elected by all members of the committee at least three weeks prior to the defense; this elected Chair cannot be the student’s doctoral advisor. The elected Chair of the Dissertation Examining Committee coordinates the proceedings of the defense and is responsible for the completion of all relevant College and Graduate School forms concerning the defense. The Chair of the Dissertation Examining Committee must be approved by the College’s Associate Dean and is identified for the Graduate School in the student’s official request to the Graduate School for permission to schedule the defense. (See Graduate School Policy 02.28.15.)

The dissertation document should be prepared in a format compliant with University standards. (See Graduate School Policy 02.28.18.) The student should provide her/his committee with a copy of the completed dissertation at least three weeks before the date of the dissertation defense.

The student must post a public announcement of her/his defense at least 10 days prior to the defense. The announcement must be approved in writing by the Graduate School in advance of the posting. Note that any Graduate Faculty may request a copy of the dissertation in advance of the defense and may participate in the defense. (See Graduate School Policy 02.28.16.)

The dissertation defense may be scheduled on any day in a semester when classes are regularly held; it may not be scheduled on study days, during final exams, or over semester breaks. Furthermore, if the student plans to graduate in the same semester that s/he defends the dissertation, s/he must schedule the defense about two months before the end of the semester to allow for both possible document revisions by the student and time for the Graduate School to process the dissertation.

The dissertation defense is an open University seminar in which the student presents the concepts and results of her/his research. This presentation is typically followed immediately by a meeting in which the Dissertation Examining Committee closely examines the student and her/his research. External attendees may participate in this closed portion of the defense with the permission of the Dissertation Examining Committee Chair. However, only members of the Dissertation Examining Committee may actually vote on the decision to accept the dissertation as prepared, accept the dissertation with revisions, or not accept the dissertation.

Contacts

Program Contact Information:

http://engineering.temple.edu/additional-programs/phd-engineering

Department Information:

College of Engineering

ATTN: BIO or CEE or ECE or ME Program
1947 North 12th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122

marshad@temple.edu
215-204-7800

Department Contacts:

Admissions:

Mojan Arshad

marshad@temple.edu

215-204-0108

Graduate Program Directors:

BIO

Peter Lelkes, Ph.D.

pilelkes@temple.edu

215-204-7800

CEE

Philip Udo-Inyang, Ph.D.

udoinyan@temple.edu

215-204-7831

ECE

Seong Kong, Ph.D.

skong@temple.edu

215-204-7932

ME

Alex Pillapakkam, Ph.D.

pillapakkam@temple.edu

215-204-4306

Chairpersons:

BIO

Peter Lelkes, Ph.D.

pilelkes@temple.edu

215-204-7800

CEE

Philip Udo-Inyang, Ph.D.

udoinyan@temple.edu

215-204-7831

ECE

Joseph Picone, Ph.D.

picone@temple.edu

215-204-4841

ME

Mohammad Kiani, Ph.D.

mkiani@temple.edu

215-204-4644

About the Program

The College of Engineering offers a College-wide doctoral degree program. It is designed for students who have training in Engineering, Biological Sciences, Mathematics, or Physical Sciences, and who wish to carry out doctoral-level research in Engineering. Faculty members associated with the Ph.D. degree program are drawn from all departments in the College, representing a wide variety of technical backgrounds and interests. Because engineering research is an inherently interdisciplinary activity, graduates of the program have acquired a background in diverse engineering approaches that will promote their careers in research, academia, or industry.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years

Campus Location:

Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status:

Students are able to complete the didactic portion of the Ph.D. degree program through classes offered after 4:30 p.m.

Department Information:

College of Engineering

ATTN: BIO or CEE or ECE or ME Program
1947 North 12th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122

marshad@temple.edu
215-204-7800

Interdisciplinary Study:

Engineering research is highly interdisciplinary and draws on collaboration with members of the faculty and students within all departments of the College of Engineering, in the departments of Mathematics and the Physical Sciences, and within the School of Medicine.

Affiliation(s):

Not applicable.

Study Abroad:

No.

Ranking:

Not applicable.

Accreditation:

Not applicable.

Areas of Specialization:

The Ph.D. in Engineering program is inherently interdisciplinary. The student is admitted to the program in one of four departments and then conducts doctoral research within the home department. The areas of specialization are similar to those at the master's level: 1) Bioengineering; 2) Civil and Environmental Engineering, including Civil Engineering Systems and Environmental Engineering; 3) Electrical and Computer Engineering, including Computer Architectures and Microelectronics, Digital Signal Processing and Digital Data Communication, and Intelligent Systems and Control; and 4) Mechanical Engineering. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to communicate with members of the faculty about current areas of research.

Job Placement:

The program is primarily intended for individuals who wish to pursue careers in industry, government, and academia in a highly creative environment. The program is dedicated to producing engineers who will contribute to advancements in technology. In the past, most of the graduates of the Ph.D. in Engineering program have been employed in high-tech industries in research and development positions.

Licensure:

Not applicable.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy:

Up to 9 credits of graduate Engineering coursework may be taken at Temple University on a non-matriculated basis and subsequently applied to the Ph.D. degree upon admission. If the applicant's undergraduate GPA was less than 3.0, a GPA of 3.25 or better is required on this non-matriculated graduate coursework to receive an admissions exception. Consequently, the appropriate departmental Graduate Program Director may encourage those with an undergraduate GPA less than 3.0 to take their first three graduate courses prior to making formal application to the Ph.D. program. (See the relevant Graduate School policies on special admission procedures for non-matriculated students: 02.23.11.03 and 02.24.19.)

Financing Opportunities

Applicants for full-time study in the Ph.D. program are automatically considered for financial aid. Three forms of financial aid are awarded to Ph.D. students on a competitive basis:

1. Teaching Assistantship (TA):  TA awards are made solely by the Department and require the awardee to work 20 hours per week in support of the Department's undergraduate programs. The TA is compensated with a 9-month stipend, a basic health-insurance plan, and 9 credits per semester of tuition remission.

2. Research Assistantship (RA):  Individual faculty confer RA awards, using their research funds, upon students who appear well-qualified to carry out the research. Typically, this faculty member becomes the RA's doctoral advisor. The RA normally works up to 20 hours per week and is compensated with a stipend, basic health insurance, and tuition remission.

3. Fellowships:  Fellowships are awarded by the University in a competitive process that is open to all Ph.D. applicants. The appropriate departmental Graduate Program Director nominates exceptional Ph.D. applicants for a University Fellowship. Fellows receive 9-12 months of stipend, depending on the award; basic health insurance; and 12 credits of tuition remission each Fall and Spring semester. Fellows of the University have no work obligations with respect to either the Department, the College, or the University.

Because financial aid is awarded on a competitive basis, applicants are urged to complete the application as early as possible.

Updated 10.31.13