Civil Engineering - PHD

Doctor of Philosophy in in Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering – PH7252

Department of Civil Engineering
1 Ohio University
Stocker Center 231
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.1465
civil@ohio.edu

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Terms of Entry: Fall, Spring, Summer

Program Overview

The Civil Engineering Department offers a Doctor of Philosophy degree program with focus areas of environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, and water resources. The Ph.D. candidate is challenged to become a leading expert in his/her research area, become competent in applying the scientific method to the discovery of engineering principles, be able to design and execute experiments, teach, demonstrate the ability to independently direct research, become conversant in the body of literature, and be able to defend his/her research work, which will stand as a significant and unique contribution to the body of civil engineering knowledge. This is a full-time program. Normative time to completion is three academic years.

Program Learning Outcomes

Acquire knowledge of advanced principles of Civil Engineering and apply them to advanced technical problems in the Civil Engineering specialty areas of either environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation, or water resources.
Become a subject matter expert through a combination of advanced coursework and focused research in one or more areas of technical specialization within the Civil Engineering discipline.
Independently plan and conduct a research program using prior published knowledge as a foundation.
Become proficient in state-of-the-art equipment and methods related to the student’s focus area.
Synthesize information from a variety of sources to develop proposals for productive novel directions for research and development.
Communicate advanced engineering knowledge and the results of novel research and development activities in professional venues.
Develop habits of collaboration, leadership, initiative, safe performance of work, and ethical conduct with an understanding of Civil Engineering’s role in improving society.

Opportunities for Graduates

The Ph.D. degree serves many purposes, first and foremost to prepare advanced students for careers in the CE profession, to convey the skills necessary to perform cutting-edge research, and to solve complex interdisciplinary problems concerning society. Graduates will go on to advanced positions in industry, government, or tenure-track faculty positions at other universities.

Further Information

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/engineering/civil/academics/graduate-programs/phd-program

Admission Requirements

An M.S. in civil engineering or a closely related field is required for admission to the Ph.D. program. For admission, the student should have excellent academic records, demonstrated skills in oral and written English, and an aptitude for research. Students who are not native speakers of English must meet the university’s English proficiency requirement before starting the graduate program in Civil Engineering. GRE results, TOEFL score, transcripts from all previously attended universities, a resume, a statement of purpose, and at least three letters of recommendation must be submitted by the applicant for review by the Civil Engineering Department Graduate Committee. A majority vote of the Graduate Committee will determine whether the applicant will be admitted or denied admission.

International Students

This program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.

Graduation Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours of approved graduate work (60 hours beyond the master’s degree). Courses should be selected in consultation with the student’s Major advisor and Dissertation Committee, and the resulting Program of Study will minimally contain the following:

Courses Required of All Students

Note that CE 6915 is required of Ph.D. students even if already completed as part of an M.S. program.

Focus Areas

These courses are required for graduation in each focus area.

Environmental Engineering

CE 7570 - Subsurface Remediation

Geotechnical Engineering

CE 5720 - Advanced Soil Mechanics

Structural Engineering

Transportation Engineering

Water Resources Engineering

CE 7430 - Stochastic Modeling

Additional Requirements

Coursework

Students must complete a minimum of 27 hours of coursework exclusive of CE 8950 (dissertation).

Of those 27 hours:

At least 18 hours must be from courses at the 6000-level or higher, including at least 9 hours from courses at the-7000 level or higher
No more than 3 hours may be from dual-listed 4000/5000-level courses open to both undergraduate and graduate students
Some courses outside the Civil Engineering Department may be included in the Program of Study.

Dissertation/Research Hours

Students must complete a minimum of 33 credit hours of Dissertation (CE 8950) and/or Research (CE 8940).

Satisfactory Progress

By the end of the first semester of course work towards the Ph.D., the student must submit his/her Program of Study and form the Dissertation Committee in close collaboration with the student’s major advisor. The make-up of the committee must follow the College’s guidelines and is recorded on the Committee Approval Form. The committee will include at least five members, including the major advisor, one college representative, and one member from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). The student’s Dissertation Committee and the Department Graduate Committee Chair must approve the Program of Study.

By the end of the second semester the student must take a written Qualifying Exam. This will test mastery of the necessary fundamentals to pursue the Ph.D. degree. The subject areas of the exam will be determined by the student’s Dissertation Committee, based on the student’s specialty area. A student who fails the exam will have one more opportunity to take and pass the exam. Remedial courses may be required before retaking the exam. Students who completed their M.S. degree at Ohio University may have the Qualifying Exam waived at the discretion of the student’s Dissertation Committee and the Department Graduate Committee Chair.

Following the completion of the majority of the coursework, a student is required to take and pass a written and oral Comprehensive Exam. This examination will test the candidate’s knowledge of advanced coursework, his/her ability to integrate knowledge from courses, and his/her ability to work independently in the specialty area. The examination will be prepared and administered by the student’s Dissertation Committee and recorded on a Comprehensive Examination Form.

A written dissertation must be prepared and defended at an oral examination that will occur at least two full semesters after the Dissertation Committee’s approval of the Research Proposal.

Culminating Experience

Students must successfully complete a written dissertation and defend it orally.