Mechanical and Systems Engineering - PHD

Degree Title and Name: Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical and Systems Engineering

Program Name and Number: Mechanical and Systems Engineering – PH7259

Russ College of Engineering
1 Ohio University
Stocker Center
Athens, OH 45701
740.593.1474
engineering@ohio.edu

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Terms of Entry: Fall, Spring, Summer

Program Overview

The mission of the Mechanical and Systems Engineering Ph.D. program is to graduate engineering professionals with advanced engineering research and problem solving skills, who can effectively communicate graduate-level engineering concepts and applications, who are able to continue to contribute to their discipline after graduation, who can contribute to the wellbeing of the society, and who are prepared to become leaders in research and teaching in academic, government, and industry positions. This is an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program with specialization tracks in Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE). A minimum of 60 semester hours beyond the Master of Science (M.S.) degree or 90 hours beyond the Bachelors of Science (B.S.) is required consisting of 1) a minimum of 30 semester hours beyond an M.S. or 60 semester hours beyond a B.S. of dissertation work and 2) 30 semester hours of approved graduate coursework. An interdisciplinary component, for which graduate coursework is taken outside the program track, is a general program requirement. In addition to general program requirements, specific track requirements must also be satisfied. Students must pass qualifying and comprehensive exams, as well as successfully propose and defend a doctoral dissertation. A plan of study is approved by the student’s dissertation advisory committee, the specialization track coordinator, and the chair of the program steering committee.

Program Learning Outcomes

An ability to develop personal expertise in one or more areas of technical specialization
An ability to conceptualize, design, and execute advanced engineering research and to test a scientific hypothesis or proposed engineering solution using prior published knowledge as a foundation
An ability to use analytical and computational methods to process data and solve engineering problems
An ability to effectively communicate graduate-level engineering concepts and applications in oral and written forms

Opportunities for Graduates

The Mechanical and Systems Engineering Ph.D. program prepares students for advanced engineering work in industry, government, or academia.

Further Information

For the Industrial and Systems Engineering track, please email ise@ohio.edu or go to https://www.ohio.edu/engineering/ise/academics/graduate-programs/phd.

For the Mechanical Engineering track, please email MEgrad@ohio.edu or go to https://www.ohio.edu/engineering/mechanical/academics/graduate-programs/phd.

Admission Requirements

Except for cases of outstanding students with a B.S. in Mechanical or Industrial and Systems Engineering (or direct equivalents), the basic requirement for admission is a Master of Science degree in engineering or a highly related field, i.e., chemistry, physics, or applied mathematics, computer science, production/operations management.) Applicants holding degrees in closely related fields or from non-accredited engineering institutions may be required to compensate for deficiencies with additional coursework. The GRE general test (with a quantitative score of at least 158) is required. The TOEFL or IELTS test with a score that meets the minimum university requirement is required for applicants whose native language is not English. The minimum B.S .GPA requirement is 3.00, and the minimum M.S. GPA requirement is 3.3. Three letters of recommendation are required from persons who can attest to the applicant’s academic and research aptitude. Admission to the program is restricted to those students whose educational plans fall within one of the two specialty areas.

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

A minimum of 90 credit hours (including those credited for prior graduate work) are required for degree conferral.

Required Courses

ET 7990 - Engineering Synthesis Seminar
ET 6020 - Technical Writing Seminar
Students who completed ET 6020 while earning an M.S. at Ohio University are not required to retake this course during the doctoral program.

Other Required Coursework

Students must complete a minimum of 15 hours at the 6000-level or higher, of which a minimum must be at the 7000-level or higher.

Coursework must also include at least a minimum of 6 hours of doctoral coursework from an engineering department outside of the major track discipline.

Culminating Experience

Students must successfully complete a Ph.D. qualifying examination in the subject areas deemed necessary to pursue study at the advanced graduate level. After passing the qualifying exam, each student is required to successfully complete a comprehensive examination consisting of a written and oral examination to evaluate the student’s plan and ability to carry out his/her proposed dissertation research. Finally, students are required to successfully complete a written dissertation proposal with an oral defense before their entire dissertation committee.