Ocean Engineering PhD Program Degree Requirements

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Ocean Engineering will be conferred on candidates who have fulfilled the following requirements:

  1. Completed a minimum of 42 credits of course and dissertation work after the MS degree for students transferring 30 credits (72 credits for those admitted to the PhD directly after the BS degree). Of the 42 credits, 18 must be coursework **;

  2. Of the 18-credit minimum of coursework, at least 12 credits must be from the Ocean and Mechanical Engineering Department. No more than 3 credits of directed independent study may be used to satisfy the 18-credit minimum;

  3. A minimum of 24 dissertation credits. No more than 30 dissertation credits may be counted toward the total credit requirement for the PhD degree. Students admitted to the Ph.D. directly after the B.S. degree must take a minimum of 30 dissertation credits **;
     
  4. Completion of two semesters of EML 5937, Graduate Seminar (0 credits) with a grade of Satisfactory ("S")*;
     
  5. A major program of research and advanced studies in ocean engineering;
     
  6. A minimum of 9 credits in advanced mathematics or equivalent beyond the BS degree;
     
  7. Successful completion of General Exam I, a written and oral comprehensive examination of coursework;
     
  8. Successful completion of General Exam II, a dissertation proposal defense;
     
  9. Prior to the defense, the student is required to have published or have accepted for publication, a refereed research paper in a field of study deemed acceptable by the dissertation committee. A journal article is preferred, but a peer reviewed article is also acceptable*;
     
  10. Submitted and defended a dissertation based on original research in the student's area of specialization. The supervisory committee, the department chairperson, and the Graduate College must have approved the dissertation;
     
  11. Complied with the University's Graduate Policies and Regulations and satisfied the University's Graduate Degree Requirements.

*Changes are effective for students admitted to the program in Fall 2019 or later.

** Changes are effective for students admitted to the program in Spring 2020 or later.