PHD DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Most students entering the program will have a master of science degree. The program will accept students into the program with a bachelor of science degree on a very selective basis.

Program requirements for students with MS degree

The student must take a minimum of six courses (18 credits) including at least one graduate level mathematics course. The actual courses and any additional courses will be listed in a program of study that will be drawn up by the student's Guidance Committee.
The student will be required to register for 30 credits of research.
Full-time students will be required to take their qualifying examinations at the end of their first year of study or in the third academic semester. Part-time student examinations are taken at the end of their second year or in the fifth academic semester. This examination will typically include mathematics and a specialized disciplinary area determined by the student in consultation with their advisor.
After passing the qualifying exam, all full-time PhD students are required to complete EGR 9240, the PhD Professional Development Seminar
In addition, he/she is required to defend a proposal of dissertation as well as a final dissertation defense.

Program requirements for students with BS degree entering directly into the Engineering Doctoral Program

This path is highly selective and limited to only the most highly qualified candidates.

The student must take a minimum of fourteen courses (42 credits) including at least one graduate level mathematics course. The actual courses and any additional courses will be listed in a program of study that will be drawn up by the student's Guidance Committee.
The student will be required to register for 30 credits of research.
The student will be required to take a qualifying examinations before the end of the fourth semester or as determined appropriate by his Guidance Committee. This examination will be in two areas: mathematics and a discipline specific exam. A maximum of two attempts is permitted to pass this examination.
After passing the qualifying exam, all full-time PhD students are required to complete EGR 9240, the PhD Professional Development Seminar.
In addition, he/she is required to defend a proposal of dissertation as well as a final dissertation defense.

The degree requirements must be completed within six years following the passing of the qualifying examination.

PHD TESTIMONIALS

Aleksandra Mitrovic

Research Focus: Range-based Control of Dual-Stage Systems: Design and Analysis with Applications on Nanopositioning Stages
Job Title: Staff Engineer at Western Digital in San Jose, CA

“Research I conducted at Villanova greatly helped me get my job and impressed all of my colleagues shortly after I started my new position.”

Ronald Warzoha

Research Focus: Nanoscale thermal transport
Job Title: Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, United States Naval Academy

“My Villanova education put me in a position to conduct world-class research and become an award-winning educator at the U.S. Naval Academy. The faculty, in particular, were always eager to put me in a position to succeed, while the courses provided the technical background I needed to perform the research I do now.”

Kamran Makarian

Research Focus: Micromechanics and thermal shock behavior of particle-reinforced ceramic composites
Job Title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University

“My Villanova University graduate education was life-changing and dramatically improved my critical thinking skills and scientific creativity. I conducted cutting-edge experimental and computational research and obtained skills that I use daily as a postdoc.”

Sergio Yanez

Research Focus: Behavior of composite steel joist systems
Job Title: Professor, University of Santiago, Chile

''From the very first day, I learned valuable lessons from my professors and classmates about commitment and dedication as part of the PhD process. Also, as an international student, I was truly blessed to be surrounded by the Villanova community. They always made me feel at home."

Amal Kalaban

Research Focus: Application of superlattice structures in solar cells
Job Title: Assistant Professor, Bucknell University

"The PhD program at Villanova developed my breadth and depth in engineering knowledge. It allowed me to gain excellent research and teaching skills grounded in an awareness to address important societal needs."

IN THE NEWS

INTERN Supplement Supports PhD Student’s Opportunity with Nokia Bell Labs

An NSF INTERN supplement to an existing Phase II I/UCRC grant for the Center for Energy-Smart Electronic Systems will fund an opportunity at Nokia Bell Labs for Villanova PhD student Li Chen. Li will be working with Dr. Rafaelle Luca Amalfi on electronics cooling projects, which will complement his PhD research on the environmental sustainability of data centers. Li’s advisor is Dr. Aaron Wemhoff

Cutting-Edge Study Reveals Engineering Properties of Enhanced Bentonites

Canadian Geotechnical Journal has published a new paper by PhD candidate Shan Tong and Assistant Professor Dr. Kristin Sample-Lord on the engineering properties of enhanced bentonites. The paper presents the results of Tong’s cutting-edge multi-year experimental study to better understand how polymer addition impacts the rate at which contaminants can move through bentonite barriers and into the environment over time. More.

Doctoral Student Recognized by ASME Fluids Engineering Division

Villanova PhD student Menglong Lei has been selected as an ASME Graduate Student Scholar for the Computational Fluid Dynamics Technical Committee by the ASME Fluids Engineering Division. The award is based on his submitted paper "Effects of Wing Kinematics on Modulating Odor Plume Structures in the Odor Tracking Flight of Fruit Flies.” Lei’s advisor is Dr. Chengyu Li, assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering.