PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Villanova’s College of Engineering is unique in its newly launched professional development program for doctoral students, which reflects Villanova’s commitment to high-quality teaching and close attention to the student, as well as development of the whole person as embodied by Veritas, Unitas, Caritas.

The program consists of a required core course, EGR 9240, which will cover topics such as:

  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Teamwork
  • Project management
  • Leadership
  • Strategic planning
  • Employee empowerment
  • Entrepreneurially minded learning
  • Ethics
  • Safety and the environment
  • Lifelong learning
  • Unique culture of Villanova, which emphasizes service to, and care for, one’s community

The required core course will be recorded on the student’s transcript. However, those who satisfactorily complete this course, plus a required minimum number of “supplements” from either an academic or industry track will also receive a certificate. The pursuit of a certificate is optional. Because EGR 9240 and the Certificate courses EGR 9200, 9220, and 9260 are in-class discussion-based, a student will not be permitted to take any of these courses as an E-Learning student.

TESTIMONIALS

Carol Caceres, PhD Candidate

“The program provides a complete view and clear path on topics such as ethics, diversity, teamwork and innovation that need to be addressed by professionals who will impact society.” - Carol Caceres, PhD Candidate 

Richard Ampomah, PhD Candidate

“It was a great experience to listen, learn and interact with those in industry and academia on important topics rarely discussed in traditional graduate school coursework.” – Richard Ampomah, PhD Candidate

Kelsey O’Donnell, ’20 PhD, Process Development Scientist, Amgen

“The seminar provides insight into the needs of different industries and what I can be doing as a student at Villanova to meet the needs of future employers.” – Kelsey O’Donnell, ’20 PhD, Process Development Scientist, Amgen



Certificate Options:

  1. A min. B grade in EGR 9200 (Teaching in Higher Education; a 1 credit course)
  2. A min. B grade in EGR 9220 (Teaching in Higher Education Practicum)
Optional:
  1. An industrial internship
  2. Coordinating and chairing a session at an industrial conference
  3. A min. B grade in a course from the following list:

For questions about graduate admission or enrollment:

Kyle Murray
Assistant Director, Graduate Enrollment Operations
610-519-6723

For current or incoming PhD students with questions:

Leslie McNamee
Assistant Director, Graduate Programs Operations
610-519-5840

PHD TESTIMONIALS

IN THE NEWS

PhD student Li Chen

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

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.

PhD student Menglong Lei

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.