(b) Transfer
PhD candidates are permitted to transfer up to (8) courses if
approved by the Graduate Group Chairman.
(c) Grades
Grades given in graduate engineering courses are A, B, C, D,
F, and I. The I (Incomplete) is a temporary grade which is changed
to a letter grade when the course requirements have been completed.
A grade average of at least B must be kept to remain in good standing.
Students with an undergraduate degree in a field other than chemical
and biomolecular engineering receiving a grade of C or below in
any required undergraduate course will be asked to withdraw. Research
is graded S or U.
(d) Teaching Requirements
Participation of PhD students in the educational mission of the
department is considered to be an important component of each
student's education and will help to develop their teaching, presentation,
leadership, and interpersonal skills. All doctoral students are
required to participate in a formal teaching practicum under faculty
guidance for two semesters, generally in their second year.
(e) English Proficiency
Pennsylvania law requires a standard of proficiency in English
for anyone teaching a class in the state. Students whose native
language is not English must pass a "Speak Test".
(f) Foreign Language
There is no foreign language requirement for the PhD degree.
(g) Qualifying Examinations
- All first year graduate students in the Ph.D. program must
take the qualifier. This examination is given each year at the
end of the Spring semester. The exam may use a written or oral
format, or both; the exam covers fundamental chemical engineering
principles and may also include a research proposal.
- Based upon the performance on the qualifying exam, and in
class performance and research progress during the spring semester,
a recommendation is made by the Graduate Group Committee whether
or not a student will be welcomed into the Ph.D. program.
(h) Oral Thesis Proposal
- A research proposal before the student's thesis committee
will determine the research potential and ingenuity of the candidate.
The exam is to be scheduled at about the end of the second year
of full-time study.
- The results of the oral examination will be one of the following:
(1) passed; (2) failed with permission to take again; and (3)
failed without permission to take again.
(i) Committee
The examining committee will consist of at least three members
plus the research advisor. Of the three, two will normally be
members of the Graduate Group Committee in Chemical and Biomolecular
Engineering. At least one member should be from another department
of the University.
(j) Research Progress
In order to assure that each student is making satisfactory progress
toward completion of the dissertation, the department will require
a progress report due in the Fall semester for those students
in their fourth and fifth year. All students are expected to finish
their Ph.D. degree by the end of the fifth year.
(k) Doctoral Research
The doctoral dissertation in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
is normally based upon the successful completion of a research
problem. It should be of a sufficiently novel or original nature
as to warrant publication in a recognized journal requiring critical
review by one or more referees. While the choice is important,
it should not be regarded as committing the student to specialize
in that particular area as his or her life's work. The topic choice
should be neither so limited in scope as to leave little room
to maneuver as difficulties are encountered, nor so overly ambitious
as to waste much time in properly defining the problem.
(l) PhD Thesis
A PhD Thesis presents results of the candidate's research for
evaluation by his or her dissertation research committee. A copy
of the final approved thesis will be presented the University
of Pennsylvania Graduate Faculties. Detailed regulations concerning
the writing, format, and presentation of the thesis apply.
(m) PhD Final Examination
Normally, the members of the dissertation research committee
shall be the same members who evaluated the oral examination.
All of the members of the committee shall be readers of the thesis.
At the time of the examination, the candidate will be allowed
approximately 30 minutes for the oral presentation, which will
be followed by questions. Students and the public are invited
to attend the presentation and question portion of the examination.
(n) PhD Dissertation
Regulations
The minimum number of copies of the PhD dissertation is four,
two of which are for the office of the Graduate Faculties (not
bound), one for the research advisor (bound), and one for the
student (bound). In some cases additional copies may be necessary
for sponsored projects. The Department pays for binding of the
two copies indicated. Additional copies may be bound at the same
time as the others but must be paid for by the student. Money
for binding should be paid to the Business Administrator when
the dissertation is submitted.
The PhD dissertation presented to the research committee for
approval will be the final typed copy ready for delivery to the
SAS Graduate Division Office in suite 322A, 3401 Walnut
St.
The following procedure is typical: when the research advisor
has approved the rough draft, the final typed copy is prepared,
including all tables and figures. This final copy should satisfy
all requirements as to the format (http://www.upenn.edu/VPGE/DissManual.html)
found on the web.. Copies of this final version are then given
to the faculty members who have been selected to read the dissertation.
The readers may offer informal suggestions, but their formal
action will be either to permit the oral examination to be held,
or to reject the dissertation. The oral examination will be scheduled
by the student a minimum of three weeks from the date the final
copy of the dissertation is submitted to the readers. Each reader
will examine the student's work, including a conference with the
candidate, if any, within two weeks after receipt of the dissertation.
After the oral examination, the examining committee consisting
of the research committee and any other faculty members (within
or outside Chemical Engineering) will either accept or reject
the dissertation.
The Graduate Faculties deadline (available from the CBE Dept.
Office and the SEAS Graduate Office) for the final oral examination
must be met with the final typing completed. Other details are
covered in the Graduate catalog. The forms for the abstract and
title pages are prescribed in the guide for dissertation-authors
published by the Graduate Faculties. It is the responsibility
of each student to pick up this booklet (311 A or Suite 322, 3401
Walnut) and to adhere to it. Microfilming entails special margin
dimensions and this information is also provided in the guide.
The student must make an appointment with the office of SEAS
Graduate Office in Room 111 Towne Building to finalize all graduation
requirements of SEAS and to complete all necessary forms. An appointment
must also be made with the Graduate Faculties Office, Suite 322,
3401 Walnut, (8-7444) to submit the dissertation and forms.
(o) Fellowship Aid
Most students admitted to the PhD program who receive fellowship
aid from the department must make satisfactory progress toward
their degree in order to maintain their support up to the maximum
of five years.
(p) Vacation Policy
Research assistants are formally allowed 2 weeks (10) working
days) of vacation each year. In addition, University-observed
holidays are paid time off. Unclaimed vacation cannot be carried
over to a subsequent year. Any special arrangements must be negotiated
with the research advisor.
