Graduate Programs > Doctoral Programs

DOCTORAL PROGRAMS

Research is a major part of the creative mission of Penn Engineering. The excitement and discovery of research is open to all students and is the keystone of our world-renown Ph.D. programs.

Penn Engineering offers a stimulating environment where collaborative research between students and their faculty mentors can flourish. Research opportunities range from the core of our disciplinary programs to the edges of interdisci plinary interactions involving the School of Medicine, the School of Arts and Sciences, and the Wharton School of Business, to note a few. This environment is further enriched by Penn's many institutes, centers, and laboratories.

All Ph.D. programs are under the direction of flexible and constantly evolving graduate groups. These faculty groups traverse disciplinary boundaries and typically involve faculty from a number of departments and schools united by a c ommon interest in a broad research area.

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is conferred in recognition of original contributions, high attainment, and proven research competence in a specific branch of learning. Generally, the requirements for the degree are a minimum of four calendar years of full-time graduate study. The experienced and exceptionally prepared student may meet the Ph.D. course requirements by completing a minimum of twenty course units, of which at least twelve must be completed at the University. A Ph.D. candidate, unless he or she already has a master's degree from the University, must spend at least one year in residence with the associated graduate group. In Penn Engineering we require a program of four course units of approved graduate course s per semester within two successive terms, exclusive of summer courses. Penn Engineering maintains a stricter residency requirement than the general university requirement so that Ph.D. candidates can participate fully in the scholarly life of the unive rsity and their department and have concentrated time for their research. Also, following matriculation, no courses may be taken for degree credit other than at the University of Pennsylvania or institutions that have a formal relation with the University for the exchange of credit.

Doctoral programs include general examinations to test each student's knowledge of basic and advanced concepts in the particular field of study, capacity and creativity to pursue meaningful research, and validity of the investigation. These examinations have a variety of names, such as preliminary, qualifying, written, oral, and defense. Each graduate group in SEAS has its own examinations used to determine the student's ability to undertake Ph.D. studies and pursue scholarly research . These examinations are defined in the following sections specific to each group.

A dissertation showing high attainment and proven ability in creative and independent research must be written and defended in the field of the major subject. This study represents an original contribution to human knowledge. While ge nerally discouraged, in unique instances multiple authorship of dissertations may be approved, provided no publication be used as dissertation material for more than one student and that the candidate include for publication a concise account of his or he r contribution to the whole work.

Ph.D. candidates are required to complete successfully all course requirements, and examinations preliminary to the completion of the doctoral dissertation, within a period of eight consecutive years. A modification of the eight-year rule is permissible for students who have taken a Master of Science in Engineering degree at Penn. Such students may have the credits for which the degree was awarded remain valid indefinitely upon the recommendation of the graduate group committee in cha rge of the major subject; all additional course requirements and all examinations preliminary to the completion of the doctoral dissertation shall be completed within a period of five consecutive years.