PhD in Aerospace Engineering

The quantitative requirement for the PhD degree in Aerospace Engineering is 72 credit hours. Of these, 36 to 48 units must be course credit, and 24 to 36 units must be research credit, MEMS 600. Units earned toward a previous MS in Engineering may be counted towards these totals.

Degree Highlights:

  • The overall grade-point average must be 3.00 or better.
  • Full-time doctoral students in any area are required to take MEMS 501 Seminar every semester. This is a zero-unit, pass-fail course.
  • Courses may be chosen from 400- and graduate-level engineering courses with the following restrictions:
    • A maximum of 3 units of Independent Study, MEMS 500, are allowed.
    • A maximum of 6 units of 400-level courses are allowed, and these must be from courses not required for the BSAE degree (if counted for the MSAE degree).
    • Each course must be approved by the candidate's thesis advisor.
  • The student must pass the qualifying examination, successfully present a thesis proposal, write a satisfactory thesis and successfully defend it in an oral examination before a faculty committee. The committee should consist of at least five members, at least three of which are from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. At least one member must be from outside of the department.
  • A residency requirement of two consecutive semesters of full-time enrollment in doctoral studies is also required. To receive a PhD, the candidate must satisfy the applicable teaching requirements of the Graduate School.