HANDBOOK OF DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN MECHANICAL

ENGINEERING (PhD/ME):

ACADEMIC POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Department of Mechanical Engineering

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Fall 2016

PhD/ME Handbook – August 2016

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I. Areas of Study

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers advanced coursework integrated with

research leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Mechanical Engineering. The program

has three concentrations: Thermal and Fluid Systems, Design and Manufacturing Systems,

Mechanics and Materials. The Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering will be awarded to

candidates who have displayed an in-depth understanding of the subject matter and

demonstrated the ability to make an original contribution to knowledge in their field of

specialty.

II. Program Administration

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Mechanical Engineering resides within the Department of

Mechanical Engineering. The Mechanical Engineering Graduate Studies Committee administers it.

The Graduate Studies Committee is responsible for curriculum enhancement, program

development and promotion, student recruitment, admission, and on-going program review and

provides input to the department Chair and the graduate faculty of the department.

The Graduate Advisor of Record (GAR) is appointed by the department Chair and with the

assistance of the Program Coordinator is responsible for the routine administration of the program,

advising students, maintaining records, and representing the Department in matters related to the

program. Questions about degree requirements and academic policies should be directed to the

Graduate Advisor of Record or the Program Coordinator.

III. Admission Requirements

The minimum requirements for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical

Engineering degree program are as follows:

Student must meet the university admission requirements as outlined in the graduate catalog.

Students whose native language is not English must have a satisfactory English test score

to meet the university admission requirements.

http://graduateschool.utsa.edu/international-students/gre-gmat-toefl-ielts/

Satisfactory GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores, as evaluated by the

Graduate Studies Committee of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, are

required in combination with other criteria for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy

in Mechanical Engineering degree program at UTSA.

Normally, a student must hold a Master's degree in mechanical engineering or in a related

field with a GPA of 3.3 or better in both his/her undergraduate and graduate studies for

admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering degree program at

UTSA.

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Outstanding students, who do not hold a Master's degree, may enter the Doctor of

Philosophy program on provisional status directly upon receiving a bachelor's degree in

mechanical engineering or a closely related field, with the approval of the Graduate Studies

Committee. Such applicants must have a GPA of 3.5 or better in the last sixty (60) semester

credit hours of undergraduate coursework in mechanical engineering or a closely related field.

A student with provisional status must satisfy the provisional requirements within the first

two (2) years of study in order to proceed towards their Ph.D. degree. Provisional

Requirements, if any, will be determined by the Graduate Studies Committee.

The Graduate Studies Committee will evaluate each applicant, approve the necessary

requirements, and recommend corrective actions and admission on a case-by-case

basis.

IV. Financial Support and Graduate Assistantships

Financial support may be obtained through various sources and disbursed as a stipend, tuition

support, and Assistantship. Please be advised that unless a written agreement is made between

the funding source and student for a designated time period, financial support and assistantships

are not guaranteed each semester or year of your degree program.

In order to receive a stipend, tuition support, or a competitive scholarship, the student must be

registered for a minimum of 1 credit hour (including during the summer semester). Students who

have been offered an assistantship must be registered a minimum of 6 credit hours during the fall

and spring semesters, and 3 credit hours during the summer semester. The only exception to the

assistantship requirement is if it is the student’s final semester and their registration does not

meet the minimum credit hour requirement.

Stipend: If you receive a stipend, this means that the funding can be disbursed as

either a lump sum or on a monthly basis during the designated semester. Stipends

are provided by faculty members; therefore, the details of the disbursement are their

discretion. If there is an account balance, the stipend will always be applied first

and foremost to the account balance.

Tuition Support: Tuition support is generally provided by faculty members, and is

given to students specifically for their tuition. If the amount of the tuition support

exceeds the account balance, then the excess funding will not be paid to the student.

Faculty members can also choose to provide partial tuition support, and the student

will be responsible for their remaining account balance.

Graduate Assistantships: Financial support may be secured through a Research

Assistantship (RA) or a Teaching Assistantship (TA). Appointments are no more than

“half-time” or 20 hours of service per week. Generally, RA and TA appointments are

either 10 or 20 hours per week, but it is up to the discretion of the faculty member or

Mechanical Engineering Department the specifications of the appointment. If a student is

appointed for 20 hours per week, then they are qualified for in-state tuition. The financial

support for RAs is provided by individual faculty members from research grants, while

support for TAs is provided by the department. Applicants are encouraged to contact

faculty members to seek RA positions.

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Competitive Scholarships: Competitive Scholarships are generally offered on a semester

basis by the Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Center for Advanced

Manufacturing and Lean Systems (CAMLS), and the College of Engineering. Recipients

of a competitive scholarship do earn qualification for in-state tuition, in addition to the

funding amount. Competitive scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis dependent

on merit credentials.

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V. Degree Requirements and Program of Study

The degree requires 90 credit hours of course and research work beyond the bachelor’s degree or

60 credits beyond the master’s degree, and passing of Qualifying Examinations, Dissertation

Proposal, Dissertation Defense and acceptance of the Ph.D. dissertation.

Based on the 2015-2017 Graduate Catalog, required coursework and the timeline for expected

progress are given in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. In general, undergraduate courses, general

education courses, and prerequisites for graduate courses are not guaranteed to count towards

the required number of credit hours.

Table 1 Curriculum (60 credit hours A through E) Credit Hours

A. Common Core Courses (6 credit hours): ME 6113 Experimental Techniques in

Engineering (or contingent on approval, CE 5713 Experimental Stress Analysis) is

mandatory, with another one from the following list.

EGR 6013 Advanced Engineering Mathematics I

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EGR 6023 Advanced Engineering Mathematics II

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B. Technical Core Courses (9 credit hours): Students are required to take two courses (6 credits)

in their Major Area of study, and any one course (3 credits) from either of the remaining two

areas on the following list.

Thermal & Fluid Systems

ME 5243 Advanced Thermodynamics 3

ME 5613 Advanced Fluid Mechanics 3

Design & Manufacturing Systems

ME 5113 Advanced Systems Dynamics and Control 3

ME 5503 Lean Manufacturing and Lean Enterprises 3

Mechanics & Materials

ME 5413

ME 5713

Elasticity 3

Mechanical Behavior of Materials 3

Students are required to obtain a grade of ‘B’ or above for all the core courses.

C. Technical Elective Courses (9 credit hours): Students are required to take at least three (3)

elective courses in consultation with their PhD advisor. D. Seminar (1 credit hour is required to be taken in one semester)

ME 7991 Research Seminar 1

E. Doctoral Research (20 credit hours required) and Dissertation (15 credit hours required)

ME 7951-3 Doctoral Research 1-3

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ME 7981-3 Doctoral Dissertation (after admitted for candidacy) 1-3

Table 2 Timeline of Progress

Progress To be Completed

Select PhD Advisor Within 9 credit hours

Pass Written Qualifying Examination Within 18 credit hours

Create PhD Supervisory/Dissertation

Committee

At least one month before dissertation proposal defense

Pass Dissertation Proposal

(A written proposal and an oral

presentation are required) to be

admitted as a PhD candidate

Time to be determined by the Supervising Professor and

the Dissertation Committee [27–45 credit hours].

Pass Dissertation Defense

(A written Dissertation and

Oral Examination)

After passing dissertation proposal. Time to be determined by the Supervising Professor (Advisor) and the

Dissertation Committee [> 60 credit hours].

VI. PhD Advisor

The program of study, as well as the selection of core and elective courses, must be

recommended by the student’s PhD Advisor. The courses taken by students are intended to focus

and support the individual’s mastery of his/her particular area of specialization. The PhD Advisor

must be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member of the Mechanical Engineering Department or

have an adjoint affiliation with the Mechanical Engineering Department.

VII. Written Qualifying Examinations

All students seeking a doctoral degree at UTSA must be admitted to “candidacy” in order to

become eligible to continue to the dissertation component of the PhD program. The

requirement for admission to candidacy is passing the qualifying examinations and

dissertation proposal. The qualifying examination of the PhD/ME program consists of

written questions in both common core and technical core as determined by the student’s

concentration area. The qualifying examinations will be administrated in June and January

every year. A student may be allowed to take the examination(s) pertaining to the subject(s)

a second time either in January or June the following semester/year, if they fail the first

time. However, no more than two attempts are permitted. Should a student fail the qualifying

exam for a second time, he or she will be dismissed from the doctoral program. The student

must follow the standard procedure to petition for reinstatement at the graduate level should

he or she wish to return to the doctoral program. At the department's discretion, students may

be reinstated to the MS degree. The process for petitioning for reinstatement is as follows:

A student who has been dismissed academically may petition for reinstatement after one long

semester (Fall or Spring) has elapsed from the date of dismissal. Under exceptional

circumstances, a petition may be considered earlier. Students are required to complete a

reinstatement packet along with a letter containing all explanations, recommendations, or

doctors’ statements in support of the student’s request for reinstatement and submit them to

the Dean of the Graduate School on or before June 15 for Fall Semesters, October 15 for

Spring Semesters, or March 15 for Summer Semesters.

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The Graduate School prepares the petition for reinstatement and submits it to the Department’s

Graduate Program Committee. The Graduate Program Committee will review the petitioner’s

letter and academic record and make a recommendation concerning reinstatement to the Dean of

the Graduate School. If the Petition for Reinstatement is disapproved, the student may not file

another petition until the following semester.

Process of Written Qualifying Examination: The written qualifying examination is given in

June and January of each year. Upon approval by their PhD advisor, students wishing to take the

examination must submit their request using the designated form to the Program Coordinator

Graduate Advisor of Record before Oct. 31 (for January Exam) and March 31 (for June

Exam). The written examination will be administered in the first full week of June and the

second week of January each year. Normally, the written examination is taken by students who

have completed the coursework listed under sections A and B of the curriculum in Table 1 and

are in good standing. Students who fail the written qualifying examination in their first attempt

may petition for a second attempt. No more than two attempts are permitted to pass all subjects

of the qualifying examination.

The purpose of the qualifying examination is to ensure that students pursuing a doctoral degree

in Mechanical Engineering have the essential depth and breadth of knowledge basis in their

designated concentration area. The Department of Mechanical Engineering administers the

written qualifying examination in the following four areas with the supporting courses:

1. Common Core area

EGR 6013 Analytical Techniques in Engineering (Advanced topics in vector

calculus and linear algebra)

2. Technical Core area

a. Thermal & Fluid Systems (two subjects)

ME 5243 Advanced Thermodynamics

ME 5613 Advanced Fluid Mechanics

b. Design & Manufacturing Systems (two subjects)

ME 5113 Advanced System Dynamics and Controls

ME 5503 Lean Manufacturing and Lean Enterprises

c. Mechanics & Materials (two subjects)

ME 5413 Elasticity

ME 5713 Mechanical Behavior of Materials

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The written qualifying examination includes two (2) parts: Part 1-Common Core Area, which

is mandatory for all students, and Part 2-Technical Core Area, which is based on the student’s

selected technical core area. The written exam is administered on the different areas in two days

of the first full week of June and the second week of January each year. The exam for each

area (Common Core, Thermal and Fluid Mechanics, Design and Manufacturing Systems,

Mechanics and Materials). The examinations are typically in the form of closed books and notes.

If needed, students will be provided a formula sheet.

The minimum (passing) grade for each area in the Common Core and Technical Core Areas

are 75% and 70% respectively. Students who do not score the minimum grade only on one of

the three exams may pass the qualifying exam requirement on a conditional basis with the

requirements (conditions) determined by the Graduate Program Committee. Students who pass the

written qualifying exam conditionally must satisfy all additional requirements before having

passed the written exam proceeding on to the proposal defense.

VIII. Dissertation Committee

The dissertation committee members are typically selected by the student in consultation with the

PhD advisor and approved by the Graduate Advisor of Record and the Department Chair. This

process should start as early as the time when the student has selected a PhD Advisor. The

dissertation committee must be finalized at least one month before the dissertation proposal

defense.

A dissertation committee includes the PhD advisor as the chair of the committee and a minimum

of four members. Of the four members, at least two must be Mechanical Engineering graduate

faculty members and one must be outside the department or UTSA, whose suitability will be subject

to approval of the Graduate School. Part-time faculty may serve as members of the dissertation

committee, but may not serve as PhD advisors.

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IX. PhD Dissertation Proposal and Admission to PhD Candidacy

The student should first consider research topics for his/her dissertation, and then write a

dissertation proposal based on preliminary results. Normally, the dissertation proposal is

presented to the dissertation committee of the student within one year after passing the written

qualifying examination. During this time, students can take ME 7951-3 Doctoral Research

(Table 1, Section E). The dissertation proposal consists of quantifiable and verifiable

objectives, literature survey, methodology, preliminary work, deliverables, and expected

contribution.

A written dissertation proposal should be submitted to the student's dissertation committee at

least two weeks before the oral presentation. The dissertation proposal should:

Explain the basic idea of the dissertation topic

Describe why that topic is original, challenging, and important

Present an overview of the related work in the field

State what kind of results are expected, and present preliminary results, if any

Make a plausible argument that the study can be completed within a proposed time line.

The student should write the dissertation proposal as soon as he/she can address the issues

described above. The dissertation proposal should be typically single spaced and 25-30

pages long. A public presentation of the student's dissertation proposal will be arranged

and followed by a closed-door questioning by the dissertation committee.

The oral presentation is typically a 40-minute talk, followed by a question-and-answer session.

Following the public presentation, the dissertation committee will conduct a closed-door oral

examination based on the proposal and on relevant background from the student's Program of

Study. Only the dissertation committee members may attend the closed-door session. After the

examination, the student will be asked to leave, and the dissertation committee will discuss the

student's performance in the dissertation proposal presentation. The dissertation committee may

recommend changes before approving the dissertation proposal. No more than two attempts are

permitted for the student to get his/her dissertation proposal approved and be admitted as a PhD

candidate.

X. Final Oral Dissertation Defense

After the approval of the dissertation proposal and admission as a PhD candidate, the next steps

are writing the dissertation and passing the final oral defense. During this time, students should

register for ME 7981-3 Doctoral Dissertation (Table 1, Section E). The final oral defense is

administered and evaluated by the student’s PhD dissertation committee and covers the general

field of the dissertation. The final oral defense consists of a public presentation of the

dissertation, followed by a closed session with the members of the dissertation committee. It is

expected that the material of the dissertation will be of archival quality and will be published in

journals. The dissertation must be approved by a unanimous decision of the Dissertation

Committee.

XI. Registration

Students who attend classes at UTSA must be officially registered or approved to audit a

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course. UTSA does not guarantee the availability of particular courses or sections, and

admission to classes is permitted only until the maximum number of students allowable in any

section has been reached. UTSA reserves the right to cancel any course or section in which the

number of registrants does not warrant its continuation

If a student encounters a restriction when registering for a course, please contact the Program

Coordinator in order to investigate the discrepancy. Students intending to register for ME 7951-

3: Doctoral Research and ME 7981-3: Doctoral Dissertation must send an email to their

faculty advisor requesting permission to be registered in the respective course. Once approval is

received, please forward the email to the Program Coordinator and you will be notified when

registration has been completed.

English Language Assessment Procedure:

o The English Language Assessment Procedure (ELAP) is a mandatory UTSA

assessment for incoming international student’s whose Test of English as a

Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores are between 500 and 600 (paper version) or

61 and 100 (Internet version). ELAP tests academic language skills in the areas

of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The test is administered during

orientation week at no charge to the student. A registration hold is placed on

students until the test is successfully completed.

o Students who are required to take English for International Students (EIS)

classes and do not register for them or drop them before they are successfully

completed will be withdrawn from the University and will jeopardize their visa

status. Once students successfully complete the EIS classes, the registration hold

is removed from their record.

Auditing Courses:

o UTSA students and nonstudents who wish to audit a course may do so with the

approval of the instructor and the chair of the department in which the course is

offered, provided there is space in the classroom after all registered students

have been accommodated. The minimum enrollment in a course must be

reached without auditors.

o All auditors must submit a signed Audit Course Form to the Enrollment Services

Center, no sooner than the first day of class. A UTSA student pays an auditing

fee of $25 per course. Auditors who are not registered UTSA students must pay

an auditing fee of $50 per course. Persons over 65 years of age are permitted to

audit without paying an auditing fee

Cancellation of Enrollment:

o Students who fail to fulfill admission, registration, or financial requirements, or

who otherwise fail to adhere to academic regulations may have their enrollment

for the semester cancelled. Students may apply for readmission for a subsequent

semester provided they have resolved the cause of cancellation.

Dropping Courses:

o Students may drop courses from their schedules for a limited time each

semester. The online registration calendar for each semester indicates the

deadlines for students to drop courses each term.

o Courses officially dropped before the Census Date do not appear on a student’s

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transcript. See the online registration calendar each semester for Census Dates.

o Students who drop courses between the Census Date and the Automatic “W”

Date have a record of the courses on their transcripts with an automatic grade of

“W.” See the online registration calendar for the Automatic “W” Date. The

change becomes official after it is processed by the Office of the Registrar.

o The Automatic “W” Date for graduate students is the end of the ninth week of

classes for Fall and Spring semesters, the end of the third week of classes for a

five-week Summer term, and the end of the sixth week of classes for a ten-week

Summer term.

o It is the student’s responsibility to drop a course by the appropriate deadline. If a

student fails to drop a course, even if the student does not attend the course, he

or she will receive a grade of “F” in the class.

o Faculty and staff will not drop a student from a course automatically for

nonattendance; the student must initiate the process and complete any necessary

steps to ensure that the class is dropped.

o Under certain circumstances, students may be dropped from courses

administratively by college deans. Students who do not meet course

prerequisites or who fail to attend a course prior to Census Date may be dropped

from courses. If a dean determines that a student should be dropped from a

course for these or other documented circumstances, the student will be notified

by the college overseeing the course. Students cannot assume that they will be

automatically dropped from any class for failure to attend or failure to pay

tuition and fees. Students are still responsible for dropping courses by the

official deadline or they will receive a grade of “F” in the class. Students are

responsible for checking their schedules on ASAP and for checking their official

UTSA e-mail accounts to determine if they have been dropped from a class.

o After the Automatic “W” Date, a student may not drop a course except with the

approval of the Dean of the college in which the course is offered and then only

for urgent and substantiated, nonacademic reasons.

XII. Student Travel Support

Travel financial support may be available by either a faculty member and/or the Department of

Mechanical Engineering. The Department of Mechanical Engineering is committed to providing

students with the opportunity to attend and participate in conferences, research opportunities, and

training workshops, contingent on the availability of funds.

In order to submit a request for travel support, please visit the Mechanical Engineering website >

ME Login > Online Request Tracking > Enter your UTSA email address > Type your login

credentials > Select: Students > Complete the four (4) Required Forms at the bottom of the page.

Once the four forms are completed, please print and submit to the Department of Mechanical

Engineering. The Department of Mechanical Engineering will inform you of the funding amount

you were approved for. After the conference, please submit ALL receipts you wish to be

reimbursed for to the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

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Attachments: Map from UTSA to SwRI

Map of SwRI

IMPORTANT LINKS:

ME Department: http://engineering.utsa.edu/me/

ME Faculty: http://engineering.utsa.edu/me/faculty_staff/faculty.html

Graduate School: http://graduateschool.utsa.edu/

Graduate Catalog: http://utsa.edu/gcat/

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ME 6113 is taught in Building 77

(No.18 on the map)

Main Gate

at Culebra Rd

Dr. Adel Alaeddini Big Data Analytics in Healthcare and Manufacturing Statistical Learning in Systems Modeling and Control

Dr. Kiran Bhaganagar Wind Turbine Modelling Turbulence Drone Fluids Interface

Dr. Pranav Bhounsule Mobile and Humanoid Robots Mechanism Design Mechatronics

Dr. Krystel Castillo Mathematical Modeling of Complex Systems Optimization Big Data Analytics Bioenergy Supply Chain Network Design

Dr. F. Frank Chen Lean manufacturing Flexible manufacturing Supply chain management

Dr. Bing Dong Energy Efficiency Smart Building Systems Building Controls & Diagnostics

Dr. Yusheng Feng Computational bioengineering Multi-scale simulation and control Cancer treatment modeling

Dr. Zhi-Gang Feng Multi-phase flow Computational fluid dynamics Heat and mass transfer

Dr. Ender Finol

Vascular biomechanics

Abdominal aortic aneurysms

Pulmonary hypertension

Non-destructive tissue mechanics

Dr. Wei Gao

Mech. behavior of materials, Low dim. materials

Biological and bio-inspired materials and structures

Computational material design

Adv. material manuf., characterization & testing

Dr. Hai-Chao Han

Cardiovascular biomechanics

Mechanical modeling & analysis

Tissue remodeling

Dr. Lyle Hood

Controlled Drug Delivery

Photothermal Therapies

Medical Device Design

Dr. Amir Karimi Metastable thermodynamics Phase change heat transfer Thermal systems

Dr. Amir Jafari Soft Robotics Physical-Human-Robot Interaction pHRI Exoskeletons and Prosthesis Devices

Dr. Ruijie Liu Hydraulic Fracturing and Geomechanics Micromechanics and Material Failure HPC for Multi-field and Multi-physics

Dr. Victor Maldonado Active Flow Control Experimental Aerodynamics Aircraft Dynamics and Control

Dr. Randall Manteufel Energy Efficiency Performance Assessment Thermal Fluid Systems

Dr. Harry Millwater Computational Mechanics Probabilistic Life Prediction Fatigue and Fracture

Dr. Brendy Rincon Troconis Stress corrosion cracking, Hydrogen embrittlement Coating adhesion, Passivation Localized corrosion, Atmospheric corrosion, Corrosion inhibitors

Dr. Can Saygin Manufacturing engineering Shop floor control and automation Distributed decision-making

Dr. HungDa Wan Six Sigma and Lean Systems Manufacturing Systems Engineering Digital Manufacturing and 3D Printing

Dr. Xiaodu Wang Tissue Biomechanics Age and Disease Related Fragility Fractures Bioinspired Design/Synthesis of Nanocomposites

Dr. Justin Wilkerson Theoretical and Computational Mechanics Materials in Extreme Environments Multifunctional Nanomaterials

Dr. Xiaowei Zeng Computational Biomechanics Multiscale Modeling & Simulation Nanomechanics

Ph.D. in Mechanics/Materials

Mechanics Materials

Common Core EGR 6013: Advanced Engineering Mathematics I

ME 6113: Experimental Techniques in Engineering

Technical Core ME 5413: Elasticity

ME 5713: Mechanical Behavior of Materials

Suggested Technical Core

EGR 6023: Advanced engineering math II

ME 6043: Continuum Mechanics

Prescribed Computational Mechanics and

Material Science Electives

BME 6343: Statistical pattern recognition and data mining in BME

BME 6243: Mechanobiology

CE 5153: Numerical Methods in CE BME 6963: Fund. to polymer science

CHE 5833: Computational chemistry MATE 5103: Principles of Materials Engineering

CS 5233: Artificial intelligence MATE 5233: Anisotropy and crystalline materials

CS 5473: Data mining ME 5013: Topics in Corrosion

EE 5103: Engineering programming ME 5013: Topics in Fatigue & Fracture

EGR 5023: Numerical tech. in Eng. Analysis ME 5743: Composite Materials

EGR 5703: Advanced scientific visualization ME 6663: Advanced Fatigue & Fracture

EGR 5713: High Performance Computing ME 6813: Biomaterials

ME 5483/CE 5023: Finite Element Methods ME 6xxx Computational Materials

ME 5013/CE 5713: Non-linear finite elements PHY 5303: Statistical mechanics

ME 6xxx Non-linear Comp. Mechanics PHY 5403: Quantum mechanics I

ME 6xxx Advanced Comp. Methods (Prereq.: HPC) PHY 6313: Solid state physics

PHY 6523: Computational physics

PHY 7603: Topics in condensed matter physics

ME 5013: Special Topics

ME 6973: Special Problems

Prescribed Mathematics

Electives

EGR 6023: Advanced engineering math II

EGR 6033: Linear and mixed integer optimization

MAT 5283: Linear algebra and matrix theory

MAT 5293: Numerical linear algebra

MAT 5673: Partial differential equations I

MAT 5683: Partial differential equations II

MAT 5833: Perturbation theory in applied mathematics

Prescribed Mechanics of

Solids Electives

BME 6823: Advanced biomechanics

BME 6863: Mechanical behavior of living tissues

CE 6153: Adv. mech. & modeling of struct. mats

ME 5153: Structural Dynamics

ME 5453: Advanced Strength Materials

ME 5463: Fracture Mechanics

ME 5473: Viscoelasticity

ME 6833: Biomechanics

ME 6893 Topics in Biomechanics

ME 6xxx Impact Mechanics

ME 6xxx: Plasticity

ME 6xxx Tribology

ME 6xxx Wave Propagation

Prescribed Experimental and

Probabilistic Mechanics Electives

CE 5713: Experimental stress analysis

MATE 5213: Sensing and sensor materials

MATE 5513: Fund. of microfabrication and applications

ME 5543 Probabilistic Engineering Design

ME 5883: Intro to micro and nanotechnology

ME 6113 Experimental Techniques

Suggested Prescribed Electives

PHY 6133: Introduction to scientific writing

Ph.D. in Thermo-Fluids

Common Core EGR 6013: Advanced Engineering Mathematics I

ME 6113: Experimental Techniques in Engineering

Technical Core ME 5243: Advanced Thermodynamics

ME 5613: Advanced Fluid Mechanics

Prescribed Thermal Electives

EGR 5703: Advanced Scientific Visualization

ME 5013: Special Topics

ME 5263: Combustion

ME 5303: Heat Transfer

ME 5343: Convection

ME 5653: CFD

ME 6333: Conduction

ME 6853: Advanced CFD & Heat Transfer

ME 6973: Advanced Energy System (HVAC and building system) (New)

ME 6973: Special Problems

Prescribed Fluid Electives

BME 6813: Bio-fluids

EGR 5703: Advanced Scientific Visualization

MAT 5833: Perturbation Theory in Applied Mathematics.

ME 5013: Special Topics

ME 5633: Compressible Flows/Aerodynamics

ME 5653: CFD

ME 5753: Turbulence

ME 6973: Special Problems

Prescribed Mathematics

Electives

EGR 6023: Advanced engineering math II

EGR 6033: Linear and mixed integer optimization

MAT 5283: Linear algebra and matrix theory

MAT 5293: Numerical linear algebra

MAT 5673: Partial differential equations I

MAT 5683: Partial differential equations II

Milestones Agreement Form for PhD in Mechanical Engineering This form is provided for the purpose of informing students about the academic milestones that they will be expected to reach in order to earn their Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering as well as when they are expected to complete these milestones. Students are expected to reach each milestone within the specified time period in order to make satisfactory progress through the program. Students who are not making satisfactory progress may lose funding, be placed on academic probation, or be dismissed from the program.

Academic Advising Upon entering the PhD in Mechanical Engineering program, all students are assigned to the Graduate Advisor of Record within their first 9 credit hours of program of study. During their first 9 credit hours, all students must select their PhD advisors. The entire program of study, as well as the selection of major and minor areas, must be recommended by the student’s PhD Advisor by the end of 9 credit hours of the student’s coursework, approved by the Graduate Studies Committee, and must be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School for final approval. The courses taken by students are intended to focus and support the individual’s mastery of his/her particular area of specialization. The PhD Advisor must be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member of the Mechanical Engineering Department.

Academic advising includes the following elements that are designed to ensure that students remain in good academic standing and make satisfactory progress through the program. Advisors are responsible for the following:

Ensuring that annual reviews between student and advisor and/or supervising

committee occur. The results of this review will be included in the program’s annual

doctoral progress report.

Providing suggestions on course selection

Reviewing the student’s program of study to determine if the student is making

progress consistent with the expectations of the program and reaching milestones

according to the timeline provided on this form; working with the Doctoral Studies

Committee and student to determine if modifications are necessary

Clarifying the timetable for completing any remaining course requirements,

examinations, and other requirements

Providing the student with assistance in understanding the requirements for

successful completion of dissertation

Providing the student with assistance in assembling a dissertation committee

Providing the student with experiences and information that will optimize the

student’s career opportunities and success

Requirements for all Students in the PhD in Mechanical Engineering Program

Progress To be Completed Select PhD Advisor Within 9 credit hours

Pass Written Qualifying Examination Within 18 credit hours

Form PhD study committee At least one month before dissertation proposal

defense Pass Dissertation Proposal

(A written proposal and an oral

presentation are required) and be

admitted to be PhD candidate

Time to be determined by the Supervising Professor and the Dissertation Committee (27-45

credit hours)

Pass Dissertation Defense

(Oral Examination)

After passing dissertation proposal. Time to be determined by the Supervising Professor and the

Dissertation Committee (>60 credit hours)

Degree Completion Checklist for Students Maintain active student status by registering for courses every fall and spring semester

(may also include summer depending on program-specific requirements)

Complete Milestones Agreement Form with your advisor no later than the last class day of

the Spring semester

Complete all required organized coursework

Schedule and successfully complete required qualifying exams

Form your dissertation committee in consultation with your advisor and dissertation

Chair

Have your committee approved by program GSC and Graduate School

Prepare and successfully present your dissertation proposal

Apply for Advancement to Candidacy

Enroll in required dissertation hours and complete your dissertation

Successfully complete your defense of your dissertation

Submit required documentation to the Graduate School for completion and graduation

I have read this form and have had the opportunity to discuss the information contained in it with my advisor. I have the recent “PhD/ME Student Handbook”. I understand the academic milestones that I am expected to reach in order to successfully complete the PhD in Mechanical Engineering program, as well as the expected timeline for completing these milestones.

______________________________________ ___________________ Student’s Signature Date

______________________________________ ___________________ Advisor’s Signature Date