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Overview
The Ph.D. programs are open to qualified students holding Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in the fields of science and engineering. Acceptance into the program is based the applicant’s prior academic record, previous work experience, potential for growth, and the availability of space in the program. Students will be required to undergo a qualifying process to officially be a PhD candidate.
The Ph.D. degrees require ninety credit hours beyond the requirements for the baccalaureate degree. Of these, a minimum of thirty-three credit hours must be in regular course work; the remainder may be earned as thesis credits. There is also a two-year residency requirement.
Core Courses
All three programs require the following four core courses within the first year of enrollment:
Seminars
All three programs also require successful completion of ENGR 660 - Research Seminar during the first semester, and attendance of ENGR 690 - Graduate Seminar during each semester in residence at Alfred University.
Technical Electives
PhD candidates are also required to take two technical electives (min 6 credits) in consultation with their advisor and committee. These may include:
Students enrolled in the Ph.D. programs must pass a qualifying exam, usually within three semesters of their enrollment. The qualifying exam consists of a research proposal of a topic of research followed by an oral examination, led by the Qualifying Exam Committee.
Candidates for the degree must write, present and successfully defend a doctoral thesis based on independent and original research conducted by the student. Prior to displaying the thesis, candidates for the Ph.D. degree must present a minimum of three accepted peer-reviewed publications. Thirty credit hours in thesis work must be a recorded part of each student’s program, and as many as fifty credit hours may be included, but the accumulation of these credits does not in itself imply the satisfaction of the requirement. The thesis must be acceptable for publication.
During the first semester, the student will select, with the approval of the Dean of Engineering, a faculty member of the School of Engineering to be his/her advisor. The advisor will then select at least three more members of the faculty, with due consideration of the specific research interest of the student, to form the Advisory Committee. This Committee will guide the student in course selections, thesis research, preparation for qualifying and final oral examinations, and, in general, care for the student’s academic well-being. The student must report progress made and meet with the Committee every semester until completion of thesis.