The Degree of PhD in Mechanical Engineering [Graduate]

Program Requirements

Students entering the PhD program after a master’s degree are required to complete a minimum of ★15.5 in coursework and a thesis.

Students entering the PhD program after a bachelor’s degree are required to complete a minimum of ★30.5 in coursework and a thesis.

Coursework

MEC E 680
For students entering after a master’s degree:
- four ★3 graduate-level courses which must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator, Thesis Supervisor(s) and/or Thesis Supervisory Committee
  - A maximum of one MEC E 700- level course and no 500-level Mechanical Engineering courses can be credited towards the minimum course requirements
  - No reading courses can be credited towards the minimum course requirement
For students entering after a bachelor’s degree:
- nine ★3 graduate-level courses which must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator, Thesis Supervisor(s) and/or Thesis Supervisory Committee Five courses must be in the major field (i.e., MEC E courses)
  - A maximum of two MEC E 700- level and one MEC E 500-level courses, OR a maximum of three MEC E 700-level and no MEC E 500-level courses can be credited toward towards the minimum course requirements
  - In exceptional cases students may petition the Graduate Coordinator to reduce the course requirements
  - No reading courses can be credited towards the minimum course requirement
ENGG 600 (★0.5)- Engineering Ethics and Integrity
Additional coursework may be required

Thesis

Registration in 900-level THES

Ethics Requirement

Engineering students meet their ethics requirement through ENGG 600 and the FGSR Graduate Ethics Training (GET) course.

Professional Development Requirement

Engineering students must meet their Professional Development requirement through the completion of two courses, registration for which is through eClass. Contact the Department for further information.

Candidacy Exam

For full-time students, the PhD candidacy exam is typically held within the first two academic years. Whether a student is registered full-time or part-time, he or she must complete the candidacy exam within the first three academic years as per FGSR regulations. For additional details, see the document Graduate Program Manual for MEng, MSc and PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Management, available from the Department or on the Department’s home page.

Academic Standing Requirement

Students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.3 throughout the course of the program.

Failure to maintain the required cumulative GPA will normally result in a recommendation by the Graduate Coordinator to FGSR that the student be placed on academic probation and/or be required to withdraw.

Residence Requirement

The minimum period of residence is two academic years of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.

Length of Program

The time required to complete the PhD will vary with the individual candidate; however, a minimum of 36 months is almost always required.

The maximum time to complete the PhD program as set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is six years.