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First-Year Ph.D. Students

During the first year of the Ph.D. program, students prepare for formal candidacy by taking courses and participating in faculty-directed research projects.

Advisory Committee

Each student works with a 3-member special advisory committee, which includes the student's prospective research advisor and at least one faculty member whose research interests differ significantly from the student's.

First-Year Program Plan

The committee helps each student develop a first-year program of study, which the student submits to the Graduate Programs Office during the first week of the term. A typical first-year program of study includes:

  • ENGG 196 Seminar on Applied Science and Technology (3 terms)
  • Graduate-level courses completed with a grade of B or higher (can be a combination of Dartmouth courses and courses taken at another institution beyond B.S. or B.E. degree requirements) (6 courses)
  • ENGS 296 Graduate research completed with a grade of B or higher (3 terms)

Go to Banner Student to complete the Ph.D. Program Plan (First Year Scheduling).

Full Ph.D. Program Plan

During the first term, the committee helps the student develop a full program plan to fulfill the Ph.D. requirements, which the student submits to the Graduate Program Office before the beginning of the second term. The Ph.D. program plan includes the remaining engineering courses required plus participation in the following seminars and workshops:

  • ENGS 195 Seminar on Science, Technology and Society (1 term)
  • ENGG 196 Seminar on Applied Science and Technology (2 terms, in addition to the 3 terms completed during the first year)
  • ENGG 197 Ph.D. Professional Workshops (1 term, usually taken in one of the latter years in residence)
  • ENGG 198 Research-in-Progress Workshop (Annual participation during spring break)

Adobe PDF file icon Ph.D. Course Planning Sheet (PDF) - for planning purposes only. You will need to go to Banner Student to complete the Ph.D Program Plan.

Advancing to Candidacy

At the end of the first year, the student is recommended to candidacy by the first-year faculty research advisor and approved for candidacy by the full Thayer School faculty. Advancement to candidacy may be postponed for up to three months by vote of the faculty. Students who fail to advance to candidacy are advised to transfer to the M.S. program with the understanding that they may later request to be considered as a Ph.D. candidate.