In This Section
- Ph.D. Home
- First-Year Students
- Requirements
- Innovation Program
- Student Profile
- Requirements and Forms for Current Students
Related Links
- Research at Thayer School
- Libraries
- Graduate Engineering Courses
- Dartmouth Graduate Studies Guide for Students
- M.S./Ph.D. Tuition, Expenses, Financial Aid
- Application
- Graduate Admissions
- Innovation Boot-Camp for Engineering PhDs
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Prerequisites
The foundation for doctoral work is undergraduate preparation in science, mathematics, and engineering principles. Applicants must hold a bachelor's or master's degree in engineering or one of the physical sciences to be considered for the program.
Students who are not prepared to complete the first-year requirements are advised to enter the Thayer School M.S. program and petition later to be admitted to the Ph.D. program. Students who have prior graduate training may be considered for advancement to candidacy after completing one or two terms of the first-year doctoral program.
Residency
The student entering the Ph.D. program is typically in residence for 3 terms before advancing to Ph.D. candidacy. Residency beyond the first year is usually 6 terms total, with 3 terms occurring after successful completion of the oral examination.
Number of Courses
The program of study is developed based on each student's background and professional interests. The number of courses required depends on the prior training and coursework, but typically includes at least 10 graduate courses beyond the bachelor's degree.
- Applied mathematics (3 courses)
- Courses directed toward acquiring breadth of knowledge in engineering sciences (3 courses)
- Courses leading to a depth of knowledge in an engineering specialty (4 courses)
In addition to engineering and applied mathematics courses, Ph.D. students participate in the following seminars and workshops:
- ENGS 195 Seminar on Science, Technology and Society (1 term)
- ENGG 196 Seminar on Applied Science and Technology (5 terms)
- ENGG 197 Ph.D. Professional Workshops (1 term)
- ENGG 198 Research-in-Progress Workshop (annually)
Graduate Course Equivalence and Credit form (PDF)
Career Development
Thayer School offers Ph.D. candidates optional training in management, engineering development and design, and teaching, as well as the nation's first doctoral-level engineering Innovation Program.
Management
Candidates interested in administration, management, and/or organization may obtain an Engineering Management Certificate by completing any 3 of the Engineering Management courses numbered:
- ENGM 180 Corporate Finance
- ENGM 181 Marketing
- ENGM 182 Organizational Behavior
- ENGM 183 Operations Management
- ENGM 185 Topics in Manufacturing Design and Processes
- ENGM 186 Technology Project Management
- ENGM 188 Law, Technology and Entrepreneurship
Engineering Development and Design
Candidates interested in industrial engineering design and development may elect:
Teaching
Candidates interested in teaching may serve as teaching assistants for one of the undergraduate and graduate courses that has a problem session, tutorial, or laboratory component. In special cases, a candidate may participate in the design and development of laboratory exercises for lecture courses or in the design and development of a special topics course.
Candidates may apply for one of these positions only after they have completed the oral qualifying examination.
More formalized teacher training programs, offered through the Dartmouth Center for Advancement of Learning, are open to Thayer School Ph.D. candidates.