Ph.D. Degree Program

The goals of the Ph.D. program are as follows:

• Advance the state-of-the-knowledge in the student's area of study and promote original engineering invention,
• Solidify the student's understanding of a chosen research area to a profound level,
• Encourage a strong interdisciplinary interests to enhance the breadth of education and complement the main research area,
• Develop the student's skills in science and engineering research, and
• Enhance the student's skills in scientific and engineering communication.

Graduate Certificates

Graduate students also have the opportunity to expand their study beyond departmental offerings through certificate programs. Read more.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

• Course requirements: 60 credits, including 36 course credits (15 in core courses and 21 in courses related to the student’s area of study) and 24 research credits. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the variety of courses across the University to receive a broad academic education. However, courses have to be approved by their QEC before the qualifying exam is taken, and by the Advisor after this exam.
• Each admitted student first identifies a track and signs up for one or more core courses (either departmental or study track specific). Typically, each student in both degree programs registers for 12 course credits each semester (4 courses at 3 credits per course) until earning the requisite number of credits.
• Participation in the Graduate Colloquium (see below).

Graduate Colloquium

In addition to the course credits listed and discussed above, each graduate student in the Department is required to participate in the Departmental Seminar called “Colloquia on ‘Mechanics and the Environment’.” This Colloquium is a series of about 18 seminars scheduled when classes are in session during the eight-month academic year. The faculty of the university, visiting scientists, and senior graduate students give the seminars. Additionally, two workshops are planned for the Ph.D. students as a part of the Colloquia to prepare them for their Qualifying Exam. One, in the spring semester of their first year, is on “Preparing and Writing a Research Proposal.” The other one, in the fall semester, is on “Research Communications” to prepare students for oral presentations at the Qualifying Exam and at scientific and professional meetings.

The minimal seminar participation requirements are as follows:

• Each degree candidate needs to register for CE 301 (Fall) or CE 302 (Spring) and is expected to attend at least 75% of the seminars in a given semester. Attendance is recorded. Although no grades are assigned in CE 301-302, student transcripts will show that the courses have been completed and thereby that the requirement has been satisfied. Students having scheduling conflicts should inform the Director of Graduate Studies.

• Each candidate for a Ph.D. degree shall register for CE 301-302 for at least two academic years. If the candidate previously completed one year of the Colloquium as part of the Duke M.S. degree requirement, then only one additional year of seminar attendance is required. All Ph.D. candidates are expected to present at least one seminar on their research. This seminar does not replace the oral defense of the dissertation and should be scheduled at the request of the advisor, in coordination with the student and Director of Graduate Studies.

• A degree candidate does not need to be registered in CE 301-302 in the semester that he or she presents a seminar.

The faculty encourages all graduate students to attend as many Graduate Colloquium seminars as possible, as exposure to novel ideas, research methodologies, and results from broadly or even remotely related fields is enriching and stimulating and helps to develop a critical sense of what constitutes an effective presentation.

M.S. to Ph.D. Transition

In pursuing a Ph.D., after completing the credit requirements for the M.S. degree, as described in Table 2, the student may apply for an M.S. degree. Typically an M.S. thesis and its defense are required. Students who fail the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam may apply for a (terminal) M.S. degree with or without a thesis. An M.S. exam is required in any of these cases. Note again that, for the Ph.D., full tuition payment for a total of 6 (or 5) semesters is required.

Students entering the Ph.D. program with an M.S. degree, can, with approval of the QEC, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Dean of the Graduate School, transfer up to 12 relevant course credits from the previous institution. Full tuition payment for a total of five semesters is then required.

Faculty Advisor

A Faculty Advisor is assigned to each graduate student after his or her arrival at Duke. The advisor must be a member of the graduate Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty. Typically, students identify their advisors during the admission process. Otherwise, the DGS assigns an interim faculty advisor. During his/her first semester in residence, a student may request the appointment of a permanent academic advisor. In the absence of such a request, the interim advisor automatically becomes permanent. Although it is important that a good match of interest be found between the graduate students and their advisors, changes of permanent advisors are discouraged beyond the first year of studies and should be sought only in exceptional circumstances.