PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Main Campus Degree Requirements: PhD

MS in engineering or equivalent. Students applying from other disciplines will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Required Courses

Minimum of 2 ME Graduate Courses:

• Advanced Thermal Systems (ME517)
• Advanced Fluid Mechanics (ME527)
• Stochastic Processes in Engineering (ME529)
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (ME531)
• Fluid Mechanics of Aerosol Dis (ME537)
• Experimental Aerosol Mechanics and Instrumentation (ME538)
• Advanced Optimal Design (ME543)
• Advanced CAD (ME544)
• Continuum Mechanics (ME554)
• Advanced Mechanical Vibrations (ME555)
• Advanced Mechanics of Composite Materials (ME557)
• Applied Dynamical Systems (ME563)
• Adv. Mod and Sim of Design Systems (ME580)
• Advanced Welding Metallurgy (ME590)
• Principles of Physical Metallurgy (ME595)
• Plasticity (ME633)
• Advanced Turbulence (ME639)

At least 1 mathematics course:

• Engineering Analysis (CE556)
• Engineering Analysis (CH561)
• Finite Element Methods (ME515)
• Sets and Topology (MA514)
• Classical Complex Analysis (MA521)
• Classical Real Analysis (MA522)
• Initial and Boundary Value Problems (MA531)
• Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations (MA550)
• Numerical Methods (MA577)
• Numerical Analysis (MA578)
• Probability (MA581)

No more than 2 courses from:

• Selected Topics in Materials Engineering (ME591)
• Selected Topics in Manufacturing (ME594)
• Selected Topics in Heat Transfer (ME618)
• Special Topics in Fluid Mechanics (ME628)
• Selected Topics in Solid Mechanics (ME657)

Course Work Requirements

a) All coursework must be mutually agreed upon by the student and
advisor.
b) A minimum of 39 credit hours of course work must be completed. Students may transfer in up to 30 credits of research and course work from an MS degree, with a grade of B or better. A graduate transfer credit/waiver request form must be approved by the graduate committee chair and department chair. For instances where no equivalent Clarkson University course exists, but the advisor deems the course worthy of transfer, a Special Graduate Topics course number may be used; e.g., ES 999, CM 999, CH 999, etc.
c) No more than four courses (inclusive of courses transferred for the M.S. degree) may be selected from the following list. Previous Selected Topics courses taken to satisfy the MS degree requirements do not count against this restriction.
ME591 Selected Topics in Materials Engineering
ME594 Selected Topics in Manufacturing
ME618 Selected Topics in Heat Transfer
ME628 Special Topics in Fluid Mechanics
ME657 Selected Topics in Solid Mechanics
d) 6 credits of seminar
e) At least two additional ME courses beyond the M.S. degree course requirements (part of the 39 course credit hours required).

The comprehensive examination (qualifying examination and research proposal defense examination) for admission to candidacy must be taken within two years after admission to the PhD program. A student will be dropped from the program if the exam is failed twice.

A dissertation must be submitted and defended orally before an examining committee. The examining committee will consist of a minimum of five members, four of whom must be Clarkson faculty. At least one of the faculty must be from a department other than the advisor’s department. With the approval of the provost, the fifth member may be any person with appropriate credentials from either inside or outside the University.

The program for research assistants and teaching assistants will include at least one credit hour toward a thesis each semester.

A complete application consists of the following:

• Online Application Form
• Resume.
• Statement of Purpose.
• 3 Letters of Recommendation.
• Official Transcripts.
• GRE Test Scores.
  • Required.
• For international applicants, an English proficiency test is required.
  • Minimum test score requirements: TOEFL (80) and TOEFL Essentials (8.5), IELTS (6.5), PTE (56) or Duolingo English Test (115).
  • The English language-testing requirement is not waived based on language of instruction, nor do we accept university certificates. English testing is waived if an applicant has a degree from a country where English is the Native Language. Click here to see the list of these countries.

Prerequisites

MS in engineering or equivalent. Students applying from other disciplines will be handled on a case-by-case basis.