Ocean Engineering, Ph.D.

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Major Code: 9084	Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy
Age Restriction: N	Admission Status: graduate
Delivery Mode/s: classroom only	Location/s: main campus
Admission Materials: 3 letters of recommendation, résumé, objectives, GRE

Admission Requirements

Admission to doctoral study is granted to a limited number of applicants, and normally requires a master’s degree, with a GPA of at least 3.3 out of 4.0, in a program that provides suitable preparation for doctoral-level studies in ocean engineering. Applicants must submit GRE General Test Scores for evaluation.

General admission requirements and the process for applying are presented in the Academic Overview section.

Degree Requirements

The doctor of philosophy degree is awarded in recognition of scientific accomplishment and the ability to investigate scientific problems independently. The program consists of advanced studies to prepare the student for engineering research, and completion of a research project that leads to a significant contribution to the knowledge of a particular problem. Each student must pass the preliminary written examination, complete an approved program of study, pass the comprehensive written and oral examinations, complete a program of significant research, publish the results of the research, and prepare and defend a dissertation concerning the research.

General degree requirements are presented in the Academic Overview section.

Coursework and Dissertation Summary

Doctoral coursework minimum credit hours beyond the master’s degree Credit Hours: 24
Doctoral dissertation minimum Credit Hours: 24

Minimum Credits Beyond Master’s Degree Credit Hours: 48

Courses must be taken in several areas to assure that all graduates of the doctoral program possess the breadth of knowledge necessary to work in the field of ocean engineering. A minimum of nine credit hours of coursework must be taken in mathematics and computer science, and 21 credit hours must be taken in engineering, as part of the student’s graduate coursework (including master’s courses). A minimum of 15 credit hours of coursework must be directly related to the dissertation research.

The dissertation research is normally conducted on a topic related to current faculty research. The ocean engineering program faculty currently have research interests in coastal engineering, corrosion, naval architecture, submersibles, ocean systems and instrumentation.

After admission to doctoral candidacy, a yearly seminar demonstrating progress must be presented to the graduate faculty.