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Candidates for the Doctor of Science degree should consult their advisors to determine whether there are any special regulations or requirements in effect for their particular departments or programs.
The Doctor of Science degree is conferred in recognition of the candidate's abilities and attainments in a field of engineering or applied science. The mere numerical accumulation of the required number of units of course work and research does not necessarily lead to the doctoral degree.
The degree requires a minimum of 72 units. The doctoral program requires 36 to 48 units of course work and requires 24 to 36 units of research. The specific distribution decisions are made by the individual programs and departments.
The doctorate can be awarded only to those students whose knowledge of their field of specialization meets contemporary standards. Hence, course work completed more than seven years prior to the date the degree is awarded generally cannot be accepted as satisfying degree requirements. All requirements for the degree must be completed within seven years from the time the student is admitted to the doctoral program.
The Doctor of Science degree has a residence requirement of one year. To satisfy the requirement, the student must devote full time for two consecutive semesters to academically relevant activities on the Washington University campus. A limited amount of outside employment may be permitted, but only with the approval of the department chair or program director and the Senior Associate Dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science.
The student must deliver to the chair of the doctoral committee four copies of the dissertation. The copies must be prepared according to the Directions for Writing of Theses and Dissertations, which is available from the Engineering Registrar's Office and in PDF format.
The first two copies, duly corrected and approved, must be forwarded to the thesis and dissertation advisor in the Engineering Registrar's Office no later than the deadline stated in the current Course Listings book, together with the acceptance page signed by the doctoral committee, to indicate that the dissertation has been tentatively accepted. The third copy is presented to the candidate's advisor, and the fourth copy is given to the department chair or program director.
Each candidate for the Doctor of Science degree must submit with the dissertation an abstract of 350 words or fewer, embodying the principal findings of the research and approved by the doctoral committee as ready for publication. This abstract will be published in Dissertation Abstracts, which announces the availability of the dissertation for distribution.
The School of Engineering & Applied Science will arrange to bind and microfilm the dissertation. Of the two copies submitted, one copy will be deposited in Olin Library, and the second copy will be returned to the author. It is the student's responsibility to prepare the dissertation for micro filming with care similar to that which would be required if the manuscript were to be printed.
Doctor of Science Degree Requirements
Candidates for the Doctor of Science degree should consult their advisors to determine whether there are any special regulations or requirements in effect for their particular departments or programs.
The Doctor of Science degree is conferred in recognition of the candidate's abilities and attainments in a field of engineering or applied science. The mere numerical accumulation of the required number of units of course work and research does not necessarily lead to the doctoral degree.
The degree requires a minimum of 72 units. The doctoral program requires 36 to 48 units of course work and requires 24 to 36 units of research. The specific distribution decisions are made by the individual programs and departments.
The doctorate can be awarded only to those students whose knowledge of their field of specialization meets contemporary standards. Hence, course work completed more than seven years prior to the date the degree is awarded generally cannot be accepted as satisfying degree requirements. All requirements for the degree must be completed within seven years from the time the student is admitted to the doctoral program.
The Doctor of Science degree has a residence requirement of one year. To satisfy the requirement, the student must devote full time for two consecutive semesters to academically relevant activities on the Washington University campus. A limited amount of outside employment may be permitted, but only with the approval of the department chair or program director and the Senior Associate Dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science.
Advisor and Doctoral Committee
Once admitted to graduate standing, each doctoral student will have an advisor appointed by the chair or director of the designated area of specialization. It is the responsibility of the advisor to help the student plan a graduate program. After the student completes a maximum of 24 units of course work, the chair will appoint a doctoral committee for the student, with the student's advisor normally serving as chair of the committee. The doctoral committee will contain at least three members of the regular faculty. This committee will advise the student on course work and research and must approve the proposed program.
Qualifying Examination
To be admitted to candidacy for the Doctor of Science degree, a student must pass a comprehensive qualifying examination consisting of both written and oral portions. The written portion of the examination is administered by the student's department or program, and students should consult their advisor for information concerning the scope of the examination and the dates on which it is given. Students passing the written portion of the examination are eligible to take the oral portion. The examining panel for the oral portion will consist of the student's doctoral committee, plus additional members recommended by the student's doctoral committee and approved by the department chair or program director and the engineering school's Senior Associate Dean. The panel will have a minimum of five members, representing two or more departments at Washington University.
Dissertation
The candidate must defend the dissertation during a final oral examination by an examining committee to be nominated by the advisor and approved by the engineering school's Senior Associate Dean. The committee normally consists of five Washington University faculty members representing two or more departments in addition to two ex officio members, the Director, and the department (or program) chair. The student must deliver to the chair of the doctoral committee four copies of the dissertation. The copies must be prepared according to the Directions for Writing of Theses and Dissertations, which is available from the Engineering Registrar's Office and in PDF format.
The first two copies, duly corrected and approved, must be forwarded to the thesis and dissertation advisor in the Engineering Registrar's Office no later than the deadline stated in the current Course Listings book, together with the acceptance page signed by the doctoral committee, to indicate that the dissertation has been tentatively accepted. The third copy is presented to the candidate's advisor, and the fourth copy is given to the department chair or program director.
Each candidate for the Doctor of Science degree must submit with the dissertation an abstract of 350 words or fewer, embodying the principal findings of the research and approved by the doctoral committee as ready for publication. This abstract will be published in Dissertation Abstracts, which announces the availability of the dissertation for distribution.
The School of Engineering & Applied Science will arrange to bind and microfilm the dissertation. Of the two copies submitted, one copy will be deposited in Olin Library, and the second copy will be returned to the author. It is the student's responsibility to prepare the dissertation for micro filming with care similar to that which would be required if the manuscript were to be printed.