Civil Engineering - Structural Engineering Concentration (PhD)

Program Educational Goals:

Graduates obtaining a PhD from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering with a concentration in Structural Engineering will be able to:

Demonstrate a solid understanding of fundamental principles and advanced-level knowledge of structural engineering concepts such as structural mechanics, analysis and design, construction materials, and computational methods and apply these concepts to new problems.
Understand and critically assess published literature and research findings in structural engineering.
Formulate and execute a research plan to generate and defend new knowledge and publish findings in peer-reviewed literature.
Develop and/or apply new experimental, computational, or theoretical tools in structural engineering research.
Communicate structural engineering concepts effectively in writing, orally, and graphically.
Collaborate on interdisciplinary teams to address problems of societal significance.

Program Policy Document:

Please see the Program Policy Document for more information.

Requirements for the PhD Degree

The Ph.D. in Civil Engineering offers a concentration in Structural Engineering. The Ph.D. program is aimed at training the graduate student to achieve the highest degree in research within a chosen topic. Mathematics, fundamental sciences, and engineering sciences are combined to provide a personalized program of study and research. All graduate students work in close cooperation with the faculty in the chosen area. Although it is possible for students to study toward a Ph.D. directly upon entering graduate school, most students choose to obtain the MCE or MAS first.

A student’s doctoral program, comprising 72 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree (including doctoral dissertation), is planned around a central objective in applied science and mathematics. If a student who already holds a master’s degree in the specific field of study is accepted directly into the Ph.D. program, the coursework from the master’s degree will be considered in the design of the doctoral program. All courses in the program are selected with the approval of the student’s dissertation advisor.

PhD Dissertation

9 credits

CIEG 969 - Doctoral Dissertation Credit(s): 1-12

Research

Minimum of 9 credits

CIEG 868 - Research Credit(s): 1-6

Seminar

All doctoral students are required to attend departmental or college seminars each semester in their fields of study. Students are expected to register for CIEG865 (0 credits) each semester.

CIEG 865 - Civil Engineering Seminar Credit(s): 0

Concentration Requirements

Coursework

Students who enter the doctoral program without a master’s degree are required to take a minimum of 36 credits of coursework.
Students who hold a master’s degree may have up to 30 credits of coursework considered in the design of the doctoral program. An additional 12 credits of coursework beyond the master’s degree is required.

All courses in the program are selected with the approval of the student’s dissertation advisor.

CIEG 601 - Introduction to the Finite Element Method Credit(s): 3
CIEG 602 - Advanced Steel Design Credit(s): 3
CIEG 604 - Prestressed Concrete Design Credit(s): 3
CIEG 605 - Intermediate Topics in Finite Element Analysis Credit(s): 3
CIEG 608 - Highway Bridge Engineering Credit(s): 3
CIEG 610 - Experimental Mechanics of Composites Credit(s): 3
CIEG 611 - Structural Dynamics Design Credit(s): 3
CIEG 612 - Advanced Mechanics of Materials Credit(s): 3
CIEG 617 - Introduction to Railroad Safety and Derailment Engineering Credit(s): 3
CIEG 618 - Railroad Engineering Credit(s): 3
CIEG 619 - Concrete Materials Credit(s): 3
CIEG 621 - Foundation Engineering Credit(s): 3
CIEG 641 - Risk Analysis Credit(s): 3
CIEG 642 - Advanced Data Analysis Credit(s): 3
CIEG 662 - Transportation Sustainability Credit(s): 3
CIEG 675 - Matlab for Engineering Analysis Credit(s): 3
CIEG 811 - Advanced Structural Dynamics Design Credit(s): 3
MEEG 610 - Intermediate Solid Mechanics Credit(s): 3
MEEG 613 - Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Credit(s): 3
MEEG 616 - Composite Materials Structures Credit(s): 3
MEEG 617 - Composite Materials Credit(s): 3
MEEG 621 - Linear Systems Credit(s): 3
MEEG 690 - Intermediate Engineering Mathematics Credit(s): 3
MEEG 813 - Fracture of Complex Material Systems Credit(s): 3
MEEG 816 - Advanced Continuum Mechanics Credit(s): 3
MSEG 606 - Corrosion and Protection Credit(s): 3
MSEG 608 - Structure and Properties Of Materials I Credit(s): 3

Additional Research and/or Coursework

Students entering the doctoral program without a master’s degree are required to take a minimum of 18 credits of research and/or coursework chosen in consultation with their faculty advisor.
Students entering the doctoral program with a master’s degree are required to take a minimum of 12 credits of research and/or coursework chosen in consultation with their faculty advisor.