• Graduate Programs
• M.S. Programs
• Ph.D. Program
• Graduate Program Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes
• Admissions and Financial Assistance
• Graduate Courses
• UA Graduate School
• Research

Ph.D. Program

Students work closely with their graduate adviser and supervisory committee to define an appropriate plan of study that meets all degree requirements, including any prerequisite or preparatory work and a specified set of core courses.

Plan of Study

A minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, to include:

• 24 credit hours of CE 699 Dissertation Research
• 3 credit hours of CE 593/693 Practicum
• 45 credit hours of approved coursework (including coursework taken as part of MS degree)
• Approved Coursework (45 hours)
  • 9 credit hours of core coursework (see below)
  • 24 credit hours maximum of approved transfer credit (transfer courses may go back a maximum of 6 years)
• The Plan of Study must be submitted before 30 hours (including transfer credit) are completed towards degree

Doctoral Examinations

• Qualifying Exam: taken in the second semester of study, includes a written component with possible oral follow-up, and administered by a department committee including at least two faculty members from the student’s area of study (i.e., core course area)
• Preliminary Exam: administered by the student’s dissertation committee (see below), has both a written and oral component, and includes a research proposal presentation and defense
• Dissertation Defense: administered by the student’s dissertation committee (see below) and focuses on the dissertation research
• Each doctoral exam is allowed to be taken a maximum of two times

Dissertation Committee

• The committee chair (doctoral adviser) must be full graduate faculty member from the department
• The committee must consist of a minimum of five members of the graduate faculty, including the chair
• The majority must be from the department with at least one member from outside the department

Residency Requirements

• A minimum of 3 years of continuous doctoral study
• A minimum of 1 continuous academic year in residence (i.e., on campus)
• Maximum of 7 years to complete degree

Ph.D. Core Coursework Requirements (9 hours)

• Construction Engineering and Management
• CE 573
• CE 567
• CE 568

• Structural Engineering and Materials
• CE 573
• CE 534/634
• CE 537, CE 538, or CE 544

• Environmental and Water Resources Engineering
• CE 573
• CE 525
• CE 524, CE 527, CE 585, CE 575, or CE 570

• Transportation Systems Engineering
• CE 573
• CE 558
• CE 559 or CE 556

Notes

• Students on graduate assistantships must register for a minimum of 1 credit hour of CE 693 each semester they are supported
• Students are responsible for all forms and must route all forms through the Department prior to submission to UA’s Graduate School.

• Ph.D. Roadmap to Graduation
• Ph.D. Civil Engineering Degree Requirements