Program Website: https://www.odu.edu/academics/programs/doctoral/mechanical-engineering
Contact Information
Graduate Program Director: Miltos Kotinis
Department Chair: Marwan Al-Haik
Inquiries: mkotinis@odu.edu
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
The Doctor of Philosophy program in Mechanical Engineering is an advanced research degree requiring a written dissertation offering new and unique contributions of a fundamental nature. Graduates are prepared for leadership roles in the many facets of engineering including teaching, research and development, design, and consulting. Doctoral students may select specializations in such technical areas as:
- aerodynamics and fluids
- thermodynamics and energy
- dynamics and controls
- materials and structures
- design and manufacturing
Students are also encouraged to select complementary courses in other engineering or science disciplines. The University’s close associations with area industries, consulting firms, government agencies, and research laboratories create a stimulating environment for the pursuit of graduate studies.
Program Overview
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Engineering with a Concentration in Mechanical Engineering requires a minimum of 48 credits beyond a master's degree (or 78 credits beyond a bachelor's degree). These include 24 credits of coursework and 24 credits of dissertation research (beyond a master's degree).
Additional Information
Additional Graduate Student Resources (Graduate School): The Graduate School has extensive additional resources for graduate students at https://www.odu.edu/graduateschool/graduate-student-resources
Program Financial Aid: Our programs offer graduate assistantships with stipends, awarded to students following a competitive review process. The level of award is determined on the basis of previous experience and performance as a graduate assistant and on the student’s academic achievement and potential in the field. In addition, several teaching and research positions are available to support graduate assistants during the summer months (June and July).
Accelerated Study (Dual Dominion Program): Exceptionally well-qualified undergraduate students in the Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology can apply for entry into the Dual Dominion Program, which permits students to begin pursuit of a graduate degree (including a doctoral degree) in Engineering while they are still pursuing their undergraduate degree in a complementary discipline. Subject to approval by the undergraduate and graduate program directors, a student enrolled in the Dual Dominion program may count up to 6 credit hours of coursework toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students who are matriculated in an undergraduate major in the Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology with a GPA of at least 3.5 overall and 3.5 in the major are eligible to apply for admission to a Dual Dominion Bachelor's/PhD's program. Additional Undergraduate Catalog information on the Dual Dominion program can be found at https://catalog.odu.edu/undergraduate/registrationrequirementsandprocedures/linked_programs/.
Admission Information
Application Process
Summary: Applications for graduate study in the Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Program (Mechanical Engineering Concentration) should be made through the general ODU Application Portal. Additional materials supporting your application (outlined below) will be required. Once complete, your application package will be reviewed and forwarded to the Mechanical Engineering Program's Graduate Program Director for consideration. Questions regarding the general application process can be directed to admissions@odu.edu (on-campus) or globaladmissions@odu.edu (online).
Application Deadlines: The Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Program uses a rolling admission process and does not have a formal application deadline. Entrance into the program and commencement of studies will be timed to begin with the start of the next academic term following admission.
General ODU Requirements
General ODU Requirements: General requirements for graduate admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Program (Mechanical Engineering Concentration) can be found on the ODU Graduate Admissions website. Additional details can be found in the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog.
Additional Program Requirements:
Prior Degrees: To qualify for admission to a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Mechanical Engineering, a student must have earned a master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning in engineering, physics, or mathematics, including graduate-level course work equivalent to the corresponding ODU master’s programs in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
Undergraduate GPA: Regular admission to a doctoral program generally requires an overall master's degree GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with a lower undergraduate GPA may be considered for regular or provisional admission on the basis of successful engineering work experience or other credentials demonstrating potential for success in the doctoral program.
Transcripts: Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended are required.
Examination/Test Scores: Submission of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores is nominally required. However, this requirement is waived if the applicant holds an engineering degree from an ABET accredited institution in the USA.
Language Proficiency Requirements: TOEFL (or IELTS) scores are required for all applicants whose native language is not English unless their BS degrees are from USA institutions. These applicants must meet University admission requirements (IELTS: 6.5 or TOEFL iBT: 79); please refer to the website: https://www.odu.edu/admissions/proficiency for additional details.
Provisional Admission: Students not meeting the above requirements may be admitted provisionally. Only the Graduate Program Director (GPD) can waive an admission requirement. Please reach out directly to the GPD if you think you are eligible for a waiver from a requirement. The GPD may request additional information, including GRE scores. Provisionally admitted students may be required to complete additional prerequisite course requirements to prepare them for the graduate curriculum in the discipline.
Curriculum Requirements
Curriculum requirements in the Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering (Mechanical Engineering Concentration) are in accordance with the general requirements for Ph.D. degrees at Old Dominion University as specified in the Requirements for Graduate Degrees section of this catalog.
Progression in the Ph.D. program is governed by a Plan of Study established by the student in conjunction with their advisor and guidance committee. The Plan of Study will follow the established course requirements (below) unless a substitution to one or more courses is agreed upon between the student and their primary advisor and approved by the Graduate Program Director.
The plan of study is designed to prepare the student to undertake scholarly research in the particular field and specialization of their dissertation. The coursework selected will provide the student with (1) the requisite foundational knowledge of the selected field, and (2) the necessary research skills. A high degree of flexibility is provided to customize the plan of study, taking into account the diversity of fields of study, the multidisciplinary nature and variety of research undertaken, as well as the different levels of preparation that individual students have upon entry to the program.
Degree Requirements
A minimum of 24 credit hours of coursework beyond the master’s degree and a minimum of 24 semester credit hours of dissertation research must be included in the doctoral degree program. At least 60% of the coursework for the doctoral degree should be at the 800-level and the student should maintain at least a B (3.0) average. All doctoral students should satisfy either a foreign language or research skill requirement.
Additional Requirements
Preliminary Diagnostic Examination
Ph.D. students must take the diagnostic exam no later than the end of their first academic year. Diagnostic exams are scheduled annually in October and February and the exam dates are announced by the Graduate Program Director (GPD). Students who received their Master of Science degrees from ODU with a GPA of 3.5 or above are exempt from the diagnostic exam.
Students must file the Ph.D. Diagnostic Exam form to notify the GPD of their desire to take the diagnostic exam. The form must be approved by the student's advisor. The diagnostic exam is a three hour long written exam containing four equally weighted questions from the core courses. It is conducted without any reference books or notes. Use of electronic devices with internet connection is not permitted. Only non-programmable scientific calculators are allowed. The questions might contain useful formulae to guide the students. Diagnostic exam questions will be prepared and graded by the faculty who taught these courses in the past five years. Students must pass each core topic area with a minimum passing grade of B. Students who pass at least two of the four subject areas in their first attempt can take the exam for a second time, where they will be tested on the failed areas. Students who fail their diagnostic exam can consider pursuing other MAE degrees. Students who fail their first attempt do not receive priority for departmental support as graduate teaching assistants or graders until they pass their diagnostic exam. However support as a graduate research assistant is within the discretion of the student's advisor. Part time or special status students attending ODU for joint foreign-institution/ODU degrees must also take their diagnostic exam within the first year of their Ph.D. studies at ODU.
Candidacy Examination
The candidacy exam is taken once the students finish their coursework. The exam consists of written and oral parts. Written part of the exam can consist of a critical review report on a subject area determined by the student's advising committee. Written candidacy exam will be reviewed by the student's committee members for its technical content as well as for evaluation of the student's writing proficiency and research skills. Oral part of the candidacy exam is based on the defense of the written part, and will include extensive examination of the student's fundamental knowledge in his/her research area.
Dissertation Proposal
After the student passes the written and oral candidacy examinations, for advancement to candidacy, he/she must pass the dissertation proposal stage, which is an oral presentation of the student's work containing literature survey and preliminary results sections to demonstrate feasibility of the proposed work.
Dissertation
Ph.D. candidates are expected to work with their dissertation advisors to form their Dissertation Committees. A Dissertation Committee should be composed of individuals with significant knowledge related to the candidate's dissertation research. The majority of whom must be full-time faculty members of the department.
Ph.D. candidates must submit their written dissertation to the committee members at least two weeks prior to the dissertation defense. The dissertation should be formatted in accordance with guidelines established by the college.
The dissertation defense consists of two parts; an open presentation to the general public and a closed examination conducted by the dissertation committee. The dissertation must be approved by the majority of the dissertation committee and must constitute a significant original contribution to the field. Students are permitted only two attempts to successfully complete the dissertation defense.
