Areas of study & research: General Civil Engineering Coastal & Ocean Engineering Construction Engineering & Mgmt Environmental Engineering Geotechnical Engineering Materials Engineering Structural Engineering Transportation Engineering Water Resources Engineering

Home > Academics > Graduate Program > Degree Programs > D.Eng.

Academics

Doctor of Engineering

Twenty-one semester credit hours of professional development courses are required in the degree program. This includes accounting, communications, ethics, finance, policy and strategy, and management courses. Typically, three years of full time study (including internships) is required beyond the bachelor's degree to complete all requirements for the degree program.

This degree program is administered by the College of Engineering through the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering. The applicant must first be admitted into the Department's Ph.D. program and then interviewed by the College's Admissions Subcommittee. To enter the D.Eng. program, the applicant must have earned an ABET-accredited bachelor's degree (or equivalent).

• Step 1 - Take Qualifying Exam
  Each student in this degree program must pass a Qualifying Examination that is administered by the student's specialty area. The examination must be taken immediately after the student's first full semester of study in the program. All international graduate students whose native language in not English must fulfill an English proficiency requirement before taking the qualifying exam.
• Step 2 - Form an Advisory Committee
  Students are required to form an Advisory Committee once they pass the qualifying examination. The committee consists of 4 or more graduate faculty members. The chair of the committee must be from the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering. At least one member of the committee must be from outside the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering.
• Step 3 - Preliminary Exam
  Upon completion of the degree plan coursework, a Preliminary Examination is administered by the student's advisory committee. The examination involves both a written and oral examination. With the successful completion of the Preliminary Examination, the student officially becomes a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree and remaining efforts are focused toward the dissertation.
• Step 4 - Internship
  A major component of the D.Eng. program is the internship. The student is required to spend a minimum of one calendar year working under the supervision of a practicing engineer inindustry, business, or government. 
• Step 5 - Record of Study
  In lieu of a dissertation, a Record of Study is required to be formally submitted to the University. The Record of Study documents the internship experience.
• Step 6 - Apply for Degree
  See Office of Graduate Studies Calendar for specific dates.
• Step 7 - Final Defense
  A final oral examination is required. The student presents and defends his or her work as given by the Record of Study. The examination should emphasize the methodology and results of his or her experiences in the internship. The exam should also afford students an opportunity to make a logical, effective oral presentation, complete with visuals, and demonstrate their ability to respond to questions by the advisory committee.