| REQUIREMENT | DEFINITION | DEMONSTRATED BY |
|---|
| Technical proficiency | Knowledge of the principles and methods of engineering, applied science, and applied mathematics underlying the anticipated thesis research | Coursework and oral qualifying examination
|
| Technical breadth | Knowledge of one or more areas outside of or secondary to the candidate’s main area of specialization | Program of study or presentation of research proposal or a project in an area outside the main area of specialization
|
| Professional competence | Ability to develop resources in chosen area of research | ENGG 197: PhD Professional Workshops |
| Specialization & thesis proposal | Mastery of knowledge in the chosen area of research | Presentation of a thesis proposal and a program of study |
| Original research | Significant contribution to engineering knowledge combined with professional expertise in the chosen area of study | Presentation at a professional meeting, manuscript accepted for publication, dissertation, and oral defense |
Technical Proficiency
The oral qualifying exam (ENGG 194), a set of questions put forward by an oral examination committee to the candidate, normally takes place before or during the fifth term of the student's program, or in exceptional circumstances early in the sixth term. The exam is open to the faculty, but not to the general public.
The committee tests the candidate's knowledge of principles and methods underlying the field in which advanced work is to be performed. The exam covers material selected by the candidate's advisor in consultation with the examining committee and includes coverage of mathematical techniques appropriate to the research area. The examination committee consists of four members—the Chair plus three Dartmouth faculty examiners, with at least two of the examiners from Thayer. A Thayer faculty member other than the student's advisor chairs the committee. This chair is assigned by the director of the MS and PhD programs.
The structure of the preparation for the exam is flexible. The student prepares a description of the planned exam, obtains approval of their advisor and two additional committee members, and then submits the proposal to the director of the MS and PhD programs. The director of the MS and PhD programs assigns a fourth committee member to serve as the Chair and approves the proposal. The student then submits the completed proposal to the Thayer Registrar (103 MacLean or registrar@thayer.dartmouth.edu) at least one month prior to the exam date.
The examination committee gives the student a pass, fail, or conditional pass result. Students who fail may retake the oral examination—one time only—within the following three months. Upon passage of the exam or fulfillment of the conditions of the conditional pass (before the assigned deadline) and with a letter of support from the advisor, the student is admitted to PhD candidacy pending a vote by the Thayer faculty.
Technical Breadth
The faculty advisor helps the candidate plan a demonstration of technical breadth, which is approved by the Senior Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Programs. The plan details one of the following options:
- A set of courses, taken for credit, outside or secondary to the candidate's principal area of specialization
- A focused set of courses, taken for credit, which creates a secondary emphasis in specialization and may involve independent study or research
- Presentation of a research proposal or an oral examination in an area outside the main area of specialization: The candidate might present a research seminar on the topic with an examination committee of three faculty members probing the candidate's depth of knowledge of the secondary area. This option may be combined with the ENGG 197: PhD Professional Workshops. Students who do not pass may be permitted to take the oral examination—one time only—within the following three months.
- A creative design project, completed within a time limit of approximately 30 days, in an area outside the main area of specialization. The project is defined and the candidate's performance is evaluated by a committee of three faculty members appointed by the program director. The committee gives the student a statement of need, and the student proposes a means of satisfying that need in an effective, elegant, and economic manner. The project should display the candidate's ability to conceive and evaluate alternative solutions; carry out analytical evaluations at levels of approximation suited to the problem and the time limit; and recognize situations in which experimental work is needed. If the time limit prohibits experimentation, the candidate should devise the appropriate experiments and demonstrate how the expected results would aid in the design. Within the 30-day time limit, the candidate submits a written report plus an executive summary. Following an oral presentation of the project, the committee examines and evaluates the candidate's performance in the project. Students who do not pass may be permitted to revise and resubmit the report—one time only—within the following three months.
Professional Competence: PhD Professional Workshops
The candidate demonstrates professional competence by completing ENGG 197: PhD Professional Workshops, which is offered each Winter term by the faculty and outside experts. The workshop emphasizes skills in completing competitive proposals, business funding, patenting, research team organization, teaching, résumé and CV creation, and job search techniques. Each candidate completes a competitive research proposal or a business plan for critique by two expert referees selected from among faculty, outside experts, and/or corporate representatives. Candidates who have submitted a competitive research proposal to a funding agency or a business plan to a venture capitalist or financial institution prior to completing the workshop may petition to have the proposal or business plan fulfill this requirement.
Specialization & Thesis Proposal
The candidate demonstrates mastery of an area of specialization by writing and defending a thesis proposal within the first 18 months of candidacy. A thesis committee, approved by the director of the PhD program, advises the candidate on the proposed thesis research and administers the defense of the thesis proposal defense.
The PhD examination committee consists of a minimum of three full-time Dartmouth faculty members of which a minimum of two must be from Thayer (including the dissertation advisor) and an external member with a faculty equivalent research appointment outside of Dartmouth is optional, but not required. Note that although optional at the proposal stage, an external member is required for the final thesis committee and defense. The external member may participate in meetings in person or via video conference. The candidate's proposal—a presentation of the proposed thesis research—explains the scope and importance of the proposed research and plans for its completion. The defense presentation should be understandable, at least in a general way, to students and faculty not in the subject area.
Two weeks before the defense, candidates must:
- Submit the thesis proposal in writing to their committee
- Submit an electronic copy of the thesis proposal notice to the Thayer registrar for distribution to the faculty and for posting
Students who do not pass may be permitted to present the proposal again—one time only—within the following three months.
Original Research
Candidates demonstrate their significant contribution to engineering knowledge and professional expertise in the chosen area of study by performing original research. The PhD examination committee consists of a minimum of three full-time Dartmouth faculty members of which a minimum of two must be from Thayer (including the dissertation advisor) and an external member with a faculty equivalent research appointment outside of Dartmouth. The external member may participate in meetings in person or via video conference. The research is reviewed through all of the following means:
- Presentation: Demonstrated by the elements of the research presented at a professional meeting with the candidate as first author.
- Dissertation: Demonstrated by a written abstract followed by detailed explanation of the research, approved and signed by the PhD thesis committee. A hard copy and a pdf of the final dissertation must be submitted to the Thayer registrar for archiving. Copyright to the dissertation is held by the Trustees of Dartmouth College.
- Oral Defense: Demonstrated by a presentation of the dissertation in a forum open to the public. The candidate is responsible for giving final, signature-ready copies of the thesis to each committee member to review at least two weeks prior to the defense. The candidate must submit an electronic notice of the defense to the Thayer registrar two weeks in advance for distribution to the faculty and for posting.
- Paper: Demonstrated by the elements of the research accepted for publication with the candidate as first author.
Dissertation Archiving
A PDF of the final dissertation, including a cover sheet signed by the thesis committee, must be submitted to the Thayer Registrar for archiving. Copyright to the dissertation is held by the Trustees of Dartmouth College.
