Doctor of Philosophy (Mechanical Engineering)

Doctor of Philosophy (Mechanical Engineering)

Why study this program?

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers graduate courses and provides research facilities for well qualified students of recognized universities who wish to pursue advanced studies leading to the MEng, MSc, and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering. In addition, the Department offers a program in Engineering Management to graduate engineers of any discipline, leading to the MEng, MSc, and PhD degrees in Engineering Management.

The general fields of study include solid mechanics, dynamics, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, combustion, biomedical engineering, manufacturing engineering, and engineering management.

While the general guidelines for entrance and program requirements are listed below, specific details for each of the degrees are found in the document Graduate Program Manual for MEng, MSc and PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Management, available from the Department. As well, currently active areas of research are documented on the Department’s home page.

Entrance Requirements

The Department’s minimum admission requirements for degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Management are an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.

Applicants with exceptional or tenured work experience who do not meet the minimum admission requirements may apply for special consideration. Specific details are found in the document Graduate Program Manual for MEng, MSc and PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Management, available from the Department or on the Department’s home page.

Where applicable, applicants must provide proof of English Language Proficiency (refer to English Language Requirement ). Any one of the following is acceptable:

  • a TOEFL score of 93 (Internet-based) or equivalent;
  • an overall IELTS score of at least 6.5 with at least 6.0 on each band;
  • an overall minimum CAEL score of 70 with at least 60 on each subset;
  • an overall minimum PTE score of 61.

Applicants are also required to submit the following supporting documentation:

  • Three letters of reference
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Personal Statement

See Required Supporting Documentation on the Department website for further information.

Application deadlines:
Current deadlines for the upcoming Fall and Winter terms can be found on the department webpage.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Faculty:
Engineering

Delivery Mode:
On Campus

Program Type:
Thesis Based

Degree Level:
Doctoral

Program Requirements

Students entering the PhD program after a master’s degree are required to complete a minimum of 12.0 units in coursework and a thesis.

Students entering the PhD program after a bachelor’s degree are required to complete a minimum of 27.0 units in coursework and a thesis.

Coursework


Additional coursework may be required beyond what is listed below:

  • For students entering after a master’s degree:
    • Three 3-unit graduate-level courses which must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator, Thesis Supervisor(s) and/or Thesis Supervisory Committee.  At least two courses must be in the major field (i.e., MEC E courses).
      • A maximum of one MEC E 700- level course and no 500-level Mechanical Engineering courses can be credited towards the minimum course requirements
      • No reading courses can be credited towards the minimum course requirement
  • For students entering after a bachelor’s degree:
    • Eight 3-unit graduate-level courses which must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator, Thesis Supervisor(s) and/or Thesis Supervisory Committee.  At least five courses must be in the major field (i.e., MEC E courses)
      • A maximum of two MEC E 700- level and one MEC E 500-level courses, OR a maximum of three MEC E 700-level and no MEC E 500-level courses can be credited toward the minimum course requirements
      • In exceptional cases students may petition the Graduate Coordinator to reduce the course requirements
      • No reading courses can be credited towards the minimum course requirement

Thesis


  • Registration in 900-level THES

Ethics Requirement


Engineering students must complete GPS ethics requirements based on their programs.

Professional Development Requirement


Engineering students must complete GPS’s professional development requirement.

Candidacy Exam


Students registered as full‐time must complete the PhD candidacy exam within the first two academic years. Students registered as part‐time must complete the candidacy exam within the first three academic years. Any student transferring from a Master’s program to the PhD program must complete their candidacy exam on a timeline set case‐by‐case by the Associate Chair (Graduate) and within four years from the term of initial registration in the Master’s program as per GPS regulations. For additional details, see the document Graduate Program Manual for MEng, MSc and PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Management, available from the Department or on the Department’s home page.

Academic Standing Requirement


Students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.3 throughout the course of the program.

Failure to maintain the required cumulative GPA will normally result in a recommendation by the Graduate Coordinator to GPS that the student be placed on academic probation and/or be required to withdraw.

Residence Requirement


The minimum period of residence is two academic years of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.

Length of Program


The time required to complete the PhD will vary with the individual candidate; however, a minimum of 36 months is almost always required.

The maximum time to complete the PhD program as set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies is six years.


Courses

Graduate courses can be found in Course Listings , under the subject headings Mechanical Engineering (MEC E) and Engineering Management (ENG M).

Tuition and Fees

Financial assistance is available in the form of scholarships and fellowships (see Graduate Financial Aid section of this calendar) and through the Department in the form of graduate assistantships and contract research (available for Canadian students and students holding valid work permits). The assistantships are normally available to students registered full time in thesis programs; funding is not normally provided for students registered part time or in MEng programs. Summer assistance can sometimes be arranged for students without scholarship support who continue their research full time through the summer months. Further information is available on the Department’s home page.

For general information, please visit the Tuition and Fees page on the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research site.
Scholarships and Financial Support

The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research administers over $29 million each year in scholarships, awards, and financial support for graduate students, as well as financial and loan advising. Additional scholarships are also available for specific faculties and programs.

QUESTIONS?
Program-specific inquiries

Please refer to the detailed program information or email mece.grad@ualberta.ca.

General inquiries

Please check out some of our most frequently asked questions (FAQS) to see if your question has been answered, or contact the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) during our office hours.

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR)
Killam Centre for Advanced Studies
2-29 Triffo Hall
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1