PhD Program Requirements

Program Timeline

Your advisor and supervisory committee determine your program timeline. The Ph.D. program is expected to take between 4 and 6 years, but this can vary based on student background, research project, and any number of other variables. All program requirements must be started and completed within a single continuous interval of no more than ten years.

Entrance Exam

All MSE Graduate Students are required to complete the entrance exam within the first year of enrollment

Courses Requirements

30 credits of courses and 30 credits of dissertation research are required for the PhD program.

Supervisory Committee

The Supervisory Committee consists of your Major Advisor, who serves as Committee Chair, plus at least three (but no more than four) additional members. The Major Advisor is your primary mentor and must be a member of the graduate faculty within the MSE Ph.D. program

Writing Requirement

All Ph.D. students are required to complete a writing requirement before admission to candidacy. The writing requirement can be fulfilled in two ways. Students should decide which option is most suitable with their Major Advisor.

1. Be the first author of a manuscript published in a peer-reviewed journal

2. Have written and submitted a Master of Science thesis.

Some students may complete other activities that can be approved to fulfill the writing requirement. If you are concerned about this requirement, reach out to the graduate program coordinator.

Proposal & Comprehensive Exam

The proposal and comprehensive exam are two separate requirements that are designed to be completed within the same semester. Typically a student will complete these between their 4th and 6th semesters, after the core coursework is completed, and has progressed in research such that a first author manuscript is published or submitted.

Comprehensive Exam

The comprehensive exam is conducted during the same semester as the dissertation proposal, and consists of a 1 credit course, MSE 691. To be eligible to enroll in MSE 691, you must have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 from the three required MSE Core Courses (MSE 605, 608, & 618) and have your Supervisory Committee approved by the graduate college. One of these courses may be repeated for an improved grade if needed. MSE 691 is intended to demonstrate the depth and breadth of knowledge relevant to your degree program, as well as your preparedness for research. MSE 691 is graded as Pass/Fail.

Dissertation Proposal

The dissertation proposal is a written document submitted to your Supervisory Committee at least three weeks prior to your oral comprehensive exam. The Supervisory Committee will use this document to evaluate your overall comprehension of the research, the technical relevance of the proposed research topic, and whether the proposed plan, once successfully executed, will lead to an acceptable dissertation. In addition, the committee provides feedback on potential challenges with the research plan and approaches, to maximize the likelihood of a successful outcome to the research.

Admission to Candidacy

Upon passing the comprehensive exam and fulfilling the writing requirement, a student is eligible to complete an Application for Admission to Candidacy. Once this application is accepted by the Graduate College, the student becomes a Ph.D. Candidate. Candidacy is required at least one semester prior to submitting the Ph.D. dissertation and undertaking the final oral exam. Admission to candidacy can also result in eligibility for certain externally funded fellowships and professional development programs.

Dissertation

A Ph.D. dissertation documents original research carried out by you while enrolled in the graduate program. This research is characterized by a clearly stated proposition or hypothesis that is investigated using analysis and synthesis of data or other scholarly evidence; it must include a discussion of the relevant literature and demonstrate your ability to independently and successfully address a significant intellectual problem with concepts and methods that are accepted in the major field of study. 

Final Oral Examination/Dissertation Defense

The preparation and public defense of a dissertation is the culminating activity of the program. The dissertation must be the result of independent and original research and must constitute a significant contribution to Materials Science and Engineering body of knowledge. The style and format of the dissertation must conform to the standards of the Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Program and the Boise State University Graduate College.