Graduate Student Handbook
Chapter 4
Summary of Degree Requirements - Doctoral Degrees
4.1 Admission
To qualify for admission, an applicant must first meet general University admission requirements, which are summarized below. For admission as a regular student, the applicant must have earned a Master's degree from an accredited institution in either aerospace engineering, engineering mechanics, mechanical engineering, a related branch of engineering or a closely related field, such as physics or mathematics. For those applicants with degrees in fields other than aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering or engineering mechanics, previous course work should include the subject matter considered prerequisite for the doctoral program in either aerospace engineering or engineering mechanics. In other cases, a remedial study plan may be designed by the GPD upon the applicant's request.
An applicant with an overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale at the Master's level may be admitted as a regular graduate student. However, an applicant with a GPA of a least 3.25 and who shows evidence of improvement may be admitted as a provisional student. Students are transferred to regular status following completion of twelve semester hours of course work with a GPA of at least 3.00.
All students must submit scores (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) from their Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Those applicants with an aggregate score above 1800 will be considered for possible financial support. The GPD may waive the GRE requirement for applicants with Master's degrees in AE, EM or ME from ODU, or for applicants with exceptional academic achievements. International students, if their native language is not English, must submit scores from their Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum TOEFL score of 550 is required. International students must also submit a statement of adequate financial resources to cover their educational expenses. This requirement is satisfied if the Department offers financial aid through teaching or research assistantships, fellowships, etc.
4.2 Requirements
To qualify as a candidate for a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D.) degree in aerospace engineering or engineering mechanics, a student must meet the following requirements:
4.2.1 General
The applicant must have completed graduate-level course work that includes subject matter approximately equivalent to the Master's programs in Aerospace Engineering of Engineering Mechanics at Old Dominion University. Students must normally spend a minimum of one academic year as a full-time student in the program. Exceptions may be approved for part-time students working in research laboratories in the Hampton Roads region. This requirement may also be satisfied while preparing the dissertation.
4.2.2 Course Work
As early as possible, preferably early in the first semester, the student should select a Faculty Advisor whose expertise coincides with the student's educational and research interests. In most cases, a student is paired with a Faculty Advisor when they are offered a graduate assistantship. Assisted by this Advisor, each student must plan a complete program of course work designed to meet their academic and professional objectives. During the first semester, the student is assigned a Guidance Committee, chaired by the Advisor with at least two additional full-time faculty as members. The student and the advisor are expected to work closely together and regularly update the guidance committee during the student's progression to doctoral candidacy. A minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate course work beyond the Master's degree must be included in the planned program. At least three-fifths of the course work for the Doctoral degree should be 800-level courses.
The selection of course work is primarily the decision of the advisor, guidance committee, and student. Courses designated as part of the Master's core curricula will not normally be available for inclusion in the 24-hour course work requirement, and 500-level courses are also not included. However, Aerospace Engineering students will be expected to concentrate in their chosen emphasis area (e.g., aerodynamics, structural mechanics or dynamics and controls). Engineering Mechanics students will be expected to select at least one course from each of the three main emphasis areas. It is assumed that the student has a background in the core course topics and any deficiency will be discovered during the Preliminary Diagnostic Examination.
Before the end of the student's first semester in the Department, Form AE #4 should be submitted to the GPD. Signatures of the Guidance Committee Members indicate approval of the planned program of study. The program of study listed is a tentative list of desired course work needed to meet degree requirements, research needs and student interest.
4.2.3 Writing Proficiency
It is the policy of the University that all students demonstrate writing proficiency. Doctoral students in the Department of Aerospace Engineering must satisfy this requirement prior to the advancement to Candidacy, in one of three ways. The first option is by passing a writing examination prepared and administered through the Writing Center. The writing examination must be repeated until passed. Students should consult the Writing Exit Examination Guidelines available from the Writing Center. Students having writing deficiencies may be required to participate in programs through the Writing Center to correct these deficiencies. This examination is administered several times each semester with the scheduled dates announced in each semester's schedule pamphlet. Students with previous degrees from ODU will probably have already passed the Exit Writing Examination. Retesting is not required. The second option is to first-author a full-length paper in the format of a recognized technical journal. A third option for students is to use their Research Skill report to meet this requirement, if appropriate. In this case, the Guidance Committee reviews the paper and provides recommendations regarding acceptance.
4.2.4 Preliminary Diagnostic Examination
The purpose of the preliminary examination procedure is to provide an early screening for aspiring doctoral candidates so that: (i) those who have the necessary background, intellectual commitment, and aptitude are encouraged to pursue the degree; (ii) those who possess correctable deficiencies in their technical backgrounds can be informed and appropriate corrective actions taken; and (iii) those who lack the necessary background and aptitude for doctoral-level study in the program will not be allowed to continue. The Aerospace Engineering Department requires that the student records of each doctoral student include documentation certifying that the student has participated in the Preliminary Diagnostic Examination procedure. Graduate Form 10 is to be signed (approved) by the Committee and the Graduate Program Director. This form certifies that the student has participated in the Ph.D. Diagnostic Examination Procedure and is to indicate one of the following:
- The student is fully qualified to continue study within the Ph.D. program.
- The student is deficient in some indicated areas and must remove the deficiencies by a recommended procedure (this procedure may include re-examination in some areas and/or additional course work).
- The student is not qualified to continue in the degree program.
Evidence needed to support the indicated recommendation is obtained from the results of the Ph.D. Preliminary Diagnostic Examination.
All full-time students are required to take a part-written, part-oral Preliminary Diagnostic Examination during their first semester in the Ph.D. program. Part-time students must take the exam before completing 9 credit hours. Students who complete their Master's degree at ODU with a GPA above 3.50, and other students with exceptional academic records may submit a written request to seek exemption from the Preliminary Diagnostic Examination. The Preliminary Diagnostic Examination covers the Master's core curricula as well as the student's chosen emphasis area(s). Students taking this examination should submit Form AE #5 early in the semester they plan to take the examination. Students may elect to take the core courses and hence be exempt from being tested in that area, or students may elect to be tested rather than take the courses. Students should seek advice from their Advisor or the GPD as to the tentative course offering schedule (see Appendix A) since these core courses are prerequisites for many courses. All Ph. D. students must satisfy the Master's core course requirements either by taking the courses (in addition to the required 8 courses) or by passing the questions on the Preliminary Diagnostic Examination.
If students opt to take additional courses, this examination will still be administered as described in Section 6.5. It is used primarily as a diagnostic examination, and the Guidance Committee recommends remedial course work beyond the usual plan of study in cases of major weaknesses. Students must reach a satisfactory level of performance within two attempts, or they are not allowed to continue in the program. Students who do not complete the Preliminary Diagnostic Examination within their first year cannot be financially supported by the Department without Department Chair approval.
4.2.5 Foreign Language / Research Skill Requirement
Ph.D. students are normally required to demonstrate reading knowledge of an approved foreign language which is not their native language (a language commonly used in scientific work, such as French, German or Japanese). Details of the foreign language requirements are described in the University Catalog. An alternative research skill, which is distinct from the dissertation topic but fundamental to doctoral and postdoctoral research, can be approved by the Guidance Committee and the GPD, based on the submission of a 1-page proposal prepared and submitted by the student with the Advisor's endorsement. The findings of the approved research skill must be written as a report in the full-length-paper format of a recognized technical journal. The student may also meet the Writing Proficiency requirement with this report. Papers must be submitted to the Guidance Committee for approval. Graduate Form 10 is used to report the results to the GPD and the Office of the Registrar. A copy of the report will be filed with the student's Departmental records.
4.2.6 Candidacy Qualifying Examination
Students who have completed their plan of study or who are taking their last course(s), and who have met the Research Skill and the Writing Proficiency requirements, are eligible to take the Candidacy Qualifying Examination. Students use Graduate Form 15 to request permission to take this exam. Students taking this examination should submit Form AE #5 early in the semester they plan to take the examination. The Candidacy Qualifying Examination consists of two parts; a written examination and an oral examination. Students are normally given two opportunities to pass each part of the Candidacy Qualifying Examination. As soon as the student passes the Candidacy Qualifying Examination (both written and oral parts), the Guidance Committee function is completed.
4.2.7 Dissertation Committee and Dissertation Proposal
After successfully passing the Candidacy Qualifying Examination, a Dissertation Committee is formed (use Graduate Form 16). This is a new committee formed to supervise the dissertation research. Generally the chairman of the Guidance Committee continues to serve as the chairman of the Dissertation Committee. The format of the dissertation proposal is set by the Advisor (see Section 6.7). After the Dissertation Committee accepts the dissertation proposal, the student is admitted to candidacy.
4.2.8 Dissertation
Ph.D. candidates are expected to work with their Advisor to form their Dissertation Committee. A Dissertation Committee should be composed of people who have significant knowledge related to the candidate's dissertation research. This committee consists of the Advisor, who must be a full-time faculty of the Department, at least two other full-time faculty members of the College, and at least one expert from outside the Department, who must be approved as an adjunct faculty by the Department. The majority of the committee must be full-time faculty members of the Department. The committee is expected to work closely with the candidate during the course of the research.
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 constitute a significant original contribution to the field. Consideration will be given as to whether the research has resulted in refereed publications during the course of the research.
4.2.9 Changing Degree Programs
When students apply for admission to the AE graduate program and the University, they must indicate a degree program (Aerospace Engineering or Engineering Mechanics). Once the student arrives and meets with the Advisor, the student may seek to change degree programs within the Department. Since the degree programs offered by the Department have different requirements, students should thoroughly understand those differences and how they will impact course work requirements and graduate examinations. Usually changes in a degree program are done before taking the Preliminary Diagnostic Examination. Changing from the Aerospace Engineering degree program to the Engineering Mechanics degree program is more difficult than the reverse. Students seeking this change will be re-examined in the Master's core course requirements (AE 601, 602, 603, 604) if these courses were not included previously on the student's graduate examinations (Preliminary Diagnostic Exam and/or Candidacy Qualifying Exam). Furthermore, these core engineering mechanics courses are in addition to the required 8 courses for the Ph. D. program of study.
Switching to a degree program outside of the Aerospace Engineering Department forfeits any and all financial aid, stipends, and tuition waivers.