Doctoral Program
9.1 Admission to Candidacy
In the path toward obtaining a Doctor of Philosophy in the Nuclear Engineering program a
student passes through three stages: PhD track, PhD Qualified, and PhD Candidate.
When a student with a bachelor's degree or a master's degree applies to the Graduate
School, that student can be accepted on a PhD track or on an MS track. Typically,
students are accepted on an MS track, but, if their academic record warrants, they can be
accepted on a PhD track. A student on a PhD track can choose to obtain an MS degree
on the way toward the PhD degree. When an MS candidate takes the Master's
Examination, the Examination Committee recommends whether that student should be
permitted to continue on a PhD track.
After completing the majority of histher course work, NE students must take the Qualifying
Examinations, as discussed in GSH 11.6.3. These Qualifying Examinations are under the
jurisdiction of the NEGSC. They are described in Section 9.2. A student that has passed
hislher Qualification Examinations is qualified to continue as a doctoral student and later
to take the Candidacy Examinations.
The Candidacy Examination is taken after the student's course work has been completed
and the scope of dissertation has been defined. The examination must be completed not
later than two quarters before graduation. The Candidacy Examination is described in
GSH 11.6.4
9.2 PhD. Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination covers the essential principles of nuclear engineering under the
following four topics: (Specific recommended course preparation indicated in parentheses.)
- Reactor Physics and Engineering (NE 505, 605, 744 and 766)
- B. Radiation Physics (Radiation ProtectionlHealth Physics), and Interaction with Matter (Detection, Instrumentation, Shielding) (NE 606, 742, 743, 744, 766)
- C. Thermodynamics, Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer (ME 500, NE 736, 766)
- D. A specialty topic to be selected from one of the following five courses of study:
- *Advanced Reactor Physics, Kinetics and Dynamics (NE 605, 705, 720, 744)
- *Fuel Cycle and Waste Management (NE 771,776)
- *Health Physics and Radiation Protection (NE 606, 742, 743, 744)
- *Advanced Thermal Hydraulics (NE 736,737, ME 705, 710)
- *Advanced Reactor Instrumentation and Control (NE 720, 742, 744, 880.08 and ME 570)
The examination is prepared and graded by the Graduate Studies Committee and is offered as
needed. Dates for the Examination will be announced.
It is recommended that a student take the Qualifying Examination before completing 70 hours of
letter graded graduate credit in the program.
A student wishing to take the qualifying examination should obtain the approval of hislher adviser,
and submit a request in writing to the Chair of the Nuclear Engineering Program during the first
week of the quarter in which the examination is offered. Students may obtain copies of previous
examinations from the Nuclear Engineering Program office.
A student may use the qualifying examination as the Master's Examination for the MS non-thesis
option if helshe so chooses. However, the examination will still be considered an attempt to pass
the PhD. qualifying examination. Students planning to use this option for the MS degree must file
an Application to Graduate with the Graduate School for that quarter.
The PhD. Qualifying Examination may only be taken twice. An overall score of 70 percent and a
passing score in each section is required to pass the PhD. Qualifying Examination. A student with
one (I), or two (2), sections with unsatisfactory grades must, at the next offering, retake only those
parts of the examination on which an unsatisfactory grade was received. A student with three (3)
or four (4) sections with unsatisfactory grades must retake the entire examination at the next
offering.
9.3 Mathematics Requirement
Complete Math 512, Math 571, Statistics 620 and NE 707 (or equivalents) plus 9 hours of applied
math at the 600 level or above. Course selection is by mutual agreement of the student and his
advisor and designed to be supportive of student's PhD dissertation research plan.
9.4 Candidacy Examination
The Candidacy Examination is described in GSH 11.6.4 11.6.5 and 11.6.6. The student's advisor will
chair the Examination Committee. Composition of the Advisory Committee and Candidacy
Examination Committee are described in GSH 11.6.4.5 and 11.6.4.6.
9.5 Dissertation Proposal
Requirements for the Doctoral Dissertation are described in GSH 11.6.9. In the Nuclear
Engineering Program, the Advisory Committee (GSH 11.6.4.5) also constitutes the Dissertation
Committee (GSH 6.9.2)
The student must prepare a PhD. Dissertation Proposal which shows that completion of the
proposal research will be a contribution and that the research can be completed in a reasonable
time using facilities, capabilities and equipment either readily available or easily attained.
The student, in consultation with the adviser, formulates a concise, typed Dissertation Proposal
which should include the following:
Title and abstract
Planned specialty areas
Significance of the problem and literature review
Scope and objectives
Methodology and time line
Expected results and conclusions
Expected contributions to the state of the artlliterature
The Dissertation Proposal is submitted to the members of the Advisory Committee for evaluation.
The student then makes an informal oral presentation of the proposal to the committee and
answers questions. This presentation allows the committee to reach a consensus on the suitability
of the proposed topic for a PhD. dissertation. The committee may request revisions in the
proposal. When the Advisory Committee is satisfied with the suitability of the topic and proposed
plan of research, the proposal is signed and then submitted to the Graduate Studies Committee
for final approval.
9.6 Final Oral Examination
After the Dissertation Committee has given preliminary approval of the dissertation, a final oral
examination will be given as prescribed in GSH 11.6.10.
9.7 Other Graduate Requirements
Graduate requirements are summarized in GSH 11.6.13 and 11.6.14.