THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering General Guidelines for Doctor of Philosophy

Degree
(Updated August 2008)

Although advanced course work is an integral part of the doctoral candidate's program, no specific number of courses is set for attainment of the degree. The real basis for developing an acceptable program is to demonstrate mastery of a selected field and the ability to conduct independent research in the field. You become a candidate for the PhD degree AFTER the following requirements are completed: a) b) c) d) Approval of your Petition to Begin Study in the PhD program Passing the Qualifying (preliminary) Exam written and oral portions Provide proof of English proficiency Approval of the Application for Candidacy by the Graduate School

The Petition to Begin Study for the PhD is reviewed by the Graduate Faculty in the major area and the Graduate Advisor. For University of Texas students completing the MS, a form is available. Students finishing their MS elsewhere give this same information in the application for admission. The Graduate Advisor will notify students whether they are admitted to begin the PhD program or denied admission. The Qualifying (preliminary) Exam usually consists of a written exam in a given area of Civil Engineering followed by an oral exam which is administered by a committee consisting of at least three members of the Civil Engineering faculty (at least one member should be from an area other than the student's major area of study). This exam should be taken by the end of the first semester beyond the MS degree. The objective of the English proficiency requirement is to ensure that all PhD candidates possess the writing skills necessary for effective technical communication before embarking on the dissertation writing process. 1. English proficiency should be demonstrated in one of three ways: a. By submitting a GRE analytical writing score of 4.0 or greater at the time of application; b. By retaking the GRE and achieving an analytical writing score of 4.0 or greater; or c. By passing an approved technical writing course. Students who cannot demonstrate proficiency on the basis of their GRE analytical writing score must either retake the GRE, or enroll in an approved technical writing course in their first semester as a Ph.D. student. CE 397 Advanced Communication Skills for International Students; CE 389C Advanced Engineering Communication; or an acceptable Graduate School (GRS) course are the only technical writing courses approved at this time. 2. Arrange through your major area of study to take the technical portion of the qualifying examination. This exam has any of four possible outcomes: a. Pass b. Pass with recommendations regarding the student's program of work. c. No Pass but re-examination permitted d. No Pass - No re-examination

The technical portion of the qualifying exam should be completed as soon as possible in the student's doctoral program, preferably during the first semester in residence. The qualifying examination must be taken and passed during the first year in residence or continued registration will not be permitted. Exceptions to this rule will be handled on an individual basis by petition.

After passing the technical portion of the Qualifying Exam and demonstrating English proficiency, you should apply to the Graduate School for Admission to PhD Candidacy and request that a supervising committee be appointed by the Graduate Dean. You MUST be admitted to candidacy before you can register for CE X99R. The Application for Doctoral Candidacy is now completed on the Graduate School's website. The total program of work (all organized courses including MS degree work which is less than six years old) is included as well as courses remaining to be taken. The program of work must include at least nine hours outside the major area of study. The application for candidacy should be submitted as early as possible after passing the Qualifying Exam (before completion of the course work). A student whose admission for candidacy has been approved by August 31 qualifies to be appointed at a higher salary rate effective September 1. When most of your course work is completed and you have been admitted to PhD candidacy, you should arrange to take the Mastery of the Major (Comprehensive) Exam which is administered by your supervising committee. This exam is usually taken early in the second year of residence in the PhD program. The Defense of the Dissertation is the final exam of the PhD program. It is your obligation to submit an acceptable dissertation to the Graduate School. Therefore, every effort should be made to complete the dissertation and pass the Defense of the Dissertation exam before you leave The University of Texas at Austin for employment. You MUST be registered for Dissertation (X99R and W) continuously from the time you are admitted to Candidacy until graduation. Register for "R" the first semester ONLY and "W" for each subsequent semester. If you leave the campus without completing the requirements (incomplete courses or dissertation), continuous registration must still be maintained. The following steps constitute the usual procedure for completing your degree requirements: 1. Submit a Degree Candidate Card, signed by the Graduate Advisor, early in the semester you plan to graduate. Exact deadlines are specified by the Graduate School each semester. 2. If there have been any changes in the program of work submitted on the petition for candidacy, the Graduate Advisor and the Graduate Studies Committee must approve such changes. 3. A copy of the final draft of the dissertation which has been reviewed for technical and grammatical accuracy by the supervising professor should be submitted to each member of the supervising committee not less than four weeks before the date on which you intend to defend the dissertation. 4. Each member of the supervising committee must sign a form on which he/she indicates that the dissertation has been received and agrees to be present at the Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation). Changes to the supervising committee membership must be made not less than 30 days prior to the defense. 5. The application for Final Oral Examination (Defense) must be filed in the Graduate School along with an original copy of the Vita and ten copies of the dissertation Abstract at least two weeks prior to the Final Oral Examination. 6. Submit one copy of Dissertation in PDF electronic format, turned in on floppy disk, zip disk, CD, or via FTP; Microfilm Agreement Form; Dissertation Data Sheet; Publication by Microfilm; Copyright Disclaimer; Survey of Earned Doctorates to the Graduate School by the predetermined deadline. Submitting a printed copy of dissertation is optional (effective summer 2001). There are processing fees. For more information inquire in the Graduate Studies Office.

Qualifying Examinations for Ph.D. Students

All doctoral students must take a two-part CEPM proficiency examination plus provide proof of English proficiency. Here are the Characteristics of the Qualifying Exam Procedures 1. Schedule 1st Year in Program 2. Purpose: Test Civil Engineering Background Test Communication Capabilities Test Construction Background Test Creativity 3. All doctoral students must provide proof of English proficiency. See General Guidelines for Doctor of Philosophy Degree for further details. 4. Two CEPM Components -- Written and Oral A. Written Components (Prior to Oral) Proof of English proficiency Self Assessment of Course Work / Knowledge Construction Industry Background Creativity Material Furnished to Oral Committee B. Oral Components Examining Committee of Three Persons (Two from CEPM, one from CAEE Department outside of CEPM.) Use Written Material for Information Explore Candidates Background Explore Candidates Creativity Formal Report to Graduate Advisor for Department 5. Possible Outcomes Pass Pass with Conditions Discourage from Continuing

Student Requirements Leading to the Ph.D. Degree

Product: (dissertation) Methodology well-delineated -Commitment Thorough literature review Statistical excellence Validity to Stakeholder(s) Contribution to the wider body of knowledge Publishable Tenets: (successful student) Commitment Rigor Passion for subject Good communication with supervisor Intellectual input/ownership

The Ph.D. work requires the student to have independent thought and actions, be diligent in pursuing the subject matter, and test and prove/disprove many different ideas. This research effort will lead to a body of work that is truly defensible as an independent body of research that has validity to its major stakeholder(s). The final Ph.D. defense should only uncover minor issues of concern by the committee, and certainly nothing structural or systemic in nature. Indeed, the successful Ph.D. candidate should have anticipated any and all potential questions or concerns of the committee while performing the work and writing the dissertation. As a result of the Ph.D. research, the student (graduate) should be considered a world expert on the subject matter and should publish, at least, one refereed journal article in a respected journal.