The number of course credits required for the doctor of philosophy degree, above those for the master of science, shall be the following. The remainder of the work will be in research and independent study. The total combination of research and coursework required will not be less than 60 credits beyond the master of science degree or not less than 90 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree.
PhD without a MS degree: 30 credits (minimum)
PhD with a MS degree from WPI: 6 credits (minimum) additional
PhD with a MS degree from other institutions: 12 credits (minimum)
Waiver of any of these requirements must be approved by the Manufacturing Engineering Graduate Committee or the Manufacturing Program Director, which will exercise its discretion in handling any extenuating circumstances.
The doctoral (Ph.D.) program in MFE is a research degree requiring the following:
All candidates must pass a comprehensive written and oral exam. The written exam may be waived upon the recommendation of the advisor and approval of the MFE program director. All candidates must complete at least one year in residence, present and have a dissertation proposal accepted, the dissertation must be successfully presented and defended.
The dissertation is based on original research. A broad range of research topics is possible, including investigation into the fundamental science on which manufacturing processes are based, material science, manufacturing engineering education, metrology, quality, machine tool dynamics, manufacturing processes, design methodology and production systems, and health systems research.
All WPI requirements for a Ph.D. degree must be met.