Home :: Degree Programs :: Ph.D. Degree Requirements :: Proposal Defense

Proposal Defence

Items 2 and 3 are tested by having you write and defend an original research proposal. The proposal topic can be related to your anticipated PhD dissertation research topic, but must contain original ideas/hypotheses/research plans independent of input from your advisor. The proposal serves to test the your ability to formulate a significant problem, to ask the right questions to solve that problem, apply the fundamentals to your problem, and to apply the correct tools to solve that problem.

Your supervisory committee must sign the proposal topic approval form before you write the proposal. You should give the written proposal to your committee at least one week before the defense date. At the proposal defense you will present your proposal and answer questions about your proposal from your committee. The committee may also question you on topics within your specialty that may not be directly part of the proposal, but which represent knowledge required within that specialty. The scope of this examination will be determined by the PhD committee (i.e., there is no list of required areas). You should discuss the scope of the proposal defense with your advisor if you have any questions.

Passing of the proposal requires a unanimous vote of the committee. The proposal will be graded solely on a pass/fail basis. Passing can not be subject to any additional conditions, such as additional coursework. If you fail the proposal defense, you may make a second attempt. The second attempt must occur in the semester following the first attempt. If you do not pass the second attempt you will not be admitted to PhD candidacy, which means you will not be able to obtain a PhD degree from our department.

Deadlines

The written exam must be taken at the beginning of your first summer as a PhD student in the Department Materials Science and Engineering. If you fail the first attempt, your second attempt must occur at the beginning of the following fall semester.

The first attempt at the proposal defense must be within 24 months of the date of the first day of classes of your first semester enrolled in MSE as a graduate student (even if you were initially enrolled as an MS student). If you do not pass the first attempt, the second attempt at the proposal defense must occur in the semester immediately after the first attempt.

These deadlines are absolute. If any of the deadlines are missed, you will not be admitted to PhD candidacy, which means you will not be able to obtain a PhD degree from our department.

• Proposal Defense: Complete the on-line form at least five days prior to the defense, by following the directions below
  • Click on Forms
  • Click on Admission to Candidacy in the SUPERVISORY COMMITTEES/DEFENSES section
  • Fill out the form and submit online.
• Proposal Defense Date:
  • Entire Supervisory Committee must attend and examine the student
  • Two internal MSE members may be substituted if necessary
  • On the day of the defense the student’s file and faculty signature page must be picked up by a faculty member from the ASO and returned within 10 business days upon completion