Mechanical Engineering, Ph.D

Ph.D. Degree

Requirements

The minimum course program for this degree is at least four half courses, at the 700-level, beyond the Bachelor’s degree or two half courses at the 700-level, beyond the Master’s degree. A Ph.D. candidate is also required to pass a Comprehensive Examination designed to test their breadth of knowledge and the ability to synthesize and integrate ideas. A candidate must complete a thesis which embodies the results of original research and mature scholarship. The general University requirements for the thesis and oral defense will apply.

In addition, all full-time graduate students are required to successfully complete MECH ENG 758 “Graduate Seminars in Mechanical Engineering.” For further details see the MECH ENG 758 course description.

Direct Entry to Ph.D. program with only a B.Sc./B.Eng

Outstanding students* with a B.Sc./B.Eng. may be admitted directly into the Ph.D. program if they:

1. hold a B.Sc./B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering with a minimum average of A- (McMaster 10/12) in the last two years of study;
2. submit a strong statement of research interest; and
3. garner a strong letter of support from the proposed supervisor.

*International students will need either: (i) a minimum TOEFL score of 100/120 with a writing score greater than or equal to 27 (out of 30); or (ii) a minimum IELTS score of 7.5 with a writing score greater than or equal to 7.0 (out of 9).

Transfer from M.A.Sc. program to Ph.D. program without completion of the M.A.Sc. Degree

Outstanding students in the M.A.Sc. program may transfer to the Ph.D. program if they:

1. complete a minimum of TWO terms of study in the M.A.Sc. program;
2. complete a minimum of TWO half courses at the 700 level with a minimum average of A- (McMaster 10/12);
3. complete their M.A.Sc. supervisory meeting and receive a rating of EXCELLENT on their report; and
4. garner a strong letter of support from their supervisor.

Industrial Ph.D. Option

The general Regulations for the degree Doctor of Philosophy appear earlier in the Calendar. This program option offers the candidate the potential to conduct all or a portion of their research at their company or research institute of employment. To be enrolled under the option, the candidate must be a full-time student in the degree program, have previously completed a Masters of Applied Science or its equivalence, and be employed by a company or research institute outside of McMaster continuously till degree completion. A candidate is required to complete the normal course requirements of their enrolled department as well as any milestones, but is exempt from seminar requirements. As a doctoral candidate they must take the Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination that is designed to test the breadth of knowledge and the ability to synthesize and integrate ideas from within and peripheral to the candidate’s research area. The Comprehensive Examination will normally take place between 6 and 18 months after the candidate initially registers in the Ph.D. program. A supervisory committee monitors the progress of a Ph.D. candidate and determines when the candidate is ready to write the thesis. The student is required to defend the thesis at a Final Oral Examination.