Civil Engineering (Ph.D.)
The Department offers doctoral programs in all the major areas listed as core specializations under the Master of Science degree: environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, structures, transportation, and construction management.
To gain admission to the Ph.D. program in civil engineering, students should have a Bachelor of Science (or Bachelor of Engineering) degree from an ABET accredited institution (or from a comparable foreign institution) with an overall GPA of 3.3 or greater. Students who do not satisfy these minimum requirements must earn a Master of Science (or Master of Engineering) in civil or environmental engineering, or in a closely related field, with a GPA in graduate courses no less that 3.5 (or equivalent). Only regular admission may be granted to the Ph.D. program. After completing a B.S. degree, if a student in the Ph.D. program fails to meet all subsequent requirements thereof, they may elect to transfer appropriate credits towards the M.S. Civil Engineering (MSCIV) or M.S. Environmental and Sustainability Engineering (MSESE) degree program.
The Ph.D. in Civil Engineering requires a minimum of sixty graduate credits beyond the baccalaureate degree, including eighteen credits of dissertation direction, and forty-two credits of course work, directed study or research. The distribution of these credits shall be as follows:
1. A minimum of fifteen credits of course work in the major area (Civil or Environmental Engineering) beyond the baccalaureate degree.
2. A minimum of fifteen credits in PhD level courses (7000-level and above) at Wayne State University.
3. Credits earned beyond the baccalaureate degree may include internship in industry (CE 6991, maximum of three credits), directed study (CE 7990, maximum of three credits) and directed research (CE 7996, maximum of three credits).
4. Up to thirty post-baccalaureate credits from previous study (e.g. M.S. degree coursework) can count toward the required sixty credit hours. The Transfer of Credit form should be completed prior to completing the Plan of Work.
5. Eighteen credits of dissertation fulfilled by completing CE 9991 (Doctoral Dissertation Research and Direction I - pre-candidacy) and/or CE 9992 (Doctoral Dissertation Research and Direction II - post-candidacy). At least nine credits must be earned from CE 9992. If a student completes the Doctoral Research and Direction courses but has not completed all the dissertation requirements and desires to maintain full-time student status, the student may register in Candidate Maintenance Status (CE 9995) until their completion.
All doctoral students are required to submit a Plan of Work indicating their course work (with major/minor designation) and developed in consultation with an advisor. Additionally, students should consult the Graduate School's regulations governing doctoral study.
Construction Management Technology (CMT), Engineering Technology, and/or online courses cannot be used to fulfill credit requirements for the PhD in Civil Engineering (PhDCE) unless it is approved by the student’s academic advisor and graduate program director prior to registering for the course.