Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Within the department of Mechanical Engineering at Dalhousie University, candidate can apply to a degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Material Engineering
The Doctor of Philosophy is primarily a research degree and requires a thesis-based research master’s degree for admission. It usually requires four courses, completion of the departmental gradate seminar requirements, a comprehensive examination and an original research thesis. The thesis must be significant and original contribution to the discipline and should include significant material of publishable quality.
Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to any of the graduate programs in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
In order to be considered for admission by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, an applicant must first be selected by a potential supervisor (faculty member) in the department. Each faculty member in the department is given the opportunity to review the files of applicants interested in this faculty member’s research or expertise area. If the faculty member has research position openings and/or projects and/or funding available, she or he might opt to select an applicant to potentially work under her or his supervision (or co-supervision). Once selected, all the applicants must be confirmed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Registrar’s office before acceptance is granted.
In view of this, it is strongly suggested that potential graduate applicants (MEng, MASc and PhD) contact one or more potential supervisors (faculty members), specifically those in areas of similar interest, both expertise and research, well before submitting an application to begin the conversation, and see if those potential supervisors have the projects, funding, availability and the interest in being a potential supervisor.
Applicants who are potentially eligible to NSERC scholarships, Killam Scholarships and NSGS scholarships should also contact their potential supervisor and the department once the potential supervisor as clearly stated interest. Deadlines for all those scholarships are between October and January.