The contents of this document briefly describe the Department
requirements for advanced degrees. This document supplements,
and where necessary, supercedes the requirements presented
in the JHU catalog. The University maintains additional
requirements at http://www.jhu.edu/~gradbd/
that may supercede or complement the requirements listed
herein.
The nature of graduate studies in the Department of Civil
Engineering at The Johns Hopkins University is that of instruction
plus strong orientation toward participation in research,
most of which is funded by outside agencies, it is this
funding that frequently provides a large portion of the
student’s support. Graduate students must demonstrate
a greater level of responsibility and independence than
is required in a typical undergraduate program. The research
enterprise is to be understood by the graduate student as
participation in an effective joint contractual arrangement
with his or her advisor in which the level of responsibility
(for example, to the research sponsor) incumbent on both
is shared in a responsible manner.
Students apply to the Department generally in the fall/winter
prior to their anticipated starting date. The Department
reviews files in late winter, and mails notifications to
students in mid to late March. Acceptance of the offer is
required during April. Most admissions are for the fall
term. In rare cases admission may be deferred to the spring
term, although the department generally does not accept
spring enrollments.
Financial aid is extended to most students accepted to
the Ph.D. degree program. Financial aid packages for Ph.D.
students may include: 80%-100% tuition waivers, teaching
assistantships, research assistantships and named fellowships.
Continuation of financial aid is dependent upon satisfactory
progress of the student and availability of funds. In certain
circumstances the Department may choose to extend fellowship
offers to students pursuing an M.S.E. degree.
Once admitted to the Ph.D. program, every student (who has a BS degree in civil engineering or a related field) must, at a minimum, fulfill the following requirements satisfactorily:
- Department Qualifying Examination (DQE)
- Thesis Proposal
- 10 Courses (all with a grade of B or better; at least 8 courses must be at the 600- or 700-level)
- Graduate Board Oral Examination (GBO)
- Final Thesis Defense
*Note that students entering with a Masters degree may receive a maximum of 4 transfer courses. The number of transfer credits accepted is determined by the Department. Students transferring courses from a prior Masters degree must fulfill the remainder of the course requirement with only courses at the 600- or 700-level. Typically, in the Spring of the first year a student’s permanent advisor will consult with the Department to determine the appropriate number of transfer courses.. These credits may accelerate this timeline by as much as 1 year. These are guidelines, exceptions may be made under special circumstances.
Year 1
- Arrival prior to start of classes
- Department assigns interim advisor
- Selection of first semester courses (typically 4) with
interim advisor
- Language/communication testing & placement for International
students
- First semester coursework & teaching assistant/research
assistant duties for some
- Selection of permanent advisor in first semester (see
note below)
- Intercession research with advisor (see note below)
- Second semester coursework & teaching assistant/research
assistant duties for some
- DQE written (Completed in mid-January)
- Summer research
Year 2 and/or 3
- Research
- Conclusion of courses
- Thesis Proposal
- GBO
- DQE oral (Completed in mid-January of Year 2)
Years 4 and Beyond
During the course of the first semester students should
meet with the faculty and discuss their research interests
and learn more about the research being conducted by the
faculty. By the end of November the student should state
his/her preference(s) for a permanent advisor. The faculty
will meet and determine the final advisor placements. Every
effort will be made to match students with their requested
advisors, but financial constraints may not always make
this possible.
In some cases students may be admitted to work with a specific
advisor. In such a case the offer letter will state this
specifically.
Intercession (the period between fall and spring terms)
is an important time for research. Intercession is not a
vacation. Release time (if any) granted in that period must
be approved by the Chair, in consultation with the student’s
advisor. Those students on assistantships not present during
intercession are not paid for the period of their absence.
The Department Qualifying Exams (DQE) are comprehensive written and oral exams to determine whether or not the student is properly prepared to continue in the Ph.D. program. This examination is meant to test the student's general aptitude in the field of Civil Engineering and relevant science, math and mechanics concepts. The DQE does not address proposed research topics.
All first-year students studying for a Ph.D. take the written portion of the DQE exam after their first semester of enrollment, typically in mid-January of the first year. This exam tests whether the student is prepared to continue in their Ph.D. studies, based on their grasp of basic undergraduate Civil Engineering knowledge.
All second-year students studying for a Ph.D. take the oral portion of the DQE exam after their third semester of enrollment, typically in mid-January of the second year. While students are expected to continue demonstrating a full understanding of undergraduate-level Civil Engineering knowledge in this exam, the major focus of the exam is on material studied during the Ph.D. studies. A faculty committee consisting of at least 2 members will serve on the oral exam committee to determine whether or not the student is properly prepared to continue in the PhD program.
If the student passes the DQE, he/she is formally cleared into the Ph.D. program at the Department level, and may begin development of a research proposal.
If the student does not pass all or part of the DQE on their first attempt,
they may (upon approval from the Department Chair) be allowed a single
re-take of the exam they did not pass, which would typically take place
at the end of the semester following the exam. After a non-passing performance
in the DQE the student may pursue an M.S.E. or M.C.E. Financial support
for a student during this period is not
typical.
The Department Thesis Proposal is intended to be an informal
examination of a student’s ideas, plans, and initial
progress on his/her intended thesis research. This
exam may occur before or after the GBO, at the discretion
of the Advisor. The committee consists of at least
3 members, typically all from within the Department. It
is encouraged, but not required, that the same faculty members
serving on the Department Thesis Proposal serve on the GBO
and Thesis Defense. The student, in consultation with his/her
Advisor, selects the makeup of the committee. The exam should
be scheduled, at least 2 weeks in advance, through the Department
Administrative Assistant. The materials for the thesis proposal
should be given to the committee at least two weeks in advance
of the exam.
The University maintains complete guidelines for the Graduate
Board orals at http://www.graduateboard.jhu.edu/?SMSESSION=NO.
In addition, students should recognize that the GBO must
be scheduled with the Graduate Board at least 3 weeks in
advance of the exam. The GBO committee consists of 5 members,
(2 in Department, 3 outside) with 2 alternates (1 in Department,
1 outside) and is selected by the Chair of the Department.
The GBO committee may recommend, pass, conditional, pass,
fail with re-examination, fail (final) as detailed in http://www.graduateboard.jhu.edu/?SMSESSION=NO.
If the student passes the GBO the student continues their
PhD research and may file for an M.S.E. degree.
If the student fails (final) the GBO, and if the student
has met the course requirements for the M.C.E. degree they
may petition for an M.C.E. degree.
The Thesis Defense is the final examination before conferral
of the Ph.D. degree. It is a comprehensive examination of
the student, focused on the thesis research. A committee
of at least 3 members administer the exam. It is encouraged,
but not required, that the same faculty members serving
on the Department Thesis Proposal serve on the Thesis Defense.
The Advisor in consultation with the Department selects
the committee members. The exam should be scheduled, at
least 3 weeks in advance, through the Department Administrative
Assistant. The materials for the thesis defense should be
given to the committee at least two weeks in advance of
the exam. The date and place of the defense, along with
the thesis abstract, should be circulated prior to the exam.
View Thesis Filing
page >>
Once a student is admitted to the M.C.E. program, he/she
is required to take 10 Courses. The Department Chair must
approve the 10 courses that comprise this degree prior to
conferring the M.C.E. degree. A majority of these courses must be from the Department of Civil Engineering. All 10 courses must be above 300 level, with a maximum of two below 400 level.
Financial support for a student choosing the M.C.E. option
is not typical. In general, for a M.C.E. student to finish
in one year, he/she will need to take two E.P.P. graduate
courses in the summer following the academic year, in order
to complete the 10-course requirement. It is noted that
one of these courses may be an approved research course
if appropriate; the student will have to pay the E.P.P.
tuition rate for these courses.
It is emphasized that even if a student takes 10 courses,
an M.C.E. is not automatically granted. Matriculation to
the M.C.E. program requires application and approval from
the Department Chair.
The M.C.E. requires that the student cannot count more than
one C grade toward the 10 required during the course of
study. Two C grades result in the student being placed on
a probationary status. A third C grade results in termination
from the M.C.E. program. The student may in this case pursue
a certificate.
After admission to the M.S.E. program, students must satisfactorily
complete 8 Courses and a final M.S.E. Essay and Defense
to obtain the M.S.E. degree. All courses must be above the
300-level, with a maximum of two (2) courses below the 400-level.
Research advisers, in consultation with the faculty in the
Civil Engineering Department, will determine whether the
8 Courses leading to this degree are appropriate and if
they have been completed satisfactorily. Typically the M.S.E.
degree requires two years to complete, if the student is
making steady progress. In some cases, the degree may take
longer.
The M.S.E. Essay must be approved by the student’s
faculty adviser and one reader, who will typically be a
full-time Johns Hopkins Civil Engineering faculty member.
Any external reader must be approved by the Chair of the
Civil Engineering Department.
The option to enroll as an M.S.E. student is only available
if the student’s advisor deems it appropriate. Financial
support will be decided on an individual basis by the student’s
research advisor. During final phases of the M.S.E. research,
the student will take no further courses and will be expected
to devote his/her efforts to developing an acceptable thesis.
