Doctor of Engineering
The Doctor of Engineering degree is designed to prepare engineers to study engineering problems of a complex nature and to develop solutions that address the most pressing engineering issues of the future.
Why Pursue a Graduate Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Lamar?
Our faculty work with students on a wide range of research topics including materials, corrosion, combustion, multi-physics and scale modeling, design, thermal systems, and many other areas.
Lamar University is located in Beaumont, Texas, a major chemical manufacturing center with four refineries and many heavy industrial facilities in the area. Beaumont is a two-hour drive from Houston, a global engineering center and headquarters for many leading companies.
The Mechanical Engineering Department provides several forms of support to graduate students. Qualified masters and doctoral graduate students are often offered a scholarship and instate tuition based on GRE and academic background. The department also offers a limited number of doctoral student assistantships (teaching and research) that provide fee waivers on a merit basis.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the General Requirement in the College of Graduate Studies, the College of Engineering sets the following admission requirements:
- The general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies
- A Bachelor’s degree in engineering equivalent to a 4-year engineering degree program in the U.S.; or a Master’s degree after a bachelor degree equivalent to a 4-year engineering degree program in the U.S.
- Official transcripts from higher education institutions where degrees were earned and most recently attended institution (if different from the institutions where degrees were earned) with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or a graduate GPA of 3.5*
- Applicants to the D.E. program possessing a master’s degree are recommended. For the B.S. to D.E., the GRE is required in all cases, except when the student receives their B.S. from an ABET accredited program.
- Three reference letters (optional, but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships consideration)
- Resume (optional, but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships consideration)
- Personal statement of educational goals (optional, but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships consideration)
- For applicants without a degree in the appropriate discipline, the department graduate advisor will determine a plan of study that will facilitate successful completion of all requirements for the doctoral degree. This may include additional coursework, independent study, or other means to enhance the student’s knowledge of key elements in this field
Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. (International Students) must submit the following as part of the application:
- TOEFL or IELTS score (waived if student has completed a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited university located in the United States or in another country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language of the country. All years of the degree must be completed in the qualifying country.)
- Proof that the applicant has the financial resources to attend Lamar University. As part of the application process, international students must submit a written Confirmation of Financial Resources form that contains personal, family, and/or sponsor financial information and a bank verification of financial holdings. All international students are required to have health and accident insurance for themselves and all their dependent family members in the United States. Insurance may be purchased at the university during the registration period.
Degree Requirements
- All College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements
- The student with a Master’s degree shall complete a residency of at least one year; the student with a bachelor degree shall complete a residency of at least two years
- Completion of a minimum of 27 semester hours of D.E. dissertation preparatory courses for students with a Master’s degree at the time of admission, or completion of a minimum of 45 semester hours of D.E. dissertation preparatory courses for students with a B.S. degree in engineering at the time of admission. The preparation includes completion of one semester of ENGR 6320, Justification of Engineering Project
- Completion of a minimum of 4 semester hours of Professional Seminar (ENGR 6110)
- Completion of candidacy qualifying examination designed by the student’s dissertation committee. The purposes of this examination are to test the ability of the student to comprehensively relate the subjects of the study program and to ascertain the student’s qualifications to perform the field study. Students who pass the qualifying examination are admitted to candidacy. Students who fail to pass the qualifying exam are allowed to schedule a re-examination within 6 weeks after the first attempt. Failing to pass the qualifying exam for the second time will remove the student from the D.E. program
- After the student is admitted to candidacy, a research proposal must be presented to the doctoral dissertation committee within 6 months after passing the qualifying examination. Upon committee approval of the proposed engineering research through an oral defense, the research work is initiated
- Completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours of D.E. dissertation courses (ENGR 6603 and ENGR 6604) and satisfactory defense of D.E. dissertation.
- The D.E. degree must be completed within 10 consecutive years of study
Hours: 61/79
Current students see Doctor of Engineering guidelines and defense procures for detailed instructions.
