Full-time students in the doctoral degree programs of the School of Engineering should take ENGR 991 Directed Study - Doctoral Qualification in their first or second regular academic semester (the Fall or Spring semester) after matriculating in the program. Part-time students in the engineering doctoral programs should take ENGR 991 before or as soon as they complete 9 credits of graduate courses at Catholic University. If a student is admitted into the Ph.D. program after receiving a master’s degree in engineering from Catholic University, he/she is expected to take ENGR 991 in the first regular semester after matriculating in the Ph.D. program. A student can repeat ENGR 991 one more time in the following regular semester if he/she fails the first time. The student will not be allowed to continue his/her doctoral program if he/she does not pass ENGR 991 after two attempts. However, the student can request to transfer to the master’s program and can receive a Master’s degree after he/she satisfies the requirements for the Master’s degree.

This policy will be effective to the students who are admitted into the engineering doctoral programs in the Fall 2021 and after.

Course Description: ENGR 991 Directed Study - Doctoral Qualification

3.00 Credits

A student in this course will study a specific area under guidance of a faculty member. The student must select a faculty member (course advisor) for this course before registering for it. The course advisor will assign a study area to the student in consultation with the department chair and guide the student to study the assigned area. The student must submit a Directed Study - Doctoral Qualification Form and get approval from the course advisor and the department chair before registering for this course. The student should prepare and submit a written report and should also prepare a presentation and take an oral exam related to the study area before the end of the semester. The oral exam is conducted by a committee consisting of the course advisor and at least two other faculty members determined by the department chair. The committee will determine the grade of the student. This course has a Pass(P)/Fail(F) grade.