Engineering

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OFFICE: Engineering 203
TELEPHONE: 619-594-6061
E-MAIL: info@engineering.sdsu.edu
WEBSITE: http://www.engineering.sdsu.edu/

Undergraduate Information

The College of Engineering undergraduate programs in aerospace, civil, computer, construction, electrical, environmental, and mechanical engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Faculty

Faculty assigned to teach courses in engineering are drawn from departments in the College of Engineering.

Graduate Information

Associateships

Graduate teaching associateships and graduate assistantships in engineering are available to a limited number of qualified students. Application forms and additional information may be secured from the chair of the appropriate department.

General Information

The College of Engineering offers graduate study leading to the Ph.D. degrees in engineering sciences (bioengineering; electrical and computer engineering; mechanical and aerospace engineering; structural engineering) and Master of Science degrees in bioengineering, aerospace, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering. The Ph.D. degree programs are offered jointly with the University of California, San Diego. These curricula are designed to augment the student’s undergraduate training by advanced study in one of the various fields of engineering. Recognizing the increasing importance in modern technology of the engineer-scientist team, San Diego State University has developed an academic program which offers to individuals holding a first degree in engineering, an opportunity to pursue advanced study in a specialized area of knowledge. The graduate degree may also prepare students for a teaching career.

Section II. Doctoral Programs

WEBSITE: http://www.engineering.sdsu.edu/engineering/joint_doctoral_program.aspx

Engineering Sciences

(Bioengineering)

(Major Code: 09051) (SIMS Code: 446006)

(Electrical and Computer Engineering)

(Major Code: 09095) (SIMS Code: 443050)

(Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)

(Major Code: 19020) (SIMS Code: 444021)

(Structural Engineering)

(Major Code: 09084) (SIMS Code: 442501)

The cooperating faculties of the College of Engineering at San Diego State University and the Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California, San Diego offers joint doctoral programs in bioengineering, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical and aerospace engineering, and structural engineering. The Doctor of Philosophy degree is awarded jointly by the Trustees of the California State University and the Regents of the University of California in the names of both cooperating institutions.

The Ph.D. degree is a research degree and represents both attainment of advanced knowledge and demonstration of research skills. It is not awarded solely for the fulfillment of technical requirements such as academic residence and coursework. A typical student with an appropriate bachelor of science degree in engineering may complete the joint program in five to six years of full-time study and research. A student with advanced standing may complete the program in a shorter period of time.

The joint Doctor of Philosophy degree allows research specialties in the following: bioengineering (molecular biomechanics and cell/tissue engineering with a focus in cell-matrix engineering); electrical and computer engineering (communication theory and systems; computer engineering; electronic circuits and systems; intelligence systems, robotics and control; photonics; and signal and image processing); mechanical and aerospace engineering (applied mechanics, materials science, materials processing, computational fluid mechanics, combustion, experimental fluid mechanics); structural engineering (finite element methods in structural analysis, soil mechanics).

Program Administration

San Diego State University:
Program Director: Temesgen Garoma Ararsso

University of California, San Diego:
Program Director: Kal Seshadr

Financial Support

Students admitted to the program will be eligible for teaching associateships and graduate assistantships. It is the policy of SDSU College of Engineering to support doctoral students during their entire tenure as long as they are in good standing, are making satisfactory progress toward their degree, and are in residence at one of the two institutions.

For further information, the student should write to the director of the Engineering Sciences Joint Doctoral Program at the College of Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-1326.

Program

Preparation for Admission

Applicants must have an acceptable bachelor’s degree or master’s degree and must meet the requirements for admission to both SDSU and UCSD. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the major field for students with the B.S. degree or 3.5 for students with the M.S. degree is required. Students are expected to have engineering degrees in the classical engineering sciences/applied mechanics areas (i.e. aerospace, chemical, civil, environmental, mechanical). Students with degrees in one of the allied fields (i.e., physics, mathematics, and engineering physics) will be required to remove any academic deficiencies by completing a series of courses normally required of the students who have academic degrees in the applied mechanics areas.

APPLICATIONS FOR THE PH.D. PROGRAM IN ENGINEERING SCIENCES MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 15.

Application

The faculty of the joint doctoral program on each campus will recommend admission of acceptable applicants to the graduate deans at SDSU and UCSD. Entry occurs when the student is formally accepted by both graduate deans and the student is officially notified of the acceptance.

Students applying for admission should electronically submit the university application available at http://www.calstate.edu/apply along with the application fee.

All applicants must submit admissions materials separately to SDSU Graduate Admissions and to the College of Engineering.

Graduate Admissions

The following materials should be submitted as a complete package directly to:

Graduate Admissions

Enrollment Services
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182-7416

1. Official transcripts (in sealed envelopes) from all postsecondary institutions attended;
   
   NOTE:
   • Students who attended SDSU need only submit transcripts for work completed since last attendance.
   • Students with international coursework must submit both the official transcript and proof of degree. If documents are in a language other than English, they must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

1. GRE scores (http://www.ets.org SDSU institution code 4682);
2. English language score, if medium of instruction was in a language other than English (http://www.ets.org SDSU institution code 4682).

College of Engineering

The following materials should be mailed or delivered to:

Director, Engineering Joint Doctoral Program
College of Engineering
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-1326

1. Three letters of recommendation.

Residency Requirements

The student must spend at least one academic year in full-time residence at each of the two institutions. The definition of such residence must be in accord with the regulations of the Divisions of Graduate Affairs of SDSU and UCSD.

Advising Committee

When a student is admitted to the joint doctoral program, the director of the joint doctoral programs in engineering at UCSD and the director of the joint doctoral programs in engineering at SDSU will appoint a three-member advising committee consisting of at least one member from each institution. It is the responsibility of this committee to develop in consultation with the student a course of study and a plan of preparation for the doctoral qualifying examination, which should be taken as soon as possible after the two years of study at the two institutions. Students with advanced standing may be capable of taking the examination earlier. Upon the student’s successful completion of the examination, the advising committee will recommend to the director of the joint doctoral program at UCSD and the director of the joint doctoral program at SDSU, the membership of the student’s doctoral committee. Upon appointment, this committee will supersede the advising committee and be responsible for the student’s program of study and dissertation research.

Course Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy degrees in engineering sciences (bioengineering; electrical and computer engineering; mechanical and aerospace engineering; structural engineering) are research degrees and represent both attainment of advanced knowledge and demonstration of research skills. Therefore, no specific course requirements for the joint doctoral programs exist; however, the doctoral qualifying examination is based on a certain level of competence in the general areas of each degree. Preparation for the examination is normally done through coursework in these areas.

Qualifying Examinations

Joint Qualifying Committee

The doctoral program qualifying examination is administered by the student’s advising committee supplemented, if appropriate, by faculty appointed by the director of the joint doctoral programs in engineering at UCSD and the director of the joint doctoral programs in engineering at SDSU. The examination will be oral and will be at the level and content of the SDSU and UCSD graduate courses. The specific areas will be approved in advance by the director of the joint doctoral programs in engineering at UCSD and the director of the joint doctoral programs in engineering at SDSU. One of the areas may be satisfied by completing a series of courses in the area with at least a B grade in each course.

Joint Doctoral Committee

Upon successful completion of the doctoral qualifying examination, a doctoral committee shall be appointed by the graduate deans of SDSU and UCSD upon the recommendation of the director of the joint doctoral programs in engineering at UCSD and the director of the joint doctoral program in engineering at SDSU. The doctoral committee shall supervise the continued study and research programs of the student. The chair of the committee is the primary adviser of the student’s dissertation research. The dissertation committee will consist of three members from each institution; one of the three will be from outside of the respective UCSD department and one from outside the student’s major area.

Senate Qualifying Examination

The major requirement for the doctorate is the completion of a dissertation based on original research, which contributes new knowledge to the fields. The Senate Qualifying Examination consists of a presentation of initial dissertation results and plans for future research. The chair of the doctoral committee will determine in consultation with the student when the Senate Qualifying Examination will be held. Approval of a student’s dissertation topic by the doctoral committee implies that the committee believes that the work will contain the potential for one or more articles publishable in refereed journals.

Dissertation

The doctoral committee will administer the final examination, which will consist of the student’s presentation and defense of the dissertation, with particular emphasis on the principal findings and areas of future research. The first part of this examination is open to the public; a concluding portion involves appropriate questioning of the student by the committee.

The detailed requirements concerning the preparation of the dissertation, the number of copies, the editorial style, etc., are set forth in the UCSD document entitled “Instructions for the Preparation and Submission of Doctoral Dissertations and Masters’ Theses.” Acceptance of the dissertation by the University Librarian at UCSD and the College of Graduate Studies at SDSU represents the final step in completion of the student’s degree requirements.

Satisfactory Progress

The students admitted to this program are expected to make continuous, satisfactory progress and to remain in good standing at both institutions.

Award of the Degree

The Doctor of Philosophy degrees in engineering sciences/applied mechanics, bioengineering, electrical and computer engineering, and structural engineering will be awarded jointly by the Trustees of the California State University and the Regents of the University of California in the names of both cooperating institutions.

Faculty

The following faculty members of the cooperating institutions participate in the joint doctoral programs in engineering and are available for direction of research and as members of joint doctoral committees.

San Diego State University:

Program Director: Temesgen Garoma Ararsso

Committee Members, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: L. Demasi, G. Jacobs, J. Katz, X. Liu, A. Plotkin, S. Venkataraman (Aerospace Engineering). J. Abraham, A. Beyene, A. Bhalla, S. Bhattacharjee, J. Camacho, S. Kang, S. Kassegne, P. Katira, K. May-Newman, F. Miller, K. Moon, K. Morsi, P Naseradinmousavi, Z. Nili Ahmadabadi, E. Olevsky, S.-Y. Park, E. Torresani, K. Wood,  W. Xu, Y. Yang, G. Youssef (Mechanical Engineering), T. Garoma, N. Mladenov, H. T. Davani (Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering)

Committee Members, Bioengineering: S. Kassegne, P. Katira, K. May-Newman, S.-Y. Park (Mechanical Engineering), C.M. Dykstra (Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering)

Committee Members, Electrical and Computer Engineering: A. Aksanli, A. Alimohammad, A. Ashrafi, E. Engin, K. Huang, S. Kumar, S. Manshadi, C. Mi, S. Nagaraj, D. Nguyen, C. Paolini, Y. Ozturk, M. Sarkar, S. Seshagiri, S. Sharma, Y. Teh, H. Töreyin, J. Xie 

Committee Members, Structural Engineering: Z. Bayasi, L. Demasi, R. Dowell, G. Jacobs, J. Katz, A. Plotkin, J. Valdes, S. Venkataraman

University of California, San Diego:

Program Director: Enrique Luco

Committee Members, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: R. Bitmead, J. Goddard, S. Krasheninnkov, X. Markenscoff, J. McKittrick, M. Meyers, C. Pozrikidis, J. Talbot, F. Williams (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)

Committee Members, Bioengineering: J. Hasty, M. Heller, A. McCulloch, R. Sah, J. Watson.

Committee Members, Electrical and Computer Engineering: P. Asbeck, P. Cosman, R. Cruz, T. Javidi, L. Larson, B. Rao, G.Rebeiz, C. Schurgers, P. Yu.

Committee Members, Structural Engineering: S. Ashford, D. Benson, T. Hutchinson, J. Kosmatka, Q. Zhu.

Programs

• Engineering Minor
• Engineering, M.Eng.

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