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Organization, Regulations, and Courses 2024-25


Contents
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Engineering Sciences - Graduate

Chair: Douglas W. Van Citters

Professors A. R. Abramson, M. E. Ackerman, I. Baker, S. Chin, B. Cushman-Roisin, G. Cybenko, E. Fossum, I. Georgakoudi, T. U. Gerngross, K. E. Griswold, G. Hautier, K. Keller, J. Liu, L. R. Lynd, G. P. Parker, K. D. Paulsen, L. R. Ray, E. Santos Jr., R. Sarpeshkar, E. M. Schulson, C. R. Sullivan, S. Taylor, D. Van Citters, X. Zhang; Professors Emeriti J. P. Collier, A. O. Converse, E. Garmire, U. J. Gibson, R. J. Graves, A. Hartov, C. E. Hutchinson, F. E. Kennedy, W. Lotko, D. R. Lynch, V. F. Petrenko, H. J. Richter, B. U. O. Sonnerup, G. B. Wallis; Associate Professors S. G. Diamond, H. Fang, H. J. Frost, , R. J. Halter, W. Li, G. P. Luke, K. Odame, M. Q. Phan, K. S. Samkoe, H. L. Seroussi, J. T. Stauth, V. Vaze; Assistant Professors A. Boys, T. Burgin, M. Fitzpatrick, K. Hixon, J. Lee, Y. Li, W. Marrero Colon, E. Mayfield, C. R. Meyer, E. L. Murnane, H. Nguyen, W. Ouyang, W. J. Scheideler, B. A. Thomas; Senior Lecturers M. R. Albert, E. Bish, P. Bonfert-Taylor, O. Goodenough, P. J. Hoopes, K. Hoyt, K. Kawiaka, E. Korsunskiy, M. S. Laser, R. C. Lasky, D. Macaulay, V. V. May, S. O. Peterson, P. J. Robbie, S. G. Shepherd, M. E. Testorf, J. D. Wilson, C. E. Wyman; Lecturers R. Barry, M. Carpenter, D. C. Cullen, M. D’Andrea, S. C. Davis, X. Fan, C. Hackett, R. Harder, M. A. Kokko, D. Kynor, E. Monroe, U. L. Osterberg, G. Pope, F. Shubitidze, S. A. Snyder, P. T. Staats, E. Truex, R. White, P. P. Yu.

To view Engineering Sciences Graduate courses, click here.

To view Engineering Graduate courses, click here.

Additional Thayer School of Engineering graduate courses and details are available in the Thayer School Guide to Programs and Courses and on the Thayer School of Engineering website.

 

To view Engineering Sciences Undergraduate requirements, click here.

 

To view Engineering Sciences Undergraduate courses, click here. 

 

The undergraduate Engineering Sciences major leads to an A.B. degree. It provides engineering students with a common core of Science and Engineering Sciences courses. Interest in the various branches of engineering is accommodated through electives and usually through additional study leading to a Bachelor of Engineering or higher degree. For those students considering careers in such diverse fields as medicine, management, or law, the Engineering Sciences major enables them to better understand our increasingly technological society.

Students interested in a career in Engineering should plan on completing the Bachelor of Engineering or a Master’s program. The Bachelor of Engineering degree program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012 - telephone (410) 347-7700; it is equivalent in technical content to the Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering offered at many other universities but is broader in scope. It requires a minimum of 9 courses beyond the engineering sciences major requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.).  At least 6 courses must have significant engineering design content.  Required courses and electives include mathematics, basic science, engineering sciences, and engineering design. The B.E. generally requires up to three terms in residence beyond the 12 terms required for the A.B. degree. Students who enter Dartmouth with advanced standing may be able to complete the B.E. at the same time as the A.B. (i.e., in four years).  

The graduate degrees are differentiated according to function. The Master of Engineering (MEng) degree is an entirely course-based program that prepares students for a professional engineering career through a foundational mastery in one of six engineering tracks. The Master of Engineering Management (MEM) is a professional degree for students interested in becoming leaders in both the engineering and business aspects of technology. The Master and Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) are suitable for those interested primarily in research. Additionally a joint M.D./Ph.D. and joint MD/MEng program is offered in conjunction with the Dartmouth Medical School and a joint MEM/MBA and MEng,/MBA program with the Tuck School of Business.

The Thayer School Guide to Programs and Courses should be consulted for detailed information on all engineering programs beyond the A.B. engineering sciences major (i.e. the B.E. and above).

 

Requirements for the Master of Engineering (MEng)

The Master of Engineering (MEng) degree program is aimed at students seeking to become professional engineers or engineers already in the profession seeking to add depth or acquire specialized knowledge within one of six areas of study: Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Energy Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. The MEng is a course-based degree program that does not require the completion of a thesis. Students are required to complete nine courses, including five core courses and four electives. The Thayer School Guide to Programs and Courses should be consulted for specific academic requirements and detailed information regarding the Master of Engineering  degree, including options for Dartmouth students to count courses towards multiple engineering degrees.

 

Requirements for the Master of Engineering Management (MEM)

The Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program is a professional degree program that combines engineering and management courses taught by faculty from Thayer and Tuck School of Business. Graduates of the program are engineers who understand the business of technology.  Students are generally required to complete 14 courses which include required engineering management core courses, applied mathematics electives, open electives, and an industry internship course.  The degree is generally completed over the course of five terms.  The Thayer School Guide to Programs and Courses should be consulted for specific academic requirements and detailed information regarding the Master of Engineering Management degree, including options for Dartmouth students to count courses towards multiple engineering degrees.

 

Requirements for the Master’s Degree (M.S.)

The Faculty of the Thayer School believes that the education of all graduate students should include reasonable breadth in the areas of applied mathematics and engineering. The degree requirements are summarized below, and the Thayer School Guide to Programs and Courses should be consulted for specific academic requirements and more detailed information.

In addition to the basic requirements for the Master’s degree, which include three terms in residence at Dartmouth, the Department requires:

For the M.S. in Engineering Sciences:

  1. All students entering the program are required to take six graduate-level courses. Students with prior graduate credits may transfer up to a maximum of three graduate course credits to count towards their required MS coursework, provided they were not used to satisfy bachelor’s degree requirements. Students may count up six applicable classes towards both the Bachelor of Engineering (BE) and Master of Science (MS) degrees.
  2. Satisfaction of the following distribution requirements:
    1. One Applied Mathematics Course (see listings on the Thayer School of Engineering website)
    2. Minimum of two courses in engineering breadth
    3. Minimum of three courses in engineering depth

  3. A thesis approved by the student’s graduate committee and the faculty, demonstrating the ability to do research and contribute to the field.
  4. An oral defense of the thesis.

A faculty advisor will be appointed for each candidate to aid in developing his or her program. The individual course of study must be submitted to, and be approved by, the Thayer School Graduate Committee, during the student’s first term of residency. The thesis must be approved by a thesis committee. The thesis committee generally consists of three faculty members from the student’s department/program of study (including the thesis advisor). One of the three may be from outside the department/program, but this is not a requirement. Copyright to theses will be held by the Trustees of Dartmouth College.

For students recommended for the award of the M.S. degree, the faculty may also recommend the award of the B.E. degree if a substantial portion of the student’s undergraduate program was taken at Dartmouth or in one of its official exchange programs and, if in meeting M.S. requirements, the ABET criteria for the award of the B.E. are also satisfied. Students wishing to take advantage of this opportunity should plan their M.S. programs appropriately. At least one term prior to the scheduled M.S. thesis defense, the B.E./M.S. candidate submits a Bachelor of Engineering program plan approved by both their advisor and the Director of the Bachelor of Engineering program to the Registrar.

 

Requirements for the Doctor’s Degree (Ph.D.)

Students with a master’s degree (or outstanding performance on a bachelor’s degree) in engineering or the physical sciences are eligible for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy program. Consult the 2024-2025 Thayer School Guide to Programs and Courses for additional details on program requirements and procedures. In summary, the requirements for the Ph.D. are as follows:

  1. Students in the Ph.D. program are expected to spend at least nine terms in residence following the Bachelor’s degree, three of which will take place after successfully completing the Oral Qualifying Examination. In addition, students are required to:
    1. Complete ENGG 195, Seminar on Science, Technology and Society (the "Jones Seminar"). This one-hour seminar is a weekly, school-wide meeting of the Thayer community of scholars - faculty, researchers, and graduate students. Credit for ENGG 195 is awarded once a student has attended a minimum of 28 seminars, and
    2. Participate annually in a Research-in-Progress Workshop (ENGG 198), at which each Candidate in residence presents his or her individual research progress.
  2. Technical proficiency in principles and methods of engineering, applied science, and applied mathematics underlying the anticipated thesis research, as evidenced by performance on an oral qualifying examination. The examination covers at least three fundamental areas selected by the Candidate in consultation with his or her special advisory committee and approved by the Graduate Program Committee.
  3. Technical breadth in engineering or applied science, as demonstrated by either an approved course of study in one or more areas outside or secondary to the Candidate’s main area of specialization, defense of a research proposal or completion of a project in an area outside the Candidate’s main area of specialization.
  4. Specialization with mastery at an advanced level of the body of knowledge pertaining to the Candidate’s chosen area of research, as demonstrated by the successful oral defense of a thesis proposal, and by completion of a program of study approved by the Graduate Program Committee. The extent and content of this program are designed to meet the individual interests and needs of the Candidate.
  5. Professional competence in resource development for a research project or technology startup enterprise, as demonstrated by completion of a competitive research proposal or business plan for a technology startup company. The proposal or business plan may be developed either independently or as part of the Competitive Proposal Workshop.
  6. Original research making a significant contribution to knowledge, combined with demonstration of professional expertise in the chosen area of study, as demonstrated by at least the following: 
    1. presentation of elements of the doctoral research at a professional meeting with the Candidate as first author,
    2. a dissertation of professional quality certified by the Candidate’s thesis committee,
    3. acceptance of at least one manuscript on the doctoral research for publication with the Candidate as first author, and
    4. public oral presentation and defense of the dissertation.

Please consult the Thayer School Guide to Programs and Courses for additional details regarding Ph.D. Program, including the oral examination, procedures for demonstrating technical breadth, thesis proposal, and work-shop to facilitate development of a competitive research proposal or business plan.

 

Ph.D. Program in Innovation

Thayer School offers a Ph.D. Program in Innovation, which supplements the student’s engineering research with specific coursework and practice in applying entrepreneurial skills to move research discoveries to market. Students in the Program in Innovation meet all requirements for admission to candidacy and full admission to the Ph.D. program, including passing an oral qualifying examination and defending a Ph.D. thesis proposal. Specific requirements for the candidates in the Program in Innovation can be found in the Thayer School Guide to Programs and Courses.

 

M.D.-Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering

Thayer School of Engineering and the Dartmouth Medical School offer an M.D./Ph.D. program in biomedical engineering. Students must apply to the Medical School, indicating their interest in the joint program. The requirements for the Ph.D. portion of the program are modified to permit a more efficient completion of the dual degree program.

A student may begin by first pursuing two years of study in basic science at the Medical School. Enrollment in Thayer School for two years follows, during which the student would take courses, qualify for Ph.D. candidacy, pass the oral examination, and initiate dissertation research. Alternately, some students prefer to satisfy basic Ph.D. requirements before starting medical school. The research would then be continued in concert with years 3 and 4 of the M.D. program (the clinical years), especially during year 4 where dissertation research would be counted as elective courses toward the M.D. Both degrees are awarded simultaneously after typically 6 to 6 1/2 years of study.

Specific requirements of this program are:

M.D. component: Completion of the 4-year M.D. curriculum. Elective time of year 4 can be devoted to Ph.D. dissertation research. (Consult the Dartmouth Medical School Catalog for details.)

Ph.D. component:

  1. Students in the M.D./Ph.D. program are expected to spend at least six terms in residence, one which will take place after successfully completing the Oral Qualifying Examination. In addition, students are required to have:
    1. Complete ENGG 195, Seminar on Science, Technology and Society (the "Jones Seminar"). This one-hour seminar is a weekly, school-wide meeting of the Thayer community of scholars - faculty, researchers, and graduate students. For M.D./Ph.D. students, credit for ENGG 195 is awarded once a student has attended a minimum of 14 seminars, and
    2. annual participation in the Research-in-Progress Workshop, for which each Candidate in residence presents his or her individual research progress.
  2. Technical proficiency in principles and methods of engineering, applied science, and applied mathematics underlying the anticipated thesis research, as evidenced by performance on an oral qualifying examination. The examination covers at least three fundamental areas selected by the Candidate in consultation with his or her special advisory committee and approved by the graduate program committee.
  3. Technical breadth in engineering or applied science, as demonstrated by either an approved course of study in one or more areas outside or secondary to the Candidate’s main area of specialization or defense of a research proposal or completion of a project in an area outside the Candidate’s main area of specialization13.
  4. Specialization with mastery at an advanced level of the body of knowledge pertaining to the Candidate’s chosen area of research, as demonstrated by the successful oral defense of a thesis proposal, and by completion of a program of study approved by the M.D./Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering Committee. The extent and content of this program are designed to meet the individual interests and needs of the Candidate.
  5. Original research making a significant contribution to knowledge, combined with demonstration of professional expertise in the chosen area of study, as demonstrated by at least the following:
    1. presentation of elements of the doctoral research at a professional meeting with the Candidate as first author,
    2. a dissertation of professional quality certified by the Candidate’s thesis committee.
    3. acceptance of at least one manuscript on the doctoral research for publication with the Candidate as first author, and
    4. public oral presentation and defense of the dissertation.

Please consult the Thayer School Guide to Programs and Courses for additional details regarding M.D.-Ph.D. Program, including the oral examination, procedures for demonstrating technical breadth, thesis proposal, and work-shop to facilitate development of a competitive research proposal or business plan.

 

Advanced Graduate Courses

Courses at the 300 level are ‘advanced graduate’ courses, distinguished from 100 and 200-level courses by the standard of accomplishment that is required. These advanced graduate courses comprise an in-depth study of an area of engineering or engineering sciences up to the point where the student is able effectively to read and evaluate current literature in the field and to the point where the student should be ready to undertake original work in the field.

Most 300-level courses are tutorials. The small size of Thayer School allows students to work closely with professors—a significant feature in courses that are expected to provide in-depth study.

These courses reflect areas of significant faculty professional involvement or areas in which they are engaged in advanced research or development.

Please consult the Thayer School Guide to Programs and Courses for the 300 level courses, Tutorial courses, Engineering Management courses and Project, Research, Independent Study, Seminar and Workshop courses.