The doctoral degree and preliminary examination policies and procedures are intended to achieve the following four objectives:

1. Have a unified policy for the preliminary examination.
2. Allow students to pursue the traditional doctoral specializations in gas dynamics, structures, and flight dynamics and control.
3. Allow students to pursue multi-disciplinary doctoral specialization in aerospace engineering approved and guided by a faculty adviser.
4. Successful completion of a preliminary examination is a key prerequisite in the pursuit of a doctoral degree in Aerospace Engineering.  Taking the preliminary examination relatively early, typically no later than the second year of graduate study, is recommended.  This expedites the student's preparation for doctoral research and admission to doctoral candidacy.

Aerospace Engineering Doctoral Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. degree requires a sound background in aerospace engineering combined with good knowledge of applied mathematics and computational sciences.  The Ph.D. dissertation requires that the student demonstrate ability to pursue and solve an original research problem, which implies ability to carry out independent research.

A student who intends to work toward the Ph.D. degree must complete the following steps:

(a) Pre-candidacy Status: A student must apply to the Graduate Committee of the Department of Aerospace Engineering for admission to pre-candidacy status in Aerospace Engineering.  If already in the M.S.E. program, a student must have a G.P.A. of 6.5/9.0 or above in coursework relevant to the doctoral degree and the endorsement of an Aerospace Engineering faculty member as his/her Ph.D. adviser.  The G.P.A. is based on at least five graduate courses taken at U-M, excluding Directed Study (AE 590) and graduate seminar (AE 585).

(b) Research Involvement: Each student in the doctoral degree program must initiate a research activity with a faculty member as an adviser in her/his first year of graduate study at U-M.  This can be achieved through several approaches: (1) directed study (AE 590); (2) appointment as a graduate research assistant; or (3) through alternative arrangements with the faculty adviser.

(c) Preliminary Examination Requirement: Before advancing to Ph.D. candidacy, a student must demonstrate a high level of competency by successfully completing an oral preliminary examination in Aerospace Engineering.

Applying for the Preliminary Examination: Each student must apply, with the endorsement of her/his research adviser, to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator, Denise Phelps, to take a Preliminary Examination.  The student must be registered in the Department of Aerospace Engineering during the term in which the preliminary examination is taken.  A student starting with a B.S. degree is expected to take the preliminary examination in the third--but no later than the fourth--academic term after beginning graduate study.  Early taking of the exam is possible in special circumstances, and it should be discussed with the student's research adviser.  The student must formally indicate the three core courses and the two additional courses selected from the categories listed below.  Students must specify her/his doctoral research area as approved by her/his Aerospace faculty adviser.

Content of the Preliminary Examinations: Each student selects three core courses (Category 1) and two courses in either Category 1 or Category 2 that are not part of her/his core selection; these five courses must be approved by the student's research adviser as forming a suitable foundation for doctoral study.  The Preliminary Examinations are oral examinations that cover material taught in the courses selected by the student.  One faculty member per course will be appointed to serve in the student's examination committee (see below).  The exam will be administered in thirty minutes per selected course and will cover all five of the courses selected by the student.

Category 1:  Core courses

AE 513 Foundations of Solid and Structural Mechanics
AE 518 Theory of Elastic Stability
AE 520 Compressible Flow
AE 522 Viscous Flow
AE 532 Molecular Gas Dynamics
AE 540 Intermediate Dynamics
AE 543 Structural Dynamics
AE 550 Linear Systems
AE 552¹ Aerospace Information Systems (taught as AE 740 in Fall 2009)

¹During F09 and W10 only, students may elect AE 740 (F09) or another FDC graduate level course approved by their adviser.

Category 2:  Other courses

AE 510 Finite Elements
AE 514 Foundations of Solid and Structural Mechanics
AE 516 Mechanics of Fibrous Composites
AE 523 Computational Fluid Dynamics
AE 525 Turbulent Flows
AE 533 Combustion Processes
AE 544 Aeroelasticity
AE 545 Helicopter Aeromechanics
AE 548 Astrodynamics
AE 5XX Any other FDC 500 level course approved by adviser
AE 573 Spacecraft Dynamics and Control
AE 584 Avionics, Navigation and Guidance of Aerospace Vehicles
NERS 571 Intermediate Plasma Physics I

Preliminary Examination Schedule: The Preliminary examinations are given twice each academic year, once in the Fall term just after Thanksgiving and once near the end of the Winter term.  For the Fall term, 2009, the dates of the preliminary examinations are: November 30th (for gas dynamics-related courses), December 1st (for structures-related courses), and December 2nd (for flight dynamics and control-related courses).

(d) Admission to Candidacy: The decision on admission to candidacy is based on the criteria:

• The student's performance in the Preliminary Examination as evaluated by the faculty  members who served on the student's faculty examining committee,
• The student's academic record, especially in graduate courses relevant to the student's area of research, and
• Assessment of the student's ability to carry out independent research.

Candidacy can occur once the Preliminary Examination is successfully completed, the Rackham cognate requirement is met, and 36 fee hours have been accumulated.

(e) Additional Course Work: Courses selected to prepare for the Preliminary Examination do not alone constitute sufficient preparation for doctoral research.  Each doctoral student is urged to select additional courses, beyond what is required for the Preliminary Examination that provides suitable background for the doctoral research specialization that the student intends to pursue.  Selection of suitable courses should be made in consultation with the doctoral adviser.

(f) Doctoral research is carried out under the supervision of a faculty adviser and a dissertation committee; the dissertation committee should normally be formed within one year after the student has achieved doctoral candidacy status.  The student should expect to meet with her/his committee immediately after it is formed, and at least on an annual basis up to the Ph.D. defense.

(f) Ph.D. Degree: The Ph.D. degree is awarded up on successful completion of a Ph.D. dissertation, a Ph.D. defense, and an overall accumulation of 68 fee-credit hours (see the Rackham Student Handbook for additional details).  The doctorate is conferred in recognition of scholarship and demonstrated research accomplishment in a subject related to aerospace engineering.  In order to complete the Ph.D. degree, the student must carry out original and publishable research, present the results in a written dissertation, and defend the dissertation at a final oral defense.