Ph.D.

University Ph.D. Requirements
Consult Clarkson Catalog for complete details.

  • 90 credit hours minimum (beyond B.S.)
    • Minimum of 24 credit hours of course work
    • Minimum of 15 credit hours in the major field
    • Minimum of 9 credit hours in the minor field
    • Minimum of 6 credit hours from a department other than the one in which the student is housed
  • Minimum of 6 credit hours of seminar.
  • 60 credit hours earned in residence at Clarkson
  • Two years of full-time study
  • Maximum of 30 credit hours of transfer credit (C grade or better) in lieu of the Master's degree is allowed.
  • Official transcripts must be provided before transfer credit is awarded.
  • All work to be completed within 7 years after the candidacy is passed.
  • All students must complete the candidacy procedure within two years after admission to the Ph.D. program. A student may have two attempts to pass the candidacy procedure. A student who does not complete the candidacy procedure within the time allowed, will be dropped from the graduate program.
  • A dissertation must be submitted and an oral defense passed before a committee of five Clarkson faculty members with at least one member from outside the department of the thesis advisor.
  • The program for research assistants and teaching assistants will include at least 1 credit hour of thesis each semester.
  • A student in the Ph.D. program who has not yet passed the comprehensive examination will be called a Ph.D. Student. After the examination is passed the student will be called a Ph.D. Candidate.
  • For graduation an average of B must be earned in graduate courses taken at Clarkson.


Chemical Engineering Ph.D. Requirements
The following requirements apply exclusively to chemical engineering Ph.D. students.

  • Students entering the Ph.D. program should register for a minimum of 10 credit hours each semester until they satisfy the 90 credit hour requirement.
  • The student must take the five courses required for the M.S. degree program or their equivalent.
  • The student must take a qualifying examination and adhere to the guidelines described in the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination and Research Proposal Review handout.
  • The student must take the Ph.D. qualifying examination no later than 12 months after completing the M.S. requirements. Students given direct entry into the Ph.D. program must take the qualifying exam no later than 12 months after being invited into the Ph.D. program. Students entering with a M.S. degree must take the qualifying exam no later than 12 months from the time when they enter the graduate program.
  • Students must meet the first time with their Ph.D. committee as early as possible, and subsequently a minimum of 2 times each six month period prior to qualification.
  • Course work (minimum) = 30 credit hours (this is equivalent to 4 three-credit courses beyond MS) Seminar = 6 credit hours Thesis = 54 credit hours
  • While in residence, all students are required to attend all seminars.


Direct Entry into Ph.D. Program
First year graduate students whose past academic and first semester records at Clarkson indicate outstanding research potential will be invited to enter directly into the Ph.D. program. The thesis required in the regular M.S. program will be bypassed.

The department will decide which students will be invited into this program at the beginning of the second semester of the student's residence on campus. The M.S. degree is awarded to the student upon completion of 40 credit hours and after passing the Ph.D. qualifying examination.

Financial Assistance
Financial support for students enrolled in the Ph.D. program is usually in the form of research assistantships, and not teaching assistantships. Continuation of support is based on academic standing and research accomplishments, and may be terminated after written notification by the Graduate Committee for lack of acceptable progress in either area. Support will continue for no more than five years beyond the BS or three years beyond the MS, whichever is longer. Requests for continued support must be made in writing to the Graduate Committee.