Curriculum in Doctor of Philosophy – Mining Engineering
A candidate for the Ph.D. degree with a major in mining engineering must comply with the rules and regulations as outlined in the WVU Graduate Catalog and the specific requirements of the Statler College and the Mining Engineering Department.
Program Requirements
The doctor of philosophy degree with a major in mining engineering is administered through the college’s interdisciplinary Ph.D. program. The research work for the doctoral dissertation must show a high degree of originality on the part of the student and must constitute an original contribution to the art and science of mining engineering.
All Ph.D. degree candidates are required to perform research and follow a planned program of study. The student’s research advisor, in conjunction with the student’s Advising and Examining Committee (AEC) will be responsible for determining the plan of study appropriate to the student’s needs. The underlying principle of the planned program is to provide the students with the necessary support to complete their degree and prepare them for their career.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required in all courses | ||
| Course Requirements * | ||
| Research | 24 | |
| Research | ||
| Select from the following based on degree path: | 18 | |
| Any BIOM, BMEG, CE, CHE, CHEM, CPE, CS, EE, IENG, IH&S, MAE, MATH, MINE, PNGE, PHYS, SAFM, SENG, or STAT courses 500-795, as approved by the student's AEC | ||
| Examinations | ||
Plan of Study | ||
Qualifying Exam | ||
Candidacy Exam | ||
Final Exam | ||
Dissertation | ||
| Total Hours | 42 | |
- *
Students who do not hold a baccalaureate degree in mining engineering are required to take a set of undergraduate mining engineering courses above and beyond the minimum coursework requirements.
A minimum of eighteen hours of coursework and twenty-four hours of independent research beyond an M.S. degree are required.
Examinations
Qualifying Exam
All students must take and pass a written qualifying examination. Normally, the qualifying examination is given no later than one semester after completion of eighteen credit hours toward the doctoral degree. . All mining engineering students must pass the written qualifying examination within three semesters since registered in Mining Engineering graduate program. This examination is designed to assess the basic competency of students in the mining engineering field to determine whether or not they have sufficient knowledge to undertake independent research.
Candidacy Examination
In order to be admitted to candidacy, the student must pass a candidacy exam, which is designed to evaluate the student’s overall ability to engage in high-level research. The candidacy exam consists of a written qualifying examination and dissertation proposal defense. The proposal must be approved by the student's AEC at least one semester prior to/ the final oral examination. The written qualifying exam includes material from the eight areas of specialization.
A student who has successfully completed all coursework, passed the qualifying examination, and successfully defended the research proposal is defined as one who is a candidate for the Ph.D. degree.
Final Examination
At the completion of the dissertation research, candidates must prepare a dissertation and pass the final oral examination (defense) administered by their AEC.
In order to complete the Ph.D. requirements, a student must pass a final oral examination on the results embodied in the dissertation. This examination is open to the public and, in order to evaluate critically the student's competency, may include testing on material in related fields, as deemed necessary by the AEC. In addition, since the Ph.D. degree is primarily a research degree that embodies the results of an original research proposal and represents a significant contribution to scientific literature, the student must submit a manuscript on this research to the AEC.
Suggested Plan of Study
It is important for students to take courses in the order specified as much as possible; all prerequisites and concurrent requirements must be observed. A typical doctoral degree program that completes degree requirements in four years is as follows.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Course | 3 | Course | 3 |
| Course | 3 | Course | 3 |
| MINE 797 | 3 | MINE 797 | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Course | 3 | Course | 3 |
| MINE 797 | 6 | MINE 797 | 6 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MINE 797 | 9 | MINE 797 | 9 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MINE 797 | 9 | MINE 797 | 9 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Total credit hours: 72 | |||
Major Learning Outcomes
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PHD)
Upon graduation with a Ph.D. degree from the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, students will have:
- Ability to initiate research ideas in order to solve specific problems and to write research proposals on these ideas
- Have an expert-level understanding of the advanced principles of their fields of study
- Furthered a novel research idea which has contributed to the state of the art in their specific areas of expertise
- Ability to plan original research projects, to perform laboratory or field based experimental tasks, generate data from those tasks, and draw conclusions based on sound scientific and engineering principles
- Ability to develop innovative research in order to advance the frontiers of knowledge and secure sponsored research
- Ability to write technical articles for dissemination through peer-reviewed, refereed journals or other venues
- Ability to make oral and poster presentations at technical meetings
- Understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities in the practice of their profession to contribute to the well-being of society and to the advancement of their profession
- Demonstrated initiative in research planning and management, including safety and environmental issues
- Technical preparation for and an awareness of the need for life-long learning and continuing education