GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL

ENGINEERING

Department of Mechanical Engineering

The University of South Carolina

May 2023

3 
 
  MECHANICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 
 
 
 
CONTENTS 
PART I. GENERAL INFORMATION .................................................................................................................. 5 
A.  SOURCES OF INFORMATION ............................................................................................................. 5 
B.  ADMISSIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 5 
Admission Requirements ...................................................................................................................... 6 
Target Minimum Admission Standards ................................................................................................. 6 
C.  ADVISEMENT ..................................................................................................................................... 6 
D.  GRADUATE COMMITTEES ................................................................................................................. 6 
E.  THE APOGEE PROGRAM .................................................................................................................... 7 
F.  FINANCIAL AID .................................................................................................................................. 7 
Teaching Assistantships ........................................................................................................................ 7 
Research Assistantships ........................................................................................................................ 7 
G.  SEMINAR REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................ 8 
PART II. DEGREE PROGRAMS ........................................................................................................................ 9 
A.  MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAMS ........................................................................................................... 9 
Maximum Time Allowed ....................................................................................................................... 9 
Transfer Credit ...................................................................................................................................... 9 
Programs of Study ................................................................................................................................. 9 
Program of Study for Master of Science (M.S.) in Mechanical Engineering ....................................... 12 
Program of Study for Master of Engineering (ME) in Mechanical Engineering .................................. 13 
Program of Study for M.S. and M.E. in Nuclear Engineering .............................................................. 13 
Program of Study for M.S. and M.E. in Aerospace Engineering ......................................................... 14 
Publication Requirement for M.S. Students ....................................................................................... 15 
Master's Thesis.................................................................................................................................... 15 
Thesis Committee ............................................................................................................................... 15 
Thesis Presentation and Defense ........................................................................................................ 15 
Comprehensive Examination .............................................................................................................. 16 

4 
 
Graduation .......................................................................................................................................... 16 
Timetable of Action for Master's Degree Students ............................................................................ 16 
B.  DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE PROGRAM ............................................................................... 18 
Residency ............................................................................................................................................ 18 
Maximum Time Allowed ..................................................................................................................... 18 
Transfer Credit .................................................................................................................................... 18 
Advisory Committee ........................................................................................................................... 18 
Committees for Comprehensive Exam, Dissertation, and Dissertation Examination ........................ 19 
Program of Study ................................................................................................................................ 19 
Publication Requirement .................................................................................................................... 20 
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam ......................................................................................................................... 20 
Admission to Candidacy ...................................................................................................................... 21 
Comprehensive Exam.......................................................................................................................... 21 
Doctoral Dissertation .......................................................................................................................... 23 
Dissertation Presentation and Defense/Examination ........................................................................ 23 
Graduation .......................................................................................................................................... 24 
Timetable of Action for Ph.D. Degree Students .................................................................................. 24 
 
 

5 
 
PART I. GENERAL INFORMATION 
 
A.  SOURCES OF INFORMATION 
 
This  Handbook  is  intended  to  assist  Department  of  Mechanical  Engineering  (DME)  graduate 
students at The University of South Carolina (USC) and is a supplement to the material contained in 
the USC Graduate Studies Bulletin (http://bulletin.sc.edu/).  The rules and regulations in the Bulletin 
govern all graduate students at USC.  All graduate students must carefully read the Graduate 
Bulletin and this Handbook. 
 
Other general sources of information published by USC include the following: 
 
1.  Master Schedule of Classes currently offered  
https://ssb.onecarolina.sc.edu/BANP/bwckschd.p_disp_dyn_sched 
 
2.  Master's Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation Guidelines 
https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/graduate_school/academics/thesis_and_dissertatio
n/index.php   
 
Additional information can be obtained from the Graduate School (http://www.gradschool.sc.edu/).  
 
You may also contact Ms. Renee Jenkins (email address: jenkinsr@cec.sc.edu ) of the DME Student 
Services Office for issues related to graduate records and forms, and Dr. Tanvir I. Farouk (email 
address:  farouk@cec.sc.edu  )), DME Graduate  Director and chair  of the DME Graduate Studies 
Committee if you have questions about graduate policies. 
 
B.  ADMISSIONS 
 
The  Department  of  Mechanical  Engineering  offers  eight  graduate  degree  programs:  Master  of 
Science  (M.S.)  in  Mechanical  Engineering,  Nuclear  Engineering,  and  Aerospace  Engineering; 
Master of Engineering (M.E.—non-thesis) in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, and 
Aerospace Engineering, and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Mechanical Engineering and Nuclear 
Engineering.  The  Graduate  School,  based  on  recommendations  from  the  department,  grants 
admissions to these degree programs. All applications to the degree programs must be processed 
through the Graduate School office on the Columbia campus. All applications must be completed 
online—no  applications  are  accepted  via  postal  mail—prospective  students  can  find  more 
information at: http://gradschool.sc.edu/prospective/ 
 
USC admission standards are described in the USC Graduate Studies Bulletin. Specific admission 
requirements for graduate degree programs offered by DME are described below. 
 
 
 
 

Admission Requirements

In general, the admission processes for the ME, MS, and PhD programs in Mechanical

Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, and Aerospace Engineering are highly competitive. Admission

decisions are based on the quality of the applicant's previous university-level academic work as

reflected by grade point average or GPA, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, and other

evidence of past accomplishments. GRE General Test scores must be submitted by (1) all

applicants seeking assistantships and/or tuition support, (2) all applicants applying for a research-

based degree program (PhD or MS), and are recommended for all other applicants as well.

International applicants must also submit TOEFL or the IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2

exam scores. The minimum required TOEFL and IELTS scores are set by the graduate school and

can be found here: http://sc_original.catalog.acalog.com/content.php?catoid=90&navoid=10661

Target Minimum Admission Standards

The entire application file is considered when reviewing for admission; that said, the following

target minimum standards are used during the admission decision process.

• Undergraduate Engineering GPA ≥ 3.0/4.0

• GRE Verbal ≥ 150 (450 old scale)

• GRE Quantitative ≥ 155 (700 old scale)

• TOEFL ≥ 80

• IELTS ≥ 6.5

An applicant whose native language is not English is required to submit a satisfactory score on

TOEFL or IELTS.

C. ADVISEMENT

The temporary academic advisor for all new graduate students is assigned by the Graduate Director.

A permanent Major Advisor (the Academic Advisor) should be chosen after consultation with

faculty members whose interests are close to those of the student. Teaching Assistants (TAs) and

Research Assistants (RAs) will also have a faculty member who acts as a supervisor for their work.

This person may or may not be the student’s Major Advisor.

D. GRADUATE COMMITTEES

Members of mechanical engineering graduate student committees (e.g. 2

readers, thesis

committee, dissertation committee, etc.) must be a tenure-track faculty member in the University

of South Carolina system, on a term appointment as a Graduate School faculty, or approved by

the department Graduate Studies Committee and the Graduate School on a case-by-case basis.

E. THE APOGEE PROGRAM

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a graduate distance-learning program called

APOGEE (A Program of Graduate Engineering Education) to help engineering professionals earn

graduate credits/degrees while maintaining full-time employment and without the constraints of

on-campus attendance. A student enrolled in the APOGEE program can register for the degrees of

Master of Engineering, Master of Science, or PhD. Prerequisites for enrollment and graduation are

identical to those required for students registered on-campus in graduate programs of the

Department of Mechanical Engineering.

APOGEE is a quality distance educational program designed to meet the needs of busy full-time

employed professionals by providing flexibility in course content delivery. APOGEE courses are

available via video-streaming and can be downloaded from the web for offline viewing. This

enables the student to access individual classes and course materials at any time and place

according to the student's convenience. Thus the student will be able to participate in the enrolled

course of study while still maintaining a busy work schedule, including any travel and/or

reassignment. The APOGEE program option is available only to those who physically reside in

the USA.

F. FINANCIAL AID

Three types of financial aid are available to qualified graduate students:

1. Teaching Assistantships (TAs)

2. Research Assistantships (RAs)

3. Fellowships and Scholarships

Students receiving a Teaching or Research Assistantship must be registered for 6 or more semester

hours of credit during regular semesters and 3.0 semester hours in a summer session. Loss of the

assistantship may occur at any time due to poor academic or work performance.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching Assistantships of 1/4 time (6 hrs/wk) or 1/2 time (12 hrs/wk) are available for qualified

graduate students. Generally, 4 to 6 new assistantships are available each year and they are awarded

competitively on the basis of academic potential and performance, not on the basis of need. Grades,

GRE, and TOEFL or IELTS scores, recommendations, and teaching experience are used in the

evaluation process. All TAs must pass a TA training/evaluation required by the State of South

Carolina and administered by the Graduate School.

Research Assistantships

Research Assistants are generally supported by external grants and contracts. Individual faculty

members who have sponsored research projects select the recipients of these assistantships. Students

should contact faculty members in their area of interest to ascertain if support is available.

G. SEMINAR REQUIREMENTS

All DME graduate students who are on assistantship are required to participate in the DME

Seminar series. Participation will be defined as attending a minimum of 80% of the seminars. Any

student who does not attend 80% of the seminars will not be allowed to continue to receive research

and/or teaching assistantships from DME in future semesters. Any student whose attendance falls

below 50% during a semester will be subject, at the discretion of the DME Graduate Studies

Committee, to immediate termination of his/her assistantship. Students involved in off-campus

research, e.g. at a national lab, government facility, or a collaborating university, will be exempt

from this requirement during their absence from USC. Other reasons for missing the seminar will be

considered on a case-by-case basis.

Any student whose assistantship is terminated or not renewed based on attendance to seminars

may appeal to the DME Graduate Studies Committee. The appeal must include a letter of support

by the student’s advisor as well as a letter of explanation for lack of attendance. The DME Graduate

Studies Committee will make a recommendation to the full faculty who will vote yes or no to the

question of whether the student’s eligibility for an assistantship is to be renewed.

PART II. DEGREE PROGRAMS

Graduate programs offered by the USC Department of Mechanical Engineering lead to eight possible

graduate degrees: M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, and Aerospace

Engineering; M.E. in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, and Aerospace Engineering;

and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Nuclear Engineering.

Graduate students must meet all the requirements of the USC Graduate School and of the Department

of Mechanical Engineering. When a conflict exists, the University rules supersede those of the

Department. Deviations from the stated requirements must be requested in writing and approved by

the DME Graduate Faculty.

A. MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAMS

Six Master's degree programs are offered by USC Department of Mechanical Engineering: M.S.

and M.E. in Mechanical Engineering, M.S. and M.E. in Nuclear Engineering, and M.S. and M.E.

in Aerospace Engineering.

Maximum Time Allowed

Students should plan their activities so as to complete the M.S. or M.E. programs of study within

four semesters of full-time study (not counting summers). The maximum period allowed for

Master's degree work is six years. In the event that more time is spent on the program, the student

must petition for special arrangements with DME and the Graduate School.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credits from a previous graduate degree program must be approved by both DME and the

Graduate School. The credits must be dated within the six-year period allowed for a Master's degree.

A maximum of 12 credits can be transferred from another school with a grade of B or better.

Programs of Study

All students must consult with their academic advisor and complete a Program of Study form

http://gradschool.sc.edu/forms/Mastersprogramofstudy.pdf during the first semester of

enrollment. Changes to existing programs of study are performed using the Request For

Adjustment in Graduate Program form http://gradschool.sc.edu/forms/POSAform.pdf.

It is the goal of the Department of Mechanical Engineering to have students, with the advice of

their academic advisor, create a program of study that fits their interests while ensuring that they

are well-educated in the traditional areas of mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, or

aerospace engineering.

All Master's degrees require a minimum of 30 credit hours at the 500-level or above. An M.E. degree

will be granted upon successful completion of the coursework as described below. An M.S. degree

requires the successful completion of the coursework described below as well as a thesis. Students

must complete at least half of the non-thesis credit requirements in courses numbered 700 or

above. Students earning an M.S. must have at least 6 hours of EMCH-799 Thesis Preparation and

only 6 hours of EMCH-799 Thesis Preparation may be applied to the required 30 hours.

In consultation with their academic advisor, the student can pursue a specialization track from the

following list:

1) Engineering Mechanics, 2) Energy Systems, 3) Dynamics and Control, 4) Manufacturing

Courses for the different specialization tracks that are regularly offered are listed in Tables 1 and 2.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering routinely offers special topic courses at the 500 (EMCH

561) and 700 (EMCH 792) levels. These courses may be substituted in a track at the discretion of

the track lead in consultation with the student’s advisor. The track leads are:

• Engineering Analysis: Dr. Sourav Banerjee

• Engineering Mechanics: Dr. Andrew Gross

• Energy Systems: Dr. Ming Hu and Dr. Jamil Khan

• Dynamics & Control: Dr. Austin Downey

• Manufacturing: Dr. Lang Yuan

Table 1: Regularly offered 500-level classes.

ENGINEERING

ANALYSIS

ENGINEERING

MECHANICS

ENERGY

SYSTEMS

DYNAMICS &

CONTROL

MANUFACTURING

EMCH 501

Engineering

Analysis I

EMCH 532

Intermediate

Dynamics

EMCH 544

Compressible Fluid

Flow

EMCH 514

Digital Control

Systems

EMCH 507

Computer-aided

Design

EMCH 502

Engineering

Analysis II

EMCH 571

Mechanical

Behavior of

Materials

EMCH 554

Intermediate Heat

Transfer

EMCH 515

Industrial Controls

EMCH 509

Computer-aided

Manufacturing

EMCH 508

Finite Element

Analysis

EMCH 572

Physical Metallurgy

EMCH 560

Intermediate Fluid

Mechanics

EMCH 527

Design of

Mechanical Systems

EMCH 515

Industrial Controls

EMCH 530

Introduction to

Engineering

Optimization

EMCH 573

Introduction to

Nuclear Materials

EMCH 562

Microfluidics and

Lab-on a Chip

EMCH 532

Intermediate

Dynamics

EMCH 530

Introduction to

Engineering

Optimization

EMCH 575

Adaptive Materials

and Smart

Structures

EMCH 576

Fundamentals and

Applications of Fuel

Cells

EMCH 535

Robotics in

Mechanical

Engineering

EMCH 535

Robotics in

Mechanical

Engineering

EMCH 584

Advanced

Mechanics of

Materials

EMCH 578

Introduction to

Aerodynamics

EMCH 567

Bio Nano/Micro

Electro-mechanical

Systems

EMCH 567

Bio Nano/Micro

Electro-Mechanical

Systems

EMCH 585

Introduction to

Composite Materials

EMCH 592

Introduction to

Combustion

EMCH 575

Adaptive Materials

and Smart

Structures

EMCH 572

Physical Metallurgy

EMCH 586

Experimental Stress

Analysis

ECHE 572

Polymer Processing

Table 2 Regularly offered 700 and 800-level courses.

ENGINEERING

ANALYSIS

ENGINEERING

MECHANICS

ENERGY

SYSTEMS

DYNAMICS &

CONTROL

MANUFACTURING

EMCH 770

Predictive

Modeling:

Combining

Experiments with

Computations

ENCP 707

Continuum

Mechanics

EMCH 741

Viscous and

Turbulent Flow

EMCH 721

Aero elasticity

EMCH 708

Computer-aided

Product Design and

Analysis

EMCH 722

Plasticity

EMCH 743

Aircraft and Rocket

Propulsion

EMCH 732

Advanced Dynamics

of Machinery

ENCP 734

Prototype Design &

Manufacturing

ENCP 721

Elasticity

EMCH 751

Advanced Heat

Transfer

EMCH 744

Aerodynamics &

Flight Mechanics

EMCH 785

Composites for

Aerospace

EMCH 780

Energy Storage

EMCH 794

Thermodynamics

ENGINEERING

ANALYSIS

ENGINEERING

MECHANICS

ENERGY

SYSTEMS

DYNAMICS &

CONTROL

MANUFACTURING

EMCH 883

Wave Propagation

in Solids

Program of Study for Master of Science (M.S.) in Mechanical Engineering

Fig. GHB1: Program of study flow chart for Master of Science (MS) in Mechanical Engineering

An MS student has to complete 1 course from the Engineering Analysis track, 3 courses from their

Major track of which 2 have to be 700 level courses, 2 from a minor track of choice and the

remaining 2 can be picked from available courses from the department as well as the college of

engineering and computing, of these 4 courses at least 1 of them has to be of 700 level. Business

courses numbered 500 or above may be taken with advance approval by the advisor and the

Graduate Studies Committee. Other courses will be added to the list as approved by the faculty.

Program of Study for Master of Engineering (ME) in Mechanical Engineering

Fig. GHB2: Program of study flow chart for Master of Engineering (ME) in Mechanical Engineering

A ME student has to complete 1 course from the Engineering Analysis track, 3 courses from their

Major track of which 2 has to be 700 level courses, 2 from a minor track of choice and the

remaining 4 can be picked from available courses from the department as well as the college of

engineering and computing, of these 6 courses at least 2 of them have to be of 700 level. Business

courses numbered 500 or above may be taken with advance approval by the advisor and the

Graduate Studies Committee. Other courses will be added to the list as approved by the faculty.

Program of Study for M.S. and M.E. in Nuclear Engineering

For both the M.S. and M.E. degrees, the following list of courses will constitute a required core:

EMCH 552: Introduction to Nuclear Engineering

EMCH 553: Nuclear Fuel Cycles

EMCH 757: Radiation Shielding (or EMCH 557 Intro to Radiation Shielding and Sources)

EMCH 758: Reactor Systems (or EMCH 558 Introduction to Reactor Systems)

Elective Courses (to total 24 hours for MS or 30 hours for ME): At least 3 for MS or at least 5

for ME; approval by your advisor is required and documented in your program of study.

EMCH 555: Radiation Detection and Instrumentation

EMCH 550: Introduction to Nuclear Safeguards

EMCH 573: Introduction to Nuclear Materials

EMCH 753: Chemical Thermodynamic Calculations and Modeling with Applications

EMCH 754: Thermal Hydraulic Design of Nuclear Reactors

EMCH 755: Advanced Nuclear Engineering

EMCH 756: Safety Analysis of Energy Systems

EMCH 759: Waste Management

EMCH 770: Predictive Modeling: Combining Experiments with Computations

EMCH 772: Nuclear Materials

EMCH 774: Radiation Damage in Materials

Engineering Elective (to total 24 hours for MS or 30 hours for ME):

Up to 1 course upon approval by your advisor and documented in your program of study.

• Any NE elective (from above)

• A math course (should be advised as which would be most appropriate)

• Any Engineering course at 500 level or higher.

• GEOL 650: Microscopy & Microanalysis

Program of Study for M.S. and M.E. in Aerospace Engineering

For both the M.S. and M.E. degrees, five courses constitute the required core:

EMCH 508: Finite Element Analysis

EMCH 577: Aerospace Structures I

EMCH 585: Introduction to Composite Materials

EMCH 721: Aero elasticity

EMCH 744: Aerodynamics & Flight Mechanics

Elective Courses—all students in Aerospace Engineering must take a minimum of two courses

from the following list (6 hours):

EMCH 514: Digital Control Systems

EMCH 515: Industrial Controls

EMCH 522: Design For Manufacturability & Assembly

EMCH 532: Intermediate Dynamics

EMCH 544: Compressible Flows

EMCH 571: Mechanical Behavior of Materials

ENGR 701: Methods of Engineering Analysis

ENGR 707: Continuum Mechanics

ECHE 721: Advanced Heat Flow Analysis

EMCH 741: Viscous and Turbulent Flows

EMCH 743: Aircraft and Rocket Propulsion

EMCH 751: Advanced Heat Transfer

EMCH 777: Aerospace Structures II

EMCH 785: Design of Composite Materials for Aerospace Structures

EMCH 794: Thermodynamics

EMCH 881: Fatigue of Materials

Additional Program of Study Requirements

Course credits are to total 30 hours for both ME and MS. For MS, 6 credits of EMCH 799 Thesis

Preparation are required, with an additional 24 hours of course work.

At least half of all courses must be taken at the 700 level and above.

Courses not satisfying the requirements for a graduate degree are:

1. Any course with a grade of D+, D, or F.

2. Any course taken on a non-letter grade basis (except thesis).

The student must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in:

1. All courses taken as part of the official degree program.

2. All courses numbered 700 or above.

3. All courses taken for graduate credit, including those not included in the official

degree program.

Publication Requirement for M.S. Students

An educational objective for M.S. students is that they have the ability to communicate their

research results through oral presentations and written publications. Consistent with this objective,

an M.S. student is required to submit, based on research performed while at USC, at least one

conference paper (or abstract with presentation) or one journal paper prior to graduation.

Master's Thesis

A thesis is required of all students seeking the M.S. degree. The student's academic advisor must

approve the subject of the thesis. The Graduate School will furnish general thesis regulations upon

request. Any student who wishes to use University facilities or to confer with the faculty on thesis

work must be officially enrolled for thesis credit. Information about preparing a thesis to university

standards and submitting your thesis to the graduate college is found at

sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/graduate_school/academics/thesis_and_dissertation/index.php

Thesis Committee

A student’s M.S. Thesis Committee consists of the student’s advisor and the second reader of the

student’s thesis.

Thesis Presentation and Defense

The thesis presentation is to be open to all members of the University community and guests. The

presentation and defense are to be conducted during normal business hours and on a day on which

faculty members are expected to be on campus; more specifically, the exam should be held on the

Columbia campus, preferably in a conference room in 300 Main, Swearingen, or the Horizon

complex. It should be scheduled to take place Monday through Friday starting from 8:00 a.m. to

4:00 p.m. Official University Holidays are excluded based on the University Calendar of

Holidays. Exceptions to time and place must be requested through the Graduate Director one

month prior with a given explanation petitioning an exception to the rule(s). The Graduate

Director will present to the Graduate Committee and the committee will give a decision within 2

weeks after receiving the request.

At least 7 days prior to the thesis presentation and defense, the student must submit a copy of a

complete thesis to the advisor, the second reader, and the Graduate Director. At least 14 days prior

to the presentation and defense, a notice consisting of the presentation title, abstract, time, place, and

the names of the advisor and second reader is to be delivered to the Graduate Director. The notice is

to be approved by the Graduate Director, dated, and placed in the student's file. Using the information

supplied, the Graduate Studies Committee will publicize the thesis and defense.

Comprehensive Examination

A comprehensive examination covering the major field of study is required of all candidates for the

M.S. degree. This exam is conducted immediately following the thesis defense. The student's thesis

committee administers this exam.

For the M.E. degree, a student passes the comprehensive exam by demonstrating mastery of the

required coursework in the core classes. This mastery may be demonstrated by obtaining a 3.0

average in the core courses.

Graduation

Within 15 days after the beginning of the semester of graduation, the student should submit an

Application for Degree Form http://registrar.sc.edu/pdf/DegreeAppUpdated.pdf to the Graduate

School. Graduation information can be found at http://commencement.sc.edu/. If a student fails to

meet the requirements for graduation, a new application must be submitted for the subsequent

graduation term.

Timetable of Action for Master's Degree Students

A timetable of actions needed for the Master's degrees is presented below. Required forms should

be submitted to the Graduate School unless otherwise noted. The student bears the complete

responsibility to see that all deadlines are met and all forms have the required Departmental and

College approvals and that the forms are submitted to the Graduate School by the stated deadlines.

Form or Action

Deadline

Program of Study Form

End of the first semester enrolled as a graduate

student

Prior to graduation

Publication Requirement for MS Students

Prior to Graduation

Comprehensive Exam for M.E. students

Prior to graduation

Application for Degree Form

Within the first 15 days after the beginning of

the last semester before graduation

Submit Thesis Presentation Notice to

Graduate Director for Approval

14 days prior to thesis presentation and defense

Submission of Thesis to Thesis Committee

and Graduate Director

At least 7 days before thesis presentation and

defense

Filing of Thesis Form with required copies of

Approved Thesis

20 days before the end of the last semester

B. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE PROGRAM

Residency

Residence at an approved university is required for at least three academic years, or their equivalent,

after the candidate has begun graduate work. At least one year of the three must be spent on the

Columbia campus of the University of South Carolina and all must be within eight years of the date

at which the degree is to be granted.

The year of residence on the Columbia campus after admission to a doctoral program can be fulfilled

by successful completion of two consecutive semesters of 9 or more graduate credits per semester,

or three consecutive semesters of 6 or more graduate credits per semester. Enrollment in a summer

term (both sessions) may be counted as equivalent to a semester, but enrollment in summer is not

required to maintain continuity. Of the 18 hours, only 12 may be Dissertation Preparation (899).

The intent of the residency requirement is to ensure that doctoral students benefit from and contribute

to the complete spectrum of educational and professional opportunities provided on the campus of a

comprehensive university. When establishing residency, the student should interact with faculty and

peers by regularly attending courses, conferences, and seminars, and utilize the library resources and

laboratory facilities provided for graduate education.

Maximum Time Allowed

All work to be applied toward the Ph.D. must be completed within eight years prior to graduation.

Transfer Credit

If the student holds a qualified Master’s Degree in Engineering, the Master’s degree transfers in as

30 hours of graduate credit applied to the 60 hour post- baccalaureate Ph.D. program. If the student

exercises this option, no additional hours can be transferred into the remaining 30 hour of post-

Masters Ph.D. program. If the student does not have a qualified Master’s Degree in Engineering,

but has taken courses from a qualified graduate engineering program, the student is eligible to

transfer in a maximum of 12 semester credits that can be applied towards the 60 hour post-

baccalaureate Ph.D. program. Transfer credits from a previous graduate degree program must be

approved by both the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Graduate School. The credits

must be dated within eight years. Based on recommendations of the student’s Advisory Committee,

a maximum of 12 semester credits with a grade of B or better may be transferred. The course work

must be relevant to the current degree and have course content and level of instruction equivalent to

that offered by the University’s own graduate degree programs.

Advisory Committee

During the first semester after enrollment in the Ph.D. degree program and prior to the Ph.D.

Qualifying Exam, the student, in consultation with the student’s advisor, must submit the names of

the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee consists of a minimum of four faculty members,

one of which must be from outside DME. The student's academic advisor is typically the chairman

of the committee. This committee guides the student's dissertation work and advises on the Program

of Study. Typically, the student will ask those faculty members closely associated with the research

topic to be members of this committee. Faculty members have the right to decline any invitation to

serve on a particular committee. The Advisory Committee must be approved by the Chair of the

Department of Mechanical Engineering and by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Committees for Comprehensive Exam, Dissertation, and Dissertation

Examination

A student’s Advisory Committee also serves as the students’ Comprehensive Exam Committee,

Dissertation Committee, and Dissertation Examination Committee.

Program of Study

The Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of 60 graduate semester hours (including only 12 hours of

dissertation preparation) beyond the Bachelor's degree. A student without a master’s degree must

earn 48 graduate semester hours (42 or more hours must be graded graduate courses, half of which

must be at 700 or above). The student has to complete 1 course from the Engineering Anaylsis

track, 3 courses from their Major track of which 2 have to be 700 level courses, 2 from a minor

track of choice and remaining 10 can be picked from available courses from the department as

well as the college of engineering and computing, of these 12 courses at least 5 of them have to be

of 700 level. Business courses numbered 500 or above may be taken with advance approval by

the advisor and the Graduate Studies Committee. Other courses will be added to the list as

approved by the faculty.

Fig. GHB3: Program of study flow chart for Ph.D.in Mechanical Engineering without a prior master’s degree.

A student with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related field must take at

least 18 hours of graded graduate courses (half of which must be 700-level or above). The student

has to complete 3 courses from their Major track and can choose any other 3 courses in consultation

with their academic advisor/supervisor.

Fig. GHB4: Program of study flow chart for Ph.D.in Mechanical Engineering with a prior master’s degree

Students entering the Ph.D. program holding a Master’s degree in a subject other than mechanical

engineering will be required to take as part of their 18 hours of required, graded, course work. To

satisfy the prerequisite of the required course work, they must show equivalence in previous,

graduate, course work.

Prior to taking the Ph.D. qualifying exam, the student, in cooperation with the student’s Academic

Advisor, must complete the Ph.D. Program of Study Form. This form lists courses to be taken,

courses to be transferred to USC, and courses already taken at USC.

Publication Requirement

An educational objective for Ph.D. students is that they have the ability to communicate their

research results through oral presentations and written publications. Consistent with this objective,

a Ph.D. student is required to submit, based on research performed while at USC, at least one peer-

reviewed journal paper prior to graduation.

Ph.D. Qualifying Exam

The qualifying exam must be passed before a Ph.D. student can be admitted to candidacy. The

exam, consisting of both written and oral components, is created and conducted by the student’s

advisory committee. The advisory committee, based on the exam results, determines if the student

is qualified to pursue the Ph.D. degree program.

The designated date of the written and oral portions of the exam must be reported to the Graduate

Director at least 14 days before the exam. The written and oral portions need not be on the same

nor on consecutive days. It is permissible for the advisory committee to devise a written exam

which extends over several days.

The oral Ph.D. Qualifying Exam must be conducted during normal business hours and on a day

on which faculty members are expected to be on campus; more specifically, the exam should be

held on the Columbia campus, preferably in a conference room in 300 Main, Swearingen, or the

Horizon complex. It should be scheduled to take place Monday through Friday starting from 8:00

a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Official University Holidays are excluded based on the University Calendar of

Holidays. Exceptions to time and place must be requested through the Graduate Director one

month prior with a given explanation petitioning an exception to the rule(s). The Graduate

Director will present to the Graduate Committee and the committee will give a decision within 2

weeks after receiving the request.

A student, after being admitted to the Ph.D. degree program, will take the Ph.D. Qualifying exam

in the first spring semester after completing three graded graduate courses at USC or at an earlier

time specified by the student’s exam committee.

If the exam committee determines that a student is not qualified to pursue the Ph.D. degree

program, then the student cannot continue in the Ph.D. degree program but may apply for entrance

into the M.S. or M.E. degree program in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. A student

may re-apply for the Ph.D. degree program (a) after completing an M.S. or M.E. degree or (b) after

not being enrolled as a USC mechanical engineering student for two years.

Admission to Candidacy

The Dean of The Graduate School admits a student to doctoral candidacy after the student has (1)

passed the Ph.D. qualifying exam; (2) been fully admitted to the doctoral degree program; and (3)

filed an approved doctoral program of study with The Graduate School. The Graduate School will

notify the student and the graduate director of the admission to candidacy. Completion of all three

components of the admission to candidacy procedure should be at least one full academic year before

granting of the degree.

Comprehensive Exam

The Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam for the Department of Mechanical Engineering is to consist of

both written and oral parts. The examination is to be conducted by the student’s Comprehensive

Exam Committee. The examination is to focus on the student’s proposed dissertation work. The

student is to prepare a written dissertation proposal that will include background information,

literature review, and proposed work. This written dissertation proposal will be considered the

student's written examination and will be delivered to the examination committee no less than 7

days prior to the oral portion of the exam. The oral portion of the examination will consist of a 30

to 45-minute presentation of the proposed work followed by questions from the attendees. The

presentation is to be open to all members of the University community and guests. After questions

are complete from the general audience all non-faculty guests will be asked to leave the room. The

remaining faculty may ask questions of the candidate on any subject related to the proposed work.

The Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam must be conducted during normal business hours and on a day

on which faculty members are expected to be on campus; more specifically, the exam should be

held on Columbia campus, preferably a conference room in 300 Main, Swearingen, or the Horizon

complex. It should be scheduled to take place Monday through Friday starting from 8:00 a.m. to

4:00 p.m. Official University Holidays are excluded based on the University Calendar of

Holidays. Exceptions to time and place must be requested through the Graduate Director one

month prior with a given explanation petitioning an exception to the rule(s). The Graduate

Director will present to the Graduate Committee and the committee will give a decision within 2

weeks after receiving the request.

At least 14 days prior to the oral portion of the examination, a notice consisting of a presentation

title, abstract, time, place, name of the student's advisor, and names of the student’s Comprehensive

Examination Committee members is to be delivered to the DME Graduate Director. The notice is

to be approved by the Graduate Director and a copy of the notice placed in the student's file. Using

the information supplied, the Graduate Studies Committee will publicize the oral portion of the

examination.

Within 7 days after completion of the student’s exam, the examination committee will inform the

Graduate Studies Committee of the examination committee’s assessment of the student’s

performance on the exam. The examination committee shall recommend one of the following

options; 1) the student’s proposal is satisfactory, 2) the student’s proposal is unsatisfactory but

only minor revisions are needed, or 3) the student’s proposal is unsatisfactory and major revisions

are needed. In the case of option 2), the student must revise the proposal to the satisfaction of the

examination committee. Once the revisions are completed to the satisfaction of the examination

committee the student will have passed the exam. In the case of option 3), the student will have

one year to retake the exam. The student must complete both the written and oral portions. If a

student’s performance is unsatisfactory and major revisions are needed again, then the student will

be removed from the Ph.D. program.

Passage of the exam is required at least 12 calendar months prior to graduation. A student must

attempt the examination within 24 months (36 months for APOGEE students) after enrolling in

the Ph.D. degree program. The student must successfully pass the exam within 36 months (48

months for APOGEE). Any student who does not pass the examination within the specified time

limit cannot continue in the Ph.D. program. A student may appeal to the Graduate Studies

Committee for a 12-month extension. This appeal must include reasons for the student not

completing the exam on time, the plan for the student to complete the exam within 12 months, and

endorsement from the student’s dissertation committee.

Any student removed from the Ph.D. program, either for failure to take the exam or failure of the

exam, will be ineligible to reapply for the Ph.D. program unless the student has earned an M.S.

degree after being removed or has not been enrolled at USC for 2 years after being removed.

Doctoral Dissertation

No later than five years after the Comprehensive Exam, the student must present a dissertation based

on research that has been approved by the student’s Dissertation Committee and the Dean of the

Graduate School.

Electronic copy of the approved dissertation and abstract must be filed in the Graduate School office

at least 20 days prior to the end of the semester that the student wishes to graduate. Information on

the fees associated with dissertation submission is available in the Doctoral Dissertation Guidelines

or from the Graduate School. During the preparation of the dissertation, any student who wishes to

use University facilities or to confer with the faculty on dissertation work must be officially enrolled

for dissertation credit. Registration for a minimum of 12 credits in Dissertation Preparation is

required of all doctoral candidates.

Dissertation Presentation and Defense/Examination

The dissertation presentation is to be open to all members of the University community and guests.

The Ph.D. defense must be conducted during normal business hours and on a day on which faculty

members are expected to be on campus; more specifically, the exam should be held on the

Columbia campus, preferably in a conference room in 300 Main, Swearingen, or the Horizon

complex. It should be scheduled to take place Monday through Friday starting from 8:00 a.m. to

4:00 p.m. Official University Holidays are excluded based on the University Calendar of

Holidays. Exceptions to time and place must be requested through the Graduate Director one

month prior with a given explanation petitioning an exception to the rule(s). The Graduate

Director will present to the Graduate Committee and the committee will give a decision within 2

weeks after receiving the request.

At least 14 days prior to the presentation and defense, a notice consisting of presentation title,

abstract, time, place, name of student's advisor, and names of the student’s Dissertation Examination

Committee members is to be delivered to the Graduate Director. The notice is to be approved by the

Graduate Director and a copy of the notice placed in the student's file. Using the information

supplied, the Graduate Studies Committee will publicize the dissertation and defense.

At least 7 days prior to the presentation and defense, the student must deliver a printed copy of the

complete dissertation to members of the student’s Dissertation Examination Committee and to the

Graduate Director.

Immediately following the dissertation presentation, the student must orally defend the dissertation

before their Dissertation Examination Committee and other members of the DME Graduate Faculty.

This dissertation exam is primarily concerned with evaluation of the student's dissertation and

understanding in the student’s area of specialization. The exam will be interpreted as pass or fail.

Students who fail the exam may be allowed to correct the dissertation and/or re-stand the oral

examination, depending upon the decision of their Dissertation Examination Committee. A student

who is not granted a re-examination or does not properly correct the dissertation may not receive a

Ph.D. degree in the DME.

Graduation

Within 15 days after the beginning of the semester of graduation, the student should submit an

Application for Degree Form http://registrar.sc.edu/pdf/DegreeAppUpdated.pdf to the Graduate

School. Graduation information can be found at http://commencement.sc.edu/. If a student fails to

meet the requirements for graduation, a new application must be submitted for the subsequent

graduation term.

Timetable of Action for Ph.D. Degree Students

A timetable of actions needed for the Ph.D. degree is presented below. Required forms should be

submitted to the Graduate School unless otherwise noted. The student bears the complete

responsibility for seeing that all deadlines are met, that all forms have the required Departmental

and College approvals, and that the forms are submitted to the Graduate School by the stated

deadlines.

Form or Action

Deadline

Advisory Committee formed

Within the 1

semester after enrollment in the

program and before the Ph.D. Qualifying

Exam

Program of Study Form

Prior to taking the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam and

whenever changed

Ph.D. Qualifying Exam

Exam schedule to Graduate Director 14 days

before the exam; Exam in the first spring

semester after completing three graded

graduate courses at USC or at an earlier time

specified by the student’s exam committee.

Comprehensive Examination

During the first 24 months (36 months for

APOGEE students) after enrollment in the

Ph.D. degree program and 12 months prior to

graduation

Publication requirement

Prior to graduation

Submit notice for the oral portion of the

Comprehensive Examination to the Graduate

Director

14 days prior to the Oral Comprehensive

Examination date

Submission of Dissertation Proposal to the

Comprehensive Examination Committee and

to the Graduate Director

At least 7 days prior to the oral portion of

Comprehensive Examination

Application for Degree Form

15 days after the beginning of the last semester

Submit Dissertation Presentation Notice to

Graduate Director

14 days prior to dissertation presentation

Submission of Dissertation to Dissertation

Committee and to the Graduate Director

At least 7 days prior to dissertation

presentation

Filing of Dissertation Form with required

copies of the approved dissertation and

abstract

20 days before the end of the last semester(See

the Graduate Studies Bulletin and Doctoral

Dissertation Guidelines for additional

requirements)