Graduate Degree Programs — PhD/DSc
More details can be found in the campus bulletin.
Students pursuing the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Science (DSc) degrees in Electrical Engineering or Systems Science & Mathematics must complete a minimum of 72 credit hours of post-baccalaureate study consistent with the residency and other applicable requirements of Washington University in St. Louis and the Graduate School. These 72 units must consist of at least 36 units of course work and at least 24 units of research, and may include work done to satisfy the requirements of a master's degree in a related discipline. Up to 24 units for the PhD and 30 units for the DSc may be transferred to Washington University in St. Louis from another institution.
The doctoral degree should ordinarily take no more than five years to complete, for students who enter the program with a baccalaureate degree. While individual circumstances will vary, the typical timeline will be as follows:
Year 1: Course work and written qualifying examination
Year 2: Course work, preliminary research, research advisory committee selection
Year 3: Course work and preliminary research examination
Year 4: Research
Year 5: Research, completion of dissertation, and final oral examination
Students who enter the program with a master's degree may be able to shorten this timeline by one year or more.
INDEPENDENT STUDY/ MASTER RESEARCH FORM (.pdf)