School of Engineering and Applied Science

Dean

H. Vincent Poor

Associate Dean

Margaret R. Martonosi, Academic Affairs

Catherine A. Peters, Academic Affairs

Associate Dean

Peter Bogucki, Undergraduate Affairs

Associate Dean

Stephen J. Friedfeld, Graduate Affairs

Associate Dean

Roland H. Heck, Operations and Research Affairs

 

The School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) offers programs of graduate study and research in each of its departments: chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical and aerospace engineering, and operations research and financial engineering. All of the departments offer the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Master of Engineering (M. Eng.). A Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) is available from some departments. In addition, programs are available in applied and computational mathematics, environmental engineering and water resources, materials science and technology, plasma science and technology, and transportation. These programs are discussed elsewhere in this catalog.

The programs leading to the Ph.D. are intended to provide education in advanced phases of engineering and applied science, the related pure sciences, and mathematics. Admission to the programs is limited to students of outstanding promise with prior bachelor’s or master’s degrees in relevant engineering, science, and mathematical areas. Graduates are well-suited for careers in research, development, design, and engineering education. Many also contribute to leadership roles in industry, government, and non-government organizations. The M.S.E. is also a research-oriented degree, and requires a thesis. Together with the M.Eng. program, it provides preparation for further study or a career path.

Admission

Graduate study in SEAS requires admission to one of the departments or a program with degree-granting privileges. The chosen department or program examines the applicant’s record and makes a recommendation for admission to the dean of the Graduate School. Departments expect evidence of superior performance in prior academic and research activities, as well as in the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and demonstrated potential for a strong performance at Princeton.

English Language Proficiency

Non-native English speakers who are accepted to SEAS doctoral programs must demonstrate their English language proficiency by achieving a score of 50 or better in the Speaking Proficiency in English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) test administered by Princeton’s English Language Program (ELP) in September. Students who fail to pass the SPEAK test must enroll for ELP classes in their first semester, and are then eligible to take the Princeton Oral Proficiency Test (POPT) to demonstrate their improved language skills. Passing the POPT allows a graduate student to become an assistant in instruction (AI) and continue his or her Ph.D. candidacy. Students who do not pass the POPT within the first academic year of their doctoral program are required to take a specified ELP summer English course, and must satisfy the language requirement before the beginning of their second academic year.

Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. requires successful performance on the general examination, the preparation of a dissertation, and its successful defense in a final public oral examination. Departments may apply other requirements to their degree program, and students should refer to the respective catalog descriptions. If, at the time of the general examination, a Ph.D. candidate’s performance raises serious doubts about his or her ability to do scholarly work, Ph.D. candidacy may be terminated. After careful consideration of the overall record, an M.A. degree may be awarded, or the student may be allowed to complete work for an M.S.E. degree.

The M.S.E. requires a course of study and research prescribed by the department and the submission of a thesis. The thesis is evaluated by the student’s adviser and another reader prior to its submission to the faculty for acceptance in fulfillment of the degree requirements. With the approval of the department and the dean of the Graduate School, a successful M.S.E. student may continue study toward a Ph.D. Graduate students may not pursue a master’s and doctoral program at the same time.

The M.Eng. requires a prescribed course of study and satisfactory performance, but it does not require a thesis. The course sequence is normally completed in one academic year; however, employees of government or industrial organizations may study on a part-time basis and extend the program for a longer period of time. Arrangements for part-time study are negotiated with the host department and must be approved by the Graduate School. Part-time study incurs a basic program fee and individual course fees during the part-time period. Students taking four courses in any one term are considered to be enrolled full-time and are charged full tuition.

If a candidate wishes to be recognized at the graduation ceremony at the end of the academic year, all degree requirements must be completed in time for his or her name and degree to appear on the degree list.

Support

Fellowship support is available for all first-year students enrolled in a Ph.D. program. In general, these students are supported as an assistant in research (AR) or an assistant in instruction (AI) for the remaining years of their program. A limited number of fellowships recognizing academic merit are also available. Applicants are encouraged to apply for national fellowships prior to entering Princeton, and/or again as enrolled graduate students, where applicable. Summer support is normally available for students from their advisers’ research funding.

M.S.E. students are also encouraged to apply for national or other fellowships. Some departments have a limited number of fellowships that can be applied to the support of M.S.E. students; most, however, are supported as assistants in research.

M.Eng. students are expected to meet the cost of their year of study from their own resources. Very limited scholarship assistance may be available to meet special situations.

Additional information concerning tuition, other fees, fellowships, scholarships, and research assistantships may be found in the front of this catalog.

General Information

The teaching, research, and library resources of SEAS are housed in a group of buildings forming the engineering complex at the east end of the main campus, with additional research facilities on the James Forrestal campus across Route One. In addition to a collection of several hundred thousand journals, technical reports and books, the Engineering Research Library has a large reference and bibliographic section, and the University library system makes many journals readily available online. Other excellent science libraries exist on campus and at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), located on the Forrestal campus.