To be considered for to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in biosystems engineering, an applicant must take the Graduate Record Examination General Test and have the scores sent to the department.
Regular Status. to the doctoral degree program in biosystems engineering with regular status may be granted by the department, subject to the availability of resources and to the approval of the dean.
To be admitted to the doctoral program in biosystems engineering, an applicant should have a master's degree and must:
- Have either a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or a master's degree in engineering.
- Demonstrate evidence of ability and resolution to complete a doctoral program, as attested by the department upon review of the applicant's academic record, test scores, experience, reference statements, professional qualifications, proposed studies, and other relevant information.
to the doctoral program without a master's degree, or the equivalent thereof, requires special approval by the department and the dean.
Provisional Status. to the doctoral degree program in biosystems engineering with provisional status may be granted by the department, subject to the approval of the dean:
- To an applicant qualified for regular except that collateral courses are deemed necessary, or
- To an applicant whose record is incomplete.
A student who is admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program without a Master of Science degree in engineering may be required to complete collateral courses, in addition to the courses that are required for the doctoral degree. If collateral courses are required, they will be specified on the form. Biosystems Engineering 490 and 890 may not be used to satisfy collateral course requirements.
The provisional status will be changed to regular status when the conditions specified on the form have been met, as determined by the department and approved by the dean.
Guidance Committee
The student's guidance committee consists of at least four regular faculty members and is appointed by the department chairperson in consultation with the student and the appropriate faculty members, and with the approval of the dean. At least two members of the guidance committee shall be from the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering and at least one member shall be from a different department preferably in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources or the College of Engineering. The chairperson of the guidance committee will be appointed by the department chairperson after consultation with the student and the person recommended to chair the committee.
Guidance Committee Report
The student's program of study shall be submitted for approval to the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering and to the dean by no later than the end of the student's second semester of enrollment in the doctoral program. The subject matter and instructor must be specified for every independent study, special problems, or selected topics course that is included in the student's approved program of study.
The student's program of study must be approved in order for the student to continue to enroll in the doctoral degree program beyond the second semester.
Modification of Program
The following changes are not permitted in a student's approved program of study:
- Adding or deleting a course for which a grade has already been assigned under any of the three grading systems (numerical, Pass–No Grade, or Credit–No Credit).
- Adding or deleting a course for which grading was postponed by the use of the DF–Deferred marker.
- Adding or deleting a course which the student dropped after the middle of the semester and for which “W” or “N” or “0.0" was designated.
- Adding or deleting a course during the final semester of enrollment in the doctoral degree program.
Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Biosystems Engineering
The student must:
