Curriculum and Training
Enrollment will include qualifying coursework, electives, research coursework (MFG 990 pre-candidate research and then MFG 995 candidate research) and additional courses approved by the D. Eng. Advisor.
Pre-candidate coursework emphasizes depth in his/her engineering discipline along with breadth in various engineering areas and areas beyond engineering related to manufacturing.
During the student’s first month in the program, the student will work with his/her advisor to prepare a plan of study following the D. Eng in Mfg. Curriculum. The student’s advisor and the director of the D. Eng. In Mfg. program will approve the student’s plan of study.
Residency
For the first year in the program (first Fall and Winter terms), the student must be enrolled as a full time on-campus student in Ann Arbor. Courses elected for “visitor” status and MFG 590 Directed Study, MFG 990 Pre-Candidate Research or MFG 995 Candidate research elections cannot be used to fulfill the residency requirement.
Minimum of 18 letter-graded (A-E) Credit hours
By the completion of the first two semesters of enrollment, each student must successfully complete a minimum of 18 letter-graded (A-E) credit hours beyond his or her master’s degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3/4 and must obtain at least a 3.5/4 GPA average toward the Qualifying Coursework requirement.
400 and above level courses
At least 12 of the required 18 letter-graded (A-E) credit hours must be at the 500-level or above, thus at most 6 credit hours can be at the 400-level. To be applied towards the 18-credit-hour requirement, those 400-level courses must be accepted for graduate credits by the department or unit that offers the courses.
Transfer of Credit
Of the required 18 letter-graded (A-E) credit hours, a student may transfer up to 6 approved credits. Approved transfer credits may come from an accredited institution other than the University of Michigan, credits completed in another University of Michigan School or College, e.g., School of Public Health, or from graduate level courses taken at U-M before enrolling in the D. Eng. In Mfg. program. Transfer courses must be courses that do not count toward another degree or certificate.
Research
Research involves active, student-directed inquiry into an engineering topic. Conducting research requires combining knowledge gained in the classroom with the ability to read the scientific literature, identify critical knowledge gaps, structure complex problems, formulate and test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data, and present and discuss technical results. Engineering research also requires significant experimental, computational, and analytical skills. A student learns these core skills as s/he pursues the research topic.
Many of these skills cannot be learned in the classroom setting, but instead must be developed in the laboratory, library, and conference room as the student actively interacts with faculty, other students, and researchers around the world. Independent, non-classroom based learning and problem solving is a core aspect of the D. Eng. in Mfg. degree. Upon completion of the dissertation the student should be an international expert in a technical area. Dissemination of new knowledge at technical conferences and in peer-reviewed archival publications is an important part of research.
Students at the pre-candidacy and candidacy stages will work with their D. Eng. advisor to determine the number of MFG 990 pre-candidate or MFG 995 Candidate research credits to enroll in during the fall and winter semesters. At least 6 MFG 990 pre-candidate credits must be completed before moving to candidacy.
D. Eng. In Mfg. Curriculum
Qualifying Coursework (12 Letter-Graded (A-E) credits):
Complete at least 12 letter-graded credits (4 courses)
At least 9 credits (3 courses) letter graded (A-E) Engineering Core Courses
Enhance depth in his/her engineering discipline. Courses may be selected from the Manufacturing Core list of courses or from the student’s relevant engineering department core courses that are considered as qualifying exam courses.
At least 3 Credits (1 course) letter graded (A-E) Minor Engineering Course
Gain breadth across engineering discipline.
Qualifying Coursework Evaluation
The grades that students receive in the Qualifying Coursework will be averaged to determine Qualifying Coursework GPA (QC-GPA):
≥3.5 – Pass
≥3.3 – <3.5 – Conditional Pass
<3.3 Fail
Conditional Pass: If Qualifying Coursework Evaluation is ≥3.3 – <3.5, the student’s advisor will provide a detailed report evaluating the student’s research performance with a recommendation to “Pass” or “Fail”. Then, the D. Eng. In Mfg. Program Committee will make a vote for the final decision.
Fail: If Qualifying Coursework Evaluation is <3.3 by the end of first two semesters (first fall and Winter semesters), the student will be allowed to request to add one more qualifying course to increase this QC-GPA by the end of third semester.
Electives (6 Letter-Graded (A-E) Credits):
6 letter-graded A-E Elective credits
Gain breadth across engineering disciplines and/or to gain breadth beyond engineering
Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship Training (RCRS)
All D. Eng. In Mfg. students are required to complete training in the responsible conduct of research and scholarship before advancing to candidacy – ideally in the first year of the D. Eng. program. Find the RCRS program overview and description of the four required workshops at this link. Find the RCRS workshop schedules at this link.
GSI Oral English Test (OET) OET is used to review the English proficiency of international students. Passing the exam is a requirement for international PhD students and is necessary to ensure satisfactory progress while simultaneously confirming the ability of that student to be an effective GSI. All international students must pass the OET by the end of their 3rd semester of enrollment after admission in order to be considered making satisfactory progress toward their degree. International students whose undergraduate education was taught exclusively in English may be exempt from the OET. Must be taken before moving to candidacy. Upon successful completion of this requirement, the student will then be eligible to hold a GSI position.