Graduate Studies

The Ph.D. program in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University is a research intensive program designed to prepare engineers to enter careers in industry, government, or academia. The department’s faculty members are engaged in a wide breadth of research, including: process systems engineering and process safety; biomolecular engineering; materials engineering; and computational chemical engineering. The Ph.D. program will provide the student with an advanced understanding of fundamental subjects such as transport phenomena, reaction kinetics, and thermodynamics integrated with mathematics and science. Research that students are working on ranges from highly applied research in the areas of biomass utilization, process safety, and hydrocarbon processing to very fundamental research in nanotechnology, life sciences, and molecular simulation. Students learn complex problem solving and computational skills that will aid them both in their graduate research and future careers.

For more information or to apply for this program, click here. 

Work leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is designed to give the candidate a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of his or her professional field and training in methods of research. The final basis for granting the degree shall be the candidate’s grasp of the subject matter of a broad field of study and a demonstrated ability to do independent research. In addition, the candidate must have acquired the ability to express thoughts clearly and forcefully in both oral and written languages. The degree is not granted solely for the completion of coursework, residence and technical requirements, although these must be met.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and in computer engineering. For the Ph.D. in electrical engineering, students choose one of seven focus areas within the department, including 1) Analog and Mixed Signal, 2) Biomedical Imaging, Sensing and Genomic Signal Processing, 3) Device Science and Nanotechnology, 4) Energy and Power, 5) Electromagnetics and Microwaves, 6) Information Science and Systems, and 7) Computer Engineering Systems. 

For the Ph.D. in computer engineering, students choose research from one of the Computer Engineering focus areas, including 1) Computer Architecture, 2) Cyber Physical Systems, 3) Data Science, 4) Electronic Design Automation, 5) Hardware Security, 6) Networks, and 7) VLSI Circuits and Systems.

For more information or to apply for this program, click here. 

The Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Mechanical Engineering is a 30-credit hour non-thesis graduate degree. This program provides advanced classroom instruction of greater depth than available in a Bachelor of Science degree. Master of Engineering students may choose to specialize in a technical area of interest or take courses across several technical areas.

The Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MS) is for the student wanting to develop independent learning and research skills and function independently as a solver of “arbitrarily” hard engineering problems. The MS is a 2 year, research intensive experience that includes advanced coursework.  

The Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering is for the student wanting to develop the skills needed to create and discover new knowledge, direct and lead a research group, and otherwise serve as a leader in the process of discovery. The ability to function as a knowledge discovery leader is useful in industry, research labs, and academia. 

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree requires a minimum of 96 semester credit hours beyond a baccalaureate degree, and a minimum of 64 semester credit hours for a student who has completed a master’s degree. A student in this program must pass the Qualifying Exams according to the Ph.D. qualifying examination guidelines found below.

For more information or to apply for any of the above programs, click here.

Applicants can pursue either a M.S. in Petroleum Engineering, an online M.Eng. in Petroleum Engineering or a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering. The program is recognized for excellence in teaching and research, both nationally and internationally. Our graduate courses and instruction provide the skills and tools needed for understanding and solving the tough problems the oil and gas industry faces when recovering oil and gas from older reservoirs or producing and managing hydrocarbons from newer resources.

We offer degree programs for those who want to go beyond their bachelor’s degree and specialize in a chosen field of study, whether though practical courses or research work.

Research areas include advanced drilling technologies, advanced well completion technologies, gas hydrates, prediction models for unconventional reservoirs, resorvoir modeling and simulation, unconventional reservoir development and assessment, and well simulation.

For information or to apply for any of the above programs, click here.

The Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Engineering, through the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering (MTDE), has an opportunity for candidates to pursue novel paths of study and research that span across the traditional departmental structure and has a multi-decade history with the PhD first offered in 1975.  The program allows candidates to develop unique expertise in emerging areas that may not be covered by traditional departmental degree programs and provides a path for those whose research interests cross engineering disciplines and/or college lines. Examples of previously awarded interdisciplinary topics include environmental engineering and public policy; and engineering and education.  Graduates with interdisciplinary engineering skill sets are highly sought after by employers, and the PhD in ITDE poises graduates to become leaders in academic organizations, government and industry. Doctoral candidates are expected to excel academically with high-quality journal publications before defending their dissertations and are further expected to establish strong relationships with industry, through internships and related activities. For specific degree information, please see Ph.D. Requirements and Contacts.

For more information or to apply for this program, click here.

The Master of Engineering degree in Materials Science and Engineering is a non-thesis degree providing students advanced specialized training intended to prepare them to transition to technical positions in industry or doctoral graduate programs in science or engineering. Students deepen their understanding by completing advanced coursework in foundational MSEN topics, such as thermodynamics, kinetics, solid-state physics, and mechanical behavior of materials. Furthermore, students broaden their exposure to new topics through attendance at seminars and through coursework in specialized areas of MSEN, such as Adaptive Functional Materials, Advanced Structural Materials, Computational Materials Science Design, and Materials Informatics, Electrochemistry and Corrosion Science Engineering, Infrastructure Materials, Materials for Extreme Environments, Materials Synthesis and Processing, Polymers, Soft Matter and Composites, Small Scale Characterization Techniques, or Quantum Materials. Visit the MSEN Graduate Catalog and OGAPS Steps to Fulfill Master's Degree for detailed information on program requirements. For information on how to apply and deadlines, visit MSEN Graduate Admissions or email. 

The Master of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering, similar to MEng, provides students with advanced specialized training intended to prepare them to transition to technical positions in industry or doctoral graduate programs in science or engineering. Students deepen their understanding by completing advanced coursework in foundational MSEN topics, such as thermodynamics, kinetics, solid-state physics, and mechanical behavior of materials. Furthermore, students broaden their exposure to new topics through attendance at seminars and through coursework in specialized areas of MSEN, such as Adaptive Functional Materials, Advanced Structural Materials, Computational Materials Science Design, and Materials Informatics, Electrochemistry and Corrosion Science Engineering, Infrastructure Materials, Materials for Extreme Environments, Materials Synthesis and Processing, Polymers, Soft Matter and Composites, Small Scale Characterization Techniques, or Quantum Materials. Moreover, the MS degree allows students to elect either a thesis- or non-thesis-based track for degree completion. Visit the MSEN Graduate Catalog and OGAPS Steps to Fulfill Master's Degree for detailed information on program requirements.For information on how to apply and deadlines, visit MSEN Graduate Admissions or email.

Designed to prepare engineers to enter careers in industry, government, or academia, the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Materials Science and Engineering emphasizes the creation and discovery of new knowledge through extensive independent research, including the formulation of hypotheses, the interpretation of phenomena revealed by research, and the extraction of general principles upon which predictions can be made. An essential part of this process is presenting and defending the results.

Each Doctoral student's research is guided by a faculty advisor and a dissertation committee with incorporated milestones allowing graduation within five years. The milestones and expectations for doctoral students are as follows: Identify Faculty/Research Advisor (1^st Semester), Qualifying Exam (3^rd semester), Establish Committee (4^th semester), Submit Degree Plan (5^th semester), Proposal & Preliminary Exam (6^th Semester), and Final Defense (4^th or 5^th year). A custom coursework plan is created for each student based on their goals, interests, and current expertise and knowledge to best prepare them for their desired career path.

Doctoral students working with faculty at Qatar campus must adhere to the OGAPS and Departmental residency requirements by completing a minimum of one consecutive year (Fall, Spring, Summer) in residence at College Station, Texas A&M. MSEN strongly recommends fulfilling this requirement during the first year while completing required core background courses in preparation for the Qualifying Examination. Then students may go to Qatar for their research; however, it is recommended that students return for one semester to complete their Final Defense at College Station, Texas A&M.

The final basis for granting the degree shall be the candidate's grasp of the subject matter of a broad field of study and a demonstrated ability to do independent research. Also, the candidate must have acquired the ability to express thoughts clearly and forcefully in both oral and written language. The degree is not granted solely for the completion of coursework, residence, and technical requirements, although these must be met. For more information on program requirements, visit the MSEN Graduate Catalog and OGAPS Steps to Fulfill Doctoral Degree.

Focus areas within the department, include Adaptive Functional Materials; Advanced Structural Materials; Computational Materials Science Design, and Materials Informatics; Electrochemistry and Corrosion Science Engineering; Infrastructure Materials; Materials for Extreme Environments; Materials Synthesis and Processing; Polymers, Soft Matter and Composites; Small Scale Characterization Techniques; or Quantum Materials.

For information on how to apply and deadlines, visit MSEN Graduate Admissions or email.

The Master of Science in Safety Engineering (M.S.SENG) is administered by the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University. The objective of this program is to teach the principles and practices of safety engineering for leadership careers in industry. This program includes extensive engineering applications with integration of safety principles, safety practices and case studies. The MS in Safety Engineering program is also available on the Texas A&M University College Station campus and via distance learning delivered asynchronously.  The prerequisite for the M.S. in Safety Engineering program is a Bachelor Degree in Engineering. 

For more information or to apply for this program, click here.