General information
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mechanical Engineering allows a student to study all of the main areas associated with mechanical engineering. In addition, the program features specialized fields of study in which students can focus and address key technical areas of the future that are expected to be in high demand by employers.
The PhD program is comprised of three fields:
- Automotive Engineering
- Energy and Thermofluids Engineering
- Mechatronics and Manufacturing Engineering
Alternatively, a student can choose to cover many facets of the broad discipline of mechanical engineering. Topics can vary widely and may include robotics, automation and mechatronics; mechanics, controls and computer-aided design; and thermofluids and heat transfer. Mechanical engineering is often interdisciplinary, overlapping significantly with such disciplines as electrical, computer and software engineering. Opportunities exist for graduate students to explore these areas.
Admission requirements
In addition to the general admission requirements for graduate studies , PhD applicants must have completed a MASc-level degree in engineering at a Canadian university or its equivalent.
Under exceptional circumstances, Master of Applied Science (MASc) students may transfer directly to the PhD program after completing one academic year in the MASc program if the following conditions are met:
- They complete a full master’s program of course work (five graduate courses worth a total of 15 credits) with at least an A average.
- They show strong evidence of research ability.
- The research supervisor(s) and supervisory committee approve the direct transfer. The transfer must also be approved by the graduate program director and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Normally, the faculty will require up to 12 additional credits of course work in the PhD program.
See the university’s policy on transferring from a thesis-based master’s to a PhD program for additional information.
A current list of graduate faculty is available on the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science’s website.
Part-time studies
To facilitate access to all potential students, part-time studies are permitted.
Degree requirements
Students in the PhD program must complete four courses worth a total of 12 credits, the PhD Candidacy Exam (ENGR 6001G ), Seminar (ENGR 6003G ), Workshops (ENGR 6006G ) and a dissertation worth 40 credits (ENGR 6002G ).
A student who has been approved to transfer directly into the PhD program after one full year in the MASc program must complete nine courses worth a total of 27 credits, Seminar (ENGR 6003G ), Workshops (ENGR 6006G ) and a dissertation worth 40 credits (ENGR 6002G ).
Within 18 months of entry into the PhD program, PhD students must prepare a written research proposal and pass the oral PhD candidacy exam (ENGR 6001G ). PhD students must successfully defend their dissertation (ENGR 6002G ) in front of an examining committee.
Note: PhD students may not take any undergraduate-level courses in lieu of their graduate course requirements.
Courses outside of the program
Students may take up to two courses in other graduate programs at the university, provided that students have not taken similar courses during their undergraduate or master’s degrees, and the courses are approved by the graduate program director. Students who wish to take courses outside of their program must gain approval from the graduate program director. Students who are uncertain about the academic background needed for a graduate course should consult the course instructor before registering for the course.
Course listing
In the list of engineering graduate courses below, courses related to the Energy and Thermofluids Engineering field are numbered as ENGR 51xxG. Courses related to the Mechatronics and Manufacturing Engineering field are numbered as ENGR 5221G through ENGR 5263G. Courses related to the Design field are numbered as ENGR 527XG.
PhD students may select from the courses listed for Energy and Thermofluids Engineering, Mechatronics and Manufacturing Engineering, and the core automotive courses (ENGR 53xxG).
Courses numbered ENGR 50xxG are common to all fields. Note that ENGR 6000-level courses are restricted to PhD students.
Program learning outcomes
The following outcomes outline the knowledge and skills students will have achieved upon completion of the program.
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