The student seeking a Ph.D. degree in the field of engineering or applied science is a member of a community of researchers and professional practitioners, both student and faculty, who are working close to the very frontier of human knowledge in their individual areas of specialization. It is a stimulating intellectual experience that involves the interplay of highly capable minds in the realm of ideas and concepts.

Study for the Ph.D. in engineering includes the demonstrated mastery of an area of scientific and engineering knowledge and the defense of an original scholarly dissertation based on independent research.

The Ph.D. SE degree aims to achieve simultaneously the following educational goals:

1. Provide a solid foundation and depth in systems engineering theory and practice.
2. Provide breadth across transdisciplinary engineering fields.
3. Provide specialized contributions to the Systems Engineering Body of Knowledge through the Doctor of Philosophy dissertation.