Marine Science and Technology PhD

Additional Course Requirements for PhD Students

In the PhD program students complete the same courses as do MS students, as listed here Marine Science and Technology MS, with modifications to those requirements as indicated in parenthetical annotations. The PhD students normally take the four required core courses in their first year. Work in the option area usually includes at least an additional 24 credit hours of courses, which help the student prepare for the written and oral parts of a general examination.

Additional information on the PhD program can be found on the SMAST website.

PhD Candidacy Examinations and Dissertation

No later than the sixth semester, the student’s committee administers the written and oral candidacy examinations. The candidacy examinations are comprehensive and cover the core areas and the student’s area of concentration. They are designed to test the intellectual competence and maturity of the student in the broad area of marine sciences and technology and in the selected area of concentration.

A scholarly dissertation based on original research is required of all PhD candidates. Dissertation research may be done in the laboratory or the field, or may be carried out in part during residence with an appropriate private business or government agency. Presentation and defense of a satisfactory dissertation, normally to be completed within five years from the date of advancement to candidacy, fulfill the degree requirements. The dissertation defense consists of a public lecture on the dissertation and a subsequent oral examination by the candidate’s dissertation committee.

Students must register for dissertation research each semester after completing formal coursework, until they complete their degree.