In order to be admitted to study for the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy in Aeronautics and Astronautics, students
must have fulfilled the requirements for the Department's Master
of Science degree or its substantial equivalent.
Applicants who have received their M.S. from other
institutions may apply directly to the Ph.D. program. Students
who are currently pursuing the M.S. in our department and wish
to continue for the Ph.D. should submit a Graduate Program Authorization
petition form to the Student Services Office at the beginning
of their last quarter in the Master's program. Current Stanford
students in other degree programs who wish to be considered
for admission to the Aero/Astro Ph.D. program will also follow
the procedures described above, but will need to submit additional
supporting materials; check with the Aero/Astro Student Services
Office for details. (See Admissions
and Financial Aid: Current Stanford Students.)
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
The doctoral study program is essentially a specialized
continuation of the program for the Master's degree. Each individual
program, designed by the student in consultation with the advisor,
should represent a strong and cohesive program reflecting the
student's major field of interest. A total of 90 units of credit
is required beyond the M.S. Of these 90 units, a minimum of
36 must be formal coursework (excluding research, directed study,
and seminars), consisting primarily of graduate courses in engineering
and the pertinent sciences. The remainder of the 90 units may
be in the form of either Ph.D. dissertation units or free electives.
Units which were applied toward the M.S. degree cannot be used
again. For students who elect a minor in another department,
a maximum of 12 units from the minor program may be included
in the 36 units of formal coursework; the remaining minor units
may be considered free electives, and included within the 90
unit total required for the Aero/Astro Ph.D.
Mathematics: Students who are working
towards the doctoral degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics
must take 12 units of mathematics courses, with at least 6 of
these units taken from courses with numbers over 200. There
are many courses offered by the Aero/Astro department and the
other engineering departments that have sufficient mathematical
content that they may be used to satisfy the Mathematics requirement;
a partial list is included in this Guide, but there are many
others which may be acceptable. Please consult with your advisor
and the A/A Student Services office before assuming that a particular
course will be accepted in your own program.
CANDIDACY
At Stanford, Ph.D. students must complete the
candidacy process and be admitted to candidacy by their second
year of doctoral study. There are two requirements for admission
to Ph.D. Candidacy in Aero/Astro: students must first pass the
departmental qualifying exam (for detailed deadlines, see the
section on Ph.D. Qualification, following), and must then submit
an official Application for Candidacy. This "candidacy
form" lists the courses the student will take to fulfill
the requirements for the degree. The form must include the full
90 non-MS units required for the Ph.D.; it should be signed
by the advisor and submitted to the A/A Student Services office
for the Candidacy Chairman's signature. Aero/Astro has a department-specific
Candidacy form, which may be obtained in the A/A Student Services
office.
The Application for Candidacy is due in the A/A
Student Services Office before the end of the quarter in
which you pass the Qualifying Examination. Changes can be
filed at any time by submitting a revised Candidacy form: obtain
your advisor's signature and submit it to the A/A Student Services
office for Candidacy Chairman's approval. In order to graduate
or go TGR, you must have completed all the units listed on your
current Candidacy form.
Candidacy is valid for five years; this term
is not affected by leaves of absence.
Ph.D. QUALIFICATION PROCEDURES
Before beginning dissertation research for the
Ph.D. degree, a student must pass the Departmental Qualifying
Examination. (Students may be admitted to the Ph.D. program
and begin doctoral coursework before taking the Qualifying Exam.)
The basis of this examination is a series of oralexams in the
general areas of control theory & dynamics, fluids, and
structures.
TIME
The Aero/Astro Ph.D. Qualifying Exam is given
twice annually, during Fall and Spring quarters. Normally, exams
will be scheduled for the second week of November and the second
week of May. Exact dates of each quarter’s exam will be
confirmed and announced several weeks prior to the exam.
DEADLINE
A student in the Aero/Astro M.S. program who
wishes to pursue doctoral study must take the Qualifying Exam
in Fall of the second year. (If an assistantship or fellowship
limited the student to 10 units/quarter for more than half of
the first year, s/he may take the exam in Spring of the second
year.) A Ph.D. student who did not study in our M.S program
must take the first available Qualifying Exam after 2 quarters
of study here. Honors Cooperative students who have enrolled
at less-than-fulltime for most of their study should take the
Qualifying Exam within 2 years after entering the Ph.D. program.
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility – If a student does not meet the following
conditions and so cannot take the Qualifying Exam by the appropriate
deadline, then s/he cannot enter or continue in the Aero/Astro
Ph.D. program.
a) current enrollment in the Ph.D. program
in Aeronautics and Astronautics, or in another degree program
with at least 30 units of Master's coursework completed
in our department. A student who has completed less than
30 units may petition to take quals.
b) Stanford graduate GPA >= 3.4 A student
whose GPA is between 3.0 & 3.4 may petition to take
quals.
*Petitions for the academic requirements (a & b) will
be decided based on performance in the AA core courses,
the quals research evaluation, and other evidence submitted
which is relevant to academic preparation for the quals
and doctoral study. Petitions are due the first week of
the quals quarter, but may be submitted earlier if a student
wants an earlier decision.
[This change in minimum GPA and the deadline for petitions
begins Fall 2003.]
c) Investigation of a restricted research
problem, under the direction of a faculty member who will
evaluate this work as evidence of the potential for doctoral
research. The standard way to satisfy this requirement is
to complete 3 units of AA290 before the quals quarter. Students
may instead petition to take quals based on the following:
• Some students complete substantial, independent research
without enrolling in AA290 (as research assistants, or through
work done elsewhere, for instance). If there is an AA faculty
member who is willing and able to evaluate that work in
place of AA290, the student may petition to take quals.
• Some students substantially complete their 'quals
research' before officially completing their AA290 (e.g,.
if funding limits their enrollments for the prior quarter).
If the supervising AA faculty member agrees that sufficient
work has been completed for a quals evaluation, the student
may petition to take quals.
*Petitions are due the first week of the quals quarter,
but may be submitted earlier if the student wants an earlier
decision. [This change in the deadline for petitions begins
Fall 2003.]
General advice for quals research:
- Be sure that the faculty member understands you are doing
"quals research" - the type of project and level
of interaction may differ from a simple 'let me try this
field' AA290.
- If the supervising faculty member is not in the AA department,
you should consult in advance with the AA student services
office and your AA advisor to ensure this research will
meet the quals requirement.
APPLICATION
All
petitions (to waive specific quals
conditions or to defer the exams) are due the first week of
the quals quarter; they must include advisor signature and appropriate
documentation.
Application forms (including the dates and participating
faculty for this exam) are made available early each quals quarter
and are due approximately two weeks later; the application serves
as the basis for exam scheduling. The application must have
the signed APPROVAL of the student's advisor and research supervisor.
EXAMINATION PROCEDURES
Examinations are given in the three fields of Dynamics &
Controls, Fluids, and Structures. Every student is examined
in all three fields; s/he selects one field for a Major Field
Exam, and takes Minor Field Exams in the other two fields.
• The Major field examination will be a test of knowledge
and understanding on topics selected by the committee, based
on the student's chosen area, of 55 minutes duration, with
15 minutes devoted to pertinent mathematics. It will be conducted
by a committee of four examiners. The advisor (either academic
or research) will serve as major exam chairman. Committee
members should be from Aero/Astro faculty participating in
the exams, from the field closest to the student’s specialty.
If the student has done significant research in this area
with another faculty member, s/he may petition to have him/her
on the major exam committee.
• There will be two examinations in each Minor field.
Each Minor examiner will conduct a separate 15-minute oral
exam. Questions are usually from materials in Master's year
basic courses (Engr105 & AA242A; AA200A & 210A; AA240A,B)
or their equivalent at other universities, but may cover FUNDAMENTALS
from earlier (undergraduate) courses as well. Examinations
are not intended to evaluate course work, but focus on general
understanding and aptitude. Minor examiners are to be chosen
from the A/A faculty participating in the exams, in each field.
| Field |
Basic Courses |
Examining
Faculty |
| Controls & Dynamics |
AA242A & Engr 105 |
Cannon, DeBra, Enge, Lall, Parkinson,
Powell, Rock, Tomlin, Twiggs |
| Fluids |
AA210a, AA200A |
Alonso, Cantwell, Jameson, Kroo,
Lele, MacCormack |
| Structures |
AA240A & B |
Ashley, Chang, Christensen,
Springer, Steele, Tsai |
Note: not all faculty are available for
every qualifying examination
The Candidacy Committee will select the actual examiners,
insuring that each student has as many of his/her own choices
as possible on the committee given scheduling constraints.
QUALIFICATION DECISION
Following the Qualifying Examination, the
results will be discussed by the department faculty in a closed
meeting. In addition to performance on the examination, the
student's research potential and academic performance are
considered. FINAL DECISIONS WILL BE RELAYED TO THE STUDENT
BY THE ADVISOR. The actual decision on the qualification of
each student for the Ph.D. program is based on the student's:
(1) Ability to assimilate knowledge.
(2) Aptitude for independent thought.
(3) Fundamental understanding of the basic principles.
AFTER THE EXAMS
A student who passes the qualifying exam must file
for candidacy before the end of the quarter; doctoral candidacy
is valid for five calendar years.
A student who fails to qualify may remain in (or be
admitted to) the Ph.D. program only if s/he passes the next
available Qualifying Exam. No one may take the Exam more than
twice. Students wishing to retake the Exam will rarely be
granted waivers of conditions (a), (b), or (c).
DISSERTATION READING COMMITTEE
Each Ph.D. candidate is required to establish
a reading committee for the doctoral dissertation within six
months after passing the department's Ph.D. Qualifying exams.
Thereafter, the student should consult frequently with all members
of the committee about the direction and progress of the dissertation
research.
A dissertation reading committee consists of the
principal dissertation advisor and at least two other readers.
(If the principal advisor is emeritus, there should be a non-emeritus
co-advisor.) If the principal research advisor is not within
the Aero/Astro department, then the student's Aero/Astro academic
advisor should also be a member of the reading committee. It
is expected that at least two members of the Aero/Astro faculty
will be on the reading committee.
Although all readers are usually members of the
Stanford Academic Council, the department Chair may approve
one non-Academic Council reader if the person brings unusual
and necessary expertise to the dissertation research. Generally,
this non-Academic Council reader will be a fourth reader, in
addition to three Academic Council members.
The student must submit a Doctoral Dissertation
Reading Committee form, signed by each of the readers, to the
A/A Student Services office for approval by the department Chair.
Approval of a non-Academic Council reader requires submission
of an additional petition. The initial committee should be officially
approved within six months of passing Quals. Any subsequent
changes to the reading committee must be submitted to the A/A
Student Services office for approval by the department Chair
prior to submission of the dissertation. [The “Change of
Advisor or Reading Committee” form requires the signature
of anyone who is added to the committee; advisors/readers who
signed the original form do not need to sign again.]
UNIVERSITY ORAL EXAMINATION
Each Ph.D. candidate is required to take the
University oral examination after the dissertation is substantially
completed (with dissertation draft in writing) but before final
approval of the dissertation. The examination consists of a
public presentation of dissertation research, often during a
seminar, followed by substantive private questioning on the
dissertation and related fields by the University Orals Committee.
This Committee is comprised of four faculty examiners plus a
chairman. The examiners usually include the three members of
the student's Ph.D. Reading Committe. The chairman must not
be in the same department as the student or the advisor. (For
students who elect a Ph.D. minor, the minor department may require
representation on the Orals Committee.) Once the oral examination
has been passed, the student finalizes the thesis for Reading
Committee review and final approval.
Forms for the University Orals Scheduling are
available in the A/A Student Services office. These forms must
be submitted with a thesis abstract to the A/A Student Services
office at least three weeks prior to the date arranged for
the oral. (Please refer to "Student Procedures for
Scheduling University Oral Examinations.") Note: Students
must be enrolled during the quarter when they take their University
Orals. If the Orals take place during the vacation time between
quarters, the student must be enrolled in the prior quarter.
DOCTORAL DISSERTATION
For specific information regarding the format
and deadlines for submission of doctoral dissertations, please
refer to the handbook Directions
for Preparing Doctoral Dissertations, available on the Web
or in the Graduate Degree Progress Office, which is the office
to whom you will submit the completed dissertation. Note: All
members of the Reading Committee must sign the dissertation
before the filing deadline.
Midyear degrees are not officially conferred until
the first week of the quarter after degree completion, and actual
diplomas are printed only once a year, for distribution at the
University's Commencement in June. However, students who have
submitted the dissertation and have no outstanding Stanford
obligations (financial or academic) may obtain an official University
"certificate of completion" from the Graduate Degree
Progress Office.
Note: Students who have passed their University
Oral Exams in a prior quarter may not need to be registered
in the quarter they submit the dissertation, if they were
registered in the immediately preceding quarter. For details,
read the "grace quarter" section of this Guide. Note:
international students should consult carefully with the International
Center before planning to use a grace quarter, because their
visas may prohibit it.
TIMELINE
The following is a typical timeline for an Aero/Astro
Ph.D. Student.
• update AXESS with your address, email,
etc To establish full-time student status, enroll in 8 units
(typically: AA210a, 240a, and 242a) – you can add/change
later.
First quarter, Registration day(s):
• Come to Durand 250. Receive department information packet,
advisor assignment. Meet the central office staff. Attend A/A
Orientation events.
• Go to the Old Union and pick up the Bulletin. Pay your
University bill.
• Meet with advisor to discuss plan of study. Map out tentative
plan for entire year, then more definite schedule for first
quarter. (This quarter's schedule should include a few alternatives
....) Discuss qualifying examinations, including which courses
may be necessary or advisable as preparation, when to do research,
etc.
• Talk with continuing students about courses, realistic
workloads, etc.
First two weeks: Go to classes; decide which to
take; enroll/add/drop via AXESS.
Between midterms and finals: meet with advisor
to review progress, revise plan for entire year, map out next
quarter's options.
Before finals: Fill out Master's Program Proposal,
obtain advisor's signature, and submit to A/A Student Services
Office.
Second quarter (also: third quarter
of MS study, for students thinking about a PhD) -
• Meet with advisor – discuss overall plan, quals
preparation, and this quarter. Repeat enrollment process from
first quarter.
• Do at least one quarter of directed research as the basis
of quals research evaluation.
• Talk with several factuly – about the quals, courses,
research. Learn to communicate effectively – especially
to listen well and to express yourself orally.
• Join or create a study group to prepare for the qualifying
exams.
Qualifying exam quarter:
Repeat class selection/enrollment process. You must be a fulltime
student when taking quals.
• petitions are due during first week of quarter (to delay
exams, or to waive a pre-requisite.)
• Quals applications are usually available third week of
quarter (deadline will be announced).
• Qualifying Exams usually take place in the second week
of November or May.
• After passing: submit PhD candidacy form, signed by advisor.
Candidacy is valid 5 years.
Thereafter:
•Submit Dissertation Reading Committee form
within 6 months of quals
• Each quarter: repeat class selection/enrollment process.
Enroll in research as well as classes.
• Confer regularly with advisor and reading committee about
thesis progress.
• When your course/unit requirements have been met: file
for TGR status.
• Schedule University Oral Exams, in defense of (draft)
dissertation. Submit Orals form to A/A student services for
approval three weeks before exam.
Final year:
Plan for commencement. In January, apply to graduate, using
AXESS. Order cap and gown, etc.
Spring quarter: if dissertation will not be completed before
Spring deadline, obtain advisor’s approval on walkthrough
petition and submit to A/A Student Services. (see “Annual
Events”).
Final quarter:
Apply to graduate using AXESS. (If you applied for a previous
quarter, you need to re-apply!)
Complete dissertation; obtain signature of all readers; submit
to University.
Annual Events:
Autumn quarter, registration days: new students attend the Aero/Astro
administrative orientation, to ask (or hear answers to) "how
does it work around here?" questions
Autumn, first week: Aero/Astro department orientation. New students
meet the faculty, then there’s a party for the entire department.
October: AIAA fall barbeque - food, sport, fun. Annual quals
information session.
November: PhD Qualifying exams.
January of the year you intend to graduate, apply to graduate
on AXESS.
April-May: Commencement information is available for everyone
who has applied to graduate during the year. Walk-thru petitions
are available for those who wish to participate in commencement
a quarter before graduating. Order Cap & Gown.
May: PhD Qualifying exams. Course assistant applications available
early June: pick up cap & gown for Commencement
Commencement weekend. Ceremonies, drama, etc; diplomas are printed
and distributed, proud friends and family celebrate. Both University
and departmental events.
June-July: Course assistant assignments made.
