Doctoral Program (PhD)
The Engineering Education PhD Program bridges education research, theory and practice in engineering disciplines across the university and trains engineers to provide innovative educational experiences through practices of experiential learning, inclusion and accessibility, and other best practices in education.
Overview
The PhD in Engineering Education program will prepare students to successfully conduct rigorous engineering education research, disseminate the results of that research to other engineering education scholars and translate their findings into classroom practice. The PhD program will provide a thorough introduction to concepts, theories, models, frameworks and pedagogies that are central to engineering education and learning. It will equip students to use a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods and apply them in their selected area of specialization as they develop their engineering education scholarship and expertise.
Learning Outcomes
By the completion of the PhD degree program, students are expected to demonstrate the following primary student learning outcomes:
- Explain the foundations and describe the history of engineering educational practices.
- Cite and describe research and theory that establish best practices in engineering education.
- Identify and implement best practices for instruction and assessment in the classroom in the context of typical types of engineering courses.
Contact Us
Graduate Programs Director
Adrienne Decker, PhD
140P Capen Hall
(716) 645-8963
adrienne@buffalo.edu
Graduate Admissions Director
Corey Schimpf, PhD
140V Capen Hall
(716) 645-5862
schimpf2@buffalo.edu
- Read, design and conduct research leading to deeper understanding and innovative utilization of existing knowledge and creation of new knowledge in the field of engineering education.
- Describe and assess critical issues of accessibility, inclusion and diversity in engineering education from the perspectives of student learning and persistence and the overall engineering education enterprise.
- Describe and explain graduate-level topics in an engineering content area such as biomedical, chemical and biological, civil, structural, environmental, computer, electrical, industrial, mechanical and aerospace engineering.
Curriculum
Students in the PhD program will be required to complete 72 credit hours (up to 30 hours may be research credits). The curriculum is designed around three focus areas:
- DEE Foundational Courses
- Core Engineering Courses: Four courses (12 credits) at the 500 level in an engineering field
- Theory Course: One course in either learning theory, educational psychology or sociological foundation of education
- GSE Research Methods Courses
- Electives from pre-approved courses
Course Overview
| Course | Subject | Credits | |
| DEE 501* | Foundations of Engineering Education | 3 | Required Minimum of 72 Credits Total |
| DEE 502* | Equity and Inclusion in Engineering Education | 3 | |
| DEE 504* | Introduction to Research in Engineering Education | 3 | |
| Approved Course Sequence | Research Methods | 6 | |
| Approved Course Sequence | Learning Theory, Educational Psychology or Socioligical Foundation of Education | 3 | |
| DEE 695, 698 and/or 699* | Dissertation/Project/Research | 12 to 30 | |
| Approved Course Sequence | Engineering Courses other than DEE | 12 | |
| Elective Coursework | 12 to 30 |
* Courses with a DEE prefix do not prepare students to become professional engineers. The PhD in Engineering Education is not a licensure-leading engineering degree program. It does not prepare its graduates for the NYS professional engineering licensure exam. The MS in Engineering Education is not a licensure-leading engineering degree program.
Employment Opportunities
- Faculty in a department of engineering education
- Faculty in an engineering department as a discipline based education research faculty member
- Teaching faculty in engineering at the college level
- Director of training for corporations, foundations, etc.
- Policymaker or public servant
- Staff at a university or college of engineering
- Director of engineering diversity, equity and inclusion programs
- Many other jobs that require the thoughtful coordination of engineering and education
Admissions
Prospective students with a bachelor’s degree in engineering (minimum GPA of 3.0) are invited to apply. The GRE is not required.
Application Materials
Students can apply online. New applicants must create an account. If you have applied in the past, you will be asked to log in to your existing account to start a new application.
The application includes sections that will ask you to provide us with personal/biographical information, contact information, citizenship details, your past or current college/university, and degree details. You will be able to enter the names and contact information of your recommenders and upload supporting materials to your application. You may upload supporting documents while completing the application form or after you have submitted your application in your Application Status Portal.
You do not need official transcripts or test scores to apply. Unofficial copies are sufficient for application review, but students are encouraged to provide official copies if they have them.
A non-refundable fee of $100 is required to apply for Spring 2025 or later terms. The application fee for Fall 2024 is $85. After you submit your application form, you can pay the application fee online in your Application Status Portal with a credit card or e-check.
Copies of transcript(s) for all post-secondary schoolwork must be uploaded with your application for initial review. Upon an offer of admission, accepted applicants will be required to submit official transcripts and proof of degree(s).
Your statement of purpose allows the admissions committee to learn about you as a prospective researcher. There is no minimum or maximum page length or word count.
In the statement, we look for:
- Your ability to present your thoughts in a clear, concise way
- Evidence of your maturity and commitment to conduct research (you will be making contributions of worldwide impact in projects at the cutting edge of their fields)
- Your awareness of advancements in the field and your vision for specific areas where you would like to do research
- Which faculty member(s) your research interests align with or who you identify as potential research mentors
Two letters of recommendation are required to apply to this program. Letters are automatically requested when you enter recommenders' names and email addresses in your application. While we will accept letters from professional sources, we strongly prefer letters from professors acquainted with your academic interests, achievements, and abilities.
International applicants are required to provide proof of English proficiency. The chart below outlines acceptable test types and the university's minimum score required for admission. All applicants whose native language is not English will be required to provide proof of English proficiency.
Copies may be submitted for initial review. Official scores must be sent directly to UB from the testing agency.
| Test Type | University Minimum Score | To Order... |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL (IBT) (including MyBest scores) TOEFL Home Edition | 79 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| TOEFL Essentials | 8.5 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| TOEFL ITP Plus | 550 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| IELTS and IELTS Indicator | 6.5 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| 55 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE) | 185 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) | 185 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| Duolingo English Test (DET) | 120 | ADA Department of Testing will report your official scores to central application services |
Exam results must be dated within two years from your proposed date of admission and remain valid upon entering the term for which you applied.
It is strongly recommended to make test arrangements early in the year so sufficient time can be allowed for the results to be reported before application deadlines.
Exemptions to English Language Proficiency requirements can be found on The Graduate School website.
If you are a US citizen or permanent resident, you will be given the option to be considered for the Arthur A. Schomburg Fellowship Program during the application process. To be considered for the fellowship, you will need to describe how you have engaged, facilitated, and/or enhanced diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in your campus and/or local community. Examples could include personal, academic, and/or work experience and may include, but is not limited to, potential to contribute to enhancing diversity efforts in an academic program at SUNY and campus communities; experiences overcoming economic, social, or educational disadvantages, and/or other barriers.
Please do not mail application materials. All items should be submitted with your application form or after you've submitted it via your Application Status Portal. We recommend logging in frequently to ensure all your supporting documents have been received. If any additional materials are required, they will be listed in your checklist in the Application Status Portal and you will be contacted via email. Applications will not be reviewed until all the necessary materials have been received.