Structural Engineering

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STUDENT AFFAIRS
340B Structural and Materials Engineering Building
http://www.structures.ucsd.edu

All courses, faculty listings, and curricular and degree requirements described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice. Updates may be found on the Academic Senate website: http://senate.ucsd.edu/catalog-copy/approved-updates/.

The Department of Structural Engineering offers instruction leading to the degrees of master of science (MS) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) in structural engineering (SE). In addition, an MS in structural health monitoring, prognosis, and validated simulations has been activated. The graduate program is aimed at training a select number of highly skilled professionals in structural engineering with the academic and engineering credentials to assume leadership roles in industry and academia.

The MS program is intended to provide students with additional fundamental knowledge as well as specialized advanced knowledge in selected structural engineering aspects over and above the undergraduate degree course work.

The doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree program is intended to prepare students for careers in teaching, research, and/or in their chosen professional specialties. The PhD program requires a departmental comprehensive examination, a PhD candidacy examination, a PhD dissertation based on new and unique research, and a dissertation defense.

Both degrees offer opportunities for training in one or more of the five primary research focus areas within the SE department: (1) Earthquake Engineering, (2) Advanced Composites and Aerospace Structural Systems, (3) Renewal Engineering, (4) Structural Health Monitoring, Prognosis, and Validated Simulations, and (5) Computational Mechanics.

Admission to the UC San Diego graduate program in structural engineering requires at least a BS in engineering, physical sciences, or mathematics with an overall upper-division GPA of 3.0. Applicants must provide three letters of recommendation and recent GRE general test scores. International applicants whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate proficiency in English by taking the TOEFL test. The minimum TOEFL score required is 550 (paper-based) and 80 (Internet-based text [iBt]). Based on the candidate’s choice, qualifications, and career objectives, admission to the program is in one of two categories: MS or PhD.

Applicants seeking enrollment in SE courses via UC Extension’s concurrent registration program are advised to refer to the “Graduate Studies Transferring Credit ” section of the UC San Diego General Catalog for clarification.

Bachelor’s/Master’s Program

The department offers a bachelor’s/master’s program to enable students to complete both the BS and MS in an accelerated timeframe. Undergraduate students in the Department of Structural Engineering who have at least 148 quarter units with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher are eligible to apply. Admission to the bachelor’s/master’s degree program is not automatic. Student applications are reviewed and the final decision is made by the Department of Structural Engineering. Acceptance into this program is an honor that carries with it practical benefits—the graduate application process is simplified (no GREs required) and advanced students are given access to graduate level courses. Upon acceptance as an undergraduate into the program, a faculty member will be assigned who will serve as the student’s adviser. Interested students should contact the Structural Engineering Student Affairs Office. Students must fulfill all requirements for the BS prior to being formally admitted to graduate status.

Master’s Degree Program

The MS program is intended to provide the student with additional fundamental knowledge as well as specialized advanced knowledge in selected structural engineering aspects over and above the undergraduate degree course work. Two plans, the MS Thesis Plan and the MS Comprehensive Examination Plan, are offered. The MS Thesis Plan is designed for those students with an interest in research prior to entering the structural engineering profession or prior to entering a doctoral degree program. The MS Thesis Plan involves course work leading to the completion and defense of a master’s thesis. The MS Comprehensive Examination Plan involves course work and requires the completion of a written comprehensive examination covering multiple courses that the student has taken. The MS Comprehensive examination will be comprehensive and cover two focus sequences and at least one additional technical elective that the student has taken. The examination must be completed no later than the end of the eighth week of the quarter the student intends to graduate.

Master students will be required to complete three core courses before they can graduate with their master’s degree. The courses are SE 200, Applied Mathematics in Structural Engineering, (or one of the following three similar courses: MAE 294A, MAE 290A, and Math 210A), SE 201A Advanced Structural Analysis, and SE 271 Solid Mechanics for Structural and Aerospace Engineering. SE 201A and SE 271 may also be counted toward a focus sequence or as a technical elective, while SE 200 or its equivalent can be considered a technical elective.

MS students must complete forty-eight units of credit for graduation. For the MS Comprehensive Examination Plan all forty-eight units of credit must consist of regular courses (twelve courses). For the MS Thesis Plan, thirty-six units (nine courses) from regular courses are required, in addition to twelve units of graduate research for the master’s thesis. For both MS plans, students are required to complete a minimum of two sequences from the following focus areas:

Structural Analysis
Structural Design
Computational Mechanics
Earthquake Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering
Advanced Composites
Solid Mechanics
Advanced Structural Behavior

A sequence is composed of three regular courses from the same focus area. The courses comprising the focus sequences are listed in the table in this section. To meet the specific needs of some students, other focus areas may be developed by a student in consultation with his or her adviser, but these must be pre-approved by the SE Graduate Affairs Committee. To allow for greater flexibility in the program, the remaining credits required from courses may be earned by completing additional focus sequences, parts of focus sequences, or other appropriate courses. Students may elect to take other appropriate technical electives (with the approval of their adviser and the SE Graduate Affairs Committee). In special cases where an undergraduate course may be used, the arrangement must be preapproved by both the academic adviser and the Graduate Affairs Committee. Units obtained in SE 290 and 298 may not be applied towards course work requirements. No more than four units of SE 296 may be applied toward course work requirements and only with prior approval of the SE Graduate Affairs Committee.

The department also offers a seminar course each quarter dealing with current research topics in structural engineering (SE 290). Students must take SE 290 every quarter in the first year, and are strongly recommended to take it for at least one quarter in every subsequent year.

Focus Sequences

Structural Analysis

SE 201A. Advanced Structural Analysis

SE 201B. Nonlinear Structural Analysis

SE 202. Structural Stability

SE 203. Structural Dynamics

SE 204. Advanced Structural Dynamics

SE 205. Nonlinear Mechanical Vibrations

SE 206. Random Vibrations

SE 215. Cable Structures

Structural Design

SE 151B. Design of Prestressed Concrete

SE 211. Advanced RC/PC Design

SE 212. Advanced Structural Steel Design

SE 213. Bridge Design

SE 214. Masonry Structures

SE 220. Seismic Isolation and Energy Dissipation

SE 223. Advanced Seismic Design of Structures

SE 254. FRP Rehabilitation of Civil Structures

Computational Mechanics

SE 233. Computational Techniques in Finite Elements

SE 276A. Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics I

SE 276B. Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics II

SE 276C. Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics III

SE 277. Error Control in Finite Element Analysis

SE 278A. Finite Element Methods for Computational Fluid Dynamics

Earthquake Engineering

SE 203. Structural Dynamics

SE 206. Random Vibrations

SE 220. Seismic Isolation and Energy Dissipation

SE 221. Earthquake Engineering

SE 222. Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering

SE 223. Advanced Seismic Design of Structures

SE 243. Soil Structure Interaction

Geotechnical Engineering

SE 222. Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering

SE 241. Advanced Soil Mechanics

SE 242. Advanced Foundation Engineering

SE 243. Soil Structure Interaction

SE 244. Numerical Methods in Geomechanics

SE 250. Stability of Earth Slopes and Retaining Walls

Advanced Composites

SE 251B. Mechanical Behaviors of Polymers and Composites

SE 252. Experimental Mechanics and NDE

SE 253A. Mechanics of Laminated Composite Structures I

SE 253B. Mechanics of Laminated Composite Structures II

SE 253C. Mechanics of Laminated Anisotropy Plates and Shells

SE 254. FRP Rehabilitation of Civil Structures

Solid Mechanics

SE 235. Wave Propagation in Elastic Media

SE 252. Experimental Mechanics and NDE

SE 271. Solid Mechanics for Structural and Aerospace Engineering

SE 272. Theory of Elasticity

SE 273. Anelasticity

Advanced Structural Behavior

SE 202. Structural Stability

SE 204. Advanced Structural Dynamics

SE 205. Nonlinear Mechanical Vibrations

SE 224. Structural Reliability and Risk Analysis

SE 206. Random Vibrations

SE 252. Experimental Mechanics and NDE

SE 265. Structural Health Monitoring Principles

Students taking the Solid Mechanics focus sequence are required to take SE 271, SE 272, and one of these courses: SE 273, SE 252, or SE 235.

SE 207 Topics in Structural Engineering will be acceptable to use towards a focus sequence requirement pending petition and approval of the Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC).

The thesis defense is the final examination for students enrolled in the MS thesis plan and must be conducted after completion of all course work. Upon completion of the research project, the student writes a thesis that must be successfully defended in an oral examination and public presentation conducted by a committee composed of three faculty members. A complete copy of the student’s thesis must be submitted to each member of the MS thesis committee (comprised of a minimum of three faculty) at least two weeks before the defense.

MS in Structural Engineering with Specialization in Health Monitoring, Prognosis, and Validated Simulations (SHMP&VS)

The MS in SHMP&VS provides specialized multidisciplinary knowledge in the three technology areas of (1) sensing technology, (2) data interrogation, and (3) predictive modeling. Many courses currently offered within the Jacobs School of Engineering may be grouped into numerous focus sequences within each technology area, as shown in the following list:

A. Sensing Technology Area

Sensing Methodologies

SE 252. Experimental Mechanics and NDE

MAE 268. Frontier Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Materials, Fabrication, and Applications

Data Acquisition Systems

ECE 257B. Principles of Wireless Networks

ECE 258A-B. Digital Communications

ECE 259CN. Advanced Coding and Modulation for Digital Communications

CSE 237A. Introduction to Embedded Computing

CSE 237B. Software for Embedded Computing

CSE 237C. Validation/Testing of Embedded Systems

CSE 237D. Design Automation and Prototyping for Embedded Systems

Controls

MAE 280A. Linear Systems Theory

MAE 280B. Linear Control Design

MAE 282. Adaptive Control

MAE 284. Robust and Multivariable Control

MAE 285. Optimal Control and Estimation

B. Data Interrogation Technology Area

Signal Processing

ECE 161A. Introduction to Digital Signal Processing

ECE 251AN/SIO 207B. Digital Signal Processing I

ECE 251BN/SIO 207C. Digital Signal Processing II

ECE 251CN. Filter Banks and Wavelets

ECE 251DN or SIO 207D. Array Processing

ECE 253A. Fundamentals of Digital Image Processing

ECE 254. Detection Theory

ECE 255AN. Information Theory

System Identification

MAE 283A. Parameter Identification: Theory and Methods

MAE 283B. Approximate Identification and Control

ECE 256A-B. Time Series Analysis and Applications

ECE 275A. Parameter Estimation I

ECE 275B. Parameter Estimation II

Pattern Recognition

CSE 250A. Artificial Intelligence: Search and Reasoning

CSE 250B. Artificial Intelligence: Learning

CSE 254. Statistical Learning

ECE 270A-B-C. Neurocomputing

Statistical/Probabilistic Methods

MTH 281A, B, C. Mathematical Statistics

CSE 254. Statistical Learning

SE 206. Random Vibrations

SE 224. Structural Reliability and Risk Analysis

C. Predictive Modeling Technology Area

Structural Analysis

SE 201A. Advanced Structural Analysis

SE 201B. Nonlinear Structural Analysis

SE 202. Structural Stability

SE 203. Structural Dynamics

SE 204. Advanced Structural Dynamics

SE 224. Structural Reliability and Risk Analysis

Finite Element

MAE 232A. Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics I

MAE 232B. Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics II

MAE 232C. Advances in Materials Computations

SE 274. Nonlinear Finite Elemental Methods

Solid Mechanics

SE 271. Solid Mechanics for Structural and Aerospace Engineering

SE 272. Theory of Elasticity

SE 273. Anelasticity

SE 252. Experimental Mechanics and NDE

SE 235. Wave Propagation in Elastic Media

Material Behavior/Modeling

MAE 233B. Micromechanics

Advanced Structural Behavior

SE 205. Nonlinear Mechanical Vibrations

SE 206. Random Vibrations

SE 224. Structural Reliability and Risk Analysis

SE 252. Experimental Mechanics and NDE

SE 265. Structural Health Monitoring Principles

Earthquake Engineering

SE 203. Structural Dynamics

SE 206. Random Vibrations

SE 220. Seismic Isolation and Energy Dissipation

SE 221. Earthquake Engineering

SE 222. Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering

SE 223. Advanced Seismic Design of Structures

Advanced Composites

SE 251B. Mechanical Behaviors of Polymers and Composites

SE 253A. Mechanics of Laminated Composite Structures

SE 254. FRP Rehabilitation of Civil Structures

Two degree plans in SHMP&VS will be offered: MS Thesis Plan and MS Comprehensive Examination Plan. Students in both plans must complete forty-eight units of credit for graduation. For both plans, students must complete thirty-six units of course work consisting of one focus sequence from each of the three technology areas A, B, and C listed above. Any three of the courses listed under a specific topic area constitute a focus sequence. Courses must be chosen in consultation with the student’s adviser. The remaining twelve units must be completed as graduate research SE 299.

For the MS SHMP&VS Comprehensive Examination Plan, the twelve-unit graduate research SE 299 must be conducted as a mentored research project. This project is intended to provide a mentored practicum whereby students integrate knowledge learned from their technology areas into comprehensively solving a problem from structural health monitoring/prognosis or model validation and uncertainty quantification, at their discretion. This project will emphasize professional practice, with both oral and written communication of technical data, and will include a strong design component. The project will be presented to a committee of two faculty members in structural engineering and one from another department within the Jacobs School of Engineering or an adjunct faculty member in an appropriate area of focus.

For the MS SHMP&VS Thesis Plan, the twelve-unit graduate research SE 299 culminates with the preparation of a research thesis. The thesis must be successfully defended in an oral examination and public presentation conducted by a committee composed of three faculty members. The committee will consist of two faculty members in structural engineering and one from another department within the Jacobs School of Engineering or an adjunct faculty member in an appropriate area of focus. A complete copy of the student’s thesis must be submitted to each member of the MS thesis committee at least two weeks prior to the defense.

Because of the inherent multidisciplinary nature of the MS SHMP&VS, research within SE 299 can be conducted at outside locations (industry or government facilities). In this case a scientist on location, with an adjunct faculty appointment at UC San Diego, will be part of the student’s committee.

All students in the MS SHMP&VS program are required to take a seminar course (SE 290) each quarter they are registered.

Master of Advanced Studies

Simulation-Based Engineering (SBE)

The Department of Structural Engineering offers the master of advanced studies (MAS) in simulation-based engineering (SBE). The degree requires thirty-six units of work, including a capstone team project. This program is for part-time students with an adequate background in engineering. All the requirements can be completed in two years, with one or two courses taken each quarter.

Final Project Capstone Requirement, No Thesis

In the MAS-SBE program, an “alternative plan” requirement is satisfied by a four-unit capstone project requirement.

Required Courses

Students entering the MAS program in structural engineering for a degree in simulation-based engineering will take courses in the Departments of Structural Engineering and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

The program requires eight four-unit core courses totaling thirty-two units and one four-unit capstone team project course SBE 279, Applications of Simulation-Based Engineering, for a total of thirty-six units.

All courses must be completed with an average grade of B and no grade below B-. The courses required of all students are as follows:

SBE 233. Computational Techniques in Finite Elements

SBE 276A. Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics I

SBE 276B. Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics II

SBE 278A. Finite Element Methods in Fluid Mechanics

SBE 276C. Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics III

Three elective SE/MAE courses drawn from the following list (twelve units) that students may choose according to their field of interest. These courses are regular courses attended by MS and PhD students.

SE 278B. Computational Fluid-Structure Interaction

SE 267. Validation of Computational Models (currently taught under SE 207)

SE 277. Error Control in Finite Element Analysis

MAE 261. Cardiovascular Fluid Mechanics

SE 253A. Mechanics of Laminated Composite Structures I

SE 253B. Mechanics of Laminated Composite Structures II

MAE 229A. Mechanical Properties

MAE 273A. Dynamic Behavior of Materials

Master of Advanced Studies

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)

The Department of Structural Engineering offers the master of advanced studies (MAS) degree in structural health monitoring (SHM). The degree requires thirty-six units of work, including a capstone team project. This program is for part-time students with an adequate background in engineering. All the requirements can be completed in two years, with one or two courses taken each quarter.

Final Project Capstone Requirement, No Thesis
In the MAS-SHM Program, an “alternative plan” requirement is satisfied by a two two-unit course capstone project requirement.

Required Courses
Students entering the MAS program in structural engineering for a degree in structural health monitoring will undertake courses in the Departments of Structural Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The program requires eight four-unit core courses totaling thirty-two units and two two-unit capstone team project courses for a total of thirty-six units.

All courses must be completed with an average grade of B and no grade below B–. The courses required of all students are as follows:

SHM 203. Structural Dynamics and Vibration

SHM 224. Structural Reliability and Risk Modeling

SHM 233. Computational Techniques in Finite Element

SHM 252. Sensing and Nondestructive Evaluation Methods

SHM 267. Validation and Verification of Computational Models

SHM 270. Introduction to Digital Signal Processing

SHM 271. Digital Signal Processing I

SHM 229. Mechanical Properties

SHM 265A-B. Integrated Structural Health Monitoring—Capstone Course

Doctoral Degree Program

The PhD program is intended to prepare students for a variety of careers in research, teaching and advanced professional practice in the broad sense of structural engineering, encompassing civil and aerospace structures, earthquake and geotechnical engineering, composites, and engineering mechanics. Depending on the student’s background and ability, research is initiated as soon as possible. All students, in consultation with their advisers, develop course programs that will prepare them for the departmental comprehensive examination and for their dissertation research. However, these programs of study and research must be planned to meet the time limits established to advance to candidacy and to complete the requirements for the degree. Doctoral students who have passed the departmental comprehensive examination may take any course for an S/U grade, with the exception of any course that the student’s departmental comprehensive or PhD candidacy examination committee stipulates must be taken in order to remove a deficiency. It is strongly recommended that all structural engineering graduate students take a minimum of two courses (other than research) per academic year after passing the departmental comprehensive examination.

The department also offers a seminar course each quarter dealing with current research topics in Earthquake Engineering (SE 290). Students must take SE 290 every quarter in the first year of graduate study, and it is strongly recommended to take it for at least one quarter in every subsequent year.

All doctoral students will be required to take SE 200, Applied Mathematics in Structural Engineering, prior to taking the departmental comprehensive exam.

Doctoral examinations: A structural engineering PhD student is required to pass three examinations. The first is a departmental comprehensive examination that should be taken within three to six quarters of full-time graduate study and requires a 3.5 GPA. This examination is intended to determine the student’s ability to successfully pursue a research project at a level appropriate for the doctoral degree. It is administered by at least four faculty, three of whom must be in structural engineering. The student is responsible for material pertaining to four focus areas. One focus area can be satisfied by course work, provided that all courses in that area have been taken at UC San Diego, the grade in each course is B or better, and the overall GPA in that area is at least 3.5. In order to insure appropriate breadth, the focus areas should consist of the following: (a) two focus areas within structural engineering which are closely related to the student’s research interests, (b) one focus area within structural engineering that is not directly related to the student’s area of research, and (c) one minor focus area outside the Department of Structural Engineering. An update list of sample focus areas for PhD students is available in the structural engineering Graduate Handbook. Minor areas too closely related to the major areas will not be approved by the SE Graduate Affairs Committee. The Solid Mechanics Focus Sequence, which is jointly taught by the Department of Structural Engineering and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, cannot be used to satisfy the outside structural engineering requirement. Students intending to specialize in the emerging areas of structural health monitoring, damage prognosis, and validated simulations are advised to take courses in the focus areas of Advanced Structural Behavior and elective courses MAE 283, MAE 261, ECE 251AN, ECE 251BN, ECE 254, and CSE 291 which can be used to satisfy the outside structural engineering requirement.

Since the examination areas must be approved by the Structural Engineering Graduate Affairs Committee, students are advised to seek such approval well before their expected examination date, preferably while planning their graduate studies. Although students are not required to take particular courses in preparation for the departmental comprehensive examination, the scope of the examination in each area is associated with a set of three graduate courses, generally in focus areas offered or approved by the department. A list of focus areas is available in the Structural Engineering Graduate Handbook. A candidate can develop a sense of the level of knowledge expected to be demonstrated during the examination by studying the appropriate syllabi and/or discussing the course content with faculty experienced in teaching the courses involved. The departmental comprehensive examination may be a written or an oral examination, at the discretion of the committee.

Teaching experience is required of all structural engineering PhD students prior to taking the PhD candidacy examination. Teaching experience is defined as lecturing one hour per week in either a problem-solving section or laboratory session, for one quarter in an undergraduate course designated by the department. The requirement can be fulfilled by serving as a teaching assistant or by taking SE 501 for academic credit. Students must contact the Student Affairs Office to plan for completion of this requirement.

The PhD candidacy examination is the second examination required of structural engineering doctoral students. In preparation for the PhD candidacy examination, students must have completed the departmental comprehensive examination and the departmental teaching experience requirement, obtained a faculty research adviser, have identified a topic for their dissertation research, and have made initial progress in that research. At the time of application for advancement to candidacy, a doctoral committee responsible for the remainder of the student’s graduate program is appointed by the Graduate Council. In accordance with Academic Senate Regulations 715(D): “A doctoral committee of five or more members shall be appointed by the dean of Graduate Studies under the authority of the Graduate Council. The committee members shall be chosen from at least two departments, and at least two members shall represent academic specialties that differ from the student’s chosen specialty. In all cases, each committee must include one tenured UC San Diego faculty member from outside the student’s major department.” The committee conducts the PhD candidacy examination, during which students must demonstrate the ability to engage in dissertation research. This involves the presentation of a plan for the dissertation research project. A short written document describing the research plan must be submitted to each member of the committee at least two weeks before the PhD candidacy examination. The committee may ask questions directly or indirectly related to the research project and general questions that it determines to be relevant. Upon successful completion of this examination, students are advanced to candidacy and are awarded the candidate of philosophy degree. The PhD candidacy examination is an oral examination.

The dissertation defense is the final PhD examination. Upon completion of the dissertation research project, the student writes a dissertation that must then be successfully defended in an oral examination and public presentation conducted by the doctoral committee. A complete copy of the student’s dissertation must be submitted to each member of the doctoral committee at least four weeks before the defense. While the copy of the dissertation handed to the committee is expected to be complete and in final form, it should be noted that students are expected to make changes in the text per direction of the committee as a result of the defense. This examination cannot be conducted earlier than three quarters after the date of advancement to doctoral candidacy. Acceptance of the dissertation by the Office of Graduate Studies and the university librarian represents the final step in completion of all requirements for the PhD.

PhD time limit policy. Precandidacy status is limited to four years. Doctoral students are eligible for university support for six years. The defense and submission of the doctoral dissertation must be within seven years.

Evaluations. In the spring of each year, the department faculty members evaluate each doctoral student’s overall performance in course work, research, and prospects for financial support for future years. A written assessment is given to the student after the evaluation. If a student’s work is found to be inadequate, the faculty may determine that the student cannot continue in the graduate program.

PhD in Structural Engineering with Specialization in Computational Science

See “PhD in Mathematics with Specialization in Computational Science” for more information.

The UC San Diego campus offers a new comprehensive PhD specialization in computational science that will be available to doctoral candidates in participating academic departments at UC San Diego.

This PhD specialization is designed to allow students to obtain training in their chosen field of science, mathematics, or engineering with additional training in computational science integrated into their graduate studies. Prospective students must apply and be admitted into the PhD program in structural engineering and then be admitted to the CSME program.

Areas of research in the Department of Structural Engineering will include computational mechanics, computational techniques in finite elements, error control in finite element analysis, nonlinear finite element methods, and finite element methods in solid and fluid mechanics, and fluid-structure interaction. Each faculty member works with graduate student on the listed research topics.

The specialization in computational science requires that students complete all home requirements for the structural engineering PhD. Students are required to pass the departmental qualifying examination, PhD candidacy examination, teaching requirement, and a final defense of the thesis. The qualifying and elective courses for the CSME can be used as part of the advanced course requirement, which is the same as for the structural engineering PhD.

Requirements for the PhD in Structural Engineering with Specialization in Computational Science

Qualifying requirements: In addition to the home department qualifying exam requirements, PhD students must take the final exams in three qualifying exam courses from the list below. Courses taken to satisfy the qualifying requirements will not count toward the elective requirements.

Math 275 or MAE 290B (Numerical PDEs)

Phys 244 or CSE 260 (Parallel Computing)

Course to be selected from List A

Students coming with an MS may be able to petition to replace the Math 275 or MAE 290B with an equivalent class taken at their MS institution.

List A: CSME Qualifying Exam Courses

Math 270A, B, or C. Numerical Analysis
Math 271A, B, or C. Numerical Optimization
Math 272A, B, or C. Numerical Partial Differential Equations
Math 273A, B, or C. Advanced Techniques in Computational Mathematics
MAE 223. Computational Fluid Mechanics
MAE 232/SE 276A, B or C (Computational Solids Mechanics)
MAE 280A or B. Linear Systems Theory
MAE 294A. Introduction to Applied Mathematics
Physics 221 AB. Nonlinear Dynamics
Physics 243. Stochastic Methods
SE 233. Computational and Technical Aspects of Finite Element Methods
Chem 285. Introduction to Computational Chemistry
Additional courses to be determined by the executive committee or allowed by petition

Elective requirements: To encourage PhD students to both broaden themselves in an area of science or engineering as well as to obtain more specialized training in specific areas of computational science, students will be required to take and pass three elective courses from the following approved List B (four units per course). The executive committee may approve the use of courses not appearing on the following list on a case-by-case basis. Courses taken to satisfy the elective requirements will not count toward the qualifying requirements.

List B: Relevant Elective Graduate Courses in Mathematics, Science, and Engineering

Any course appearing on List A above
Physics 241. Computational Physics I
Physics 242. Computational Physics II
MAE 222. Flow Control
MAE 261. Cardiovascular Fluid Mechanics
SE 277. Error Control in Finite Element Methods
SE 278A. Computational Fluid Dynamics
SE 278B. Computational Fluid-Structure Interaction
Chem 215. Modeling Biological Macromolecules
BGGN 260. Neurodynamics
ECE 272. Dynamical Systems under Uncertainity
CSE 250A or B. Principles of Artificial Intelligence
Math 210A, B, or C. Mathematical Methods in Physics and Engineering
Additional courses to be determined by executive committee or allowed by petition

Program policies: The following is a list of policies for the PhD specialization with regard to proficiency, qualifying, and elective requirements.

Proficiency in computer engineering must be demonstrated by the end of the first year.
The qualifying exams must be passed by the end of the second year or, on petition, by end of the third year.
The qualifying exams can be attempted repeatedly but no more than once per quarter per subject.
The qualifying exams in the home department and the CSME qualifying exams must all be passed before the student is permitted to take the candidacy exam (Senate Exam).
Two electives outside the home department must be taken.
The two electives can be taken at any time before defending the thesis.
One of the electives may be taken Pass/Fail; the other must be taken for a letter grade.