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2022-2024 Graduate Catalog
Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Engineering (MS/PhD) Program Information
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 Return to: Clarence M. Mitchell School of Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Engineering (SRIE) with a pass-through (en passant) Master of Science (M.S.) in SRIE
Department Chair
Jiang Li, Ph.D., PE
Professor of Civil Engineering
Tel: (443)-885-4733; Fax: (443) 885-8219
E-Mail: Jiang.li@morgan.edu
Program Director
James G. Hunter, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
CBEIS 305
Tel: (443) 885-4733; Fax: (443) 885-8219
E-Mail: james.hunter@morgan.edu
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Faculty
Jiang Li, Ph.D., PE; Chair and Professor
Zhuping Sheng, Ph.D., PE; Professor
James G. Hunter, Ph.D.; Associate Professor
Dong Hee Kang, Ph.D., PE; Associate Professor
Oludare Owolabi, D.SC., PE; Associate Professor
Yi Liu, D.Eng.; Associate Professor
Steve Efe, D. Eng.; Associate Professor
Medhi Sokouhian, Ph.D.; Associate Professor
Gbekeloluwa Oguntiemein, Ph.D., PE; Professor of Practice
Cecelia Wright Brown, D. Eng.; Lecturer
Emad Gheibi, Ph.D., PE; Lecturer
Kiruthia Saminathan, MS; Lecturer
Program Description
The SRIE program, offered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. School of Engineering (SOE), provides students with academic study to pursue a Ph.D. in SRIE, with en passant Master of Science (MS) in SRIE. This program covers the fundamental, theoretical, and applied res search necessary to address the current and future needs for sustainable and resilient civil infrastructure. unlike the SOE’s Doctor of Engineering and master of Engineering in Civil Engineering programs, which has focused more on applied research approaches in fields of Civil Engineering, the Ph.D. in SRIE will cover the fundamental, theoretical, and applied research addressing the present and future needs for sustainable and resilient civil infrastructure.
This Ph.D. program in SRIE provides a graduate curriculum for study and research in civil and environmental engineering, with focus on the engineering, planning, and management of critical civil infrastructure. The program will require a minimum of 60 graduate credit hours of study beyond a B.S. degree (the M.S. degree will be granted after the successful completion of 30 credits of study), or minimum of 36 graduate credits of study for the student who already has a master’s degree. The required credit hours include a maximum of 18 dissertation-related research credit hours. The maximum time for the student to complete this Ph.D. program will be seven years. The program provides the study and research guidance on the following areas: Structural Engineering, Earthquake Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Geomechanics, Transportation Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Hydraulic/Hydrologic Water Resources Engineering, and Construction Engineering and Management. Under the guidance of faculty advisor, the student will select the courses within at least one of these respective areas and pursue research and development of the dissertation.
Program Objectives
The program is designed to equip highly motivated students with the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue careers in research, education, consulting, administration, and other related positions. The objectives of the program focus on developing the technical expertise and research skills necessary to assess, design, build and maintain sustainable and resilient infrastructure systems that can reduce risks and withstand natural disasters, hazards, and other disruptions. We aim to provide our student with a comprehensive understanding of the latest theories, tools, and technologies related to infrastructure engineering, while also emphasizing the importance of social and environmental sustainability in infrastructure development.
General Requirements
Students enrolled in the SRIE Ph.D. degree program will be required to satisfy the following requirements:
Form a doctoral advsiory committee of four members, among whom at least three of them should be tenured or tenure-track faculty members. The chair of the committee must be a member of the graduate faculty and the Department of CEE. A miimum of two faculty members from the department must serve on the committee. the committee should be formed no sooner than the end of the first year, and no later than the end of the third year of enrollment, that will approve the student’s program of study and guide the student’s research activities.
Complete a minimum of 36 graduate credit hours (9ncluding 15 hours of dissertation-related research) of study beyond the master’s degree or complete a minimum of 60 graduate credit hourse (including 15 hours of dissertation-related research) of study beyond the bachelor’s degree.
Admission
Outstanding students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) and above in the approved Master’s Degree Programs will be given consideration for admission. The Program also welcomes exceptional students from related disciplines with at least a 3.3 cumulative GPA for all graduate and undergraduate and students with an earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, preferably in related engineering and STEM fields. Other requirements include a resume or curriculum vitae documenting current and previous professional activities, planned career goals, statement of research interest (not to exceed 500 words), and three letters of recommendation from professors or supervisors familiar with the applicant’s academic/professional background.
International student applicants should be aware of SGS admission requirements. For international students, an evaluation report must be obtained from either World Education Services (WES) http://www.wes.org, Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) , FIS (Foundation for International Services) and Spantran . Only evaluations from these services will be accepted. The course-by-course evaluation of all transcripts converted must show their academic equivalency in the United States. Evidence of English proficiency is required of most international students, with students adhering the minimum scores set by SGS for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). English proficiency testing is not required for applicants form the British Commonwealth, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, West Indies, New Zealand, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania.
All application materials must be sent directly to the School of Graduate Studies through the application system fro preliminary screening. It is then reviewed by the department’s committee. We encourage all applicants to submit their strongest possible application. Please note that meeting our minimum eligibility requirements and submitting all required documents is just the first step in our process. the Program Admissions Committee will conduct a review of the required elements of the application, including but not limited to your academic background, relevant work experience, research interests, recommendations, and personal statement. We take a holistic approach to evaluating applicants; considering the entirety of their application and the availability of positions in the program. Following the committee’s review, a recommendation will be made to the School of Graduate Studies on whether an offer of admission should be extended.
Candidacy
Before the student achieves candidacy, the student must formulate a dissertation committee of 3-5 faculty members or professionals in civil Engineering related areas. Generally, the committee should have 2 or more members who are current faculty members in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The committee members should have a doctoral degree. Students achieve candidacy by successfully passing the qualifying examination and a candidacy examination (usually dissertation proposal defense for readiness for dissertation preparation). Prior to achieving Candidacy, the student may enroll in CEGR 993 Pre-Candidacy.
Once a student achieves doctoral candidacy, the student will be allowed to enroll in the Dissertation Research Courses (CEGR 905-925). After these required courses are completed, the student will continuously register in Fall and Spring semesters for CEGR 997 (Dissertation Guidance) until the Dissertation is completed and submitted to the School of Graduate Studies for review. The CEGR 997course registration maintains the student status as a matriculated, full time student (student is registered for 3 credit hour and the system reports a full-time 9 credit hour load). After the Intent to Defend the Dissertation form has been received by the School of Graduate Studies, this course registration will be changed to CEGR 998 (Dissertation Defense) for the given semester and count for 3 credit hours of curricular coursework (CEGR 998 will also count as 9 credits of load). The only eligible grade for CEGR 997 (Dissertation Guidance) is the grade of “S” and the only acceptable grade for CEGR 998 (Dissertation Defense) is “P/F” (Pass/Fail).
Dissertation Completion
After achieving candidacy, the doctoral candidate should prepare and complete the doctoral dissertation under the guidance of the dissertation committee, and then pass a dissertation defense as well as deposit the approved dissertation to the School of Graduate Studies for publication.
Other Additional Requirements
General rules and regulations, expectation of professional ethics and behavior, etc. that may affect the eligibility of the student for continued study must be articulated. A reference to appeals and due process must be included.
Residency Requirements
All candidates must satisfy eighteen (18) credit hours of residency requirements in one of the following ways: enrolling in nine credit hours per semester for two consecutive semesters or part-time candidates must register for six credit hours per semester for three consecutive semesters.
Program Course Requirements
The required minimum coursework for the Ph.D. in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Engineering is 60 graduate credits beyond the Bachelor’s degree and 36 graduate credits beyond the Master’s degree. At least nine credits of foundational elective courses from the same track are required for a concentration. up to four courses (not to exceed 12 credits) from other accredited institutions may be accepted for transfer towards the Ph.D. degree, assuming that students do not use transfer courses to satisfy the academic requirements of the former program. Transfer courses at a grade of “B” or above are reviewed and approved by the corresponding department as well as the School of Graduate Studies. Students can take up to two elective courses from outside of the Department.
The Department has identified the intended core courses and electives from the seven (7) tracks in SRIE, which includes:
Required Foundation Courses in Tracks
Structural Engineering (9credits)
Geotechnical Engineering (9 credits)
Transportation Engineering (9 credits)
Environmental Engineering (9 credits)
Hydrologic/Hydraulic/Water Resource Engineering (9 credits)
Earthquake Engineering (9 credits)
Construction Engineering and Management (9 credits)
Elective Foundation Courses In Tracks
Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
Transportation Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Hydrology/Hydraulic/Water Resources Engineering
Construction Engineering and Management
Other Electives for All Tracks
Pursuing a Ph.D. from the Bachelor’s Degree (60 credits):
Foundational Track and Elective Courses (24 credits)
- XXXX - CEGR Foundation Track Course 3 credits
- XXXX - CEGR Foundation Track Course 3 credits
- XXXX - CEGR Foundation Track Course 3 credits
- XXXX - CEGR Foundation Elective Course 3 credits
- XXXX - CEGR Foundation Elective Course 3 credits
- XXXX - CEGR Foundation Elective Course 3 credits
- XXXX - CEGR Foundation Elective Course 3 credits
- XXXX - CEGR Foundation Elective Course 3 credits
Research Courses (15 credits)
Dissertation Research (15 credits)
Thesis/Dissertation Seminar 3 credits
Dissertation Defense 3 credits
CEGR 997 /CEGR 998 : Dissertation Guidance/Defense 3*
*Note*
The required Foundation Track courses must be taken from one of the seven tracks
Pursuing a Ph.D. from the Master’s Degree (36 credits):
Foundational Track Courses 9 credits
- XXXX - CEGR Foundation Track Course 3 Credits
- XXXX - CEGR Foundation Track Course 3 Credits
- XXXX - CEGR Foundation Track Course 3 Credits
Research Courses 6 credits
Dissertation Research 15 credits
Thesis/Dissertation Seminar 3 credits
Dissertation Defense 3 credits
CEGR 997 /CEGR 998 : Dissertation/Defense 3 credits
*Note*
Upon achieving Doctoral Candidacy and completing all required coursework, the student will continuously register in Fall and Spring terms for CEGR 997 (Dissertation Guidance) until the Dissertation is completed and submitted to the School of Graduate Studies for review. The course is used only when the curriculum has been completed, candidacy has been achieved, and the student is completing the research and writing of the Dissertation. The CEGR 997 course registration maintains the student status as a matriculated, full-time student (student is registered for 3 credit hours and the system reports a full-time 9 credit hour load).
After the Intent to Defend the Dissertation form has been received by the School of Graduate Studies, this course registration will be changed to CEGR 998 (Dissertation Defense) for the given semester and count for 3 credit hours of curricular coursework (CEGR 998 will also count as 9 credits of load). CEGR 997 will not count toward curricular credits. other courses cannot be substituted for CEGR 997 (Dissertation Guidance). The only eligible grade for CEGR 997 (Dissertation Guidance) is the grade of “S” and the only acceptable grade for CEGR 998 (Dissertation Defense) is “P/F” (Pass/Fail).
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Return to: Clarence M. Mitchell School of Engineering
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