Our department has established a new PhD program in Manufacturing Engineering. Applications are now being accepted for enrollment in spring semester 2025.
The Manufacturing Engineering PhD program will emphasize research focused on the most viable and efficient processes used during fabrication, shaping, machining, and assembly. The current MS in Manufacturing Engineering includes core manufacturing courses along with options for coursework that specialize in Industry 4.0 topics like additive manufacturing. The new Ph.D degree program is a good opportunity for our students with a master’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering to further their domain knowledge and expertise in the field.
The curriculum was designed with industry, students, and the manufacturing community in mind. The department used the SME Four Pillars of Manufacturing Knowledge as a guide.
Four Pillars of Manufacturing Knowledge and MS/PhD Manufacturing Engineering Coursework
Foundation Skills
Mathematics and Science
MA 5701 – Statistical Methods (required MS/PhD core course)
Personal Effectiveness
MFGE 6010 – Engineering Research Communications (required MS/PhD core course)
Pillar #1—Materials and Manufacturing Processes
Engineering Sciences, Engineering Materials
MET 5377 – Applied Fluid Power (technical emphasis course)
MET 5378 – Advanced Hydraulics (technical emphasis course)
MSE 5400 – Statistical Quality Control in Materials Manufacturing (technical emphasis course)
Manufacturing Processes
EET 5144 – Real-Time Robotics Systems (technical emphasis course)
EET 5147 – Industrial Robotic Vision System and Advanced Teach Pendant Programming (technical emphasis course)
MET 4780 – Advanced Manufacturing (technical emphasis course)
Pillar #2—Product, Tooling and Assembly Engineering
Product Design
MFGE 5100 – Tolerance Analysis with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (required MS/PhD core course)
Equipment/Tool Design, Process Design
MEEM 5695 – Additive Manufacturing (technical emphasis course)
MFGE 5300 – Design for Additive Manufacturing (technical emphasis course)
MFGE 5400 – Additive Manufacturing Lab (technical emphasis course)
Pillar #3—Manufacturing Systems and Operations
Production System Design
BA 5610 – Operations Management (technical emphasis course)
MEEM 5656 – Advanced Production Planning (technical emphasis course)
MET 4510 – Lean Manufacturing and Production Planning (technical emphasis course)
MET 4585 – Facilities Layout and Safety Design (technical emphasis course)
Industry 4.0 and Automated Systems and Controls
EET 5373 – Advanced Programmable Controllers (technical emphasis course)
MET 4355 – Industrial Systems Simulation (technical emphasis course)
MFGE 5200 – Industry 4.0 Concepts (required MS/PhD core course)
SAT 4343 – Network Engineering (technical emphasis course)
Pillar #4—Manufacturing Competitiveness
Quality and Continuous Improvement
MEEM 5650 – Advanced Quality Engineering (technical emphasis course)
MEEM 5655 – Introduction to Lean Manufacturing (technical emphasis course)
MEEM 5670 – Experimental Design in Engineering (technical emphasis course)
Manufacturing Management
MFGE 5000 – Organizational Leadership (required MS/PhD core course)
MFGE 5500 – Industrial Safety (required MS/PhD core course)
The number of credits required to fulfill degree requirements for those with a bachelor of science degree is 60 and 30 credits for those with a master’s degree.
PhD students following the MS pathway can take the 16 credits of core courses as electives. A minimum of 12 credits is required in dissertation research or practicum. The dissertation research can be done at the workplace as a supervised practicum offering engineers the flexibility to complete this degree while working full-time.
For more information about how you can be part of the program, contact MMET graduate program director David Wanless.