ENERGY-PHD - Energy Science and Engineering (PhD)

The University requires Ph.D. students to complete a minimum of 135 units of total graduate work. Within this requirement, the Ph.D. degree in Energy Science and Engineering includes the following program-specific requirements:

Students must complete at least 36 units of research and a minimum of 57 units of coursework. Of the coursework units, 39 must be completed within the first two years to advance to candidacy, while the remaining 18 units fulfill program requirements. All 57 units must be technical courses and taken for a letter grade. Advisors approve the study list via email at the beginning of each quarter. 

• Students entering with a BS degree must fulfill the 39-unit requirement through coursework taken during the first two years, including the required core and foundational courses.

• Students entering with a technical MS degree may transfer up to 45 units of prior graduate coursework, subject to university policy and departmental approval. These units may be applied toward the 39-unit requirement. Students are encouraged to initiate the transfer credit process during their first quarter and are required to do so by the end of their first year.

The PhD degree is conferred upon demonstrating high achievement in independent research and by presenting the research results in a written dissertation and oral defense.

Research:

• Demonstrate satisfactory and continuous research progress, as evaluated by the primary advisor(s)

• Engage actively in research, including maintaining regular interaction with the advisor and participation in the research group

• Participate in periodic progress reviews with the advisor

• Must not have outstanding Incomplete (I) grades

Incomplete grades are expected to be cleared at the end of the quarter after the one in which the incomplete was given. This one-quarter limit is different from the maximum one-year limit the university allows. Please refer to the policy on academic progress.

Students funded by research grants or fellowships from the department are expected to spend at least half of their time (a minimum of 20 hours per week) on research. Continued funding is contingent upon satisfactory research effort and progress as determined by the student’s primary PhD advisor. Insufficient research progress, reflected in unsatisfactory research performance, may result in dismissal from the ESE PhD program. An incomplete grade in research credit must be resolved by the end of the quarter following the one in which it was assigned.

Students receive regular reviews regarding both their research progress and coursework performance. Coursework GPA requirements are evaluated at the end of every quarter. If a student does not meet the minimum GPA requirement, a warning letter will be issued. On the research side, the student’s advisor and the Chair will discuss the student’s research progress during the second quarter and will issue a letter summarizing the student’s performance and overall progress.  

If a student is found not to be in good academic standing, either due to coursework performance or research progress, the student will be formally notified. The student is expected to rectify the issue during the following quarter. If the situation is not corrected, possible consequences include termination of departmental privileges and termination from the degree program.

The PhD degree is awarded primarily on the basis of completing significant, original research. PhD students receiving financial support are limited to 10 units per quarter.

All PhD students are expected to gain meaningful experience in teaching as part of their ESE doctoral training. This requirement is fulfilled through enrollment in:

ENERGY 358 is designed to provide a structured, mentored teaching experience that complements the student’s role as a Teaching Assistant (TA). Through this course, students engage in activities such as lecture preparation, instructional delivery, and reflection on teaching practices under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

The teaching requirement is an integral component of the PhD program and contributes to the development of communication, pedagogy, and mentorship skills that are essential for academic and professional careers.

Advancement to candidacy includes the PhD qualification requirements and follows the same process for all students, regardless of whether they entered the program as MS or PhD students.

Advancement to candidacy consists of three components:

• Passing a written examination, 

• Preparing and successfully defending a research proposal,

• Completing at least 39 units of coursework, including the seven ESE core and foundational courses.

Written Examination

The written examination evaluates the student’s ability to synthesize knowledge from the ESE core and foundational courses. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in the material covered in the following courses: 

course, course, course, course or ENERGY221, course, course, CME206 or course

The purpose of the examination is to assess the student’s ability to integrate concepts across disciplines to solve engineering problems, rather than mastery of each subject in isolation. Any student who is deemed to have not made sufficient research progress may not be allowed to take the written exam. The timing of the written examination depends on the student’s entry path; students should consult the department for specific deadlines and requirements.

Any student who does not pass the written exam is considered to have failed the qualifying exam. Research progress is taken into account for pass, fail, and retake decisions. Failure is a cause for dismissal from the program.

Ph.D. Research Proposal

The second step of the Ph.D. qualifying procedure includes a written Ph.D. proposal and oral exam. Each student must select a committee of three faculty members, including the advisor(s), who read the proposal and attend the oral defense. The other committee members should be chosen in consultation with the advisor(s). One of the committee members can be a senior research scientist, or an external researcher, where appropriate. In the case of a coadvising situation, the committee may include a total of four members (three is also acceptable in this case). 

The body of the written proposal, including references, should be 25-35 pages long (note the 35-page maximum). The written proposal can additionally include, as appendices, papers that have been published or submitted, but the student should not expect the committee to read the material in the appendices. Templates (11-point font, standard margins) for the proposal should be used and are available on the department’s website.

The proposal should include the following sections (with approximate lengths):

• Introduction and literature review, including critical unanswered research questions (4-8 pages) 

• Problem statement and research progress to date, including formulations, data and methods used (or to be applied), initial results and discussion, etc. (15-25 pages) 

• Proposed work, intellectual/practical merit, timeline (3-5 pages) 

• References

The proposal must be provided to the committee, both as hard copy and via email, a minimum of two weeks prior to the oral defense. This two-week lead time is a firm requirement. The oral proposal should be scheduled for two hours. This will include a formal talk, of length 35-40 minutes, followed by questions from each committee member. Questions may be on the proposed research as well as the general field of study. The student can pass, pass with qualifications requiring more classes or teaching assistantships, or fail.  A student who fails may in some cases be allowed to repeat the proposal; however this is a decision of the examining faculty committee. Any student who does not pass the proposal is considered to have failed the qualifying exam. Failure is a cause for dismissal from the program. The timing of the written proposal depends on the student’s entry pathway; students should consult the department for specific deadlines and requirements.

All doctoral students must pass a University Oral Examination, which serves as the dissertation defense. Its purpose is to assess the candidate's command of the field, evaluate the dissertation, and confirm readiness for independent scholarly work. The examination consists of a defense of the dissertation and may include broader questions about the field. A final draft candidate of the dissertation must be submitted to the Reading Committee at least three weeks before the examination. The department recommends allocating three hours for the oral examination.

Examination committee:

At least five Stanford faculty members: four examiners plus a chair from a different department. Members are typically drawn from the Stanford Academic Council, and the chair must be an Academic Council member. Emeritus faculty are eligible to serve.

The Ph.D. dissertation must present original, independent research that contributes to the field. Work is supervised by a Dissertation Reading Committee consisting of the advisor(s) and at least two additional faculty members, who review and approve the dissertation prior to degree conferral. The dissertation must comply with Stanford formatting and submission guidelines and must be submitted in final form within five calendar years of admission to candidacy. Candidates who cannot meet this deadline must submit an Application for Extension of Candidacy for approval by the department chair.