Doctoral Degrees and Designated Emphasis

Doctoral Degree Program and Paths

There are two paths open to students seeking education beyond a master's degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Biological Systems Engineering and Doctor of Engineering (D. Engr) in Biological Systems Engineering. Students may also opt for a Designated Ph.D Emphasis in Biotechnology or Native American Studies.

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Biological Systems Engineering

  • The Ph.D program in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering emphasizes the science or research features of engineering. Completion of this program is intended to provide students with the ability to assist in the furtherance of the fundamental knowledge of engineering biological systems. Those students entering the program with a bachelor's of science should expect it to take 5 years. For students with a master's degree, the typical program length is 4 years. In addition to the course work, the program culminates in a written and oral examination as well as a dissertation.

  • Doctor of Engineering (D.Engr) in Biological Systems Engineering

  • The Doctor of Engineering program emphasizes design, analysis, economics, management, and labor. The program is intended to assist students in their pursuit of becoming professional engineers. The course requirements academically equivalent to the Ph.D program but emphasize the professional aspects of engineering rather than research. The student prepares for a Qualifying Examination in a major field and one or two minor fields. Typically, the program features a wider range of subject rather than the subject specificity of the Ph.D program. As a consequence, the Doctor of Engineering candidate is not expected to probe into a single field of learning as deeply as the Ph.D. candidate. Minor fields should include courses outside engineering such as bioscience, business management, economics, sociology, and others. Students should expect to complete the program within 5 years.

Designated Emphases

During the doctoral program, students have the opportunity to also apply for a designated emphasis. A designated emphasis (DE) is an interdisciplinary specialization, such as a new method of inquiry or an important field of application, which is relevant to two or more existing doctoral degree programs. The Graduate Program in Biological Systems Engineering offers two designated emphases.

  • Biotechnology

  • The designated emphasis in Biotechnology provides a very effective multidisciplinary biotechnology concentration, which includes exposure to bioethics, business and legal aspects of biotechnology as well as a 3-6 month internship in a biotechnology company or research laboratory in another college or national laboratory. Dr. Kjelstrom, the Program Coordinator assists the students in locating internships, preparation of a strong cover letter and curriculum vitae, and the development of professional skills related to the business environment.

    Program Chair: Email Abhaya Dandekar

    Visit the Graduate Studies website for more information about a Designated Emphasis in Biotechnology.

  • Native American Studies

  • The designated emphasis in Native American Studies focuses hemispherically upon the indigenous peoples of the Americans, that is, upon the peoples, nations, tribes, and communities whose ancestors have lived in North, Central and South America from earliest times. This unique hemispheric approach includes attention to the increasing dislocation and diaspora of indigenous people throughout the Americas, and calls upon the authority of Native intelligence (Native voices, Native texts) in all its forms and manifestations to address the issues that concern Native peoples, including the creative strategies for continuance they have developed over the centuries.

    Program Chair: Email Justin Spence

    Visit the Graduate Studies website for more information about a Designated Emphasis in Native American Studies.


Doctoral Degree Program Requirements

PhD Degree Course Requirements

Ph.D Core and Electives (minimum of 49 units total)

  • a) Core Courses (4 units)

  • EBS 200: Research methods in biological systems engineering 2 units
    EBS 290 Seminar 2 units

  • b) Elective Courses (45 units)
  • (Note 8 of these 45 units have to meet Advanced Math and Advanced Experimental Design and Analysis requirements.)

    Major (30 units): ECH 259/EBS 270 or equivalent (Advanced engineering mathematics), EBS 265 (Design and analysis of engineering experiments), and other graduate and upper division courses in the major field.
    Minor (15 units): A minimum of 15 units of graduate and undergraduate courses in a particular filed to enhance student’s breadth of knowledge. To achieve this breadth student typically takes 3 graduate and 2 upper division courses in a coherent subject (i.e., 5 courses randomly selected from different areas will not constitute a minor).

    Note: The Course Guidance Committee, in concurrence with the student, may suggest ECH 140 (Mathematical methods in biochemical and chemical engineering), EAD 205A (mathematical methods), MAT 118A (Partial differential equations: Elementary methods), or MAT 118B (Partial differential equations: Eigenfunction expansions) as a substitution for ECH 259/EBS 270. Similarly, PLP 222 (Experimental approaches in plant pathology) may be suggested as a substitution to EBS 265. However, EBS 265 and ECH 259 are the preferred courses and any recommended changes will have to be approved by the Executive Committee. Note also that any such changes may lead to a change in the total number of core units. However, such changes need to be compensated in major courses, which must total a minimum of 30 units including Advancement engineering mathematics and Design and analysis of engineering experiments or with their respective substitutions.
  • c) Summary
  • In selecting the courses, students should be very careful to make sure that in the major and minor fields, which amount to a total of 45 units, there are at least 30 graduate units of which at least 15 are engineering graduate units. Moreover, at least 23 units must be in engineering. Note that students holding a MS degree may be able to transfer up to 21 units from elsewhere. To be able to transfer these units students must provide an extended outline of the course (s) taken at other institutions. In any case, at least 24 units and core courses (EBS 200 and EBS 290) must be taken here at UC Davis to satisfy major and minor requirements.

D.Eng Degree Course Requirements

D.Eng Core and Electives (minimum of 49 units total)

  • General Information

  • Because the D.Eng. major field area may include a wider range of subject matter than is customary in the Ph.D. program and minor fields should include courses outside engineering, the area covered by the qualifying examination is thus broadened. As a result, the minimum course work required to prepare a student for the examination may exceed the 30 graduate units and an additional 15 upper division or graduate units suggested for the Ph.D. candidate.

  • a) Core courses (4 units)

  • EBS 200: Research methods in biological systems engineering 2 units
    EBS 290: Seminar 2 units

  • b) Elective courses (45 units)

  • Major (30 units): A minimum of 30 units of graduate and upper division courses. These courses should prepare the student to define and solve problems in recognized engineering area. These courses may come from physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and engineering to provide knowledge necessary for high-level professional engineering performance.
    Minor (15 units): A minimum of 15 units of graduate and undergraduate courses in particular field to enhance students breadth of knowledge. To achieve this breadth student typically takes 3 graduate and 2 upper division courses in a coherent subject (i.e., about 5 courses randomly selected from different areas).

    Note: The Course Guidance Committee, in concurrence with the student, may suggest ECH 140 (Mathematical methods in biochemical and chemical engineering), EAD 205A (mathematical methods), MAT 118A (Partial differential equations: Elementary methods), or MAT 118B (Partial differential equations: Eigenfunction expansions) as a substitution for ECH 259/EBS 270. Similarly, PLP 222 (Experimental approaches in plant pathology) may be suggested as a substitution to EBS 265. However, EBS 265 and ECH 259 are the preferred courses and any recommended changes will have to be approved by the Executive Committee. Note also that any such changes may lead to a change in the total number of core units. However, such changes need to be compensated in major courses, which must total a minimum of 30 units including Advancement engineering mathematics and Design and analysis of engineering experiments or with their respective substitutions.

  • c) Summary

  • In selecting the courses, students should be very careful to make sure that in the major and minor fields, which amount to a total of 45 units, there are at least 30 graduate units of which at least 15 are engineering graduate units. Moreover, at least 23 units must be in engineering. Note that students holding a MS degree may be able to use up to 21 units from elsewhere. To be able to use these units students must provide an extended outline of the course (s) taken at other institutions. In any case, at least 24 units and core courses (EBS 200 and EBS 290) must be taken here at UC Davis to satisfy major and minor requirements.

Download the Graduate Program Degree Requirements PDF for More Information


Qualifying Examination

  • General Information
  • The primary purpose of the Qualifying Examination (QE) is to validate that the student is academically qualified to conceptualize a research topic, undertake scholarly research and successfully produce the dissertation required for a doctoral degree. The QE must evaluate the student’s command of the field, ensuring that the  student has both breadth and depth of knowledge, and must not focus solely on the proposed dissertation research. In addition, the QE provides an opportunity for the committee to provide important guidance to the student regarding their chosen research topic.

    All students will complete all course requirements before taking their Qualifying Examination. Passing this exam makes the student eligible for advancement to candidacy.

    There is a lot of great information on the Graduate Studies Qualifying Exam website! 
  • Eligibility
  • - Completed all courses
    - Program of Study approved
    - Completed Deficiency courses (if applicable) - Required for students without an engineering degree
    - Full-time status in the quarter in which the QE is taken
  • Committee Membership
  • The GBSE QE Committee must consist of at least five (5) individuals shall be constituted subject to the following constraints:
    - Five faculty members nominated in consultation with your major professor and Graduate Adviser.
    - The major professor cannot serve on the QE committee
    - Three members must be from the BSE Graduate Program.
    - At least one, but no more than two, member(s) from outside the BSE Graduate Program

    Please see the degree requirements guide for more information about eligibility to serve on the QE committee, or check in with Graduate Program Coordinator

    *Note: Individuals who hold EWOS status are not members of the GBSE Graduate program; if their regular appointment is in GBSE, they also do not qualify as external to the GBSE Graduate program, and cannot serve as a committee member. 
  • Timeline
  • - A student entering with a BS degree in engineering should take the qualifying examination within 9 quarters (excluding summer) and no later than 12 quarters (excluding summer) after admission to the Ph.D. program.
    - A student entering with an MS degree with a significant number of units (18 to 21) used from their MS program, should take qualifying examination in 6 quarters (excluding summer) and no later than 9 quarters (excluding summer) after admission to the Ph. D. program.
    - A student entering with a non-engineering BS degree would be allowed an additional year for taking the qualifying examination. 
  • Oral Portion of the Exam

  • The oral portion of the qualifying exam will be 3 hours in length and is intended to demonstrate the student's critical thinking ability, powers of imagination and synthesis, and broad knowledge of the field of study. The QE committee chair will set the remaining format and communicate this to you and the other committee members.

    An example of a typical format is as follows:
    - Approximately 1-1.5 hours presentation and questioning on the QE proposal
              - Student prepares a 15 – 20 min presentation.
              - Some committees prefer questions throughout the presentation.
              - Others will hold questions until after an uninterrupted presentation
    - Short break
              - Committee members discuss student performance
    - Approximately 1-1.5 hours questioning on coursework
    - Committee deliberations
              - Chair will inform student of the outcome of the exam at the end of the deliberations.
    - The total time for the exam is typically around 3 hours.
  • Written Portion of the Exam – Dissertation Prospectus/QE Proposal
  • At a minimum the written portion of the exam consists of a research proposal called the Dissertation Prospectus. The Prospectus should be provided to members of the qualifying examination committee at least 10 days before the oral portion of the exam. 

    The Prospectus is an independently prepared proposal of 10-12 pages describing the student's dissertation-specific research aims, hypotheses, progress to date, and experimental approach. The QE proposal must be written exclusively by you (the student). PIs may provide guidance and feedback, but not conduct extensive edits. 

    Consult with your PI on their preferred QE proposal document structure and format beyond the page count requirement noted above. Here is an example set of guidelines for the QE proposal document. 

    Example Format (Following NSF proposal guidelines)
    - 10-12 pages maximum
              - Including figures and tables
              - Not including references
              - Not including title page
              - Single spaced, 1” margins, 12 pt. font
    - Proposal Sections
              - Title page
              - Proposal Title
              - Date of QE
              - Committee members
    - Introduction and Problem Statement
              - What main research question will your research attempt to answer?
              - Why is this question important? 
    - Research objectives
              - How will your research address the main research question?
    - Background
              - What is currently known? (i.e. how have others tried to answer this question?
    - Approach
              - How will you fulfil your research objectives?
  • Preparing for the QE
  • Checklist and Timeline 
    3-6 months before QE
    - Verify that your approved final Program of Study is complete with the Graduate Program Coordinator.
    - Discuss your exam with your Major Professor and assemble QE committee
    - Set a date, time and location for the QE; be sure to reserve the room for your exam
    - Start developing the QE proposal (if you haven’t already started)

    6 weeks before QE
    - Submit the signed QE application (and/or the external member form and/or remote participant form as needed) to the Graduate Program Coordinator (The Graduate Program Coordinator will submit the QE Application to Graduate Studies for approval.  The QE cannot proceed until Graduate Studies has approved the committee)
    - QE Applications MUST be submitted to Graduate Studies at least 30 days in advance or they will be denied.  Please try to submit 35-40 days in advance to secure departmental approval and signatures. 

    4-2 weeks before QE
    - Send a final draft of the QE proposal to committee members and discuss requirements
    - Start working on QE proposal presentation
    - Meet with individual QE members

    2 weeks before QE
    - Practice QE presentation

    3-5 Days before QE
    - Check the room and test the tech

    Night before QE
    - Sleep well
    - Eat well
    - Relax!

    Day of QE
    - Go in with confidence – you know your research proposal better than anyone else in the room!
  • Required Paperwork
  • All students must submit the Qualifying Examination Application (GS319). Students should plan to submit the Qualifying Examination Application AT LEAST 30 days prior to their QE date (35-40 days is recommended).  Late applications will be denied. 

    If you have a member of your QE who is external to the UC faculty, you should check in with the Graduate Program Coordinator, and submit the External Committee Membership Application (GS311) form, along with the persons CV. 

    If you plan to have one member of your QE participate remotely, you will need to submit the Committee Member Remote Participation Request (GS342) form.

    All forms should be submitted together for final approval in one package.

    Current guidance on remote/in person exams can be found on the Graduate Studies website.
  • Reserving a Room
  • It is the students responsibility to reserve a room for in-person QEs (or create a meeting link for remote QEs). 

    Space in Bainer Hall: Reserve a room for your exam using BFTV Event Management System; I highly recommending reserving the space for 30 minutes before and after your QE so you don't feel rushed. If you need assistance with this, please email BAEadvising@ucdavis.edu.

    You can also reserve space in Walker Hall (1212, 1004, 1003, 1136).  Visit the Grad Studies Facility Reservations website to learn more about the Walker Hall Rooms, and also find the link to reserve rooms online
  • QE Resources for students
  • Graduate Studies Qualifying Exam website
    Graduate Council Policy - Doctoral Qualifying Examinations GC2005-02 (rev. 06)
    Acing your Qualifying Exam
    Additional Hints to Help You Succeed on Your QE
    QE Regulations (Graduate Studies document)
    Graduate Studies Remote Participation in Graduate Examinations
  • QE Resources for Faculty
  • Click here to download a PDF and learn more about the examination and dissertation process.

Dissertation

Filing of a Ph.D. dissertation with the Office of Graduate Studies is normally the last requirement satisfied by the candidate. The deadlines for completing this requirement are listed each quarter in the campus General Catalog (available online at the website of the Office of the Registrar or from the Bookstore). A candidate must be a registered student or in Filing Fee status at the time of filing a dissertation, with the exception of the summer period between the end of the Spring Quarter and the beginning of Fall Quarter. The PhD. Dissertation will be prepared, submitted and filed according to regulations instituted by the Office of Graduate Studies http://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/students/filing.html. Satisfaction of this requirement must be verified by the Dissertation Committee Chair.

  • General Information
  • The research conducted by the student must be of such character as to show ability to pursue independent research. The dissertation reports a scholarly piece of work of publishable quality that solves a significant scientific problem in the field and is carried out under the supervision of a member of program while the student is enrolled in the program. The chair of the dissertation committee must be a member of the program and must be immediately involved with the planning and execution of the work related to the dissertation.
  • Dissertation Reading Committee
  • The role of the Dissertation Committee is to advise the doctoral student on the research topic and methods, and then to review the final completed dissertation for acceptance.

    This committee of three is nominated by the student in consultation with their major professor and submitted to the Graduate Adviser for approval. The composition of the committee is entered on the Advancement to Candidacy Form and are then submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for formal appointment in accordance with Graduate Council policy.
  • Timeline
  • Typically, students will being finalizing their dissertation in their 4-5th years in the program. During this time students should meet regularly with their dissertation committee. The dissertation must be submitted to each member of the dissertation committee at least one month before the student expects to make requested revisions, which should occur approximately ; committee members are expected to respond within 4 weeks, not including summer months for nine month faculty. Informing committee members of progress as writing proceeds helps the members to plan to read the dissertation and provide feedback within this time frame.
  • Exit Seminar
  • Biological Systems Engineering Graduate Program follows Dissertation Plan B and requires an exit seminar. The Exit Seminar is scheduled after the student submits a rough draft to the Dissertation Committee on a date suitable to all members of the committee with the approval of the Graduate Adviser. The Thesis and Dissertation Presentation form can be found from the Graduate Adviser/Graduate Coordinator or at the website: https://bae.engineering.ucdavis.edu/graduate/graduateforms/. Scheduling of the Exit Seminar is the responsibility of the student.

    - Schedule your Exit Seminar to be completed at least two weeks before you submit your dissertation. You may NOT submit your dissertation until you've completed your exit seminar. 
    - Refer to the filing deadlines posted on the Graduate Studies webpage to help determine this timeline.
    - Begin the Exit Seminar Form in consultation with your Dissertation Reading Committee, Graduate Advisor, and Seminar Coordinator for that quarter to schedule your seminar - retain this form until after you've completed your Exit Seminar.
    - If the seminar is scheduled during the Summer, please contact the departmental seminar coordinator for the Spring quarter.
    - All three members of the Dissertation Reading Committee must be present. Only under exceptional circumstances the seminar can be arranged when only two committee members can attend the seminar. In such a case, the member who cannot be present must appoint a proxy.
    - The Exit Seminar can be open to the public.
    - Submit your completed and signed Exit Seminar Form to the Graduate Program Coordinator.

Did you use this resource? Do you have suggestions/additions? Let us know by contacting us at BAEadvising@ucdavis.edu

Webpage updated: 04/2023