PhD Focus Areas

Focus Area Coursework

At the time of application, PhD students choose from seven focus areas to help guide their selection of courses. While there are no formal requirements specific to each of these areas in addition to what is already required of all PhD students, the links below provide guidance on typical course schedules for students in different fundamental and applied research focuses. Learn more about recommended coursework for each focus area at the links below: 

• Air Quality Curriculum
• Biomedical Curriculum
• Design
• Materials Curriculum
• Mechanics of Materials Curriculum
• Micro/Nanoscale Curriculum
• Robotics and Systems Design Curriculum
• Thermo Fluid Sciences Curriculum

Focus Area Research

PhD students have access to top experts in their fields and conduct research with direct impact on human health and safety, the environment and technology development. They work alongside faculty members doing both fundamental and applied research that harnesses state-of-the-art experimental, theoretical and computational approaches to expand the frontiers of technology in the following areas: 

• Air Quality Research
• Biomedical Research
• Design Research
• Material Science and Engineering Research
• Mechanics of Materials Research
• Micro/Nanoscale Research
• Robotics and Systems Design Research
• Thermo Fluid Sciences Research