Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree programs in Chemical Engineering
1 Welcome to new students
We want to welcome you to the Department of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. Our vision is to be a program that “enriches the future by advancing ethical, sustainable, and ambitious solutions to critical problems”. We believe that you have what it takes to help us succeed in this vision. Our mission includes the desire to “foster a collaborative, diverse community focused on interdisciplinary education and research”, and we ask that you work with us and your peers in the department to build a strong, inclusive community that values contributions from everyone.
In our goal to graduate the strongest engineering students, we have high expectations for you, as we do for ourselves. We specifically recruited you because of your academic excellence, your ability to advance knowledge with your passion for education and research, and your commitment to our department values. We believe that you will exceed our expectations, achieve great things, and make a positive, lasting impact on society.
Welcome to our community. Welcome to Carnegie Mellon!
Sincerely,
Carl D. Laird Professor of Chemical Engineering and Interim Department Head
This handbook provides information on our policies. Please be sure to read the following:
1. Doctoral Student Handbook: This document spells out the major policies and procedures of the department including, but not limited to, coursework, examinations, research expectations, timelines for completion of degree and allowances for vacation.
2. Safety Policy: Safety is critical for the protection of yourself and others, and everyone is expected to maintain safe work. The university has strict safety codes and violations thereof will be penalized. University safety guidelines can be found at: www.cmu.edu/ehs/Guidelines/index.html
While this handbook is specific to your academic experience in the department, it is just one element of the Graduate Student Handbook Suite. Information about The Word (i.e., the student handbook); the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs; the Office of the Dean of Students and others are included in this handbook. You are strongly encouraged to contact the Graduate Academic Advisor or Director of Graduate Education if you have questions.
There are several other resources within the suite that you should consult when needed:
• College of Engineering Graduate Student Handbook
Carnegie Mellon University will have a transformative impact on society through continual innovation in education, research, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
The vision of the Department of Chemical Engineering is to be one of the world’s pre-eminent chemical engineering programs that enriches the future by advancing ethical, sustainable, and ambitious solutions to critical problems.
2.2 Mission
The mission of Carnegie Mellon University is to create a transformative educational experience for students focused on deep disciplinary knowledge; problem solving; leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills; and personal health and wellbeing.
To cultivate a transformative university community committed to (a) attracting and retaining diverse, world-class talent; (b) creating a collaborative environment open to the free exchange of ideas, where research, creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship can flourish; and (c) ensuring individuals can achieve their full potential.
To impact society in a transformative way regionally, nationally, and globally by engaging with partners outside the traditional borders of the university campus.
The mission of the Department of Chemical Engineering is to foster a collaborative, diverse community focused on interdisciplinary education and research, exploring all facets of chemical engineering from molecular to enterprise, and to commit to preparing the next generation of responsible engineers.
For further information please see:
www.cmu.edu/about/mission.html
2.3 Philosophy
The grounding philosophy of the Department is reflected in the Mission and Vision statements above. The structure of the PhD degree program and degree requirements are explained in this document. The PhD degree is the highest academic degree awarded by any university. Students pursuing a PhD in Chemical Engineering become independent researchers equipped to apply chemical engineering principles and advanced analytical, computational, and experimental techniques to solve open-ended research problems. The education and training prepare students for careers in academia and industry. The PhD program is for students who want to conduct original research. The PhD typically requires four to five years of work to acquire knowledge through advanced coursework and original research.
3 Degrees Offered
Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering (Direct or Advanced Entry)
4 Using the Doctoral Student Handbook
Please refer to this handbook as a guide to policy information pertaining to curriculum and milestone requirements, including coursework, thesis committee, teaching assistant requirements, qualifying exam, proposal, and defense. Links to resources are in this handbook. You are strongly encouraged to contact the Graduate Academic Advisor or Director of Graduate Education if you have questions.
5 Carnegie Mellon University Statement of Assurance
Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate in admission, employment or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap or disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, ancestry, belief, veteran status or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state or local laws or executive orders.
Inquiries concerning the application of and compliance with this statement should be directed to the university ombudsperson, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412-268-1018. Obtain general information about Carnegie Mellon University by calling 412-268-2000.
Carnegie Mellon University publishes an annual campus security and fire safety report describing the university's security, alcohol and drug, sexual assault and fire safety policies, and containing statistics about the number and type of crimes committed on the campus, and the number and cause of fires in campus residence facilities during the preceding three years. You can obtain a copy by contacting the Carnegie Mellon Police Department at 412-268-2323. The annual security and fire safety report also is available online at www.cmu.edu/police/annualreports.
Information regarding the applicable grievance procedures for alleged violations of the Statement of Assurance is available at:
The Office for Institutional Equity and Title IX may be reached at 412-268-7125 or institutionalequity@cmu.edu.
6 The Carnegie Mellon Code
Students at Carnegie Mellon, because they are members of an academic community dedicated to the achievement of excellence, are expected to meet the highest standards of personal, ethical and moral conduct possible.
These standards require personal integrity, a commitment to honesty without compromise, as well as truth without equivocation and a willingness to place the good of the community above the good of the self. Obligations once undertaken must be met, commitments kept.
As members of the Carnegie Mellon community, individuals are expected to uphold the standards of the community in addition to holding others accountable for said standards. It is rare that the life of a student in an academic community can be so private that it will not affect the community as a whole or that the above standards do not apply.
The discovery, advancement and communication of knowledge are not possible without a commitment to these standards. Creativity cannot exist without acknowledgment of the creativity of others. New knowledge cannot be developed without credit for prior knowledge. Without the ability to trust that these principles will be observed, an academic community cannot exist.
The commitment of its faculty, staff and students to these standards contributes to the high respect in which the Carnegie Mellon degree is held. Students must not destroy that respect by their failure to meet these standards. Students who cannot meet them should voluntarily withdraw from the university.
The Carnegie Mellon Code can also be found on-line at:
https://www.cmu.edu/student-affairs/theword/
7 University Policies & Expectations
It is the responsibility of each member of the Carnegie Mellon community to be familiar with university policies and guidelines. In addition to this departmental graduate student handbook the following resources are available to assist you in understanding community expectations:
• The Word/Student Handbook: https://www.cmu.edu/student-affairs/theword//index.html
• University Policies Website: https://www.cmu.edu/policies/
• Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs: https://www.cmu.edu/graduate/policies/index.html
• Additional Policy Resources (e.g. college/department specific policies)
Due to the changing nature of conditions and expectations surrounding public health and safety requirements please visit https://www.cmu.edu/coronavirus/ for the most up to date information.
8 Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar can be found at:
https://www.cmu.edu/hub/calendar/index.html
The Academic Calendar provides information on deadlines including registration dates, class start dates, add/drop deadlines, and exam dates.
9 Departmental Information
9.1 Personnel
9.1.1
College of Engineering Personnel
• William Sanders, Dean of College of Engineering
• Lisa Porter, Associate Dean for Faculty & Graduate Affairs
• Jennifer Spirer, Director of Graduate Affairs
• Andrea Cohen, Faculty & Graduate Affairs Coordinator
• Alaine Allen, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
9.1.2
Select Departmental Personnel
• Carl Laird, Interim Department Head
• Whitney Friedman, Director of Finance and Operations
• Aditya Khair, Director of Graduate Education
Doctoral Student Handbook
• Maria Barnes, Academic Recruiting & Outreach Manager
• Heather Costello, Graduate Academic Advisor
• Janet Latini, Front Office Administrative Coordinator
• Samantha Wessel, Manager of Administration and Assistant to the Department Head
• Justin Dawber, Director of Computing Services
• Sarah Hughes, Endpoint Computing Services
• Julie Tilton, Facilities Manager
• Lauren Smith, Communications Manager
• Lauren Lesko, Assistant Business Manager
• Matthew Westphal, Buyer
• A complete listing of departmental personnel is available at: www.cheme.engineering.cmu.edu/directory/index.html
9.2 DepartmentalResources
• Department Directory
• Canvas is used for important announcements. Modules in Canvas contain information on processes, policies, and fellowship or job opportunities. The relevant module for the PhD program is at:
https://canvas.cmu.edu/courses/16179.
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they are receiving notifications regarding updates to this module.
• Mailboxes – Faculty, staff, and PhD students are assigned mailboxes in Doherty Hall 1108
• Printing is available at the first and third floor copiers. Questions on printing should be addressed to the ChemE-computing team at chemecomputing@andrew.cmu.edu
• Copy Machine Availability/ Fax Machine – PhD Students have key access to the copy room located in Doherty Hall 1110 which includes a copy machine and fax machine. Questions on copy/fax should be addressed to the ChemE-computing team at cheme-computing@andrew.cmu.edu
• Lab/Office Space – First semester PhD students are assigned desk space. Following thesis advisor assignment, desks may be reassigned.
• Key/Card ID Access
o Students will obtain access to assigned office space and other departmental locations as appropriate.
o Card ID access is provided based on office location assignment
o Key and card access is typically provided to incoming students before the first week of class.
o Please see main office in Doherty Hall 1107 with any key or card access issues
o Keys must be returned to the main office (DH 1107) when a student graduates.
o Lost keys must be reported to the main office (DH 1107); Keys are not permitted to be duplicated.
• Facility maintenance requests for Doherty Hall are handled by the Chemical Engineering Facility Manager. Requests are considered either urgent or routine.
Urgent/emergencyrequests are anything that poses a risk to the safety or security of people or property is considered an emergency. Examples include elevator stoppages, leaks, any utility outage, broken door locks, abandoned packages, clogged toilets. If a situation arises that would alarm you if it were happening in your home, please consider it an emergency.
What should you do in an emergency? Report all emergencies. Do not send emails. Do not leave phone messages. Go down the list of phone numbers below until you can report the situation directly to another person.
● Facilities Manager – 412-268-9537. When this person is not on campus that number is forwarded to another staff member who can answer calls during regular business hours.
● Chemical Engineering helpline phone number – 412 268-2231. This number should be used for urgent facility matters during regular business hours.
● Facilities Management & Campus Services (FMCS) Emergency Response –412 268-2910 – this phone number is answered 24/7.
If you are unsure of what to do or who to call, please call the Campus Police Emergency number.
Routine (non-urgent) service requests: Please use the Facility Repair Request & Cleaning Feedback Form (https://forms.gle/oicn1a3BQYQw2iFw9) to report routine (non-urgent) repair requests. Please provide the room number (or location such as a stairwell) and as many details as possible to describe the location/problem/need/symptoms. Non-urgent requests will be handled by the Facilities Manager during regular business hours.
Cleaning Requests: For cleaning requests, please use the Facility Repair Request & Cleaning Feedback Form (https://forms.gle/oicn1a3BQYQw2iFw9).
If you are cleaning out offices or lab space and have larger items, such as furniture, microwaves, or boxes of materials to discard, you must contact the Facilities manager in advance and provide an Oracle string to be charged for these special
trash pick-up services. The cleaners will not discard any equipment left in the hallway even if marked as trash.
9.2.1 Purchasing
▪ PURCHASING
SUPPLIES
The purchasing of all technical supplies and equipment by members of the Chemical Engineering department is coordinated through the department and handled by the Buyer. All purchases automatically become the property of the Department of Chemical Engineering. A completed Purchase Request Form submitted electronically through the Chemical Engineering Department’s website is required to initiate a purchase.
Purchase Request Forms, comprehensive instructions for using the forms, as well as university policies/requirements for various types of purchases can be found on the Chemical Engineering website. Please read through the instructions before completing any request forms, and never arrange to make purchases prior to completing and submitting purchase order request forms. To navigate to the purchasing portion of the Chemical Engineering website, first access the department’s main page:
A Chemical Engineering affiliated Andrew ID is needed to access this portion of the department’s website. Links to the Purchase Request Forms, form completion instructions, and other information about technical purchasing can be found here. Non-technical purchases, payments or reimbursements are handled by the Chemical Engineering administrative team, who can be reached at:
cheme-adminsupport@andrew.cmu.edu
▪ PURCHASING IN UNIVERSITY STORES
Items can be purchased using an Oracle account from University Stores including the Bookstore, Art Store or Computer Store. You will need the account number, proper identification, and a signed authorization form to purchase goods. See the Assistant Business Manager for the authorization form you will need to present to
the store clerk. Please give the store receipt to Front Office Administrative Coordinator after you have made your purchase.
▪ EXPENSE REPORTS
Students who accrue business-related costs, such as conference and research travel, should seek reimbursement using the Expense Reimbursement Form, which is available at:
Expenses must be submitted within 30 days of purchase date. Reimbursed expenses may be taxable and will require additional approvals and additional paperwork if submitted after 90 days. Submit all original receipts, including itemization and proof of payment, for reimbursement, with the Thesis Advisor’s approval, to ChemE Expenses inbox: cheme-expenses@andrew.cmu.edu.
Reference the university policies for travel and non-travel business expenses online at:
Expense report reimbursements will be paid via direct deposit. To ensure that payments can be made electronically, complete the AP Employee Expense Direct Deposit Form at: https://www.cmu.edu/finance/forms/files/ap-exp-dd.pdf
This form must be emailed to Accounts Payable department at ap-supplierdoc@andrew.cmu.edu from your CMU email account before submitting your first expense reimbursement request. Processing time for this initial setup is approximately 2 weeks.
9.2.2 ChEGSA
The Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Association, simply referred to as ChEGSA, is a longstanding student organization in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. The primary objective of ChEGSA is to enrich the experience of graduate students in our department. To accomplish this goal, ChEGSA hosts social, academic, and professional development events throughout the year and provides a link between students and industry. More information can be found at: http://chegsa.cheme.cmu.edu/.
9.2.3 Department Approach to Press and Media Relations
The Communications Manager supports faculty and students in publicizing their work. You can share a news story idea by submitting form here or contacting the communications manager directly. Advance notice is very helpful, and the communications manager understands working within embargo.
If you are contacted directly by the media, please reach out to the communications manager. They can vet the reporter or media outlet, offer guidance for your response, and help you prepare.
9.2.4 Department/College/University Brands and Logos
Guidelines for the Carnegie Mellon University brand can be found here: https://www.cmu.edu/brand/brand-guidelines/index.html.
The Department of Chemical Engineering unit mark is available in different sizes, orientations, colors, and file types. If you would like to use it, please contact the department’s Communications Manager, who will help determine the best option to meet your needs. The department unit mark should not be altered, modified, or combined with other logos or wordmarks.
Carnegie Mellon graduate students are expected to complete their degree requirements within the standard length of time for their program of study as outlined in the relevant Graduate Student Handbook. Standard program lengths for graduate students vary significantly – ranging from two semesters for some fulltime master’s programs to several or more years for doctoral programs. Upon completion of the graduate program degree requirements, the degree will typically be certified by the student’s academic program in the semester in which the student completes the requirements.
10.1.1 Early Completion
Graduate students who consider the completion of all degree requirements in less than the standard length of time for their program of study may consult with their degree-granting program or department to determine if early degree certification is allowed. Please contact the Graduate Academic Advisor for further details.
10.1.2 Extended or Longer-than-Standard Competition
Longer-than-standard degree completion may occur due to academic interruptions in making progress toward the degree as defined by the academic program, interruptions of full-time study or progress towards the degree due to serious, documented medical issues, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Doctoral students who require an extended period to complete their degree requirements must consult with their academic program, and are subject to the CMU Policy on Doctoral Student Status (https://www.cmu.edu/policies/studentand-student-life/doctoral-student-status.html), see specifically the “Time to Degree” section.
10.1.3 Advising
▪ THESIS ADVISOR SELECTION
The Thesis Advisor selection process accounts for student preferences, faculty availability and funding, and for other general department criteria. During the first
semester in residence, each new graduate student must attend the presentation of each faculty member on the list provided by the Department Head to discuss research projects underway or planned. First year students must attend the ChEGSA Symposium, usually held in October, to learn about related projects directed by the prospective advisors. Students unable to attend these events will need to request an exception to the Department Head to be included in the advisor selection process.
On or before the date set by the department, a student must complete the advisor selection form, which typically requires three choices (in order of preference) along with a short (100-300 words) essay describing the reasons for their choices. It is highly recommended, and may on occasion be required, that the students meet with (at least) all on their list prior to the submitting the selection form. The Department Head will make the assignment.
In exceptional circumstances, the Department Head will meet with students who cannot be assigned any of their top choices. Ultimately, PhD students are expected to manage the timely response to advisor selection and failure to do so represents a lack of research progress.
▪
ROLE OF THE THESIS ADVISOR
The role of the Thesis Advisor includes being a mentor, supervisor, and colleague. The Thesis Advisor is responsible for helping the student define a project, for evaluating the student's progress, and for jointly working with the student toward a successful outcome. Generally, meetings between students and thesis advisors should be scheduled on weekdays during normal business hours unless an alternate time is mutually preferable. The Thesis Advisor continually determines whether the student is making satisfactory progress.
▪
ROLE OF THE STUDENT
The student, under the guidance of the Thesis Advisor, should make original scholarly contributions in their area of research and disseminate their findings through journal publications and meeting presentations. Progress on publications and presentations will be reviewed by the Thesis Committee along with the advisor.
More broadly, students are expected to abide by the standards of personal, ethical, and moral conduct outlined in the Carnegie Mellon Code, which can be found at:
It is the responsibility of both Thesis Advisor and student to reconcile differences in good faith. Under extreme circumstances, the student or the Thesis Advisor may petition the Department Head to oversee resolution of the problem. If no resolution can be achieved, the Department Head will typically direct the student to discussions with potential new advisors. The student may seek a new Thesis Advisor, but the Department of Chemical Engineering is not obligated to find a new Thesis Advisor for the student. If a new match is found, the student might be required to document work already performed before making the switch; the timing and circumstances of the switch will be made on a case-by-case basis. If no new match is found, the Department Head will advise the student of their dismissal from the graduate program as of a specified date. These cases are rare. Any student who feels unfairly treated may consult the College of Engineering Grievance Policy for further appeal. Also refer to the University’s Summary of Graduate Student Appeal and Grievance Procedures
10.1.4
Major Program Requirements and Rules of Timing
1. Students must complete coursework as outlined in this document. An average QPA of 3.0 or higher must be maintained or a student will be subject to an academic probationary period, following which dismissal from the program may occur.
2. Students in the PhD program must complete their TA assignments as described in section 11.14. Students are required to undertake 3 TA assignments by signing up for the 2-unit course 06-799 in three separate semesters.
3. Students in the PhD program must take the Qualifying Exam within 12 months of starting their program at CMU. In exceptional cases such as off-cycle starts (e.g. due to Spring admission or transfer from another program/University) or illness, the student and Thesis Advisor may petition the Director of Graduate Education and Department Head for a change in timing. In the case of transfers from another institution, an arrangement of if and when the Qualifying Exam is to be taken will be agreed upon by the Department Head, student, and Thesis Advisor, before the transfer is complete.
4. Direct Entry Students at CMU must pass the PhD Proposal by the last day of the seventh semester in residence (summer counts as one semester). Advanced Entry students must pass the PhD Proposal by the last day of the sixth semester. If the semester in question is a summer semester, then the student must pass the proposal before the first day of classes in the fall semester. A reminder of the proposal deadline will be sent to each student the semester before the deadline. Failure to meet this deadline may result in suspension of stipend until the proposal is passed; tuition support may also be suspended after a period of time. Requests for an extension of the proposal deadline will be reviewed and potentially approved by the Director of Graduate Education. The PhD Proposal is described in this document. Careful reading thereof will make clear that the student should not postpone this step until near the deadline; it is recommended that the student schedule their PhD Proposal in the first half of the semester by the end of which it must be completed.
5. Admission to candidacy for the PhD degree, which commences following the successful completion of the Qualifying Exam, is for a period of no longer than six calendar years. If, at the end of this six-year period, the PhD has not been awarded, the student may petition the Department Head for extension of the six-year limit under extenuating circumstances such as a forced change of thesis advisor, military service or prolonged illness. These requests must be made within the six-year period and with the approval of the Thesis Advisor. Such an extension is solely for completion of the degree and does not imply an extension of financial support from the Department beyond that described in section 10.2.2.
6. In general, all students are subject to continual review of their progress by their Thesis Advisor who is responsible for determining whether each student's progress is satisfactory. If the Thesis Advisor determines at any time that the student is not making satisfactory progress and believes that the situation might lead to disassociation with the Student, the Thesis Advisor must provide written notification of such a determination to the student and to the Department Head at the earliest appropriate moment. The letter should include:
(1) A statement of the shortcomings that led to a determination of unsatisfactory progress.
(2) Specification of what changes must occur to resume satisfactory progress.
After evaluation, if the Department Head deems that the student is not making satisfactory progress, then the student will be placed on probation for a period that usually lasts one semester. If the progress is still unsatisfactory after this time period the student may be dismissed from the program.
10.2AdditionalGuidanceforStudents
10.2.1
Program of Study
Students seeking guidance about their program of study and degree requirements should consult with the Graduate Academic Advisor, Director of Graduate Education, and/or Associate Dean for Faculty and Graduate Affairs.
10.2.2 Financial Aid and Student Account
Students are expected to make satisfactory progress toward their degree to graduate within the standard timeframe for their program of study. Under U.S. Federal Title IV regulations, student eligibility for federal financial aid is contingent upon enrollment in and successful completion of courses that are counted as credit toward their current degree program. To receive the maximum amount of federal financial aid for which they may be eligible, students must enroll each semester in at least 36 units that count toward their current degree level. (See separate guidance regarding integrated degree completion.)
Students should consult with their designated college liaison in The HUB regarding billing and financial aid, particularly for early completion, longer-than-standard completion, or integrated undergraduate and master’s degree programs.
A student entering the PhD program in the Department of Chemical Engineering with a Bachelors-level degree is called "Direct Entry." A student entering the PhD program with a Masters-level degree in Chemical Engineering or a closely related STEM field is called "Advanced Entry." A Direct Entry student is supported up to fourteen semesters (including summer semester) of full-time residence and Advanced Entry students are supported up to twelve semesters (including summer semester) of full-time residence. A student should refer to their offer letter for further clarification. Continuation of support in all cases depends on satisfactory progress by the student in coursework and research. If support beyond the durations indicated above is request, the student must provide a written petition that will be reviewed by the Director of Graduate Education, Director of Finance and Operations, and ultimately the Department Head. The student’s Thesis Advisor
must provide a recommendation to the Department Head, no later than the semester in advance of the end date of funding, regarding action on the student's petition. If approved by the Department Head, funding will be provided on a one semester basis.
Graduate students who find themselves in need of immediate funds for emergency situations should contact the Office of the Dean of Students, www.cmu.edu/student-affairs/dean/loans/, to inquire about the types of emergency funding available to enrolled students.
10.2.3 International Students
Immigration status for students in F-1 and J-1 non-immigrant status is tied to making satisfactory progress toward completing degree requirements. Therefore, F-1 and J-1 students who are considering completing their degree requirements early, anticipating longer-than-standard completion, or moving from an undergraduate to a graduate student classification (integrated undergraduategraduate study) should consult with their designated advisor in the Office of International Education (OIE) to ensure compliance with immigration regulations.
10.3StatuteofLimitations
As outlined in the Doctoral Student Status Policy: https://www.cmu.edu/policies/student-and-student-life/doctoral-student-status.html
students will complete all requirements for the PhD degree within a maximum of ten years from original matriculation as a doctoral student, or less if required by a more restrictive department or college policy. Once this time-to-degree limit has lapsed, the student may resume work towards a doctoral degree only if newly admitted to a currently offered doctoral degree program under criteria determined by that program.
Under extraordinary circumstances, such as leave of absence, military or public service, family or parental leave, or temporary disability, a school or college may, upon the relevant department's recommendation and with the written approval of the dean, defer the lapse of All But Dissertation status for a period commensurate with the duration of that interruption. Students who are pursuing the PhD degree part-time for all semesters of their program, as approved by the
Department Head, may also appeal to the Department Head for extension of the time to degree limit.
10.4ResidencyRequirementsandExpectedTimeline
The university requires PhD students to have a minimum of one year in residency on a CMU campus, however the department expects students to complete the entirety of the degree in person.
The typical timeline is that the first-year students focus on coursework followed by the qualifying exam within twelve months from starting their program The first semester of the first year is typically devoted to coursework, and students begin research in the second semester of the first year. The PhD proposal is taken in the seventh semester for Direct Entry students and in the sixth semester for Advanced Entry students. The defense is typically completed in fourteen semesters for Direct Entry students (and within twelve semesters for Advanced Entry), which equates to around 4.75 years in residence for Direct Entry (and four for Advanced Entry).
10.5RegistrationProcess/Procedures
With your Andrew ID and password, log into Student Information Online (SIO).
• Plan your course schedule.
• Click +new, select the semester, name your plan.
• Browse for courses to add, or type the course number into the box and click add.
• Review your planned schedule with your research advisor.
• Register for classes. Use the gear wheels to register, drop, switch, and manage your waitlist.
10.5.1 Registering for the First Semester
All incoming Chemical Engineering PhD students (Direct Entry or Advanced Entry) must take at least four courses of nine units or more in their first semester, so that their total unit count is greater than or equal to 36. Additionally, PhD students must
register for the graduate seminar 06-800 (taken every semester), and the Graduate Professional Development (06-608) course. Students asked to be a TA must also register for 06-799A, although, typically, incoming PhD students will not be required to TA in their first semester. Advanced Entry students should also register for a minimum of 40 units including 4 courses of at least nine units, graduate seminar, the professional development course, and the TA course if necessary. It is highly recommended that Direct Entry students register for at least two core graduate courses in their first semester, and that Advanced Entry students register for at least one core graduate course.
10.5.2 Registering After the First Semester
The recommended course load for the second semester is three courses for Direct Entry students. Students are strongly encouraged to complete their core coursework via appropriate selection of courses in their second semester. Advanced Entry students should develop a second-semester course schedule in consultation with their thesis advisor(s).
It is recommended that all PhD students carry at least 48 units of credit in every semester after the first semester including coursework, graduate seminar, the TA course (when applicable) and research units. In every semester other than the first semester, therefore, the number of research units must equal 48 units minus the sum of coursework, seminar, and TA units.
This policy sets forth a definition of All But Dissertation (ABD) status, time limits on doctoral candidacy status, a definition of being In Residence and In Absentia for candidates and the tuition and fees charged for candidates in each status. The ABD Status Agreement Form can be found at:
https://www.cmu.edu/hub/docs/abd-status-agree.pdf
When a doctoral student has finished all degree requirements but the thesis defense and submission of a properly signed dissertation, the student is ABD until the two remaining requirements have been satisfied. According to the University
policy promulgated on June 1, 2011, the University recognizes two types of ABD students: Students In Residence and In Absentia. Any doctoral student who is selfsupported and/or not on track to finish in the normal amount of time (either 4 years and 9 months for Direct Entry or 4 years for Advanced Entry) should study the ABD policies of the University, the College, and the Chemical Engineering Department and should discuss their case with the Graduate Advisor. University policy on Time to Degree is listed on University Policy on Doctoral Student Status page. Please see the following summary.
10.6.1 ABD “In Residence
”
and ABS “in Absentia
”
According to the University: "A doctoral student In Residence maintains student status and all consequent student privileges and continues to be actively engaged with the university." This category is for students who make substantial use of university resources. According to the College of Engineering policy, typically, substantial use shall include: office space other than desk space, if available; all but minimal use of laboratory space or university furnished laboratory equipment and expendables; and all use of computer resources that is not specifically exempted for thesis text preparation. "In Residence" is the normal status for students who are ABD.
ABS (also known as in absentia) is for a student who is ABD, and who does not require substantial use of university resources, does not have to register and pay tuition until they reach the semester of expected graduation. This situation is called "in absentia." According to College of Engineering policy in absentia candidates shall be permitted use of the libraries or consultation with faculty or students (in particular, with a thesis advisor or members of the thesis committees). The university will provide in absentia candidates with identification for access to the library and other services permitted under the guidelines.
10.6.2 Implications of ABD & ABS Status
The College of Engineering recognizes the ABD "In Residence" and the ABS “In Absentia” categories. The following is a short interpretation of the implications of the above categories for students of the Department of Chemical Engineering.
1. Full-time PhD candidates, including ABD candidates, must register for a minimum of 36 units per semester if they are using university facilities as described above.
2. If all requirements except the thesis have been fulfilled, and if the student was admitted with a normal commitment of support from the Department, and if the student is currently self-supported (e.g. is beyond the statute of limitations for financial support), the student may declare themselves to be ABS; however, these students cannot receive a stipend and cannot make substantial use of University facilities. Also, the university will not certify a student who is ABS for immigration purposes. The ABS student must register for a minimum of 5 units in the semester of graduation.
3. It sometimes happens that a PhD student is beyond the limits of financial support and needs to do a few experiments or computations to complete the dissertation. In this case the student must write a letter of petition to the Dean of CIT through the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Faculty Affairs for ABD with in residence status. This gives the right to register for only 5 units and work in a laboratory. This petition is carefully reviewed along with input from the Thesis Advisor at which time all current policies and rules will be applied. If allowed, it will be granted for at most two semesters where the summer is counted as a semester.
4. Although rarely occurring, doctoral students sometimes pay for tuition out of pocket or by company benefit programs without channeling the support through the University. The doctoral student in this case must pay full tuition for the normal time to degree. In the case of demonstrated financial hardship (see the CIT policy statement), however, the doctoral student can petition for ABD in residence status with ABS unit registration requirements (5 per semester for up to two semesters) after 3 years of full-time enrollment.
10.6.3 Registering After Termination of Financial Support & ABD Status
Students are strongly encouraged to finish their degree within the limits of time for financial support. Most often this is the case. When the student does not complete the degree requirements in the allotted time and no further support through the Department is forthcoming, the rules concerning University Policy for Doctoral Student Status apply. That text is a summary of the University and CIT policy on the status of PhD students. Interested students and faculty should consult the University and College of Engineering guidelines for detailed descriptions.
11.1 CourseandQPARequirementsforThePhDDegree
Direct Entry students must take a minimum of 96 units of course work as part of the minimum 144 total units required for the Ph.D as clarified in the sections below These courses consist of:
• 4 Core Graduate (48 units)
• 2 Graduate (at least 9 units each)
• 1 Outside Technical (at least 9 units)
• 1 Graduate or Outside Technical (at least 9 units)
• 1 Graduate Professional Development Seminar (06-608 – 3 units)
Below are some notes on the bullet points above:
This distribution of units might not fulfill the minimum 96 units of course work.
Students should consult with the Graduate Academic Advisor and their Thesis Advisor to decide on the best way to fulfill the 96-unit requirement.
The student must maintain a minimum 3.0 average QPA in courses that will be counted towards degree requirements.
Only courses with a grade of 2.0 or higher will be counted towards degree requirements.
An average grade of 3.0 is required for the PhD core courses.
Graduate seminar and TA course credit cannot be counted toward course unit requirements.
Students should enroll for PhD research units (06-900) in any semester in which the course units do not total more than 48. Register for sufficient units to bring the total to 48 in this case. Research units do not count toward the 96-unit requirement for coursework.
A student must receive a letter grade in a course to count that course toward meeting the numerical unit requirements for any degree. Courses issuing Pass/Fail grades will not count to degree requirements.
Students are strongly encouraged to complete their core graduate coursework during their first two semesters in residence.
Advanced Entry students must take a minimum of 48 units of course work, with the following distribution, as part of the minimum 144 total units required for the PhD
• 1 Core Graduate (12 units)
• 1 Graduate (at least 9 units)
• 2 Graduate or Outside Technical (at least 9 units each)
• 1 Graduate Professional Development Seminar (06-608 – 3 units)
Below are some notes on the bullet points above:
The student must maintain a minimum 3.0 average QPA in courses that will be counted towards degree requirements.
A maximum of two core graduate courses will be counted towards degree requirements
Only courses with a grade of 2.0 or higher will be counted towards degree requirements.
An average grade of 3.0 is required for the PhD core courses.
Graduate seminar and TA course credit cannot be counted toward course unit requirements.
Students should enroll for PhD research units (06-900) in any semester in which the course units do not total more than 48. Register for sufficient units to bring the total to 48 in this case. Research units do not count toward the 96-unit requirement for coursework.
A student must receive a letter grade in a course to count that course toward meeting the numerical unit requirements for any degree. Courses issuing Pass/Fail grades will not count to degree requirements.
11.2CoreCourses
11.2.1 PhD Core
The department has designated five of graduate courses as "PhD Core graduate courses;" these are Thermodynamics (06-705), Kinetics (06-702), Advanced Transport Phenomena (06-707), Mathematical Techniques in Chemical Engineering (06-713), and Advanced Process Systems Engineering (06-720). PhD Core graduate courses can be substituted for non-Core Graduate courses but not vice versa. Advanced Entry students, however, can count a maximum of two Core Graduate courses toward the PhD
11.2.2 Graduate Professional Development Seminar (06-608)
We require that all graduate students take the Graduate Professional Development Seminar course, 06-608, during their first year. Any exception to this must be approved by the Department Head.
11.2.3 Seminar (06-800)
The graduate seminar (06-800) is required each semester for all students in residence. It provides opportunities to learn about research in various chemical engineering and related fields being conducted at other universities and in industry. All graduate students must register for this course during each semester of full-time study. Attendance is mandatory; a failing grade may be given to students who do not attend seminars. Seminar credits do not count toward graduation. Students having a time conflict with a desired Outside Technical course
may petition the Director of Graduate Education for a waiver from attendance. Assignments in lieu of attendance of the graduate seminars may be given.
11.2.4 Course and Quality Point (QPA) Requirements
The following are requirements regarding QPA requirements: A student must receive a letter grade in a course to count that course toward meeting the numerical unit requirements for their degree. Course work or graduate research units with a grade of C- or lower are not acceptable toward graduate degree requirements. If a student elects to take a course as P/F and an instructor enters a letter grade, any letter grade of C- or lower will be converted to Fail, while any letter grade A through C will be considered Pass.
• A student must maintain a 3.0 average with some additional requirements concerning performance in core graduate courses. The 3.0 average applies to courses that the student intends to use, or must use, for satisfying degree requirements. Transcripts show all courses and grades and might not reflect perfectly whether the student is satisfying the QPA requirement in the courses required for the degree. A student should consult with the Graduate Academic Advisor if there is any doubt about progress toward satisfying degree requirements and QPA requirements.
• When a course is repeated, all grades will be recorded on the official academic transcript and will be calculated in the student's QPA. This is the case regardless of if the first grade for the course is a passing or failing grade. When a student takes a course that they have already passed, only one set of units will count towards graduation requirements.
• The College of Engineering requires that student transcripts report withdrawals from courses after the withdrawal deadline. A student’s transcript will record a W for any course where the student withdraws from the course after the official deadline to drop.
11.3Electives
Relevant electives can be found on SIO and online on the Schedule of Classes.
Graduate elective courses: A course offered by the Chemical Engineering Department having a designation 06-Nxx, where N ≥ 6 except for the TA course 06-
799A and graduate seminar 06-800. These two courses are not graded and therefore cannot be counted toward the unit requirement.
Outside technical elective: A technical course having substantial engineering or scientific content offered by a different department and having a course number of the form xx-Mxx, where M ≥ 3.
If a student wants to count a course as graduate elective or outside technical elective and if there is any doubt about its suitability, please check with the Director of Graduate Education, who will provide a decision.
11.4 SwitchingAmongMS,PhDandMChePrograms
11.4.1 Changing from PhD to
MS
If a student initially accepts admission into the Direct Entry PhD program and then decides to finish with a MS degree, the student can request to switch to the MS program at any time. The student must send a letter requesting this change to the Director of Graduate Education. Continuation of financial aid for pursuit of the MS degree is not guaranteed. The Department Head will make the decision on any request for continuation of tuition support and stipend.
11.4.2
Switching
from PhD or MS to MChE
A student who has received full tuition support or stipend (or both) from the Department must successfully complete an approved thesis or project report to receive any chemical engineering degree. Thus, a student who has received such support toward either the MS or PhD degree cannot typically receive the MChE degree except by approval of the Department Head.
11.4.3 Changing
Academic Requirements and Policies
The Department changes its requirements from time to time. In these cases, every student has the right to either graduate under the policies in effect at the time of their entry into the graduate program, or to graduate under the policy in force at the time of receiving the degree.
11.5DepartmentPolicyonDouble
CountingCourses
The Department of Chemical Engineering does not double count courses.
PhD students are permitted to take courses outside of the Department and College of Engineering. However, this should be decided in close consultation with their Thesis Advisor(s) and to the benefit of their thesis research.
11.7DepartmentPolicy/ProcessforIncompletes
Students are expected to complete a course during the academic semester in which the course was taken. However, if the instructor agrees, a grade of I (incomplete) may be given when a student, for reasons beyond their control, has been unable to complete the work of a course, but the work completed to date is of passing quality and the grade of incomplete provides no undue advantage to that student over other students. In awarding an I (incomplete) grade, an “incomplete grade agreement” must be completed. An instructor must specify the requirements for completing the work, as well as designate a default letter grade if no further work is submitted. Students must complete the required course work no later than the end of the following academic semester, or sooner if required by the instructor. The instructor must record the permanent grade by the last day of the exam period of that following semester, or Enrollment Services will administratively assign the default grade. Please note that if a student has completed less than 75% of the total coursework, an Incomplete grade should not be considered. Cases where a final exam/project make up more than 25% of the final grade should be considered for an Incomplete grade.
11.8PetitionProcedures
When a student is aware they may not meet the deadline for their proposal or for their defense/degree completion, they must immediately notify their Thesis Advisor and the Graduate Academic Advisor to start the relevant formal extension request processes. Proposal extension request decisions are determined by the Director of Graduate Education and defense extension requests are determined by the Department Head. The latter is done on a semester-by-semester basis.
Graduate students may drop a course on or before the deadline published in the official university calendar. When a course is dropped before the deadline, the course disappears from a student’s academic record. After the official university
deadline to drop a course, graduate students may withdraw from a course during the posted withdrawal period. When a graduate student withdraws from a course during the posted withdrawal period, a “W” (Withdrawal) is assigned as a grade, which appears on the student’s academic record. This “W” grade does not affect a student’s QPA. Students taking undergraduate and Master’s level courses must follow the procedures and deadlines for adding, dropping, or withdrawing from courses as identified on the academic calendar. Information can be found on the HUB’s Course Add, Drop & Withdrawal Process web-page. (Please be aware that some schools, such as Tepper, have separate deadline calendars and students must be responsible meeting the appropriate deadlines). There is a separate calendar for doctoral level courses which can also be found at the above webpage. International students should be aware of OIE requirements for number of units to be taken per semester when considering to withdraw from a course.
11.10 DepartmentPolicy/ProtocolforMake-UpExams
A make-up exam may be granted by the instructor of a particular course, who would also decide the format of the exam.
11.11 CourseWaiverPolicy
Students may transfer credit according to the process detailed in:
Undergraduate coursework cannot be used as a waiver for coursework to be completed for the PhD degree. Requests for waiving courses should be made to the Director of Graduate Education.
Carnegie Mellon University offers students the opportunity to take courses for credit through a cross-registration program (see Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education (PCHE) and Cross-registration below) and through the receipt of transfer credit from other accredited institutions. The Carnegie Mellon University transcript will include information on such courses as follows: Carnegie Mellon courses and courses taken through the university's cross-registration program will have grades recorded on the transcript and be factored into the QPA. All other courses will be recorded on this transcript indicating where the course was taken, but without grades. Such courses will not be considered for academic actions, honors or QPA calculations.
NOTE: Suspended students may take courses elsewhere; however, they may receive transfer credit only if their college's and department's policies allow this.
Up to 24 units (two courses) of graduate work completed at other universities, with a grade point average of 3.0 or better, may be transferred from another academic institution provided that such course work is part of the graduate program leading to the degree sought. Such transfer credit is generally not granted prior to admission to the graduate program and must be approved by the department after the student has satisfactorily completed at least 36 units of graduate courses at Carnegie Mellon. These courses must not have been counted toward any other prior degrees. The Department Head and College of Engineering administration must approve the transfer. Students should complete a Transfer Credit Request form and provide all required attachments for their request to be considered. Transfer courses are recorded on the transcript indicating where the course was taken, but without a grade. Such courses will not be considered for QPA calculations. Please see the College of Engineering Transfer Credit Policy & Transfer Credit Request Form.
11.13ProtocolforEvaluationofTransferCredit
See section 11.12
11.14 TeachingAssistantRequirements
Graduate students must have a certain level of fluency in English before they can instruct in Pennsylvania, as required by the English Fluency in Higher Education Act of 1990. Through this Act, all institutions of higher education in the state are required to evaluate and certify the English fluency of all instructional personnel, including teaching assistants and interns. The university policy can be reviewed at:
The fluency of all instructional personnel will be rated by Language Support in the Student Academic Success Center to determine at what level of responsibility the student can TA.
In addition to administering the International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Test (a mandatory screening test for any non-native speaker of English), Language Support in the Student Academic Success Center helps teaching assistants who are non-
native English speakers develop fluency and cultural understanding to teach successfully at Carnegie Mellon. Visit the Student Academic Success Center website for additional information as well as the ITA Language Certification section below:
https://www.cmu.edu/student-success/
11.14.1
Teaching Assistant Responsibilities
Teaching Assistants (TAs) provide help and advice to students, hold office hours, and grade homework assignments, projects, and exams. Typically, a student’s responsibilities will not exceed 5 hours per week. A TA should be available at least 2 hours per week for consultation (office hours) at the times that the instructor of your course will announce to the class. For a TA to be effective in their duties, they should be familiar with the material covered in class. A TA should obtain copies of the class notes and the solutions to problem sets if they are available. If a TA thinks that they do not have enough background in the course, they should attend course lectures. The responsibility for serving as a TA is spread predominantly among firstand second-year PhD students. The two-unit course, 06-799, is the vehicle for these assignments. Students must register for this course during each semester they are assigned as a TA. The units received for this course are not counted toward PhD degree requirements. Assignments are made by the Director of Graduate Studies and announced before the beginning of each semester. Since this course is a requirement for graduation it must be taken seriously by all PhD students. TA effort is in no way linked to a student’s source of financial support. Unsatisfactory performance in a TA assignment may require the student to serve an additional semester as a TA. The Director of Graduate Studies will hold an information session around the start of the Fall semester for new TAs.
A student may volunteer to assist in teaching after their three-semester requirement has been fulfilled, in most cases they will be compensated.
11.15 ResearchRequirements
11.15.1 Grading System for Research
PhD Research is Pass/Not Pass in all semesters, except for the final semester where it is graded.
11.15.2
Research Funding Options
• The department nominates students for a variety of fellowships at the department, CIT, and University level. A student should contact the Graduate Academic Advisor for a list of fellowships, or if they are aware of a fellowship that they feel they would be a good candidate for.
• GuSH Research Funding is a source of small research grant funds provided by the Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) and the Provost’s Office and managed by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs. Students can find more information about the application process and deadlines at: https://www.cmu.edu/graduate/professional-development/researchfunding/index.html
11.15.3 Resources and Regulations Governing Research at Carnegie Mellon
Internships are not required for the PhD degree. However, they are possible, and internships should be in alignment with the theme of the dissertation research.
11.16.2
Expectations
International students are required to consult with Office of International Education for eligibility before seeking an internship/co-op or signing an offer contract.
11.16.3
Resources to Explore Potential Internships
● Career and Professional Development Center https://www.cmu.edu/career/
PhD students can register for up to 36 units of internship in the summer using 06995 Internship in Chemical Engineering. If an internship is paid, the stipend from the Chemical Engineering Department will temporarily be adjusted or paused. A student should consult the Graduate Academic Advisor and Director of Finance and Operations regarding internship start and end dates, and stipend arrangements.
11.16.4 Policy On the Availability of Summer Employment
No other form of employment other than the type of internship described above is permitted while the student is registered and receiving a stipend.
11.16.5 Policy On Outside Fellowships
A student receiving any kind of fellowship or external support other than through family or prior investments must notify the Department of that support so that appropriate arrangements can be made for equitable pay.
11.17 PhDQualifyingExamRequirement
Only students enrolled in a Chemical Engineering doctoral program in the Department and having a Thesis Advisor may take the Qualifying Exam. The PhD Qualifying Examination is typically administered in August ahead of the start of the fall semester. The examination consists of the following components.
1. Each student must provide a written report of their research accomplishments and plans. The format of the report will be provided by the Qualifying Committee Chair in advance of the exam. The date on which the report is due will be announced by the chair of the Qualifying Exam Committee.
2. On exam day, according to a schedule established ahead of the exams and communicated by the Qualifying Committee Chair, each student makes an oral presentation before members of the Qualifying Exam Committee. A question period follows this presentation. The student’s Thesis Advisor may sit in on the exam as a silent observer.
Three possible grades for the exam are: Pass, Retake, or Fail.
• Pass
Students who pass the examination immediately become candidates for the PhD degree and now prepare for the PhD Proposal. Verbal feedback on a student’s performance in the exam is offered by the Qualifying Exam Committee chair but it is not mandatory for the student to seek that feedback.
• Retake
Students assigned a grade of "Retake" should understand that their performance on this exam must improve before they move on to preparing for the PhD Proposal. These students must retake the qualifying exam at a time to be determined by the Department Head in consultation with the Qualifying Exam Committee. Feedback on performance on the Qualifying Exam will be given in written form to the student by the Department Head. The student should also consult with their Thesis Advisor about areas that need attention. The status of the student and the stipend remain unchanged. A maximum of one retake is allowed. Students asked to retake the PhD Qualifying Exam and desiring to complete an MS in Chemical Engineering must either verify that they already have satisfied MS course requirements or else must register for appropriate courses needed for completing the MS degree by the end of the semester in which the Qualifying Exam is taken. This requirement assures that the student can complete the MS by the end of that semester if the outcome of the Qualifying Exam retake is failure. Students retaking the exam should clarify with the faculty advisor what is needed to complete an MS Project Report in the same time frame.
• Fail
The student who fails the Qualifying Exam cannot complete a PhD in Chemical Engineering at CMU. Students wanting to obtain an MS degree must complete all degree requirements by the end of the student’s fourth semester in residence (e.g. by the end of the Fall Semester of the second year for students who entered the program in the previous Fall Semester). Note: Students must verify with their Thesis Advisor and with the Graduate Academic Advisor (Heather Costello) that course and project requirements will be met by the end of the semester in question. PhD core courses may be substituted for any of the MS core courses for these purposes. The MS Project Report requirements and submission deadline will be the same as for students who entered the MS program directly. Any deviation from this policy must be approved by the Department Head.
11.18 PhDCriteriaforAdvancementtoCandidacy
Thisisdescribedinsection10.6.
11.19PhDDissertation
11.19.1
PhD Proposal
After the Qualifying Exam, the next major requirement for the PhD degree is acceptance by a Thesis Committee of a proposal for PhD research, the “PhD proposal.” The student should regard the PhD Proposal as an examination of their fitness to do doctoral research on the chosen topic and an opportunity to get early input from the thesis committee into the proposed investigation. The PhD Proposal consists of a written document describing the proposed research and an oral presentation of the proposed research.
The written proposal should include a summary of previous work relevant to the proposed research. The written proposal should define the thesis problem and include an outline for a plan of attack on the thesis problem. While the outcome of a research plan may be difficult to predict, the student should be aware of the possibilities and contingencies and include the necessary research alternatives in their proposal. An organizational table outlining the time to be allotted to various facets of the problem (i.e. Gantt chart) is recommended but not required
Twenty-five pages is the upper limit for the proposal document including the body, references, appendices, figures and tables. The document must be typed in 12point font with no less than one-inch margins and no more than four lines per inch.
The document should be provided to the Thesis Committee to allow ample time (usually no less than one week) for review of the document prior to the oral presentation. That oral presentation will consist of a talk prepared by the candidate that lasts for around 40 minutes, followed by questions from the audience and thesis committee members.
The detailed preparation for both the written proposal and the oral presentation should result from extensive discussions between student and Thesis Advisor, with the final responsibility resting on the student.
▪ RESULTS OF THE PHD PROPOSAL
o Passing
If the thesis committee finds that the student passes the exam, the student continues in the PhD program toward the objective of defending and filing a completed thesis. If the student is beyond the deadline for passing the PhD proposal and funding has been discontinued, then support will be restored at this time.
o Not Passing
As the ultimate evaluator of the student's fitness to continue a particular project, the PhD Thesis Committee may not pass a student at the proposal. The following rules govern this decision:
1. If the Thesis Committee recommends the student retakes the exam, and if the student is not beyond the time allowed for successful completion of the PhD Proposal, then funding can be continued at the normal level (subject to approval by the Department Head) until the deadline for successful completion of the proposal. If the student is beyond the Proposal deadline, the rules of tuition and stipend apply until the PhD Proposal is completed successfully.
2. If the Thesis Committee recommends that the student failed the exam, tuition support will be discontinued, typically with two weeks notice. The Student and the Thesis Advisor, in consultation with the Graduate Academic Advisor and Director of Graduate Education, should discuss the final outcome of the Student's residency at CMU and make a recommendation to the Department Head who will render a final decision.
A Student who feels unfairly treated should consult the CIT Grievance policy. Also refer to the University's Summary of Graduate Student Appeal and Grievance Procedures.
▪ THESIS COMMITTEE
Every student must have a Thesis Committee to hear the PhD Proposal and Defense and to approve the thesis. When a student is preparing to present the Proposal, they consult with the advisor and together they identify suitable members of the PhD committee. The student should contact the prospective members and obtains their assent to serve on the student's Thesis Committee. The PhD thesis committee consists of:
• A minimum of three faculty members from the Chemical Engineering Department (including the Thesis Advisor). Each student must have two chemical engineering faculty members on their committee who are not advisors. Thus, if a student is co-advised by two chemical engineering faculty, there must be four chemical engineering faculty committee members.
• A minimum of one member of the CMU faculty from a department other than Chemical Engineering. Each student must have one non-chemical engineering faculty member who is not an advisor on their committee. Thus, if a student is co-advised by one non-chemical engineering faculty member, there must be two non-chemical engineering committee members.
• A maximum of one voting member from outside the University. The member from outside the University must hold a doctoral degree or equivalent. Otherwise, the person is a Visitor. There is no restriction or dependence of the composition of the committee on whether the member from outside the University is a co-advisor.
• If a student's Thesis Advisor or committee member has left CMU before the defense and has no continuing appointment in the department, the student must secure a new thesis committee member that satisfies the above requirements.
This committee will evaluate the PhD Proposal, offer suggestions concerning the scope and techniques used in the research, and evaluate the PhD dissertation after hearing a public defense of the thesis by the candidate.
11.19.2 Thesis
The PhD Thesis is a requirement for the PhD degree. The final step to graduation is acceptance of a thesis by a Thesis Committee. Guidelines for preparation of the thesis are below:
▪
WRITING THE THESIS
FORMAT: Each thesis should be double-spaced on 8½" x 11" bond paper. A margin of 1" should be maintained on three sides, with a 2" left side margin (to allow for binding). The thesis should be printed single-sided.
For further instructions please refer to the College of Engineering policy on Thesis and Dissertation Standards:
Copies of the original thesis are required on 100% cotton or non-acidic paper. The copies required are listed below:
The copies required are listed below:
• 1 per Thesis Advisor
• 1 student
If photographs are used in the thesis, each copy must contain original photographs, not xerographic reproductions. Students who have been supported by a fellowship or research grant should acknowledge the support and should check with their advisor to see if a copy for the sponsor would be in order. Students with two advisors should have three copies made.
▪ COST
Financial responsibility for typing the manuscript and producing the required number of copies beyond the 1 per thesis advisor and 1 student requirement rests with the student. Students should NOT use the department copy machine to produce the thesis copies.
▪ BINDING
The department sends out the loose-leaf PhD Thesis for binding once processing is completed. The department pays for binding only those copies required by the department, i.e. 1 per thesis advisor and 1 student. Additional copies of a PhD thesis can be sent for binding at the student’s expense.
The thesis printing and binding process is summarized as follows
1. Student should submit thesis to Tar tan Ink print shop and request the correct number of copies.
2. Student or Tartan Ink will return loose-leaf thesis to the Front Office Administrative Coordinator
3. Front Office Administrator will ship the thesis to be bound
4. Front Office Administrator will distribute one copy to each Thesis Advisor and one is sent via UPS to the student at the address provided on the graduation form.
▪ PROCESSING
All required copies of the thesis must be turned in by the deadline date to the Graduate Academic Advisor. Title pages will be prepared and circulated by the department for signatures. When completed, the title pages will be inserted into the theses and the copies will be distributed appropriately or sent out for binding.
11.19.3 Presentation of Final Public Oral Defense
The public oral defense of the thesis is the opportunity for the student to highlight their accomplishments and to answer detailed questions from the thesis committee members and the public. The student must show by argument and fact that the accomplishments are both original and meet national, as well as international, standards of excellence. Evidence of publication and professional performance will strengthen the case. Each member of the Thesis Committee must sign the committee sheet certifying that the student passed the thesis defense and the advisor(s) must sign the thesis signature page before the Department and the University will certify the doctor's degree.
▪ THE ORAL PRESENTATION
At the presentation, the committee will evaluate the student's knowledge in the thesis topic and contributions, as described in the written thesis. The student and their advisor should establish a date and time. The student should then reserve a Conference Room and any audio-visual equipment through the Department. The student should also contact the Graduate Academic Advisor a minimum of two weeks prior to the presentation to inform on the date and time of the defense, the thesis title, and the names of the committee members. In addition, a professional photo should be emailed to the Graduate Academic Advisor. The Graduate Academic Advisor will then prepare a defense announcement, a committee sheet, and signature page. After the sheet is signed on the day of the defense (or shortly thereafter), the student should confirm with the staff Graduate Academic Advisor that she received the signed form. This sheet will likely be in electronic form. The student must also submit the completed thesis checklist, create a proquest account, and email the final dissertation document to the Graduate Academic Advisor by the deadline. The Graduate Academic Advisor will then submit the dissertation paperwork to the Dean's Office for signature, which is needed prior to degree certification. Please review the "Defense and Graduation" module in Canvas and schedule a meeting with the Graduate Academic Advisor to discuss the submission process.
▪ CHECKOUT PROCEDURE
Information regarding checkout procedures and thesis information is available on the PhD Canvas site.
▪ DEADLINE
August and December graduate theses are due in the Dean’s office by the date that grades are due for that semester and no more than two weeks after the oral defense. May graduate theses are due in the Dean’s office not less than ten days
before commencement. If all the paperwork is not turned in on time, the student must register for the following semester. All students must be registered for at least five units the semester of graduation. Please contact the Graduate Academic Advisor for further details.
▪ GRADUATE CERTIFICATION PROCESS AND DEGREE TITLE
The Graduate Academic Advisor will audit each student’s degree record to ensure they are eligible to graduate. After the final grading period of the graduation semester and if all degree requirements have been met, the student will be certified with a Doctor of Philosophy degree.
A Chemical Engineering student does not complete a Master’s degree enroute to a PhD.
11.21LeaveofAbsence
Reference University process for leave of absence: https://www.cmu.edu/hub/registrar/leaves-and-withdrawals/
11.22
WithdrawalofDegree
Withdrawal of a degree is a University level process described at: https://www.cmu.edu/policies/student-and-student-life/withdrawal-of-adegree.html
11.23Student–AdvisorRelationship
11.23.1 Role of the Student
The student, under the guidance of the Thesis Advisor, should make original scholarly contributions in their area of research and disseminate their findings through journal publications and meeting presentations. The student must demonstrate the ability to perform at the highest intellectual level by both national and international standards. The student, under the guidance of their Thesis Advisor(s), is expected to author original scholarly contributions in their area of research, which are to be disseminated through peer-reviewed journal
publications and conference presentations. Progress on publications and presentations will be assessed by the thesis committee along with the thesis advisor(s).
11.23.2 Thesis Advisors
The Graduate Academic Advisor and Director of Graduate Education are available to advise all PhD students on non-technical matters. After the first semester, PhD students have their Thesis Advisor as their research advisors, but the Graduate Academic Advisor and Director of Graduate Education can provide advice to PhD students concerning satisfaction of coursework requirements and any other nonthesis issues that arise, in any semester.
Each PhD student must have one or more official thesis or Thesis Advisors to graduate. The Advisor/Student relationship is a cornerstone of graduate education. The Department of Chemical Engineering is committed to making the best possible Advisor/Student match, to establish standards and timetables for equitable treatment of students, and to serve as an objective point of reference for both the student and the Thesis Advisor when called upon to resolve disputes. Students or advisors should bring disputes to the attention of the Graduate Academic Advisor, Director of Graduate Education, and/or Department Head when either party feels that reference to a third party is necessary. Such notice will begin the process of resolution of the dispute.
11.24Review/Redressof
AcademicConflicts
11.24.1 Summary of Graduate Student Appeal and Grievance Procedures
Generally, graduate students are expected to seek informal resolution concerns within the applicable department, unit or program before invoking formal processes. When an informal resolution cannot be reached, however, a graduate student who seeks further review of the matter is to follow the formal procedures outlined in:
These appeal and grievance procedures shall apply to students in all graduate programs of the University. Students should refer to the department specific
information in this handbook for department and college information about the administration and academic policies of the program.
12 Grading and Evaluation
12.1AuditingaCourse
Audited courses do not receive a letter grade and will not count towards degree requirements. A student wishing to audit a course is required to register for the course, complete the Course Audit Approval Form, obtain permission of the course instructor and their advisor, and return the form to The HUB prior to the last day to add a course.
When a course is repeated, all grades will be recorded on the official academic transcript and will be calculated in the student's QPA. This is the case regardless of if the first grade for the course is a passing is or failing grade. When a student takes a course s/he has already passed, only one set of units will count towards graduation requirements.
06-900 PhD Thesis Research and 06-803 Graduate Reading & Research must receive a satisfactory grade or a student will be subject to academic probation.
This policy document details university grading principles for students taking courses and covers the specifics of assigning and changing grades, grading options, drop/withdrawals and course repeats. It also defines the undergraduate and graduate grading standards.
Final grades will be changed only in exceptional circumstances and only with the approval of the instructor and the department, unit or program. Grading is a matter of sound discretion of the instructor and final grades are rarely changed without the consent of the instructor who assigned the grade. The following circumstances are the unusual exceptions that may warrant a grade appeal: (a) the final grade assigned for a course is based on manifest error (e.g. a clear error such as arithmetic error in computing a grade or failure to grade one of the answers on an exam), or (b) the faculty or staff member who assigned the grade did so in violation of a University policy.
The Office of Disability Resources at Carnegie Mellon University has a continued mission to provide physical, digital, and programmatic access to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to their educational experience. We work to ensure that qualified individuals receive reasonable accommodations as guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Students who would like to receive accommodations can begin the process through Disability Resources' secure online portal:
https://rainier.accessiblelearning.com/cmu/
or email access@andrew.cmu.edu to begin the interactive accommodation process.
Students with physical, sensory, cognitive, or emotional disabilities are encouraged to self-identify with the Office of Disability Resources and request needed accommodations. Any questions about the process can be directed to this office via email to access@andrew.cmu.edu, or via phone to (412) 268-6121.
13.2SexualMisconductPolicy
The University prohibits sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating/ domestic violence, sexual exploitation, stalking, and violation of protective measures. The University also prohibits retaliation against individuals who bring forward such concerns or allegations in good faith.
The University’s Sexual Misconduct Policy is available at:
Providing holistic student support is a top priority at Carnegie Mellon. The protocols on this page are designed to support the parental needs of students and their families.
Students seeking any of the Parental Accommodations described below must register with the Office of the Dean of Students by contacting the office for an appointment by calling 412-268-2075.
Students are encouraged to register with the Office of the Dean of Students ninety (90) days in advance of the anticipated arrival of the child as applicable in the individual circumstance. At the time of registering, students will have the
opportunity to consult about resources, procedures, funding options and preparation for discussing academic accommodations with the student’s academic department. Students should also consult with their academic advisors either before or in conjunction with registering with the Office of the Dean of Students.
13.3.1 Accommodations for Gestational Parents
The birth of a child may require time away from academic pursuits for delivery and recovery from delivery of a newly born child. Students whose anticipated delivery date is during a semester may need to take time away from their academic responsibilities. Carnegie Mellon students seeking time away are afforded two options as possible accommodation:
● Short-Term Accommodation for Gestational Parents – A short term absence from academic responsibilities up to a maximum of six (6) weeks. Short-Term Accommodation may be extended by two (2) weeks, for a total of eight (8) weeks, where a longer absence is medically necessary. Prior to the absence students must work with relevant university faculty and staff to adjust their course work, research, teaching and other academic responsibilities during the period of absence. This may include extensions of time to complete assignments, incomplete grades, and/or dropping courses, shifting research responsibilities and adjusting TA assignments. Students who take a Short-Term Accommodation will remain enrolled.
● Formal Leave of Absence– A formal leave of absence under the Student Leave Policy. Generally, the Student Leave Policy permits students to take a leave of absence for a full-semester, mini-semester, or for the time remaining in the semester during which the leave is taken. Students who take a Formal Leave of Absence (https://www.cmu.edu/policies/student-and-student-life/studentleave.html) drop all remaining courses for the semester and are unenrolled for the semester. International students must consult with the Office of International Education (https://www.cmu.edu/oie/) before considering this option due to visa implications.
13.3.2Parental Accommodation for Doctoral Students
The university offers a Parental Accommodation for qualifying doctoral student parents to include up to four (4) weeks of time away from academic responsibilities with continued stipend support. This accommodation can be utilized within six months of the birth or placement of a child through adoption, foster care or legal
guardianship. Gestational parents may utilize both the Short-Term Accommodation for Gestational Parents and the parental accommodation.
Careful planning and consultation is necessary given the unique contexts and requirements of each student’s situation. Students will remain fully enrolled and will receive assistance in navigating the necessary planning and consultation processes.
13.3.3Financial Assistance for Student Parents
Carnegie Mellon also offers the following options for financial assistance to students who become parents while enrolled:
Interest Free Loan – Any student who becomes a parent is eligible to apply for an interest-free parental loan (https://www.cmu.edu/student-affairs/dean/loans/) from the Office of the Dean of Students.
Doctoral Stipend Continuation (Gestational Parents) – Doctoral students who are the gestational parent and who receive an academic stipend funded by Carnegie Mellon are eligible to continue to receive stipend funding for up to six (6) weeks during a Short-Term Accommodation for Gestational Parents or during a Formal Leave of Absence. Continued academic stipend funding may be extended by two (2) weeks, for a total of eight (8) weeks, if an absence longer than six weeks is medically necessary.
Doctoral Stipend Continuation (Non-gestational Parents) – Doctoral students who receive an academic stipend funded by Carnegie Mellon and are becoming a parent by adoption, birth, or through guardianship are eligible to continue to receive stipend funding for up to four (4) weeks during a Short-Term Parental Accommodation.
13.4ConsensualIntimateRelationshipPolicyRegardingUndergraduate Students
This policy addresses the circumstances in which romantic, sexual or amorous relationships/interactions with undergraduate students, even if consensual, are inappropriate and prohibited. The purpose of this policy is to assure healthy professional relationships. This policy is not intended to discourage consensual
intimate relationships unless there is a conflicting professional relationship in which one party has authority over the other as in the policy.
14 Additional Department and University Policies/Protocols
14.1VerificationofEnrollment
Enrollment Services is the only University office that can provide an official letter of enrollment, official transcript and enrollment verification.
Enrollment verification can be requested online through The HUB at: https://www.cmu.edu/hub/registrar/student-records/verifications/enrollment.html
14.2ChangeofAddress
A student should keep their current local address up-to-date in SIO.
Please refer to the Laptop Module on Canvas, which can be found here. In summary:
● A laptop computer is required for the completion of your graduate degree. In lieu of providing a laptop, the Department of Chemical Engineering will provide you a supplement of up to $1,500 towards the purchase of a computer that meets our requirements for the completion of your program. Upon the purchase of your selected device, or if you have a device that meets program specifications, please complete the Graduate Laptop Acknowledgement form to receive your supplement payment. Questions about the supplement may be directed to chegrad@andrew.cmu.edu.
● You will need a computer your first semester, however since different research groups have different requirements it is recommended that a purchase of a new computer be made after the project/advisor selection process. Any existing laptop should be fine for the first semester. If you do not have one, we will work with you to provide a loaner machine for the first semester only. Purchase of your new machine should be made before the start of your second semester. For windows-based laptops we strongly encourage purchases be made through the university portal for the Lenovo Campus Computing Program.
● Benefit must be used within twelve months – acknowledgment of requirements must be submitted to receive funding. No extensions provided.
14.3.1 Laptop requirements
● Intel i7+/AMD Ryzen 7+/Apple M1+ (Minimum of 4 cores)
● 16 Gb of Ram
● 14” or larger Screen with Full HD or higher resolution
● Recommended: 4yr warranty with Accidental Damage Protection/Applecare+
14.3.2 Laptop Support Offerings
ChemE Computing provides advanced support for in-warranty Lenovo, Dell and Apple laptops. Best-Effort support is provided for all other manufacturers or outof-warranty machines.
14.3.3
Advanced Support
Advanced support is provided for in-warranty laptop brands through which we have a support agreement. Lenovo is handled through the batch support facility, Dell is handled via our premier support agreement and Apple is handled via the Apple Store in Shadyside (Pittsburgh).
We will work with users to diagnose issues and coordinate repairs through our established repair centers. Users will be provided a loaner machine for the duration of the diagnosis and repair process.
* Lenovo and Dell laptops that are purchased outside of the USA may not be covered by domestic repair facilities.
14.3.4
Best-Effort Support
In all other cases, Best-Effort support is provided. We will work to diagnose issues and assist users as best we can to resolve them. The users will be required to coordinate any repair that is outside our scope. A loaner computer will be provided
for a maximum of 12 weeks while the user coordinates these repairs. A waiver must be signed before we will proceed with any hardware diagnosis or repair.
14.3.5 Supported Laptop Purchase Options
Student can purchase supported laptops through one of the options listed below. If you have any questions, reach out to cheme-computing@andrew.cmu.edu and we will assist you.
● Apple – Apple.com Education store, Apple Store Shadyside (Pittsburgh) or the University Technology Store (https://bookstore.web.cmu.edu/)
● Lenovo – Campus Computing Program Portal (https://www3.lenovo.com/le/1217000085/us/en/1217000085)Links to an external site.Links to an external site.
● Dell – University Technology Store (https://bookstore.web.cmu.edu/)
14.4Safety
The Department of Chemical Engineering strives to maintain a positive safety culture, which requires shared values, goals, and responsibility between students, faculty, and staff. There must be buy-in from all stakeholders and each member's responsibilities must be understood. Safety is the license to operate within the lab and there are no competing priorities (i.e. lab work will not take place if the conditions are not safe). Each person needs to be aware of how to ensure they are creating a safe environment. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed by the Facilities, IT, and Safety (FITS) Committee, with updated communication and training when necessary. Mechanisms for safety incident reporting need to be fair, promote continuous improvement, and not create a hostile environment.
The Department of Chemical Engineering fully endorses Carnegie Mellon University's Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) as the document that defines its laboratory safety policy. This policy is to be adhered to by all members of the faculty, staff, and by graduate and undergraduate students. The plan can be found at:
All students using the labs in the Department of Chemical Engineering must follow the rules outlined in the University CHP. All faculty and staff have the right to report safety violations to student advisors and/or the Department Head at any time. At this point, the Department Head may issue a formal written warning to the student and advisor at their discretion. The Department Head may also suspend lab privileges for students found to be in repeated violation of the CHP, again at their discretion. A student may be dismissed from the program if they are found to be in repeated violated of the CHP.
Common violations of the CHP include:
1. Failure to wear protective eyewear in the laboratories. All students, faculty, and staff are required to wear protective eyewear whenever they are in labs. There are no exceptions to this rule. Faculty advisors do not have the right to waive this or any other CHP rule under any circumstances. Repeated violations of this most basic precaution are grounds for dismissal. The Department will make reasonable efforts to provide comfortable and useful protective eyewear; please contact the Safety Committee or a Safety Ambassador if you feel the eyewear provided is not meeting your needs.
2. Failure to maintain chemical database on Chemtracker. This is used as a proxy for a current set of SOS sheets for all chemicals being used or stored in a laboratory and is vital for student awareness of potential hazards in the lab.
3. Failure to maintain of a set of written Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for hazardous operations performed on a routine basis.
4. Failure to maintain a set of standard CMU data sheets for all Particularly Hazardous Substances (PHS) being used or stored in a laboratory; forms required for everyone using PHSs. For guidance see https://www.cmu.edu/ehs/LaboratorySafety/chemical-safety/documents/ehs particuarly-hazardous-substancesprocedure-protocol-form.pdf
5. Failure to properly check out of labs. Prior to graduation all students will complete a laboratory checkout form documenting the fact that they have disposed of or stored all chemicals used during their research, documented all equipment problems, and made adequate copies of all laboratory notebooks and digitally stored data. He or she must fill out a form for each lab where work was performed during residence in the Department.
14.4.1
Emergency and Information Contacts
● Police I Emergency Services - 412-268-2323
● Environmental Health & Safety (Chemicals) - 412-268-8182
● Environmental Health & Safety (Radiation) - 412-268-8182
● Environmental Health & Safety Web page - http://www.cmu.edu/ehs/
14.5NewPolicies/“Grandfather”Policy
See section 11.4
14.6TimeAwayfromAcademicResponsibilities
14.6.1
Policy On Vacation Time
As a guideline, a student should plan no more than two weeks of vacation per year in addition to the official University Holidays. Some members of our department may wish to work on these days, and instead take time off on other days. This includes long weekends, short vacations, and religious holidays that are not one of the official university holidays. The department encourages this kind of flexibility, provided it is clearly communicated to Thesis Advisors.
Graduate students are expected to discuss their plans to take time off with their Thesis Advisor at least two weeks in advance and prior to finalizing any travel arrangements (except in emergencies). The department does not keep track of graduate student work schedules. All vacation time should be cleared in advance with the Thesis Advisor to make sure that progress is satisfactory, and deadlines are being met.
Thesis Advisors may ask students who wish to take more than the typical amount of time off to make up work time or to take an unpaid leave of absence.
Students with a serious illness, chronic illness or a disability may contact the Office of Disability Resources to request accommodations. The Office of Disability Resources may require medical documentation of the condition.
In case a protracted issue significantly interferes with a student’s ability to make progress, students must inform their advisor and the department and potentially
initiate the formal process of taking extended leave from the university. Students considering a leave of absence should discuss the possibility with their advisor as early as possible.
14.7EmploymentEligibilityVerification
If you are receiving a stipend, are a TA, or are planning to have a position with CMU then Employment Eligibility Verification is required. Form I-9 must be completed within 3 business days of beginning work for any type of compensation (stipend or employment). Additional details are highlighted below. To ensure compliance with federal law, Carnegie Mellon University maintains the Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) Policy covering the university’s I-9 and E-Verify requirements:
● Every individual receiving a stipend from CMU or employed by CMU must comply with the I-9 Policy by completing the Form I-9 within three business days following the first day of stipend start date/employment.
● Individuals who expect to work on a federally funded project are further responsible for submitting an E-Verify Processing Request Form to the Office of Human Resources if required.
● For more information, please see CMU’s Guidance for Completing the Form I-9 and E-Verify Requirements at CMU or visit the Human Resources Service website to learn more about Form I-9 and E-Verify and to schedule an appointment to complete the Form I-9.
● Students who fail to complete the Form I-9 in a timely manner may have stipend payments suspended. If employed by the university, an individual who fails to timely complete the Form I-9 may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
15 Financial Support
15.1StatementofDepartmentFinancialSupport
15.1.1
Financial Awards
The Department of Chemical Engineering pays tuition and provides a stipend for PhD students in its graduate program, provided that satisfactory progress is maintained. Financial support is typically offered simultaneously with acceptance to the PhD graduate program. The award of financial support at any other time is
an exception and is handled on a case-by-case basis by appeal to the Department Head. Students are typically guaranteed continued support, subject to satisfactory progress toward their degree, and not exceeding the Statute of Limitations on Funding. The Department is subject to the CIT Statute of Limitations Policy as referenced in the College of Engineering Graduate Student Handbook Graduate.
15.1.2 Payment Of Tuition
The university deducts tuition automatically from each student’s pay. The university also deducts the Technology Fee from each student’s pay. Please contact the Director of Finance and Operations if you have any questions concerning payroll or tuition deductions. Students are responsible for obtaining and paying their health insurance and for paying all fees (including activity fee and transportation fee) other than the Technology Fee. For students who opt into the student health insurance plan, a supplement, worth 50% of the value of the individual student medical plan, will be provided to aid in supporting the health insurance cost for the student medical plan. This supplement will be applied directly into the student’s account to offset the health insurance plan cost. Please visit the CMU HUB website (https://www.cmu.edu/sfs/tuition/index.html) for more information concerning fee payment options.
15.2AwardingandContinuationofFunding
The award of funding is made in the admissions letter from the department and the continuation is dependent upon satisfactory progress toward the degree.
15.3TypesofDepartmentFunding
See section 15.1
15.4
FundingPaymentSchedule
The department provides PhD stipend support over a 12-month period in semimonthly pay increments. The stipend support begins upon matriculation and confirmed arrival to Pittsburgh at the beginning of the student’s first academic semester. Annual cost of living increases are assessed at the start of the new academic year, on August 16th. Semi-monthly payments are issued on the 15th and 30th, respectively, each month. Tuition, technology fees, and student individual health insurance support are remitted in increments throughout the semester, along with the semi-monthly pay schedule, to ensure payment is made in full for each matriculated PhD student by the end of the academic semester.
15.5AdditionalSourcesforFinancialSupport
With Thesis Advisor approval, additional assignments within the department may be pursued to include work as a teaching assistant, graduate grader, lab and facilities support, and office or event support roles. These opportunities are contingent on job posting and availability dependent on departmental need. The teaching assistant roles are compensated following the completion of the three program-required teaching assistant experiences. Advisor approval must be provided for any additional assignment beyond the required research assistant role. Additional assignments are typically limited to no more than 5 hours per week.
Small project help (GuSH) Research Funding is a source of small research grant funds provided by GSA and the Provost’s Office and managed by the Office of Graduate and Postdoc Affairs. Students can find more information about the application process and deadlines at:
Conference Funding is a funding application process provided by GSA and the Provost’s Office for students, student work groups or groups to attend a conference, whether as a participant or as a presenter. The process is managed by the Office of Graduate and Postdoc Affairs. Students can find more information about the application process and deadlines at:
International students must contact the OIE regarding their ability to hold employment.
16.3DepartmentPolicyonOutsideEmployment
Impact of outside employment on internal support must be discussed with the Department Head.
International students must contact the Office of International Education regarding their ability to hold employment.
16.4TaxImplicationsofFinancialSupport
Graduate stipends are federally taxable, but PA state tax exempt.
16.5
LostFunding
International Students must notify the Office of International Education (OIE) if they lose their funding. Emergency Student Loan made available through the department will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Department Head.
Graduate students who find themselves in need of immediate funds for emergency situations should contact the Office of the Dean of Students to inquire about an Emergency Student Loan, please see:
https://www.cmu.edu/student-affairs/index.html
16.6
UniversityFinancialAid
Graduate students should consult the graduate student financial aid information found on The HUB website:
