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NOTE: The following courses will not be allowed on a doctoral degree plan: all undergraduate courses except MATH 409,446 and 447; and the following prerequisite courses ISEN 609, 620 (if 622 and 623 are used), CSCE 601, STAT 601 and STAT 651. STAT 610 or 630 will be allowed, but not both. At most, three hours of ISEN 685 may be used toward the degree plan.

Checklist of Degree Requirements

The purpose of this checklist is to summarize the Texas A&M University industrial and systems engineering department's Doctor of Philosophy requirements. However, you cannot design your degree plan without explicit help from your faculty advisor, since each faculty member will have requirements beyond the minimal departmental and area requirements.

University Requirements

The total must be at least 64 hours beyond the master's or 96 hours beyond the bachelor's. Additional university requirements can be found through the Graduate and Professional School website.

Department Requirements

  • Course requirements (minimum of 10 graded courses): Qualifying exam courses and advanced courses (these 10 courses are chosen in coordination with the student's faculty advisor/chair). You will also need to complete three additional electives related to your specific research area.
  • Qualifying exam procedure: This varies by student and is based on the intended area or research track. A student will only be given a conditional pass without a named faculty advisor. Refer to the student handbook for additional information regarding the qualifying procedure and required courses.
  • ISEN 681 seminar: Three hours must be taken as one credit over three semesters.
  • ISEN 691 research: At most 31 hours for 64-hour degree plan, at most 63 hours for 96-hour degree plan. No more than three hours per regular semester may be taken before a student passes the qualifying exams, or these hours must be pre-approved by the departmental graduate committee.
  • ISEN 684 Industrial Internship (international students only): One hour per semester, three hours maximum. Not required, but if used, does not count toward the minimum required 64 or 96 hours.
  • Preliminary exam: Must be taken by the end of the semester following the one in which the student comes within six hours of completing their degree plan course hours (not including ISEN 691).
  • Submit dissertation proposal: This can be done together with the preliminary exam or separately as determined by the student's individual committee.
  • Defend and submit dissertation: Clear all requirements with the thesis office.
  • Optional presentation or a national research results conference, and during a 681 seminar, student society seminar (such as submission of papers to a refereed journal).