Each Eng.D. surveying engineering technology concentration candidate must complete a minimum of 42 credits of graduate education (beyond the baccalaureate) including a dissertation that includes three papers published in peer-reviewed journals or conference proceedings. The 42 credits include a minimum of 30 graduate course credits as approved by the graduate committee and a minimum of 12 SVT thesis credits. The 1 cr. course INT 601 - Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) must be taken to satisfy the graduate school RCR requirements and it may be substituted for one thesis credit. The graduate course credits cannot exceed 6 credits of courses numbered 400-499 (or equivalent numbering at another academic institution).
A typical 30 credits are defined in the Master of Science Engineering Technology surveying engineering technology (SVT) option detailed at https://online.umaine.edu/online-master-of-science-in-engineering-technology/ or in the Professional Science Masters in Engineering and Business surveying engineering option detailed at https://online.umaine.edu/grad/professional-science-masters-in-engineering-and-business/.
The Advisory Committee approves the proposed minimum of 42 credits in the first year of the Eng.D. and approves any changes if required. The minimum of 42 credits are to be approved as completed at the time of the qualifying defense. The standard residence (time spent in doctoral study) requirements, course credit transfer limits, and minimum limit of University of Maine credits in sections 4.1 and 4.5 of the University of Maine Graduate Catalog must be satisfied. Only credits earned at the post-baccalaureate level may be applied.
The current SVT and related graduate course work includes:
• ENV 586: Advanced Project Management (3 credits)
• GEE 694: Graduate Engineering Internship and Experiential Learning (6 credits)
• SIE 509: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (3 credits)
• SVT 437: Practical GPS (3 credits)
• SVT 475: Small Business Management (3 credits)
• SVT 501: Advanced Adjustment Computations (3 credits)
• SVT 511: Geodetic US Public Land Survey Computations (3 credits)
• SVT 512: Advanced Survey Law (3 credits)
• SVT 531: Advanced Digital Photogrammetry (3 credits)
• SVT 532: Survey Strategies in Use of Lidar (3 credits)
• SVT 541: Geodesy (3 credits)
• SVT 542: Applied Hydrographic Surveying (3 credits)
• SVT 598 Special Topics in Surveying Engineering Technology (3 credits)
• INT 601: Responsible Conduct of Research (1 cr)
• SVT 699: Graduate Thesis/Research (variable cr.)
Major Advisor and Advisory Committee:
The major advisor/committee chair is responsible for overseeing the refereed publications and the dissertation that contains them. The major advisor typically is selected in advance of enrollment. The major advisor/committee chair will be a member of the SVT faculty graduate faculty who has a PhD/doctorate. It is possible to have co-chairs where the first co-chair will be a member of the SVT faculty graduate faculty who has a PhD/doctorate. The second co-chair does not have to be SVT graduate faculty but must be a member of the graduate faculty of University of Maine with a PhD/doctorate. The major advisor advises the student of the composition of the advisory committee. Faculty (or external reviewers) who serve on an advisory committee are expected to review and approve the student’s coursework (program of study), provide advice, regularly assess the student’s progress and accomplishments, and administer the Comprehensive and qualifying examinations for the Eng.D.
The advisory committee must consist of five members, at least two of whom must be SVT graduate faculty with a PhD/doctorate. The remaining committee members may be any University of Maine graduate faculty with a PhD/doctorate. It is recommended (not required) that one member be a University of Maine graduate faculty external to the University of Maine. The creation and approval of the advisory committee is part of the student’s program of study which is approved by the committee and submitted to the School of Engineering Technology (SET) Graduate Coordinator for approval and conveyance to the Graduate School. A change to the committee must be approved by all remaining committee members and the SET Graduate Coordinator and then forwarded to the Graduate School.
Program of study:
Eng.D. students should file a program of study before the completion of the student’s second semester and receive advisory committee approval. It is then forwarded to the SET Graduate Coordinator who forwards it to the Graduate School. Changes to the program of study follow the same process. Eng.D. Comprehensive Examination This follows the guidelines established at https://umaine.edu/graduate/students/progress/program/ but note additional suggested requirements for the Eng.D. follow. At many other institutions this is called a “preliminary” exam.
This is a required examination. Its purpose is to determine the student’s mastery of graduate coursework and the ability to publish in peer-reviewed scholarly publications. It is an oral (synchronous if online) exam administered by the student’s advisory committee. In addition the student must present a potential manuscript for publication, a research proposal, a professional survey report, or other advisory committee approved document used to assess success at peer-reviewed publication. The purpose is to evaluate quality, determine deficiencies, and possibly determine whether the student should continue. It is usually taken when the student is nearing completion of required coursework (not thesis credits). SVT requires a minimum of 6 months between the Comprehensive and qualifying exams. A maximum of one negative vote is permitted on a Comprehensive exam. If the Comprehensive exam is deemed unsatisfactory 15 weeks must lapse until it is re-administered. The Comprehensive exam cannot be attempted more than twice. An additional component of the Comprehensive exam will be a written document defining an outline of the dissertation which will be approved by the advisory committee. The three required peer-reviewed publications will be required as part of the dissertation outline. The publications cannot be accepted or published prior to the person being accepted into the doctorate program. It is possible a paper can be submitted prior to being accepted into the doctorate program only if the advisory committee accepts it. Under no circumstances will a paper that has been accepted or published prior to acceptance into the doctorate program be allowed. Co-authors are allowed but the doctoral candidate should be the primary author in all publications.
Eng.D. Dissertation:
The Eng.D. Dissertation follows the general rules specified in 10.1.6 Guidelines for Using Publications(s) as Thesis or Dissertation of the Graduate School Policies and Regulations that has been previously referenced. Note 10.1.5 Publication of Research Results Prior to Acceptance of Thesis or Dissertation also may apply as general rules that must be followed.
The dissertation should be an original contribution to the literature in SVT. The style, organization, and standards of the dissertation should be equivalent to those for papers in peer-reviewed journals in SVT. The dissertation follows what is often called “journal manuscript” or “using publications as dissertation” format. The student prepares and submits peer-reviewed and accepted journal articles which serve as the main body of the dissertation. A suggested format for the “journal manuscript” dissertation is:
(a) Abstract
(b) Acknowledgments
(c) Table of Contents
(d) List of Tables
(e) List of Figures
(f) Introduction
(g) Literature Review
(h) Manuscripts/Published Papers (note (g) will often be duplicated here in some form)
(i) SVT Significance or Conclusions
(j) Appendices
References can be listed at the end of each section, or as a separate section just before Appendices. Since (g) and (h) can be overlapping it is possible to receive a waiver of the requirement of Literature Review per unanimous approval of the advisory committee.
Appendices are often important in complete documentation of the work performed. In many cases page limits on published manuscripts will limit complete content. Example of possible content in appendices could include
(a) Documentation not provided in manuscripts (due to page limits) or procedures and methodologies not described elsewhere.
(b) Archiving of data and data that forms the basis of presented results in the manuscripts that is not in the manuscripts.
(c) Data management plan(s).
(d) Supplemental information not in the manuscripts.
Eng.D. Qualifying (Final) Examination:
An Eng.D. student must take a qualifying (final) oral examination (synchronous if online) administered by the advisory committee. A draft of the dissertation document must be submitted to the advisory committee at least four weeks before requesting approval for the qualifying examination. The qualifying examination cannot be scheduled until the dissertation has been approved by the major advisor. The remainder of the advisory committee has two weeks to submit concerns, suggested changes, etc. after the draft has been submitted. At the qualifying examination the student will present a review of the work and be prepared to defend it based upon questions from the advisory committee. A unanimous approval is required or the qualifying examination will be re-scheduled. The dissertation document needs to meet the rules specified by the Graduate School.
Eng.D. Progress Reports:
The advisory committee will be kept informed by the student of progress through committee meetings, individual student meeting with a committee member, or by written reports from the student. Progress information should be provided by the student at least annually.
A written annual report is required. Each student will electronically submit a summary report to the committee discussing progress and achievements. Plans for future progress should be included in the report. The major advisor is required to respond to the student and committee members regarding the report. Any remedial action will contain a date by which it must be completed. Summary reports should be limited to one page.