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Ph.D. Program

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree program with a concentration in Crisis, Emergency, and Risk Management

This program is designed to provide interdisciplinary graduate education for persons engaged in or seeking professional careers in crisis, disaster, emergency, and risk management in the public, private, and not for profit sectors.

The Ph.D. program requires 54 graduate credits beyond a masters degree. A minimum of 30 hours of formal coursework is required: a six course crisis, emergency, and risk management major and a four course minor. All doctoral students must complete a minimum of 24 hours of dissertation research.

The doctoral program is designed to prepare the student for a career of creative scholarship by providing a broad but balanced background of knowledge and guidance in the performance of research. The program is divided into two stages. The first, comprises a study of related fields of learning that support the general area of research concentration, culminates in the qualifying examination. The second, composed of original research and the presentation of findings in a written dissertation, culminates in the final examination.

Entrance Requirements

Admission to study toward a doctoral degree requires an appropriate earned baccalaureate degree or master's degree from a recognized institution, completed course work designated by the department as pertinent to the field to be studied, an acceptable professional background, and a capacity for creative scholarship. Students whose highest earned degree is a baccalaureate must present a grade-point average (on a scale of 4.0) of at least 3.3 in that degree program, must submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination general test, and must provide two letters of recommendation. For students whose highest earned degree is a master's degree, the departmental requirement for the grade-point average in course work leading to that degree is 3.5.

For admission requirements of the Doctor of Philosophy degree program, GRE scores are required. However, GREs may be waived for exceptional students with MS degrees in the engineering, physical, or mathematical sciences. For details, please consult:

Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering
(202) 994-7541, emse@gwu.edu

Program Requirements

Upon admission to the first stage of the program (that is, study of related fields culminating in the qualifying examination), the student is assigned a faculty advisor who directs his or her studies. In some departments a faculty committee may be appointed instead of a single advisor. Programs of study are structured to include a major field and a minor or supporting field. A minimum of 30 credit hours in a formal program at the graduate level beyond master's study or, for students without master's degrees, a minimum of 54 credit hours in a formal program at the graduate level beyond the baccalaureate, is required. In many cases, particularly when the student undertakes a doctoral program in a field other than that in which the earlier degree was obtained, the program of study may exceed the 30 credit hour minimum. In addition, all doctoral students take a minimum of 24 hours of dissertation research.

Students admitted to doctoral study are encouraged to undertake one year of full-time study on campus. In general, the advisor will require the student to register for a minimum of 6 credit hours of course work in every semester except the summer sessions.

To be admitted to the qualifying examination, the student must have an overall grade-point average of 3.2. The Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering requires a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.4.

If a doctoral student receives two grades of F or three grades below B-, graduate study is terminated and further enrollment prohibited. Courses in which the student earns grades below B- are not included in the total credit-hour requirement for the degree. Students who receive any grade below B- are required to review their programs of study with their advisors.

The Qualifying Examination

The qualifying examination is the principal means of determining whether a student will qualify as a candidate for the doctoral degree and progress to the second stage of the program. Its purpose is to ascertain that the student's background and intellectual development are adequate to support doctoral research in the central field. (Some departments may administer a prequalifying examination prior to completion of the study program.)

Qualifying examinations may be written or oral, or both, and are scheduled over a period of several days. They are conducted on dates established by the departments and are administered by a faculty committee. Upon favorable report of the examiners to the Dean through the Department Chair, the student is admitted to candidacy for the degree; the student then begins specialized study and research under the supervision of a designated member of the faculty or, in special instances, an outstanding engineer or scientist who is not a member of the faculty.

At the discretion of the committee that prepared the examination, a student who fails any part of the qualifying examination may be given a second opportunity to qualify for candidacy. Usually, the entire examination must be retaken.

Students who fail to qualify for candidacy in a doctoral program of the School will be considered to have failed on a school-wide basis and will not be admitted to further doctoral study within the School.

Dissertation and Final Examination

The student admitted to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy chooses the faculty member under whom he or she wishes to conduct research; the faculty member may accept or reject the request to serve as the student's director of research. The research area is approved by the director, and throughout the remainder of the doctoral program the candidate conducts dissertation research under the director. However, the student may consult other members of the faculty on an informal basis. Work on the dissertation encompasses a minimum of 24 credit hours.

The Dissertation

A dissertation is required as evidence of ability to perform original scholarly research and to present and interpret the results. The student is solely responsible for the content of the dissertation.
The dissertation should embody the results of an extended original study and include material deemed worthy of publication in recognized scientific and engineering journals. The student is expected to attempt to have the results of the research published as soon as possible after he or she receives the degree and to submit copies of the published material to the dean. The Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering requires submission of an article to a refereed journal prior to completion of degree requirements. Credit must be given in the publication to the fact that the material is abstracted, summarized, or developed from a dissertation submitted to The George Washington University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

The candidate must submit to the department five complete copies of the dissertation and an abstract (not to exceed 350 words). Copies of detailed regulations regarding the form and reproduction of the dissertation and preparation of the abstract are available in department offices. Accepted dissertations, with accompanying drawings, become the property of the University and are deposited in the Gelman Library, where bound copies are available for circulation.

The Final Examination

Upon acceptance of the dissertation by the research committee, the candidate is presented for the final examination. The final examination is oral and is open to the public. The candidate must demonstrate a mastery of the special field of study and of the materials and techniques used in the research. The committee of examiners may include qualified experts brought to the University especially to participate in the examination. The director of research usually serves as advocate for the candidate. When the examining committee is convinced of the quality and originality of the candidate's contribution to knowledge as well as his or her mastery of the scholarship and research techniques of the field, the committee recommends the candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The candidate should consult the department chair about scheduling the examination.

Students completing their degree program should refer to the section on Graduation Requirements, Participation in the Commencement Ceremony, under University Regulations, as well as the fee for microfilm service and binding the dissertation under Fees and Financial Regulations in the University Bulletin.

Dissertation and Final Examination

How to apply?

Application materials can be requested via email: engineering@gwu.edu

For additional information on admissions please contact

SEAS admissions
(202) 994 6158

Need Financial Information?

GW Student Financial Assistance
(202) 994 - 6620

Fellowships and Graduate Support
(202) 994 - 6822

Cooperative Education
(202) 994 -1671

	Home About ICDRM Graduate Programs Faculty and Staff Research Publications Events Links FAQs Contact Us	Home » Graduate Programs » D.Sc. Program Ph.D. Program Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree program with a concentration in Crisis, Emergency, and Risk Management This program is designed to provide interdisciplinary graduate education for persons engaged in or seeking professional careers in crisis, disaster, emergency, and risk management in the public, private, and not for profit sectors. The Ph.D. program requires 54 graduate credits beyond a masters degree. A minimum of 30 hours of formal coursework is required: a six course crisis, emergency, and risk management major and a four course minor. All doctoral students must complete a minimum of 24 hours of dissertation research. The doctoral program is designed to prepare the student for a career of creative scholarship by providing a broad but balanced background of knowledge and guidance in the performance of research. The program is divided into two stages. The first, comprises a study of related fields of learning that support the general area of research concentration, culminates in the qualifying examination. The second, composed of original research and the presentation of findings in a written dissertation, culminates in the final examination. Entrance Requirements Admission to study toward a doctoral degree requires an appropriate earned baccalaureate degree or master's degree from a recognized institution, completed course work designated by the department as pertinent to the field to be studied, an acceptable professional background, and a capacity for creative scholarship. Students whose highest earned degree is a baccalaureate must present a grade-point average (on a scale of 4.0) of at least 3.3 in that degree program, must submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination general test, and must provide two letters of recommendation. For students whose highest earned degree is a master's degree, the departmental requirement for the grade-point average in course work leading to that degree is 3.5. For admission requirements of the Doctor of Philosophy degree program, GRE scores are required. However, GREs may be waived for exceptional students with MS degrees in the engineering, physical, or mathematical sciences. For details, please consult: Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering (202) 994-7541, emse@gwu.edu Program Requirements Upon admission to the first stage of the program (that is, study of related fields culminating in the qualifying examination), the student is assigned a faculty advisor who directs his or her studies. In some departments a faculty committee may be appointed instead of a single advisor. Programs of study are structured to include a major field and a minor or supporting field. A minimum of 30 credit hours in a formal program at the graduate level beyond master's study or, for students without master's degrees, a minimum of 54 credit hours in a formal program at the graduate level beyond the baccalaureate, is required. In many cases, particularly when the student undertakes a doctoral program in a field other than that in which the earlier degree was obtained, the program of study may exceed the 30 credit hour minimum. In addition, all doctoral students take a minimum of 24 hours of dissertation research. Students admitted to doctoral study are encouraged to undertake one year of full-time study on campus. In general, the advisor will require the student to register for a minimum of 6 credit hours of course work in every semester except the summer sessions. To be admitted to the qualifying examination, the student must have an overall grade-point average of 3.2. The Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering requires a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.4. If a doctoral student receives two grades of F or three grades below B-, graduate study is terminated and further enrollment prohibited. Courses in which the student earns grades below B- are not included in the total credit-hour requirement for the degree. Students who receive any grade below B- are required to review their programs of study with their advisors. The Qualifying Examination The qualifying examination is the principal means of determining whether a student will qualify as a candidate for the doctoral degree and progress to the second stage of the program. Its purpose is to ascertain that the student's background and intellectual development are adequate to support doctoral research in the central field. (Some departments may administer a prequalifying examination prior to completion of the study program.) Qualifying examinations may be written or oral, or both, and are scheduled over a period of several days. They are conducted on dates established by the departments and are administered by a faculty committee. Upon favorable report of the examiners to the Dean through the Department Chair, the student is admitted to candidacy for the degree; the student then begins specialized study and research under the supervision of a designated member of the faculty or, in special instances, an outstanding engineer or scientist who is not a member of the faculty. At the discretion of the committee that prepared the examination, a student who fails any part of the qualifying examination may be given a second opportunity to qualify for candidacy. Usually, the entire examination must be retaken. Students who fail to qualify for candidacy in a doctoral program of the School will be considered to have failed on a school-wide basis and will not be admitted to further doctoral study within the School. Dissertation and Final Examination The student admitted to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy chooses the faculty member under whom he or she wishes to conduct research; the faculty member may accept or reject the request to serve as the student's director of research. The research area is approved by the director, and throughout the remainder of the doctoral program the candidate conducts dissertation research under the director. However, the student may consult other members of the faculty on an informal basis. Work on the dissertation encompasses a minimum of 24 credit hours. The Dissertation A dissertation is required as evidence of ability to perform original scholarly research and to present and interpret the results. The student is solely responsible for the content of the dissertation. The dissertation should embody the results of an extended original study and include material deemed worthy of publication in recognized scientific and engineering journals. The student is expected to attempt to have the results of the research published as soon as possible after he or she receives the degree and to submit copies of the published material to the dean. The Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering requires submission of an article to a refereed journal prior to completion of degree requirements. Credit must be given in the publication to the fact that the material is abstracted, summarized, or developed from a dissertation submitted to The George Washington University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. The candidate must submit to the department five complete copies of the dissertation and an abstract (not to exceed 350 words). Copies of detailed regulations regarding the form and reproduction of the dissertation and preparation of the abstract are available in department offices. Accepted dissertations, with accompanying drawings, become the property of the University and are deposited in the Gelman Library, where bound copies are available for circulation. The Final Examination Upon acceptance of the dissertation by the research committee, the candidate is presented for the final examination. The final examination is oral and is open to the public. The candidate must demonstrate a mastery of the special field of study and of the materials and techniques used in the research. The committee of examiners may include qualified experts brought to the University especially to participate in the examination. The director of research usually serves as advocate for the candidate. When the examining committee is convinced of the quality and originality of the candidate's contribution to knowledge as well as his or her mastery of the scholarship and research techniques of the field, the committee recommends the candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The candidate should consult the department chair about scheduling the examination. Students completing their degree program should refer to the section on Graduation Requirements, Participation in the Commencement Ceremony, under University Regulations, as well as the fee for microfilm service and binding the dissertation under Fees and Financial Regulations in the University Bulletin. Dissertation and Final Examination The student admitted to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy chooses the faculty member under whom he or she wishes to conduct research; the faculty member may accept or reject the request to serve as the student's director of research. The research area is approved by the director, and throughout the remainder of the doctoral program the candidate conducts dissertation research under the director. However, the student may consult other members of the faculty on an informal basis. Work on the dissertation encompasses a minimum of 24 credit hours. How to apply? Admission requirements Application deadlines Online application Tuition fees Additional contact information Application materials can be requested via email: engineering@gwu.edu For additional information on admissions please contact SEAS admissions (202) 994 6158 Need Financial Information? GW Student Financial Assistance (202) 994 - 6620 Fellowships and Graduate Support (202) 994 - 6822 Cooperative Education (202) 994 -1671	In This Section » Graduate Programs Graduate Courses Graduate Faculty and Staff Certificate Program M.Sc. Program D.Sc. Program
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Ph.D. Program

Entrance Requirements

Program Requirements

The Qualifying Examination

Dissertation and Final Examination

Dissertation and Final Examination

How to apply?

Need Financial Information?

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