Biosystems Engineering, PhD

Program Description

The Biosystems Engineering graduate program within the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences is designed to prepare graduates for leadership, creative accomplishment and continued professional learning, and to prepare graduates to effectively conduct independent scientific research related to sustainable biological systems design.

Students from all engineering disciplines are encouraged to apply. Applicants from non-engineering disciplines are welcome, but may be required to take additional undergraduate courses. Each degree program is planned individually to augment the student’s previous engineering and science background with adequate breadth in engineering and specialization in an area of biosystems engineering including bioprocessing and ecological engineering. In addition to biosystems engineering, course work includes mathematics, physics, chemistry, statistics, and biological and engineering sciences.

Graduates from the BE program find employment in biofuels, biopharmaceutical and bioprocessing plants or biorefineries, engineering and environmental consulting firms, sustainable land and water resource management, state and federal government agencies, and academia.

For additional information, please visit https://www.clemson.edu/cecas/departments/eees/academics/gradprog/biosys/index.html.https://www.clemson.edu/cecas/departments/eees/academics/gradprog/biosys/index.html.

Summary of Degree Requirements

The PhD in Biosystems Engineering requires a minimum of 30 credits beyond the master’s degree, and at least 60 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree. A minimum of 12 credit hours of non-research coursework and a minimum of 18 hours of dissertation research are required. All resident PhD students must register for BE 8610 - Biosystems Engineering Seminar  each term that it is offered. This degree is not awarded solely on the basis of coursework completed, residence, completion of qualifying, comprehensive or final examinations, or other routine requirements. The final basis for granting this degree is the student’s grasp of the subject matter, competence in planning and conducting research, and the ability to express themselves adequately and professionally both orally and in writing. Ultimately, only the student’s advisory committee can certify that the student has earned this degree.