MIT Doctoral Program in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE PhD)
Program Overview
The standalone doctoral program in Computational Science and Engineering (PhD in CSE) enables students to specialize at the doctoral level in fundamental, methodological aspects of computational science via focused coursework and a thesis. The emphasis of thesis research activities is the development and analysis of broadly applicable computational approaches that advance the state of the art.
Students are awarded the Doctor of Philosophy in Computational Science and Engineering upon successful completion of the program requirements and defense of a thesis describing significant contributions to the CSE field. Program requirements include a course of study comprising nine graduate subjects and a graduate seminar. Core and concentration subjects cover six “ways of thinking” fundamental to CSE: (i) discretization and numerical methods for partial differential equations; (ii) optimization methods; (iii) statistics and data-driven modeling; (iv) high-performance computing and/or algorithms; (v) mathematical foundations (e.g., functional analysis, probability); and (vi) modeling (i.e., a subject that treats mathematical modeling in any science or engineering discipline). Subjects taken as part of an MIT SM program can be counted toward the coursework requirement provided they satisfy core, concentration, or elective requirements as set forth here; consultation and approval by the program director(s) and/or administrator regarding the application of such courses toward program credit is always required.
Students applying to this program are expected to have a degree in CSE, applied mathematics, or another field that prepares them for an advanced degree in CSE. More information about the application process, requirements, and relevant deadlines can be found on the Admissions section.