Where to Get a PhD 1

[zdas04]

In 5 years I'll be 59-1/2 and able to live off my IRA and 401K without tax penalties. At that time I plan to shut my business down and go get a PhD in ME (actually Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics). I don't know if I'll ever teach, but I just don't want to die without completing that task on my to-do list. I've planned pretty well financially for a retirement of leisure, but as it approaches it looks pretty dull.

I think I'll probably have the wherewithal to attend any English-speaking PhD program in the world (my language skills are non-existent). I'm having a really hard time deciding where I want to go. Does anyone have any suggestions of a really great engineering program in a fantastic location?

David



David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

http://www.muleshoe-eng.com

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[KENAT]

Depends on your definition of great engineering program in a fantastic location but you could obviously consider UK based schools.

I attended University of Southampton and I think it had a pretty good reputation. The aero department was in the top 5 in the country as I recall.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[sms]

I went to NMSU in Las Cruces! Not far from you. I have been working with student groups at CU in Boulder, that is pretty darn nice school...

Having said that with your interest in machinery, University of Western Australia (Perth)has a nice machinery industrial machinery based ME program. Monash in Victoria Australia has a nice program as well with branch campuses in Malaysia and South Africa. (All english speaking).

"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" Oddball, "Kelly's Heros" 1970

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[gwynn]

A couple suggestions come to mind.

With the experience you have, you probably have an idea of what you would like to do your thesis on. Do a small literature search (you'll have to do a full one anyway) to see which profs are doing research similar to what you are looking at. Shortlist the universities, look at the areas they are in and call up the profs/departments.

You'll get a better idea of who you want to work with talking directly with them than with listening to posters here (who may have completely different personality types).

 

[SWhit]

Look around for someone who has research projects that interest you. Since a large part of a PhD is research work the project you work on will greatly effect what you get out of the degree and how much you enjoy it.

 

[davefitz]

Dave,

I had the same thought. A good solution is to find a college hat does not require the GRE. One option is Washington state university at Pullman, Washington.

Also, it can also happen that the financial instrument that your 401K/ IRA is based on will wash out.

Good luck.

 

[zdas04]

Thanks for the sunshine Dave. I've kind of been looking and the GRE requirements seem pretty spotty. I figure if I have to take it I can prepare the same way I got ready for the PE exam.

I keep vacillating between looking for a "gee whiz" school (like MIT, CalTech, Oxford) and a school in a great place (something with a view of the Great Barrier Reef or the Rockies). I uncharacteristically just can't prioritize those things.

I'm arrogant enough to assume that I can satisfy the entry requirements of any school with 5 years to work on it. So this time the world really is my oyster (before I was mostly concerned about in-state tuition charges as the driving force in my decision).

David

 

[SomptingGuy]

In your situation I would plump for an Oxbridge college and hone my punting/picnicing/etc skills. There is just something nice about those places.

 

[Qshake]

To skip the general requirements you'll need to find a private school. I went the state route and still am not done with the required testing though I've had the GRE, Entrance exam, qualifiying exam in addition to the exams for courses (21 hours now) and I have a progress exam (3/4 of the way through) and finally the dissertation.

Take a deep breath and sip of coffee before jumping on board.....course if you're like me you'll do it anyway!

Regards,
Qshake

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[epoisses]

David,
I don't know much about American universities but stumbled across a place that might be of interest:

http://www.me.hawaii.edu/graduateprogram.htm

 

[Ashereng]

David,

For Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, have you looked at University of Wisconsin? They have one of the best chemical engineering program in the world.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
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[zdas04]

epoisses,
My wife and I are in a "discussion" about whether Hawaii counts as a "really cool place". I think it is (I've been to the big island several times and like it), she's never been there and has no interest in going. I'll look into the campus you referenced.

Ashereng,
That's what I was looking for, a place I never would have thought of. I'll look into their program.

David

 

[Ashereng]

I think Hawaii has got it all over Wisconsin in the cool factor though - unless you count freezing temperatures.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
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[Ashereng]

Oh David,

University of Wisconsin at Madison.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
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[GSTeng]

David,

If I were you I would head somewhere foreign, there are a lots of distant countries with English programs that are very good. The experience would be unbelievable and the research/thesis can be as good as you make it. I have a friend that is doing his MD in an English speaking school in Hungary and another that is a TA for Marine Biology (in English) in Qatar. The education and prestige of foreign schools may not be as good as MIT and Oxford, but from what I can tell you are not after the best schools but rather resources, subject matter and more than anything interest (both in where you are and what you are doing).

Good luck with your decision.

 

[zdas04]

Thanks GSTeng, I hadn't thought about an English-language program in an other-than-English-speaking country. I've known people who had good luck at the American University in Cairo, it might be a good idea. I'll look into that.

David

 

[KENAT]

Oxford isn't a particulary prestigeous Engineering school as I recal, I think Cambridge does a bit better. Probably the leading UK school is Imperial.

Read

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_universities

especially the last paragraph of "Reputations"

"Southampton has a particularly strong showing in engineering where it is the only university in the country to hold the top (5*) RAE rating in all departments within its engineering faculty."

See, Southampton is as good as I said;-)

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[zdas04]

I'm an Arkansas boy, and from this perspective, just the name "Oxford" has a mystique. I hope I would have checked it out before falling for the myth.

I reviewed some really good fluid mechanics work done at school in Surrey a few years ago, but I didn't have a clue where Surrey was (or even how to spell it), and I'm not sure what the name of the school was.

I've got a lot of research to do in the next few years.

David

 

[GregLocock]

20 years ago Oxford didn't have an /engineering/ degree. They called it Engineering Science, I've never known anyone who did that course.

David why not one of the London Universities? (well, apart from the expense and living in London)


Of the Australian unis in attractive warm places with a decent engineering rep, UWA, UNSW, UoQ and QUT spring to mind. Adelaide has a nice climate and soem decent engineering but it is a bit of a one horse town.

If you are prepared to live in the the sub-arctic then Melbourne's various universities are also decent engineering universities, but you get to live in Melbourne. ANU in Canberra is a university with a decent technical rep set in Woop woop.

For lifestyle in a colder climate again Hobart is terrific place to live, and has a university about which I know nothing.

Then there's New Zealand...







Cheers

Greg Locock

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[JStephen]

Some time back, I was looking around, and noticed on one school's requirements, that any graduate work that was older than so many years could no longer be counted towards a degree (IE, a master's degree hours could no longer be counted towards a PhD after so many years). If you have any graduate work, see if that affects you.

And otherwise, I would recommend that most glorious institution of higher learning, Texas Tech University.