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Dept of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering University of Arizona 1177 E. Fourth Street Shantz Bldg #38, Room 403 Tucson, AZ 85721-0038 Phone: (520) 621-1753 Fax: (520) 621-3963 Email: abe@arizona.edu Maps: Campus | Tucson

ADMISSION GUIDELINES

In evaluating applications sent to the Department by the graduate college, the following criteria are followed:

1. Grade Point Average
   A minimum GPA of 3.3 (out of 4.0) is required for admission to this program.  Non-technical, agricultural mechanics, lower-division, and non-lecture courses will be excluded from the calculations.
2. Previous Degree
   A previous degree in agricultural engineering, a related engineering field, or other suitable technical discipline is required.
3. TOEFL
   Students whose native language is other than English must meet University English language entrance requirements (TOEFL >= 550 or Computer Based Test (CBT) >= 213 or  English language education).
4. GRE
   The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required of all applicants, and GRE scores should be submitted to the ABE Dept. and the Graduate College with other application materials.
5. Statement of Purpose
6. Three Letters of Recommendation

QUALIFYING EXAMINATION

The qualifying examination shall be administered during the first two weeks of the first  semester in attendance as a Ph.D. student.  (The examination is not administered during the summer sessions.)

1. Form
   The examination may be oral or written.
2. Purpose
   a.  Determine the strengths and weaknesses of the student's technical background.
   b.  Determine if the student requires additional preparation before pursuing a Ph.D. program.

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

Students must pass a preliminary examination before admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.  The exam will include written exams covering the major and minor fields and an oral exam by a faculty committee.  The examination will be administered when major and minor departments consider the student is sufficiently prepared.  The exam will determine whether the student will be permitted to continue the Ph.D. program.  Scheduling details are available from the Graduate Advisor.

REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION

Except where otherwise noted, previous work at the B.S. and M.S. level may contribute to meeting the Ph.D. degree requirements.  In addition to the following requirements, students must meet all those for the Ph.D. degree, which may be set by the University or the Graduate College.

1. A minimum of 63 units of graduate credit

• The minimum graduate credit (63 units) is subject to change depending on the qualifications of each student. Additional units may be determined and required by each student's advisor(s) upon consultation with dissertation committee members.
  
• The total units (63 units) must include a minimum of 45 course work units (including 2 seminar units) and 18 dissertation units.
  
• The course work units (45 units) must include a minimum of 36 units in the area of the major subject and 9 units of the minor subject area. Note that the minor department generally requires 9 ~ 15 units. The following are some possible minors:
  
• Soil, Water and Environmental Science
• Plant Sciences
• Chemical and Environmental Engineering
• Civil Engineering & Engineering Mechanics
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Hydrology and Water Resources
• Agricultural & Resource Economics
• Mathematics
• Renewable Natural Resources
• Systems and Industrial Engineering
• Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Optical Science 
  
• The major subject units (36 units) must include a minimum of 12 units of graduate credit in mathematics, statistics, and/or numerical analysis and 12 units of A.B.E. courses exclusive of seminar, thesis, dissertation and independent studies.
  
• Service courses (e.g. ABE 504, 506, etc.) for non-ABE major students may not be used as credits to meet the minimum coursework requirement for the ABE Ph.D. degree.

2. ABE 696a seminar (1 unit every semester). Two units may be applied to the graduate credit requirement.

3. All ABE graduate students will be required to submit a Progress Report , with the exception of first semester graduate students. However, it is recommended that new students also submit the report. Submission of the report is required to receive a passing grade in ABE 696a (seminar) except for new graduate students. Each Progress Report must include a research abstract if you have completed (2) semesters in the ABE Department. Failure to include an abstract will result in a decrease in your assigned grade by two letters (e.g. S to C).

4. Graduate students from other departments, who are seeking a minor in the ABE department, are required to take 12 units of ABE courses. The student and his/her minor advisor will determine the exact courses.
   
   
5. Consult our Thesis/Dissertation Option for Submitted/Accepted/Published Manuscript(s).

TYPICAL A.B.E. PROGRAMS

• Biological Engineering
• Water Resource and/or Irrigation Engineering
• Sensors
• Controlled Environment Engineering

DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM WITH ELLER COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT

Interested graduate students have option of receiving two graduate degrees on a concurrent basis. One of these degrees will be an MBA degree from the Eller College of Management. The other will be a graduate degree from ABE    For more information regarding this program go to Eller dual degree web site.

PROGRAM ASSESSMENT