18 PhD programmes offered by the university

With funding from industry and federal sources, our Chemical Engineering research projects at Pennsylvania State University tackle some of society's most pressing societal issues in human health, environmental sustainability, renewable energy, accessible food supply, and more.

Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering students at Pennsylvania State University are trained to solve the design, construction, and maintenance concerns of the natural and physically built environment.

The Biorenewable Systems program at Pennsylvania State University encompasses renewable biologically-based materials, products, and processes and fully integrates scientific research with the principles of systems technology, business, management, marketing, leadership development, and entrepreneurship.

The John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering at Pennsylvania State University provides a vertically integrated approach to research and education in all aspects of the energy and mineral industries, including scientific and engineering issues, health and safety, and maintenance of high environmental standards.

The doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in Engineering Science and Mechanics at Pennsylvania State University is a thesis-based, research-oriented degree for students who intend to pursue careers in research and development, research management, or academia.

Pennsylvania State University’s Intercollege Graduate Degree Program (IGDP) in Materials Science and Engineering offers Ph.D. students one-on-one mentorship by professors from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and many other departments in the College of Engineering and Eberly College of Science. Currently, more than 80 faculty members advise more than 180 Ph.D. students.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University offers Ph.D. degree programs consisting of integrated graduate-level training in engineering, the life sciences and the medical sciences.

The Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering actively conducts research to generate new knowledge that will strengthen and support education at Pennsylvania State University, in the United States, and across the world.

The Ph.D. program in Engineering Systems at Pennsylvania State University offers an interdisciplinary research opportunity centered in engineering and focused on engineering systems.

The graduate programs in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Pennsylvania State University emphasize the practical applications of electrical and computer sciences and the technological needs of society.

Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABENG) offers students at Pennsylvania State University the opportunity to gain expertise in several areas that relate to the world’s most important sociotechnological and sustainability challenges including energy, environment, crop/food production and health.

This Engineering program at Pennsylvania State University provides a deep understanding of advanced engineering and high-level leadership principles, helping you prepare to direct high-performing research divisions or companies. This D.Eng. incorporates the rigor of a Ph.D. but shifts the focus of career progression from academic research to leadership in an industrial or commercial setting.

Graduate programs in Architectural Engineering at Pennsylvania State University involve in-depth studies in the design, analysis, construction, and operation of buildings and building systems.

If you want to work with nationally and internationally renowned faculty, scientists, and engineers, the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University is a great place for you to pursue graduate study.

Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering students at Pennsylvania State University are trained to solve the design, construction, and maintenance concerns of the natural and physically built environment.

Graduate study and research are conducted in manufacturing, operations research-management science, production engineering, process design, systems engineering, human factors, ergonomics, service systems, and data analytics. This Industrial Engineering program is offered at Pennsylvania State University.

Pennsylvania State University’s Department of Aerospace Engineering has a distinguished record of research excellence and scholarship.

The Graduate Program in Acoustics at Pennsylvania State University is a unique interdisciplinary program that offers a broad educational background applicable to a variety of scientific and technological fields, providing lifelong flexibility for continued professional growth.