Please note:
To view the Spring 2024 Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar/2024/spring.html.
Mechatronic Systems Engineering
The doctor of philosophy (PhD) in the School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering is a program intended for those who wish to develop advanced independent research skills. Candidates with strong aptitude for research and exceptional quantitative, analytical, and design skills pursue a research-intensive program leading to a substantial contribution to knowledge in multidisciplinary areas including mechanical and electrical engineering.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must satisfy the University admission requirements as stated in Graduate General Regulations 1.3 in the SFU Calendar. For admission to the doctor of philosophy (PhD) in mechatronic systems engineering program, a student must have a master's degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mechatronics engineering or a related field, and have submitted evidence of capability to undertake substantial original research.
Program Requirements
This program consists of course work, a qualifying examination, and a thesis for a minimum of 33 units. Students may take additional courses to correct any deficiencies in their background upon approval of their supervisor. If the subject matter of a listed course has been previously completed with graduate credit, the course may not be completed again for credit.
Students must complete
Formulating an appropriate research question, conducting literature reviews, understanding elements of a research proposal, evaluating the real-world impact of a research question, understanding design and statistical analysis of research experiments. Examines safety and ethics guidelines in conducting research, effective and ethical communication of research findings, and policies of scientific contributions. Special emphasis is given to effective oral and written communication of scientific material that may arise from thesis work. Covers a variety of issues that may arise in various stages of conducting research projects, such as conflicts of interest, patents, authorship guidelines and EDI. Prerequisite: Enrollment in a research-based program.
and two MSE graduate courses selected in consultation with their supervisor
and two graduate technical courses from FAS or SCI
and to be taken twice
An opportunity to develop skills in presentation and discussion of research topics in a public setting. Seminars will be conducted on a continuing basis with three interspersed streams: 1) graduate student presentations, 2) internal faculty presentations, and 3) external invited speaker presentations. The preferred timing is close to and before scheduled thesis defence dates and close to their thesis proposal (PhD students only). Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
and a qualifying exam
The candidacy exam enables the Supervisory Committee and the School to determine if the student is properly prepared to embark on the proposed research program. Upon admission to the PhD program, each student must enroll in this course each semester. A SATISFACTORY grade is granted once the student submits a written research proposal and successfully defends it during an oral presentation before her/his supervisory committee. The candidacy exam must be completed after 6 terms enrollment. Under special circumstances, and subject to approval by the Supervisory and Graduate Program committees, a student who does not pass the exam (UNSATISFACTORY grade) may be given a second chance by enrolling in MSE 890 one more time. This course is a prerequisite for MSE 899 (PhD Thesis). Prerequisite: PhD Students in the School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering (MSE).
and a thesis
Program Length
Students are expected to complete the program requirements within four years.
Other Information
Transfer to PhD from Master in Applied Science
Proceeding to a PhD program without completing a master's degree is discouraged. However, a student may be transferred when all of the following conditions have been met which are above the minimum university requirements:
- The application for a transfer is submitted within the first six terms of the MASc program at SFU;
- All the MASc coursework requirements have been completed with a CGPA of 3.67/4.33 or better;
- A recommendation by the student's supervisor indicates demonstrated potential for outstanding research;
- The student's supervisory committee and the graduate program committee approve.
Annual Progress Review
The student's progress will be reviewed at least once every 12 months by the supervisory committee. At each annual review, the student presents a summary of his/her work to date, with the second review normally being the research proposal defence as described in the section for Qualifying Examination (see above). Students not making satisfactory progress in their research topics, or failing to demonstrate satisfactory knowledge and understanding of recent publications in their general area of research, or failing to have their revised research proposal approved by their supervisory committee within 24 months of admission, may be required to withdraw from the program as per section 1.8.2 Review of Unsatisfactory Progress of the Graduate General Regulations.
Optional Industrial Internship
Students in the PhD program may complete an optional internship course of paid practical experience in an appropriate industrial setting to complement their academic studies. The internship will appear on the student's transcript, but does not count towards the student's CGPA and course requirements for the degree. Students require a pre-approval from both their supervisor and the graduate program chair in order to apply for the internship.
Qualifying Exam
To qualify, the student will submit a brief written research proposal and defend it orally to his/her supervisory committee within the first 24 months of admission. The proposal's defence will be judged according to the feasibility and scientific merits of the proposed research, and demonstration of a sophisticated understanding of general material in the student's major area of research. This level of understanding is associated with senior undergraduate and first year graduate course material. The possible outcomes of the qualifying examination are the following: Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. A student with an unsatisfactory grade may be permitted to take the exam a second time. A student with an outcome of unsatisfactory for a second time is required to withdraw from the program.
Thesis
Students define and undertake original research, the results of which are reported in a thesis. An examining committee is formed as defined in Graduate General Regulation 1.9.3. The supervisor will be a Mechatronic Systems Engineering faculty member approved by the graduate program committee.
Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations
All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the Graduate General Regulations, as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled.