The Doctor of Engineering (EngD) is a four-year postgraduate award intended for the UK’s leading research engineers who aspire to key managerial positions in industry. The core of the degree is the solution of one or more significant and challenging engineering problems with an industrial context. Thus the solution of the problem will have to take factors such as financial constraints, timescales and personnel management into account.

The EngD is a radical alternative to the traditional PhD, being better suited to the needs of industry, and providing a more vocationally oriented doctorate in engineering.

What is the essence of the EngD?

• Development of innovative thinking, while tackling real industrial problems;
• Continual broadening, by gaining and applying new knowledge from a modular taught programme.

How does the programme operate?

The Research Engineers are expected to spend a large proportion (typically 70-80%) of their time at the premises of their collaborating company, depending on the nature of the project. To support the Research Engineers, packages of training courses will be individually tailored to their needs in order to develop a wider range of competencies in engineering business management, as well as specialist technical subjects. This taught component will be assessed and form an integral part of the degree.

What does the Research Engineer achieve?

A ‘Doctor of Engineering’ (EngD) is awarded on successful completion. The Research Engineer should be capable of applying the knowledge and expertise acquired in a business environment in a disciplined, innovative and penetrating way. This is seen as an important element in the achievement of competitiveness of British engineering businesses.

The Research Engineers will be expected to have developed competencies in the following areas:

• expert knowledge of an engineering area;
• appreciation of industrial engineering and development culture;
• programme and project management skills against realistic timescales;
• teamwork and leadership skills;
• communication – oral and written, technical and non-technical;
• technical organisational skills;
• financial engineering, project planning and control;
• the ability to apply skills and knowledge to new and unusual situations;
• the ability to seek optimal, viable solutions to multi-faceted engineering problems and to search out relevant information sources;
• the evaluation of the environmental impact of the industry and how to minimise it.

What is the role of the industrial sponsor?

Every Research Engineer must be sponsored by an industrial partner. The industrial partner will be involved in the selection of candidates, and in selecting the pattern of course work for their sponsored Research Engineer (RE).

The major benefit to the industrial sponsor is that normally most of the project work is undertaken in the company by the RE. This will involve solving a challenging engineering problem that may result in significant cost-savings to the company.

How is the programme funded?

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, EPSRC, provides the Research Engineer with support for up to four years. In addition REs will receive a tax-free top-up from the industrial sponsor.

How is the EngD Assessed?

The EngD is assessed by means of a mini-thesis and a portfolio. The portfolio is built up over the period of registration and covers the key requirements for a ‘Management Development’ module. Candidates are also expected to satisfy the requirements of the taught modules.

What are the Commitment and Supervision Requirements?

All participants are regarded as being registered full-time on the degree. It is therefore essential in the case of company employees that their day to day work and their EngD project work are as similar as possible. Attendance on modules varies from two to six weeks per annum depending on the prior qualifications and experience of the participants. In addition, it is advisable to allow at least one day per month to visit the academic supervisor and to attend individual workshops and seminars connected with the EngD.

The typical period of registration is four years but participants with prior higher qualifications and experience may complete in less time.

Each Research Engineer has an industrial supervisor and an academic supervisor who oversees the project to ensure that the objectives are achieved.

For more information

For more information on the EngD programme run by Loughborough University go to the Centre for Innovative Construction Engineering Website (CICE).

Click here to download more information on the EngD scheme, as provided by the EPSRC