Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) post-graduate programmes are research based programmes offered by the School of Civil Engineering. The programmes aim to produce research scholars who are capable of advancing knowledge and educating future scholars for the benefits of mankind. Students enrolled in these programmes are required to complete an original research of high quality in the form of a thesis under the supervision of an appointed academic staff as main supervisor. Supervision of research study may also be assisted by appointed co-supervisor(s). The award of PhD degree is decided based on a viva-voce to be conducted after a thesis is submitted for examination. The research studies for MSc or PhD degree cover all major disciplines in civil engineering: environmental engineering, geomatic engineering, geotechnical engineering, highway and transportation engineering, structural engineering, water resources engineering and management in engineering. More detailed listing of specific specialisations under each of the major discipline, admission requirement and fees are given below. 

Research Thrust Areas:

Environmental Engineering

• Landfill Technology
• Composting
• Water and Wastewater Treatment
• Industrial Wastewater Treatment
• Solid Waste Management
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) & Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
• Air Quality Studies
• Sludge Management
• Noise Pollution Control & Management
• Water Quality Studies
• Geo-Environment
• Other Fields in Environmental Engineering

Geotechnical Engineering

• Slope Stabilization (Soil/Rock)
• Ground Improvement
• Reinforced Soil
• Landslide Risk Management
• Application of Geosynthetics
• Rock Mechanics
• Blasting & Vibrations
• Foundation Engineering
• Land Reclamation & Rehabilitation
• Geotechnical Assessment
• Piling Vibrations
• Geo-Spatial Analysis
• Probabilistic Methods in Geotechnical Engineering
• Soft Clays
• Collapsible Soil
• Risk Assessment in Geotechnical Engineering
• Other Fields In Geotechnical Engineering

Water Resources Engineering

• Water Supply
• Urban Storm Water Management
• Hydrological
• Flood Forecasting
• River Engineering
• Integrated Water Resource Management
• Urban Hydrology
• Sediment Transport
• Modelling of Pump Station
• Irrigation & Drainage
• Hydraulics
• Fluid Mechanics
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Eco-Hydrology
• Remote Sensing & GIS Application in Water Resources
• Coastal Engineering
• Hydraulic Structures
• Other Fields in Water Resources Engineering

Highway and Transportation Engineering

• Pavement Engineering
• Asphalt Technology
• Traffic Engineering
• Road Safety
• Intelligent Transport System
• Public Transport Studies
• Highway Capacity Studies
• Travel Behaviour Studies
• Sustainable Transport
• Remote Sensing & GIS Application in Transportation
• Other Fields in Highway, Traffic & Transportation Engineering

Structural Engineering

• Concrete Technology
• Construction Technology
• Masonry Engineering
• Concrete Repair Materials and Techniques
• Wind Engineering
• Earthquake Engineering
• Timber Engineering
• Shell and Spatial Structures
• Computational Mechanics
• Advanced Structural Analysis
• Structural Dynamics
• Steel Structures
• Water Retaining Structures
• Structural Health Monitoring
• Structural Retrofitting
• Other Fields in Structural Engineering

Geomatic Engineering and Management

• Monitoring System
• Global Positioning System (GPS)
• Decision Support System (DSS)
• Geo-Information Sciences (GIS)
• Digital Mapping and Imaging
• Engineering Survey
• Spatial Statistics
• Cadastral Survey
• Sub-Surface Detection and Assessment
• Other Fields in Geomatic Engineering

Management in Engineering

• Management
• Stress Management
• Emotional Intelligence
• Engineering Entrepreneurship
• Project Management
• Construction Management
• Other Fields in Engineering Management

Expertise available in the following School:
School of Civil Engineering
www.civil.eng.usm.my

Applicants should possess the following:

I.     Master degree (Coursework or Mixed Mode)

A) CGPA of at least 3.00 / 4.00; or

B) CGPA of 2.50 - 2.99 with; or

• Research experience – 2 years; or
• Professional experience in related field – 2 years; or
• Two (2) academic publications in the field; or
• Grade B+ for major/elective courses; or
• Grade B+ for Coursework Mode or P for Mixed Mode dissertation/project;

II.    Master degree (Research Mode)

Applicable for international students

• A minimum of Band 5 for IELTS; or
• A minimum score of 40 for TOEFL (Internet-based); or
• A minimum of Band 7.5 for TOEFL Essentials (Online); or
• A minimum score of 154 for Cambridge English: Advance (CAE)/Proficiency (CPE) /Preliminary (PET) /First (FCE)/ Linguaskill Online; or
• A minimum score of 47 for Pearson Test of English (PTE); or
• A minimum of Band 107 for (CIEP Level) ELS; or
• A minimum of Band 3.5 for Malaysian University English Test (MUET)

Exemption CAN BE CONSIDERED to candidate if:

• English is the candidate’s mother tongue or National Language; or
• Candidate graduated from an Institution of Higher Learning in which the medium of instruction at Bachelor and/or Master degree level is English (statement of proof required)

Full-time: Min 4 semesters / Max 10 semesters

Part-time: Min 6 semesters / Max 15 semesters

** Fees are subject to change

** New fees to be imposed starting from Academic Session 2025/2026 (October 2025 intake onward)

** Fees are subject to change

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by research mode, which is specifically designed to produce professional engineers and experts who are able to conduct systematic research and able to blend theoretical and practical aspects of learning according to the relevant needs of the industrial public sectors and nations.  

Research Thrust Areas:

Communications

• RF system and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
• Wireless & mobile systems
• Antenna & propagation
• Microwave & satellite systems

Computer Engineering

• Imaging
• Digital signal processing
• Distributed computing
• Software engineering

Control & Automation

• Robotics
• Sensors &  Instrumentation
• Computational intelligence
• Industrial automation control

Microelectronics

• Advanced digital systems
• Integrated circuit design
• Device modelling & characterization
• Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)
• Analogue and digital IC design

Power Systems & Electrical Machines

• Power electronics & devices
• Power system & energy conversion
• Electrical machine & drives
• Power quality management

Requirements of graduation:           

(i) Complete PhD thesis

(ii) Pass viva-voce

Expertise available in the following School:
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
https://ee.eng.usm.my/ 

I.     Master degree (Coursework or Mixed Mode)

A) CGPA of at least 3.00 / 4.00; or

B) CGPA of 2.50 - 2.99 with; or

• Research experience – 2 years; or
• Professional experience in related field – 2 years; or
• Two (2) academic publications in the field; or
• Grade B+ for major/elective courses; or
• Grade B+ for Coursework Mode or P for Mixed Mode dissertation/project; 

 II.    Master degree (Research Mode)

(Applicable for International Applicants Only)

The minimum score for each programme can be vary from the below list, candidates are required to check for each programme requirements.

• A minimum score of 40 for TOEFL (Internet-based); or
• A minimum of Band 7.5 for TOEFL Essentials (Online); or
• A minimum of Band 5 for IELTS; or
• A minimum score of 47 for PTE; or
• A minimum score of 154 for Cambridge English (CAE/CPE); or
• A minimum score of 154 for Linguaskill Online; or
• A minimum of Band 3.5 for MUET

Exemption is given to candidate if:

• English is the candidate’s mother tongue or National Language; or
• Candidate graduated from an Institution of Higher Learning in which the medium of instruction at Bachelor and/or Master degree level is English (statement of proof required)

Full-time: Min 4 semesters / Max 10 semesters

Part-time: Min 6 semesters / Max 15 semesters

** Fees are subject to change

** New fees to be imposed starting from Academic Session 2025/2026 (October 2025 intake onward)

** Fees are subject to change

The School of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia was established in 1989. The School offers engineering academic qualifications of postgraduate studies by research in various fields of Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering, leading to the Degree of M.Sc. and Ph.D. These programmes are offered either in full-time or part-time basis. 
The research programmes at the school specialise in the areas of Bio-Engineering, Applied Mechanics, Thermo-fluids, Energy, Manufacturing Technology, Manufacturing System & Automation, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Management, Advanced Composites Materials & Processing, and Nanofabrication & Functional Materials.
The degree can be pursued under the supervision of at least one academic staff of the School, in which the candidate is required to complete the research study within a stipulated time period, as specified below.

Research Thrust Areas:

Energy

• Energy Resources – Biomass
• Energy Conversion Technologies
• Internal Combustion Engine - Alternative Fuel Combustors - Gas Turbine, Incinerators
• Aerofoil, Flow in Passages, Micro Flow Sensor, Two Phase Flow

Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics

• Thermal System
• Heat Transfer
• Computer Fluid Dynamics
• Fluid Mechanics
• Advanced Electronic Packaging
• Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning

Applied Mechanics

• Experimental and Numerical Stress Analysis
• Dynamic Characteristics of Materials
• Instrumentation and Automatic Control
• Structural Optimization
• Noise and Vibration
• Stress and damage characterization
• Fracture Mechanics
• Experimental Mechanics

Manufacturing System & Automation

• Design for Manufacture and Assembly
• Robotics & Industrial Automation
• Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM)
• Manufacturing System Design and Analysis
• Manufacturing Planning and Control
• Technology Management
• Machine Vision & Metrology

Manufacturing Processes

• Advanced Manufacturing Process
• Laser Applications
• Rapid Prototyping
• Tool and Die
• Advanced Materials
• Casting

Industrial Engineering

• Ergonomics
• Quality & Reliability
• Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing
• Productivity Engineering Facilities Planning & Design
• Process Optimization
• Production Planning & Control
• Value Engineering and Project Management

Nanofabrication and Functional Materials

• Nano Engineering and Technology
• Nanofabrication
• Lithography Techniques
• Thin Films
• Smart and Functional Materials
• Shape Memory Alloys
• Materials Characterization

Advanced Composites Materials & Processing

• Composite Design & Assembly
• Composite Processing Technology
• Composite Machining
• Quality Inspection & Part Testing
• Composite Repair
• Static, Impact & Ballistic Characterization

Bio-Engineering

• Bio-materials
• Bio-mechanics & Bio-medical analysis
• Orthopaedic bio-engineering
• Bio-mechanical data mining

Computational Engineering and Data Mining Analysis

• Adaptive finite element methods
• Qualitative and quantitative data mining
• Pattern analysis
• Static and time series data analysis
• Knowledge discovery databases

Expertise available in the following School:
School of Mechanical Engineering
http://mechanical.eng.usm.my/

Applicants should possess one of the following:

• A Master's degree in research mode; or
• A Master’s degree in related area with CGPA 3.00/4; or
• A Master’s degree in related area with CGPA 2.50-2.99/4 with additional requirements; or
• Bachelor’s degree in related area with minimum CGPA 3.67/4 (fast-track to PhD)

(Applicable for International Applicants Only)

The minimum score for each programme can be vary from the below list, candidates are required to check for each programme requirements.

• A minimum score of 40 for TOEFL (Internet-based); or
• A minimum of Band 7.5 for TOEFL Essentials (Online); or
• A minimum of Band 5 for IELTS; or
• A minimum score of 47 for PTE; or
• A minimum score of 154 for Cambridge English (CAE/CPE); or
• A minimum score of 154 for Linguaskill Online; or
• A minimum of Band 3.5 for MUET

Exemption is given to candidate if:

• English is the candidate’s mother tongue or National Language; or
• Candidate graduated from an Institution of Higher Learning in which the medium of instruction at Bachelor and/or Master degree level is English (statement of proof required)

Full-time: Min 4 semesters / Max 10 semesters

Part-time: Min 6 semesters / Max 15 semesters

** Fees are subject to change

** New fees to be imposed starting from Academic Session 2025/2026 (October 2025 intake onward)

** Fees are subject to change

Mineral Resources Engineering

Research in mineral resources engineering is based on the concept of "from mine/quarry to mill/plant to end-user products" whilst encompassing three keystones; to improve productivity (particularly energy efficiency), enhance competitiveness particularly adding maximum value to products and strengthen environmental performance. Generally, current and future research projects in mineral resources engineering are focused on:

• Mining I Quarrying
• Physical Mineral Processing
• Pyrometallurgy
• Hydrometallurgy
• Exploration and Resources Evaluation
• Mine Rehabilitation
• Mining Geology I Engineering

Research Thrust Areas:

• Mining / Quarrying
• Physical Mineral Processing
• Pyrometallurgy
• Hydrometallurgy
• Exploration and Resources Evaluation
• Mine Rehabilitation
• Mining Geology / Engineering

Polymer Engineering

Research in polymer engineering is focused in:

• Development of new materials such as new thermoplastic elastomer materials based on natural rubber, bioactive composite materials, degradable plastics and production of new compatibIliser or coupling agent with the utilisation of the nation's diverse natural resources.
• Preparation and characterisation of nano and natural filler-polymer composites such as development of cost effective modified polymer composites via incorporation of multi-component filler and high performance lignocelluloses/mineral fillers.
• Polymer synthesis of new polymers, such as polysiloxane, water-soluble polymer, conducting polymer etc.
• Various aspects of polymer processing and new technologies for recycling of various rubber and plastic waste.

Research Thrust Areas:

• Plastics
• Rubber and Latex
• Polymer Alloy and Blends
• Polymer Composites
• Polymer Waste Management
• Biopolymers
• Polymer Synthesis

Materials Engineering

Research in materials engineering are centred around six main themes:

• Ceramics
• Advanced metal and alloy
• Advanced Materials and Composites
• Semiconductor and Electronic Materials
• Biomaterials
• Nanomaterials

As for the future research work, there are many new and interesting avenues to be explored and these include:

• Non-linear Optics and Photonics
• Advanced Coating Materials
• Functional Materials
• Sustainable materials
• Advanced energy materials
• Steel and structural materials

Research Thrust Areas:

• Ceramics
• Metals
• Composites
• Electronic Materials
• Glass Ceramics
• Failure Analysis and Characterisation
• Nanomaterial
• Advance Materials

Expertise available in the following School:
School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering
http://material.eng.usm.my/index.php/ms/

Applicants should possess one of the following:

• A Master's degree in research mode; or
• A Master’s degree in related area with CGPA 3.00/4; or
• A Master’s degree in related area with CGPA 2.50-2.99/4 with additional requirements; or
• Bachelor’s degree in related area with minimum CGPA 3.67/4 (fast-track to PhD)

(Applicable for International Applicants Only)

The minimum score for each programme can be vary from the below list, candidates are required to check for each programme requirements.

• A minimum score of 40 for TOEFL (Internet-based); or
• A minimum of Band 7.5 for TOEFL Essentials (Online); or
• A minimum of Band 5 for IELTS; or
• A minimum score of 47 for PTE; or
• A minimum score of 154 for Cambridge English (CAE/CPE); or
• A minimum score of 154 for Linguaskill Online; or
• A minimum of Band 3.5 for MUET

Exemption is given to candidate if:

• English is the candidate’s mother tongue or National Language; or
• Candidate graduated from an Institution of Higher Learning in which the medium of instruction at Bachelor and/or Master degree level is English (statement of proof required)

Full-time: Min 4 semesters / Max 10 semesters

Part-time: Min 6 semesters / Max 15 semesters

** Fees are subject to change

** New fees to be imposed starting from Academic Session 2025/2026 (October 2025 intake onward)

** Fees are subject to change