Choosing to pursue doctoral studies is a significant decision. The minimum duration to complete a PhD in Engineering is three years and maximum duration is four years, and it can be studied full-time, or on a part-time basis.

If you’re thinking about commencing your academic journey towards completing a PhD in Engineering, it’s important that you have an interest in a particular subject or research area, are motivated and disciplined, and have a fondness for independent work as well as collaboration with a larger intellectual community.

While completing a PhD requires you to have substantial rigour and discipline, the rewards are abundant. Throughout your journey, you’ll be presented with unparalleled opportunities to push your limits, nurture your curiosity, improve your critical understanding, boost your confidence, enhance your communication skills, and ultimately succeed in achieving a challenging goal.

As you begin your doctoral studies with us, the faculty will welcome you as a member of a strong cohort of academics and senior students who are committed to supporting your growth as a researcher, professional and individual.

The quality of the PhD programme extends beyond its exceptional scholarship. It encompasses exposure to cutting-edge technologies and research, as well as active participation in a research community that drives revolutionary advancements in the future industry and contributes advanced publications that elevates New Zealand’s position in the global economy.

The PhD is directed by an appointed supervisor, a co-supervisor and potentially an advisory committee. This programme provides a qualification for students wishing to pursue an academic or research career and is offered in all five Engineering departments at the University of Auckland.

The PhD is an advanced degree requiring you to have substantial research skills and rigour from your prior research degree, as well as a curious mindset. These are essential toolkits for handling uncertainty, working independently, translating the essence from large amounts of information, accepting criticism, and most of all staying motivated when the going gets tough. 

As a doctoral candidate at the University of Auckland in Engineering you'll receive a variety of benefits to support you throughout your journey. This includes access to a range of world-class facilities, such as:

• A dedicated workstation with network printing facilities.
• Hot desking workstations for part-time students.
• Shared study spaces alongside other doctoral students.
• Advanced research in world-class laboratory facilities.
• High-quality academic and professional staff, teachers and researchers.
• Collaboration opportunities with other universities around New Zealand and overseas.
• Exposure to prestigious academic publishers and wider engineering community.
• Networking opportunities with visiting scholars.
• Access to a wide range of online resources including journals and publications.
• Tailored weekly drop-in sessions with main supervisors and co-supervisors.
• Writing support groups, retreats and workshops.
• Academic and doctoral pastoral support.

We are committed to fostering your professional development through various initiatives, including a Graduate Teaching Assistant programme to support those who are new to teaching.

Beyond the facilities and services we offer, you can also experience University-wide incentives, which include:

• Postgraduate Research Student Support (PReSS) funding
• Career development opportunities
• Domestic fees for international students studying a PhD
• University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarships

A dedicated Doctoral Coordinator in the faculty will welcome you to your study and provide support and pastoral care for the well-being of our PhD students to engage in social events, interactive workshops, seminars, and presentations at conferences. 

The Doctoral Coordinator will be your first point of contact. Email them with your ID number and name so that a computer and a new workstation with building access, as well as a faculty Orientation, can be organised for you.

While many PhDs consist of a single thesis of up to 100,000 words, upon approval from the Board of Graduate Studies you may wish to include publications as part of your thesis. This option often allows for more practical and collaborative research and may provide publication opportunities beyond the traditional PhD.

For PhD candidates in Engineering, this work may comprise of research papers and/or case studies for which you were the lead author, accompanied by a contextual framework and concluding discussion. The range and focus of this material should seamlessly link to each of the publications and shall generally correspond with the introductory and concluding chapters of a thesis.

Each department in Engineering has a doctoral adviser whom you can contact for advice on finding a supervisor or applying to the doctoral programme in their subject area:

• Chemical and Materials Engineering: Dr Wei Yu
• Civil Engineering: Associate Professor Theuns Henning and Dr Sandeeka Mannakkara
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering: Dr Nitish Patel
• Engineering Science: Dr Andreas Kempa-Liehr and Professor Justin Fernandez
• Mechanical Engineering: Associate Professor Lihua Tang

Search for potential supervisors in Engineering who research in your area of interest.

Please contact your proposed supervisor for information on external funding related to the available research projects. You could also explore our research centres and contact the relevant research centre director(s) to learn more about PhD funding opportunities on offer. 

The University provides an evolving range of services and resources to support the development of our doctoral candidates, starting with the Doctoral Induction. This half-day session introduces you to the doctoral programme, provides you with essential information to help you make a good start in your studies, and is an excellent opportunity to network with other new doctoral candidates from across the University.

We help you refine your skills, boost your research and increase your employability by providing a host of useful resources and unique development opportunities. During your studies, you might attend face-to-face workshops run by our experienced staff or external experts, or access flexible online learning that is ready to go whenever – and wherever – you happen to be.