PhD Civil Engineering

Introduction
Eligibility Criteria
Course Details
Career Opportunities
Fee Structure

The Ph.D. in Civil Engineering programme represents the pinnacle of academic achievement in the field, catering to aspiring scholars and experts who seek to make groundbreaking contributions to the ever-evolving realm of civil engineering. With a profound commitment to advancing knowledge and innovation, this programme is designed to empower students to push the boundaries of their discipline and redefine the future of civil engineering.

In the course of this rigorous doctoral programme, students will engage in intensive research across a spectrum of specialised domains within civil engineering, enabling them to master the complexities of the field and to transcend conventional boundaries. They will be challenged to explore, question, and innovate in areas ranging from structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, and transportation engineering to water resources engineering and construction management.

Emphasising both theoretical and practical knowledge, our Ph.D. candidates will not only conduct cutting-edge research but also translate their findings into practical, sustainable solutions. Through a blend of advanced coursework, hands-on experimentation, and research projects, they will develop a deep understanding of the complexities of civil engineering and gain expertise in addressing real-world challenges.

The Ph.D. programme is committed to fostering the next generation of leaders and professionals in civil engineering. Graduates will emerge as influential figures who are capable of making transformative contributions to the field, inspiring innovation, and leaving a permanent mark on the future of civil engineering.

Mission

To produce graduates equipped with creative, self-directed thinking and a multi-disciplinary approach to global challenges, driving sustainability and prosperity, while becoming versatile professionals, committed researchers, and impactful leaders.

Objectives of Programme

The objectives of the Ph.D. Civil Engineering programme are:

To produce graduates with technical and advanced engineering knowledge, enabling them to synchronise the problems with modern techniques and investigation procedures.

To produce graduates with advanced professional development in a manner that they successfully and ethically practise in all the related fields of Civil Engineering society.

To produce graduates with motivation of lifelong learning, impart knowledge of design aspects and sustainability, and contribute towards substantial growth in Research and Development.

To produce graduates with strong capability of teamwork, possessing leadership qualities, focusing on entrepreneurship, and vigilant connection with stakeholders.

Scope

Individuals pursuing a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering can aim at a vast array of different careers in different fields. Civil Engineering is in high demand with the passage of time and growing trends. In recent times, there has been an increase in the number of developments of high-rise buildings and infrastructure; hence, there is an immense need to be part of Civil Engineering profession from a broader perspective. The area of Civil Engineering is very broad and linked with the industrial development of the country. In addition, CPEC and other big international projects have increased the demand for new buildings, airports, transportation and roads infrastructure, which is directly linked with Civil Engineering.

Approval of Statutory Body

The PhD program of Civil Engineering is approved by the:

Board of Studies, Department of Civil Engineering.
Board of Faculty, Faculty of Engineering Science & Technology.
Academic Council, Ziauddin University.

Every Ph.D. student must select one Area of Specialization (AoS) in consultation with FEST RC members. A Ph.D. student must take four courses from AoS as major subjects including Independent Study. There are two compulsory courses for Ph.D. students namely Research Methodology and Simulation & Modeling. A program structure of Ph.D. Civil Engineering is given as:

Course Description	No. of Courses	CH
Area of Specialization (AoS)	4	12
Compulsory Courses	2	6
Thesis/Dissertation		30
Total Coursework Credit Hours		48

18 Years of education with relevant specialization, Minimum CGPA 3.00/4.00 or First Division (in the Annual System) in M.Phil/M.S/Equivalent is required, Passed NTS/HEC GAT (Subject) or the University admission test.
In the case of GAT Subject test with minimum of 60% marks is required to take admission. Presently following subjects are available for GAT subject test and are eligible to apply for PhD. in Civil Engineering, If the Test is not available in GAT subject list, then a University Committee consisting of at least three Ph.D. faculty members in the subject area and approved by the HEC will conduct the Test at par with GRE Subject Test and qualifying score for this will be 70% score.

Students admitted in Ph.D. Programs have to submit the requisite GAT Subject or GRE Subject at the time of admission preferably or before the end of first semester of the respective program.

PhD Course Work

Course work of 18 credit hours preferably in the first year is required to be completed scoring minimum 3.0 CGPA out 4.0 and followed by a comprehensive examination for granting candidacy as PhD researcher.

Comprehensive Examination Procedure

After the declaration of the result/completion of all the requirements for the course work, PGP office shall write student to fulfill the administrative requirements for the written comprehensive exam within three weeks’ time. It may includes fee clearance, exam request form submission, proposed date within the allowed duration of six months from the date of declaration of the result of the last course taken by the candidate.

Candidate may be asked to submit a tentative synopsis of the research work/selected specific research area before the written exam. Two relevant courses to that synopsis may be chosen from the candidate’s transcript either by FEST-RC or the candidate by self.

Written exam shall be scenario based that includes a complex problem to be solved by using the knowledge area(s) of interest identified by candidate either by synopsis or the opted courses.

2-3 Experts (internal/external or both) from the relevant area may set the question paper with mutual consultation and assess the paper individually. The qualitative assessment shall be done based on the approach presented to solve the given problem. The outcomes may be Pass, Pass with condition (to appear and pass the oral examination), Failure with retake and Failure.

Pass: All or majority of experts are satisfied

Pass with Condition: Majority of the experts are partially satisfied

Failure with retake: None of the experts are satisfied at all. Candidate should follow the whole process as defined for written comprehensive exam and reappear.

Failure: None of the experts are satisfied at all in the second attempt. It leads to termination from the Ph.D. program. The transcript may be issued for the taken courses after due clearance.

The Director PGP shall convey the decision to the students and the FEST-RC not later than three weeks from the date of conduct of the written examination.

Oral Examination

The focal person is the AD-PGP for all the relevant communications between student and FEST-RC. FEST-RC shall fix the date and examiner panel for the said exam. The date must be communicated to the student and the expert panel (essentially same as that for written examination) at least two weeks before the commencement.

The Panel shall be composed of at least two FEST-RC members preferably with the relevant expertise. The satisfied experts of the comprehensive exam may be excluded from the panel of oral examination. Qualitative assessment of the panel shall result in Pass, Retake or Failure.

Pass: Majority including all experts (for written exam) are satisfied

Retake: Majority (FEST-RC Members only), but none of the experts (for written exam) is satisfied

Failure: Majority (either FEST-RC Members or the experts) of the panel is not satisfied. Candidate should re-attempt the Comprehensive written exam following the defined procedures.

Result must be announced within 5 working days of the date of conduct of the oral examination.

Designating a Supervisor

Pass: Majority including all experts (for written exam) are satisfied

Retake: Majority (FEST-RC Members only), but none of the experts (for written exam) is satisfied

Failure: Majority (either FEST-RC Members or the experts) of the panel is not satisfied. Candidate should re-attempt the Comprehensive written exam following the defined procedures.

Result must be announced within 5 working days of the date of conduct of the oral examination.

Formatting of Designating Evaluation Committee

A doctoral GEC will be formed right after the supervisor(s) assignment. There must be three Ph.D members (preferably FEST-RC members with relevant specialization) in additions to the supervisor and co-supervisor (if any). At least one GEC member must be from reputed university/relevant industry/ R&D organization. The GEC shall be formed by the Director PGP with the consultation of assigned supervisor(s). The approval for the formed GEC must be taken from Director PGP and VC ZU

Once GEC is constituted, the composition of the committee can only be changed upon recommendation by both the faculty research advisor and the Director PGP and the approval of FEST-RC.

The Director PGP shall inform the candidate about GEC and ask to submit a written proposal within 6 weeks of the date of information.

In case of delay the PGP office shall write to the candidate and supervisor. Upon the appropriate response the two weeks’ time may be given for submission of proposal.

Proposal Submission & Defense Procedure

Passing the proposal phase is partially achieved by acceptance of all/majority committee members (FEST-RC/ZU-BASR) of the written proposal.

Written proposal must be well structured with all the required ingredients like the title must be well elaborated and specific to the scope of work. Motivation Problem identification, Problem definition, Literature Review, proposed methodology, measurable objectives and timeline.

Proposal with missing or lacking in any of the aforementioned details shall not be accepted and candidate may be asked to resubmit either with the same or different title. Although in case of minor deficiency(ies), with the consent of the members of the committee candidate may qualify for oral defense.

After the decision of the FEST-RC/ZU-BASR, Director PGP shall communicate the same to the candidate and the supervisor for further required action.

For the oral defense, the proposal defense date may be proposed by the supervisor and the candidate not later than a week from the date of the decision received.

The GEC and the candidate shall be informed after the approval of the date by the FEST-RC. The Director PGP shall be responsible for the necessary arrangements and announcements regarding the oral defense. GEC members will assess the proceedings. The assessment will be quantitative (Performa) as well as qualitative in terms of remarks. The outcomes may be Pass, Conditional Pass, Retake or Failure.

Outcome	Qualitative Comments	Quantitative Score	Status/Action
Pass	Satisfied	80% or above	Proposal Approved
Conditional Pass	Needs improvement	60% – 79%	Proposal approved but with a condition e.g extra course in the perceived area of weakness, external evaluation required or as suggested by house
Re-take	Major problem in the proposed methodology or feasibility issue	50% – 59%	Proposal neither approved nor rejected till the re-exam. The revised presentation in compliance to the given observations is required for the re-exam.
Failure	Unsatisfactory/Weak problem definition /exhausted area of study/conventional solution with known results	Less than 50%	Proposal rejected

The result shall be announced within a week time by the PGP office. For the Pass candidate the first progressive is due within 8 to 10 months of the proposal approval. For Conditional Pass, the candidate should fulfill the condition within maximum 6 months from the date of announcement of the result.

In case of external evaluation, the PGP office should send the case to Dean with the pool of examiners within 10 working days from the date of announcement of result. The pool shall be formed by PGP office with the consultation of the supervisor but the final examiner will be confidentially set by the Dean within a week time upon the response. PGP office will then send the proposal for evaluation. The evaluation must be sent to the GEC members, the candidate, the Dean and the Director. The candidate must report to the Supervisor with the revised proposal (if required) within a month or two at maximum. If supervisor is satisfied with the modifications and revisions then the proposal must be sent to PGP office for further submission and final approval to GEC.

Only one retake is allowed. For a re-take, a new date will be proposed by the supervisor in consultation with the candidate to the PGP office. The date should not be farther than 6 months’ time from the date of announcement of result.

First time failure leads to the resubmission of written proposal with all pre defined procedures as that for first time submission. Second time failure is the termination from the program

PhD Candidacy

Qualification and advancement to PhD candidacy is subject to:

Passing PhD coursework with required CGPA
Passing PhD qualifying examination
Formulation of Guidance & Examination Committee (GEC)
Writing and successfully defending the research proposal

Dissertation Credits

In addition to coursework, all PhD scholars must register in doctoral research of 30 Cr Hrs and submit progress reports approved by the supervisor.

PhD Progress Evaluation

There will be three progressive presentations before the final defense. The first progress evaluation should be done within 8-10 months’ time from the date of the approval of the Research Proposal. The second and the third progress evaluation are due after every 6 months (minimum) or 8 months (maximum) of the successful previous evaluation. The Supervisor should request for the date of due evaluation (1, 2 or 3) based upon the respective checklist.

Checklist for 1^st Progress Presentation:

Literature review; any new development relevant to the proposed methodology since the time of proposal defense
In case of external evaluation of the research proposal, the recommendations and observations (if any) of the expert are incorporated and addressed.
Magnitude of the work done; status of targeted objectives (as per given time line at the time of proposal defense) must be completed. In case of partially achieved objectives due justification must be provided by the candidate.
Preliminary results; in terms of development and implementation of the proposed methodology /Test bed/ verification platform/protocol design
Next target identification for the 2^nd progressive

Checklist for 2^nd Progress Presentation:

Review Paper/ Preliminary results published or at least accepted for publication in any ISI indexed conference proceedings. (List of ISI Indexed conferences available at Thomas Reuter’s official website)
Completion of milestones as committed in 1^st progress evaluation
Observation(s) received by the panel in the previous evaluation are incorporated
Current status of results is satisfactory and in the direction of the goal set for the study
Next target identification for the 3^rd progressive

Checklist for 3^rd Progress Evaluation:

Publication requirement must be fulfilled as per HEC criteria / ZUFEST Ph.D. policy
Observation(s) received by the panel in the previous evaluation are incorporated
Final results are obtained
Analysis of results is sufficient to draw a conclusion
Research outcomes/ preliminary conclusion is clearly defined
First draft of the thesis is ready to present (optional)

The outcomes of the 1^st progressive may be Satisfactory, Partially satisfactory or Unsatisfactory based upon the qualitative assessment done by the GEC on a prescribed Performa. The major attributes to be checked will be point 3 and 4 of the respective checklist. The results should demonstrate the following:

Key parameters of the study
Effect of input on expected outputs

Validation of results by comparing either with experimental data & theoretical model or with reference to the published results

Highlighting deviations/improvements and their justifications

Outcome	Quantitative Score	Action
Satisfactory	80% or above	Through for the 2^nd progress evaluation
Partially Satisfactory	60% – 79%	Through for the 2^nd progress evaluation with the condition that point 3 given in the checklist for the aforementioned is compulsory to be fulfilled before the next evaluation
Unsatisfactory	Below 60%	1^st Attempt: Re-take the Progress evaluation within 3 months of the date of conduct of the 1^st evaluation
Unsatisfactory	Below 60%	2^nd Attempt: Candidate may choose among the two options; 1.Termination from the Ph.D degree program with a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD), 2. Repeat the procedure for the re-submission of the fresh Research Proposal

The outcomes of the 2^nd progressive may be Satisfactory, Partially satisfactory or Unsatisfactory based upon the qualitative assessment done by the GEC on a prescribed Performa.

Outcome	Quantitative Score	Action
Satisfactory	80% or above	Through for the 3^rd progress evaluation
Partially Satisfactory	60% – 79%	Through for the 3^rd progress evaluation with the condition that point 2 given in the checklist for the aforementioned is compulsory to be fulfilled before the next evaluation
Unsatisfactory	Below 60%	1^st Attempt: Re-take the Progress evaluation within a month time from the date of conduct of the evaluation
Unsatisfactory	Below 60%	2^nd Attempt: Termination from the Ph.D degree program with a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD)

The outcomes of the 3rd progressive may be Satisfactory, Partially satisfactory or unsatisfactory based upon the qualitative assessment done by the GEC on a prescribed Performa. The FEST-RC members should also be invited to witness the 3rd progress evaluation.

Outcome	Quantitative Score	Action
Satisfactory	80% or above	Through for the thesis submission and evaluation
Partially Satisfactory	60% – 79%	Through for the thesis submission and evaluation after complying all the observations and recommendations of the GEC. The supervisor will check the compliance.
Unsatisfactory	Below 60%	1^st Attempt: Comply all the observations and recommendations of the GEC and submit within a month from the date of evaluation. DRC shall check the compliance (either by documented evidence or by hearing candidate) to approve the case for thesis submission and evaluation.
Unsatisfactory	Below 60%	2^nd Attempt: Candidate may choose either termination from the Ph.D degree program with a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) or to appear for M.Phil Exam

Thesis Submission and Evaluation Procedure

Candidate should submit the thesis in specified format to the office of AD PGP with the proper approval of assigned supervisor(s) not later than 3 months of 3^rd Progress Evaluation.

Director PGP shall send thesis for the scanning to the PGP examination department within 3 days. Scanning report should not be delayed more than 5 working days from the date of received by the examination.

If the report is satisfactory then Director PGP should write to the supervisor to submit the pool of external (foreign) and internal (national) evaluators for the thesis, not later than 10 working days of the request.

If the report is unsatisfactory then Director PGP should communicate the result to the candidate and share the report with the supervisor. The candidate should resubmit the revised thesis draft within a month time for rescan.

The Dean/ZU-BASR shall finalize two evaluators from each pool. The Director PGP shall acquire the consent and send the thesis draft to the chosen experts. In case of regret, the case may be redirected to the Dean for the re-nomination of the evaluator(s).

The Evaluation reports should be received in 3-4 months time. If not then a reminder may be sent by Director PGP to the relevant expert. The evaluation report should be immediately sent to the GEC and the candidate.

In case of minor revisions, the supervisor may request and propose the date for the thesis defense in consultation with the candidate. FEST-RC shall take decision in this regard.

In case of major revisions, GEC shall advise the FEST-RC about the required time to address and remove the observations made by the experts.

Depending upon the quantum of change, in the results and conclusion that may occur due to the required revisions, the FEST-RC shall take decision about the re-evaluation. If the re-evaluation of the thesis is required then the thesis should be preferably sent to the same evaluator provided his consent. In case of regret the case may be redirected to the Dean for the re-nomination of the evaluator(s).

The FEST-RC decision shall be immediately conveyed to the candidate and the supervisor(s).

Final Thesis Defense Procedure

Upon receiving the decision of FEST-RC about the supervisor’s request to conduct the Thesis Defense, the Director PGP should get the consent of the internal evaluators of the thesis to assess the oral defense as an external examiner. In case of regret the Dean and the Vice Chancellor shall nominate the external examiner from the submitted list of internal evaluators/examiners’ pool by the supervisor.

The examination panel shall include nominated external examiners and GEC members, Director PGP. The Dean must also be invited by the Director PGP.

The outcome of the defense may be Successful, Conditionally Successful or Unsuccessful based upon the qualitative assessment done by the GEC on a prescribed Performa.

Outcome	Action
Successful	No revisions required, degree should be awarded after necessary formalities
Conditionally Successful	Minor revisions suggested by external examiner; re-submit the final draft after compliance with the approval from the supervisor with in the given time by the examination panel. Degree should be awarded after necessary formalities
Unsuccessful	1^st Attempt: Lack of information or fails to provide enough data to establish the evidence for the drawn conclusion. Re-take the oral defense with complete resources and evidence.
Unsuccessful	2^nd Attempt: M. Phil may be awarded

Policy for Publications

A student must have a minimum of 02 research papers published/accepted for publication, preferably presented in HEC approved journals/international conferences of good repute, out of which at least one research paper must be published in an ISI indexed journal (with impact factor) in the relevant area as specified by FEST-RC.
Only those publications related to the research work will be counted in which the student name appears as 1st author and supervisor or co-supervisor as 2nd or 3rd author and clearly mentions student affiliation with Ziauddin University, Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Technology.
FEST-RC is the final authority on determining whether the research publication meets the prescribed standards and requirements.

Plagiarism Test

It is a mandatory part of dissertation evaluation process. The supervisor will make sure that prior to submission, research work passes through anti-plagiarism software before it is sent for evaluation.

Degree Requirement

18 Cr. Hr. Coursework with CGPA 3.0 or above
30 Cr. Hr. Thesis with two Research Publication in HEC Approved Journal List.

Graduates can pursue careers as infrastructure project managers, overseeing large-scale infrastructure projects such as highways, bridges, and utility systems, ensuring their successful completion and compliance with regulations.
Graduates can focus on urban planning, revitalization, and development, contributing to the growth and improvement of cities and metropolitan areas.
Graduates can explore roles in technology and innovation, working on the development of new construction technologies, materials, and methodologies to improve efficiency and sustainability in the construction industry.
Graduates can work as sustainability consultants, helping organisations and communities develop eco-friendly and sustainable infrastructure projects, aligning them with environmental regulations and sustainable practises.
Graduates can start their own construction-related businesses, offering a wide range of services, from construction management and consulting to materials testing and inspection services.

Civil Technology Eve Programme (4 years)
Admission Fee	15,000
Security Deposit(refundable)	5,000
Total at the time of admission	20,000
Per Month Fees 04 Years	8,500

Note: Any additional taxes imposed by the government will be the liability of the students/parents/guardian.

The University reserves the right to increase the fees if required according to the recommendation of the Governing Body.

At the time of admission, selected candidates will be required to deposit fee either under Option 1 or Option 2. Therfore monthly or semester fee will be deposited by students within two weeks of commencement of every semester in advance accoring to the official notification on the notice board. 2% surcharge per month will be levied on outstanding fees after the due date.

The students claiming exemptions from any course or courses will be required to pay exemption fee @ Rs. 2,500/- per subject in the beginning of semester.

Fees once deposited are not refundable, except security deposits, for any reason whatsoever.

PhD Civil Engineering

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