How Do I Get a Doctor of Engineering Degree?

A career in engineering can start with just a bachelor's degree, but a doctor of engineering (D.Eng.) degree can give it a boost from the start. To get such a degree, you first should make sure you have the proper level of education, such as a bachelor’s or master’s degree; then you typically need to pass a test to gain admission to a school that offers doctoral degrees. Once enrolled, you should complete the required classes to earn a doctor of engineering degree; these may vary, depending on your focus in this field. Before you graduate, you typically will need to complete a dissertation on an engineering subject and present it to several professors for critique.

The level of education you need to get into graduate school for this subject tends to vary depending on the college, but most schools require that you have a master’s degree. Without one, you can look for a school that only requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering or another science-based major, because they do exist. You also are likely to have to pass an entrance test to get into the program, meaning it can be difficult to obtain a doctor of engineering degree without that pre-requisite degree. Once you get into the school, you likely will have to spend four to seven years working toward graduation, depending on how long it takes you to complete the required courses.

You can expect to take many classes focusing on math, science and scientific research. You also are likely to learn how production equipment works and how to manage projects in this field. Many schools encourage students to choose a specialty when studying for a doctor of engineering degree, so you may be asked to choose from among several focuses, including program management, technology and supervision of operations. You also are likely to have to take classes that focus on communications and business so you are prepared for management in the engineering field when you graduate.

Prior to graduating with a doctor of engineering degree, you typically will need to write a dissertation. You likely will get to choose your topic, though it has to be related in some way to the field of engineering. Many schools schedule time for students to work on their dissertation, so it should be part of your class schedule toward the end of your degree program, and you can expect it to take a year or more. You typically will have access to at least one faculty member to use as an adviser for this and, once you are finished writing the dissertation, you likely will have to present it and answer questions about it in front of a panel of professors.