Tickle College of Engineering

Matthew M. Mench, Dean and Wayne T. Davis Dean’s Chair
William M. Dunne, Associate Dean for Research and Facilities
Ozlem Kilic, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs
Paul D. Frymier, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Engagement
John D. Schmisseur, Associate Dean and Director UTSI
R. Keith Stanfill, Edwards Assistant Dean; Director, Integrated Engineering Design
Jeremy C. Kirk, Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Rachel Ellestad, Director, Engineering Fundamentals Program
Travis T. Griffin, Fred D. Brown, Jr. Director, Engineering Diversity Program
Kevin Kit, Director, Cook Grand Challenge Honors Program and International Programs
Todd Reeves, Director, Engineering Professional Practice
Margaret Russell, Director, Engineering Advising Office

Tickle College of Engineering website
 

While the Tickle College of Engineering at UT has roots dating back to the 1830s, it has undergone a tremendous amount of growth in recent years, with faculty, students, and staff all on the rise, including one of the fastest-growing doctoral student populations in the nation.

In recent years, engineering facilities have dramatically improved, with cutting-edge technology and equipment found in the college’s more than 100 labs. Additionally, three new buildings have been built since 2012—the Min H. Kao Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building, the John D. Tickle Building, and the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials—with a fourth, the Zeanah Engineering Complex, currently under construction (set to open in late 2021).

Research expenditures in the college have doubled to more than $85M per year, and doctoral enrollment and graduation rates have also nearly doubled. The college’s PhD program is one of the fastest-growing in the nation, with a 33 percent PhD enrollment increase since 2012.

One of the drivers in the college’s development has been the strength of its collaborative partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, one of the US Department of Energy’s premier research institutions, located less than 30 miles from campus.

The creation of a joint UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair program has brought in leading experts from around the world to East Tennessee, resulting in a number of high-profile research opportunities for graduate students, while the creation of the UT-ORNL Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education established doctoral programs in energy science as well as in big data, two areas with a growing importance to the nation.

Opportunities for collaboration between departments, colleges, and with industry has also thrived, with many students gaining real-world experience through the opportunities presented by student-led projects, and the college’s recently launched integrated design initiatives.

Outside of the classroom, the Volunteer Spirit helps bring out the best in our students, with a commitment to one another, a better campus, and an improved world being a part of the UT experience.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY REQUIREMENTS

Detailed minimum university requirements for the doctoral degree are listed at the front of the Graduate Catalog under the Academic Policies and Requirements section. Most departments have additional specific requirements listed under degree requirements in their portion of the catalog. The Tickle College of Engineering requires a minimum of 36 credit hours of graduate course work. Departments, programs, and/or dissertation committees may impose a higher minimum. A minimum of 24 credit hours of Doctoral Research and Dissertation and a minimum of 72 graduate credit hours (course work plus research and dissertation) are required.
 

PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE SPACE INSTITUTE

At the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) in Tullahoma, graduate-level courses are offered in engineering fields such as aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, engineering science, industrial engineering with a concentration in engineering management, and mechanical engineering. Also offered are courses in physics. All programs lead to the Master of Science degree. Also, PhD programs are available in many of these fields. Information may be obtained from the University of Tennessee Space Institute Admissions Office, Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388.