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Online Engineering PhD Programs

Doctor of Philosophy programs in engineering that the institution offers through a distance pathway. A distance PhD is a research degree: each listing shows the published residency, research-location, advisor, qualifying-exam and dissertation-defense requirements, and whether funding is stated for distance students. Professional doctorates (such as the DEng) are not listed as PhDs.

25 programs · page 2 of 2

Sort:A–ZDeadlineEst. total tuitionRecently verified

Listed alphabetically by school. This directory is not a ranking. What we list

25

verified online PhD programs

3

fully online (stated, no attendance)

11

require some physical attendance

11

attendance not verified

University of North Dakota

PhD in Petroleum Engineering (Online)

Awarded degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Petroleum Engineering

Petroleum Engineering

PhDFunding not verified
Location: Grand Forks, NDSchool location — not an enrollment restriction
Delivery: Online courseworkCoursework is delivered online. Physical attendance requirements (labs, visits, exams, research) are listed separately.Partly on campus · Study intensity not published
Physical attendance: Online coursework; required in person: campus visit, residency, dissertation defense
Duration: 4 years · 90 credits
Tuition: Tuition not published / not verified
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View Program
University of South Carolina logo

University of South Carolina

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Civil Engineering (APOGEE)

Awarded degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering

PhDFunding not verified
Location: Columbia, SCSchool location — not an enrollment restriction
Delivery: Online courseworkCoursework is delivered online. Physical attendance requirements (labs, visits, exams, research) are listed separately.Study intensity not published
Physical attendance: Online coursework; physical attendance not verified
Duration: Length not published
Tuition: $572.25 per credit · Resident (in-state) — Graduate, Resident (part-time, per credit hour) · 2026-2027
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View Program
University of South Carolina logo

University of South Carolina

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Mechanical Engineering (APOGEE)

Awarded degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

PhDFunding not verified
Location: Columbia, SCSchool location — not an enrollment restriction
Delivery: Online courseworkCoursework is delivered online. Physical attendance requirements (labs, visits, exams, research) are listed separately.Study intensity not published
Physical attendance: Online coursework; physical attendance not verified
Duration: Length not published
Tuition: $572.25 per credit · Resident (in-state) — Graduate, Resident (part-time, per credit hour) · 2026-2027
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View Program
University of South Carolina logo

University of South Carolina

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Nuclear Engineering (APOGEE)

Awarded degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Nuclear Engineering

Nuclear Engineering

PhDFunding not verified
Location: Columbia, SCSchool location — not an enrollment restriction
Delivery: Online courseworkCoursework is delivered online. Physical attendance requirements (labs, visits, exams, research) are listed separately.Study intensity not published
Physical attendance: Online coursework; physical attendance not verified
Duration: Length not published · 60 credits
Tuition: $572.25 per credit · Resident (in-state) — Graduate, Resident (part-time, per credit hour) · 2026-2027Est. total tuition $74,400 (60 credits × $1,240 per credit; fees excluded)
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View Program
University of Tennessee, Knoxville logo

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Online Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial Engineering

Awarded degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial Engineering

Industrial Engineering

PhDFunding not verified
Location: Knoxville, TNSchool location — not an enrollment restriction
Delivery: Online courseworkCoursework is delivered online. Physical attendance requirements (labs, visits, exams, research) are listed separately.Study intensity not published
Physical attendance: Online coursework; physical attendance not verified
Duration: Length not published · 48 credits
Tuition: $1,071 per credit · Nonresident (out-of-state) · year not statedEst. total tuition $51,408 (48 credits × $1,071 per credit; fees excluded)
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View Program

Looking for an editorial selection rather than the full directory? See Best Online Engineering Schools and Programs.

What a distance PhD still requires

A PhD is a research degree. Coursework can be online, but dissertation research is supervised by an advisor and examined, and many programs require some time on campus. We never infer that an online PhD has no residency or campus research requirement — each listing shows what the school publishes, and unknowns stay unknown.

Research location

14 programs publish where research may take place — on campus, at an approved workplace, or remotely.

Residency

8 programs publish a residency requirement. Qualifying exams and the dissertation defense may also be in person.

Advisor and funding

19 programs publish advisor requirements; 0 state that funding is open to distance students. Campus assistantships are not assumed to apply to distance students.

Online engineering PhD: common questions

Can a PhD in engineering be completed entirely online?
Rarely. Some programs allow research at an approved workplace or remote supervision, but most still require residency, exams or a defense on campus. We label a PhD “fully online” only when the school states that no physical attendance is required.
Is a Doctor of Engineering (DEng) the same as a PhD?
No. A DEng or other professional doctorate is a different award, usually practice-oriented; it is never listed here as a PhD.
Are distance PhD students funded?
Do not assume so. Assistantships and stipends at many universities are tied to on-campus work. Listings show funding only as published, with whether the school says it applies to distance students.

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