The PhD program in Science, Engineering and Technology (PhD program), fully taught in English, is designed to provide advanced skills and a sophisticated knowledge base at the expert level for individuals planning a career in academic, industry and research settings in engineering and science disciplines. The program focuses on the development of research skills, together with an in-depth understanding of the nature, implementation and evaluation of engineering principles and applications. The current areas of research interest for the PhD program in Science, Engineering and Technology encompass a wide area, with specific focus on priority areas for Kazakhstan, such as: energy engineering; information and communications technology; advanced materials science and engineering; sustainable engineering; biomedical engineering; robotics and mechatronics. These areas are also aligned with the research priorities for Europe as described in the EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020, such as: Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies (Information and Communication Technologies; Nanotechnologies; Advance Materials; Advanced Manufacturing and Processing); Environment, Future and Emerging Technologies; Health, demographic change and wellbeing (Improving diagnosis; Innovative treatments and technologies; Integrated, sustainable, citizen-centered care). By the completion of the PhD program, students will be capable of designing, conducting, and interpreting independent, innovative, original and high-quality research related to a variety of engineering topics. In addition, program graduates will be prepared for working in industrial and academic environment in the positions of university faculty members, senior researchers, engineers and product developers.
Year 2: Spring
Year 2: Summer Term
Year 3: Fall
Year 3: Spring (6th Semester)
Year 3: Summer Term
Year 4: Fall
Year 4: Spring
Research Methods&Ethics
Course description: The course will facilitate the understanding of research planning and development, while enhancing the PhD student skills for reading, interpreting, writing and presenting his/her scientific and technical ideas to the peer community. The course will also deliver theory and examples of a variety of research methods and ethical principles associated to them.
Brief description: This course delivers a formal training for PhD students aiming at helping them in understanding how to conduct their research in a rigorous and ethical manner.
Thesis Research
Course description: This course is designed to monitor progress and develop understandings, skills, and outlooks to conduct original, independent research at the PhD level. The student will develop (with the advisor’s guidance) a research plan at the beginning of the semester that will state a research problem/question/hypothesis, its background, outline a research strategy and experimental approach, method of data collection, interpretation and validation, and method of communication of the project results to others. The research plan is used as the basis for assessment of the student’s research progress.
Brief description: This course is designed to monitor progress and develop understandings, skills, and outlooks to conduct original, independent research at the PhD level. The student will develop (with the advisor’s guidance) a research plan at the beginning of the semester that will state a research problem/question/hypothesis, its background, outline a research strategy and experimental approach, method of data collection, interpretation and validation, and method of communication of the project results to others. The research plan is used as the basis for assessment of the student’s research progress.
Current Research Literature
Course description: This course is designed to provide students a directed focus on preparing a literature review on the topic of their interest in coordination with a faculty supervisor. The students are expected to develop a comprehensive review of the state of art and identify the major gaps in the field of research. They also develop critical assessment and comparison of the past literature, and present the work in the form of the term paper.
Brief description: This course is designed to provide students a directed focus on preparing a literature review on the topic of their interest in coordination with a faculty supervisor. The students are expected to develop a comprehensive review of the state of art and identify the major gaps in the field of research. They also develop critical assessment and comparison of the past literature, and present the work in the form of the term paper.
Doctoral Seminar I
Course description: This course corresponds to the compulsory presentation by the PhD student of at least 1 (one) seminar during the semester about the progress of his/her research in front of open audience. All PhD students must attend at least 70% of their peer seminars in every semester. The evaluation is based on the perception of the quality of the presentation assessed by faculty and peers attending the presentations. Additionally, there might be presentations given by invited speakers along the semester. Attendance to invited presentations is under similar policy as for peer seminars.
Brief description: Presentation of at least 1(one) seminar per semester in front of peers and faculty of the Schools and attendance to peer and invited speaker seminars.
Doctoral Seminar II
Course description: This course corresponds to the compulsory presentation by the PhD student of at least 1 (one) seminar during the semester about the progress of his/her research in front of open audience. All PhD students must attend at least 70% of their peer seminars in every semester. The evaluation is based on the perception of the quality of the presentation assessed by faculty and peers attending the presentations. Additionally, there might be presentations given by invited speakers along the semester. Attendance to invited presentations is under similar policy as for peer seminars.
Brief description: Presentation of at least 1(one) seminar per semester in front of peers and faculty of the Schools and attendance to peer and invited speaker seminars.
Doctoral Seminar III
Course description: This course corresponds to the compulsory presentation by the PhD student of at least 1 (one) seminar during the semester about the progress of his/her research in front of open audience. All PhD students must attend at least 70% of their peer seminars in every semester. The evaluation is based on the perception of the quality of the presentation assessed by faculty and peers attending the presentations. Additionally, there might be presentations given by invited speakers along the semester. Attendance to invited presentations is under similar policy as for peer seminars.
Brief description: Presentation of at least 1(one) seminar per semester in front of peers and faculty of the Schools and attendance to peer and invited speaker seminars.
Doctoral Seminar IV
Course description: This course corresponds to the compulsory presentation by the PhD student of at least 1 (one) seminar during the semester about the progress of his/her research in front of open audience. All PhD students must attend at least 70% of their peer seminars in every semester. The evaluation is based on the perception of the quality of the presentation assessed by faculty and peers attending the presentations. Additionally, there might be presentations given by invited speakers along the semester. Attendance to invited presentations is under similar policy as for peer seminars.
Brief description: Presentation of at least 1(one) seminar per semester in front of peers and
faculty of the Schools and attendance to peer and invited speaker seminars.
Doctoral Seminar V
Course description: This course corresponds to the compulsory presentation by the PhD student of at least 1 (one) seminar during the semester about the progress of his/her research in front of open audience. All PhD students must attend at least 70% of their peer seminars in every semester. The evaluation is based on the perception of the quality of the presentation assessed by faculty and peers attending the presentations. Additionally, there might be presentations given by invited speakers along the semester. Attendance to invited presentations is under similar policy as for peer seminars.
Brief description: Presentation of at least 1(one) seminar per semester in front of peers and faculty of the Schools and attendance to peer and invited speaker seminars.
Thesis Completion
Course description: This course corresponds to the completion of thesis book and approval by Thesis Examination Arrangement Committee (TEAC) for submission to Thesis Committee for final defence.
Brief description: Completion of thesis book and approval by Thesis Examination Arrangement Committee (TEAC) for submission to Thesis Committee for final defence.
Oral Defence of PhD Dissertation
Course description: This course corresponds to the public defence of the PhD dissertation in front of Thesis Committee (TC) and completion of book to full satisfaction of the TC.
Brief description: Defence of PhD dissertation and completion of minor or major amendments to the book as requested by Thesis Committee