The PhD program in Civil Engineering (further in the text: PhD Program) fully taught in English, is designed to provide advanced skills and a fundamental knowledge base at the expert level for individuals planning a career in academic, industry and research settings in any of the subfields of the Civil Engineering discipline. The program focuses on the development of an in-depth understanding of the nature, implementation and evaluation of Civil Engineering principles and applications together with the growth of research skills. The current areas of research interest for the PhD in Civil Engineering encompass a wide spectrum, with specific focus on priority areas for Kazakhstan, such as: energy green growth, urban and regional development, environmental care and equitable management, advanced transportation and sustainable engineering and digitalization. These areas are also aligned with well-known international research priorities, such as: Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies; Environment, Future and Emerging Technologies; and Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing. The PhD Civil Engineering program provides comprehensive technologic and scientific preparation for engineers in 6 (six) key areas of Civil Engineering:
- Structural Engineering and Materials;
- Geotechnical Engineering;
- Environmental Engineering;
- Construction Management;
- Transportation Engineering and
- Water Resources and Management, in perfect alignment with today´s technological challenges.
- By the completion of the PhD Program, students will be capable of designing and conducting independent, innovative, original and high-quality research related to a variety of topics in Civil Engineering. In addition, PhD Program graduates will be prepared for working in industrial and academic environments in positions of university faculty members, senior researchers, engineers and product developers. The main aim of the program is to develop high quality doctoral researchers who are ready and able to make a lasting contribution to addressing scientific, technological, economic, societal and environmental challenges of global significance. It is closely associated with the aim of Kazakhstan to increase its global competitiveness and join the top 30 most developed countries in the world by 2050.
(*) Course may be waived for NU graduates and replaced by a Level-8 course (core or elective) selected by the student’s supervisory committee and approved by the corresponding departmental committee.
(**) All participating schools and departments with Level-8 courses
(*) Course may be waived for NU graduates and replaced by a Level-8 course (core or elective) selected by the student’s supervisory committee and approved by the corresponding departmental committee.
(**) All participating schools and departments with Level-8 courses
Year 2: Spring (4th Semester)
Year 2: Summer Term (2nd Summer Term)
Year 3: Fall (5th Semester)
Year 3: Spring (6th Semester)
Year 3: Summer Term (3rd Summer Term)
Year 4: Fall (7th Semester)
Year 4: Spring (8th Semester)
#If not submitted/defended
Year 4: Summer (4th Summer Term)
#If not submitted/defended
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 will assist the student to plan and carry out thesis research and provide a record of student research progress and research feedback to the research advisory committee