Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Buildings

Studying & Scoring a minimum of 48 (18+30) Credit Hours (Courses Level: 600 & 700 and a Ph.D. Eng. Thesis) together with all the requirements specified in the Postgraduate Regulations of the Faculty of Engineering Cairo University; Comprising a minimum of 12 Credit Hours (Courses Level: 600 & 700) from the offered courses in the Selected Specialization (Compulsory Courses), and a minimum of 6 Credit Hours (Courses Level: 600 & 700) from the offered courses in the Selected Specialization and other specializations at the Department (Elective Courses) .

Clause (41): Areas of Study

Cairo University grants, upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Engineering Council, the degree of Ph. D. via study in Architectural Engineering Department, Environmental Planning and Design, Energy efficiency and Renewable Energy in Buildings and the title of the Dissertation shall be stated in the certificate. 

Clause (42): Registration Requirements In order to register for Ph. D. Degree, the student shall:

a.       Satisfy the general rules stated in Clause (5).

b.       Have an M. Sc. in Engineering Sciences in the same specialization from any Faculty of Engineering in Egyptian University or an equivalent degree accredited by the Supreme Council of Universities in Egypt.

c.       Successfully complete an Admission Exam.

d.       Apply to the Dean for registration after securing the acceptance of his supervision by one of the Professors or Associate Professors. The request is approved by the Department Council after identifying the area of research. The documents are then submitted to the Graduate Studies Council then to the Faculty Council.

Clause (43): Admission Exam

The Admission Exam shall be held twice each year in each specialization. A four-hour written examination should be held in subjects studied at the undergraduate and Master Degree. Each Department shall form an Examination Committee to set the special conditions of the exam and the acceptance criteria.

Clause (44): Registration Requirements

a.       Student shall complete at least 18 credit hours from courses of level 600/700.

b.       Student shall pass a test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) with the level approved by the Faculty Council within 12 months from registration.

c.       Student shall pass a Comprehensive Exam during the period between six months and 18nths after registration.

d.       The main area of research of the Dissertation shall be determined by the Main Advisor and approved by the Responsible Department Council and the Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. The student submits a Dissertation which should include a new scientific contribution in the specialization field within the time frame defined in Clause (48).

e.       The Responsible Department Council may agree on revising the research topic only once upon the request of the Main Advisor. This may take place with or without a change in the supervision committee. The revision shall be approved by the Graduate Research Council and the Faculty Council, without affecting the duration of the study defined in Clause (48)

f.        Student shall complete all course requirements in a period of no more than three main semesters. He/she may request the exception of up to 6 credit hours to be completed during the next two semesters. The request shall be approved by the Faculty Council after the approval of the Responsible Department and the Graduate Studies Committee.

g.       Student shall demonstrate for the Comprehensive Exam Committee his/her capabilities in using the computer according to the rules set by the Faculty.

h.       Student shall present a seminar on the topic of research in front of a committee of specialized faculty and general audience.

i.        Student shall prepare a dissertation that is equivalent to 30 credit hours.

Clause (45): Ph. D. Courses

a.       Student shall complete at least 12 credit hours from the Ph. D. courses (level 700 or level 600 that were not previously studied) with a minimum GPA of 2.7 before starting work on the dissertation.

b.       The Main Advisor shall choose courses that are relevant to the topic of the dissertation and the choice shall be approved by the Department Council and the Graduate Studies Committee.

Clause (46): Comprehensive Exam

a.      The Faculty Council shall approve the Comprehensive Exam Committee for all Ph. D. students in each department upon the request of the Responsible Department Council and approval of the Graduate Studies Committee. The committee shall include several Professors or Associate Professors who are specialized in the general area of research. At least one member should be from another department and one member from outside the Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University in addition to the main advisor.

b.     The Comprehensive Exam is held between six and eighteen months from the date of registration after paying the tuition fees of the exam and provided that the student has completed at least six credit hours of Ph.D. courses.

c.      The Exam Committee shall prepare the exam to include a written part and an oral part.

d.     The written part of the Comprehensive Exam shall be held twice every year for each department, and the date is determined by the Department Council. The objective of the exam is to judge the scientific background of the student.

e.      If the student successfully completes the written part of the exam (minimum 70%), he/she may complete the oral part. The oral part aims at judging the information of the student in the specialization and his ability to contribute to the field.

f.      Student is considered to have successfully completed the exam if he/she achieves at least 70% in both the written and oral exams.

g.     Student may get two chances to complete the Comprehensive Exam.

Clause (47): Seminar

a.      Student shall present a seminar on the topic of his/her research in front of a committee of specialized faculty and the general public after a period not less than 12 months from the date of successful completion of the comprehensive exam.

b.     The Responsible Department Council shall be informed of the date of the seminar and advertize it in a clear location in the Faculty.

c.      The Dissertation Main Advisor informs the Department Council of the completion of the Seminar.

Clause (48): Duration of Study

a.      The minimum period to obtain a Ph. D. is four main semesters from the date of completing the Comprehensive Exam.

b.     The maximum period to obtain a Ph. D. is ten main semesters from the date of registration, taking into considerations the periods of suspension of registration. The period may be extended for two more main semesters upon the request of the Dissertation Main Advisor and the approval of the Responsible Department Council, Graduate Studies Committee, and the Faculty Council.

Clause (49): Supervision

a.      The Faculty Council appoints the Dissertation Main Advisor, upon the suggestion of the Responsible Department Council and approval of the Graduate Studies Committee. The Main Advisor shall be chosen from the Professors or Associate Professors of the Faculty. Assistant Professors may also be included in the Supervision Committee.

b.     The Supervision Committee may include specialists who are at the same level as Professors or Associate Professors, upon the approval of the Faculty Council. The number of advisors shall not be more than three.

c.      The supervision of the Dissertation may be joined between a committee determined by Cairo University and an Advisor from another foreign university or Institution approved by the Supreme Council of Universities in Egypt. In this case, the number of advisors shall not be more than four.

d.      The Advisor is appointed after the student completes the courses and before working on the Dissertation, provided that the cumulative GPA obtained for the courses shall not be less than 2.7 and according to Clause (9).

e.      If one of the Dissertation Advisors has to travel for a long duration, the Faculty Council may opt to leave the supervision committee unchanged, or to add a new member, or remove the name of the member who is travelling abroad, or both actions. This is done upon the recommendations of the Responsible Department Council and the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee, based on a report presented by the travelling member prior to his travel and endorsed by the Main Advisor, provided that item "a" is implemented.

f.      The Dissertation Main Advisor may suggest a modification of the advisory committee by adding or removing members or both. The suggestion shall be approved by the Responsible Department Council, the Graduate Studies Committee, the Faculty Council, and the University Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research, provided that item "a" is implemented.

g.     The Dissertation Main Advisor shall present a report at the end of the Academic Year to the Responsible Department Council describing the progress of the student and recommending continuation or termination of his/her enrollment.

Clause (50): Equivalency of Courses

The Faculty Council may approve, upon the suggestion of the Responsible Department Council and approval of the Graduate Studies Committee, the equivalency of studied courses within the same level (600/700), specialization and studied earlier at the Faculty or another Institution accredited by the Supreme Council of Universities in Egypt. Student must have studied the courses during the five years prior to the year of registration for the Ph. D. Degree and achieved at least a rate of appreciation "Good". The maximum credit hours transferred shall be limited to six credit hours only.

Clause (51): Awarding the Degree

The Faculty Council shall recommend awarding of the Ph.D. degree upon the recommendation of the Responsible Department and the Graduate Studies Committee when the student fulfills the following requirements:

a.      Completion of the minimum duration of study as per Clause (48).

b.     Succeeding in all course requirements and Comprehensive Exam.

c.      Completing the seminar.

d.     Dissertation acceptance and recommendation of the Degree to be granted by the Evaluation Committee.

e.      Acceptance of at least one research paper from the Dissertation in a specialized scientific refereed journal that is included in international indexes.

Clause (52): Enrolment Termination

The Faculty Council shall terminate the enrolment for the Ph.D. in the following cases:

a.      Upon the request of the Main Advisor, and approval of the Responsible Department Council and the Graduate Studies Committee, if the student is not serious in pursuing his/her research.

b.     Failure twice in the Comprehensive Exam.

c.      Not completing the degree requirements during the period specified in the regulations.

d.     Request of the student to cancel his/her registration, approved by the University Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research.

e.      Failure to pay the specified fees in accordance with the regulating rules.