Ordinance for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

• 1. Degrees Offered
• 2. Admission Requirements
• 3. Admission Procedure
• 4. Registration
• 5. Appointment of a Supervisor
• 6. Final Registration
• 7. Academic Requirements and Regulations
• 8. Grading system
• 9. Doctoral Committee
• 10. Research Proposal
• 11. Conduct of Examination
• 12. Qualifying Requirements
• 13. Thesis
• 14. Examination Board
• 15. Striking off and removal of names from the rolls
• 16. Academic Fees
• 17. Refund of Fees

1. Degrees Offered
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be offered by the University in the
following Departments/Institutes:

Department of Architecture
Department of Chemical Engineering
Department of Chemistry
Department of Civil Engineering
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Department of Industrial and Production Engineering
Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Department of Mathematics
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Engineering
Department of Physics
Department of Urban and Regional Planning
Department of Water Resources Engineering
Institute of Water and Flood Management
and
Such other department/Institute as may be approved by the Syndicate of the
University.
 The degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be abbreviated as Ph.D.

2. Admission Requirements
2.1
For admission to the courses leading to a Ph.D. degree a candidate
a) must have a minimum GPA of 3.50 out of 5.00 or a first division or equivalent in
any one of S.S.C. and H.S.C. or in equivalent examinations and must not have a GPA less
than 2.00 out of 5.00 or a third division or equivalent in any of the aforementioned
examinations.
b) must have at least 50% marks or a minimum GPA of 2.50 out of 4.0 or its
equivalent in B. Sc. Engg. / four-year B. A or B. Sc. degree / M. A or M. Sc. or MSS
degree / B. Arch. / BURP in the relevant branch.
c) must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 out of 4.0 or its equivalent in M. Sc. Engg. / M.
Engg. / M. Phil / MURP / M. Arch. / M. Sc. (WRD) degree in the relevant branch.
d) Specific requirements for different Departments and Institutes are spelt out in the
following sections.

2.2
For engineering, the minimum qualification for admission shall normally be an M.Sc.
Engg./M.Engg. degree in the appropriate branch of engineering or its equivalent from any
recognized Institution.

For Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, applicants having an M. Phil. in Materials

Science or its equivalent from a recognized institution may also be eligible for admission.

2.3
For Urban and Regional Planning, the minimum qualification for admission shall
normally be an MURP degree or its equivalent from any recognized Institution.

2.4
For Architecture, the minimum qualification for admission shall normally be an M.
Arch. degree or its equivalent from any recognized Institution.

2.5
For Physics, the minimum qualification for admission shall normally be an M. Phil.
degree in Physics/ Applied Physics or its equivalent from any recognized Institution.
OR
M.Sc. Engg. degree in Mechanical/ Electrical & Electronic / Materials &
Metallurgical Engineering or its equivalent

2.6.
For Chemistry, the minimum qualification for admission shall normally be an M.
Phil. degree in Chemistry / Applied Chemistry or its equivalent from any recognized
Institution.
OR
 M.Sc. Engg. degree in Chemical / Materials & Metallurgical / Electrical & Electronic
/ Mechanical Engineering.

2.7.
For Mathematics, the minimum qualification for admission shall normally be an M.
Phil. degree in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics or its equivalent from any
recognized Institution.
OR
M.Sc. Engg. degree provided he completes some prerequisite courses in Mathematics
as determined by a Selection Committee.

2.8
For Water Resources Development, the minimum qualification for admission shall
normally be an M.Sc. Engg./M.Engg. degree in Civil Engineering/Water Resources
Engineering / Environmental Engineering / Agricultural Engineering or M. Sc. degree in
Water Resource Development or its equivalent from any recognized Institution.

2.9
A student already working for an M.Sc.Engg./ M.Phil/ MURP / M. Arch./
M.Sc.(WRD) degree at this University and showing excellent progress and promise in
thesis work may be provisionally transferred to the Ph.D. degree programme after
completion of M.Sc. Engg./ M.Phil./ MURP/ M.Arch./ M.Sc.(WRD) course work with a
minimum GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 on approval of the Committee for Advanced Studies and
Research (CASR) on the recommendation of the relevant Board of Post Graduate Studies
(BPGS)/Research and Academic Committee (RAC).

3. Admission Procedure
3.1
A candidate may apply to the Registrar for provisional admission to the Ph. D
programme in any semester.

3.2
There shall be a Selection Committee in each department/ institute as constituted by
the relevant BPGS/RAC on recommendation of the Head/Director of the
Department/Institute.

3.3
A candidate selected by the Selection Committee shall be provisionally admitted and
may be required to pass the prerequisite non-credit courses as prescribed by the Selection
Committee.

3.4
On the recommendation of the appropriate BPGS / RAC and CASR the rules for
admission into the University for post graduate studies shall be framed from time to time
by the Academic Council. CASR on its own may, if it deems fit, recommend such rules
for admission for approval of the Academic Council.
4. Registration
4.1
Every selected candidate, unless he/she has already been registered, shall get
himself/herself registered with the University.

4.2
Every registered candidate (student) shall get himself/herself enrolled on payment of
prescribed fees and the dues as per the University rules before the commencement of
each semester. Course registration must be completed within two weeks from the start of
the semester.

4.3
No late registration will be allowed after two weeks of designated dates of
registration. Late registration after this date may only be accepted for thesis if the student
submits a written appeal to the Registrar through the concerned Head and can document
extenuating circumstances such as medical problems (physically incapacitated and not
able to be presented) from the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the University or some
other academic commitments which precluded registration prior to be last date of
registration.

Student will be charged a late registration fee of Tk.1000.00 (One thousand) only. This
extra fee will not be waived whatever be the reason for late registration.

4.4
If a student is unable to complete the final examination of a semester due to serious
illness or serious accident or official commitment he/she may apply to the Registrar in a
prescribed form though Head/Director of the degree awarding Department/Institute for
total withdrawal from the semester within a week after the end of the semester final
examination.

The application must be supported by a medical certificate from the CMO, BUET or
relevant Official documents. The Academic Council will take the final decision about
such application on the recommendation of the relevant BPGS/RAC.

5. Appointment of a Supervisor
On provisional admission, the Selection Committee as constituted in Art.3.2 shall
submit a name of a Supervisor who shall be a full-time member of the staff belonging to
the relevant department/institute and a Co-supervisor from within or outside the
department/institute, if necessary. These selections have to be approved by the CASR.
The supervisor shall prescribe a plan of study to be undertaken by the student and
supervise the progress of the candidate’s work.
6 Final Registration

A provisionally admitted student shall be deemed to be eligible for final registration

as a Ph.D. student with effect from the date of his/her provisional admission after he/she
passes the comprehensive examination (Art.12.3 of this Ordinance).

7. Academic Requirements and Regulations

7.1
The minimum duration of the Ph.D. course shall be four semesters from the date of
provisional admission. A student must complete all requirements for the Ph.D. degree
within six academic years (session) from the date of his provisional admission.

7.2
Academic progress shall be measured in terms of Credit hours earned by a student.
One Credit hour subject shall normally require 14 hours of lecture for one semester while
one Credit hour for thesis work should normally require 42 hours of research work for
one semester. The number of Credit hours for each subject shall be as specified in the
syllabus of the respective department/ institute.

7.3
A student must complete a minimum of 54 credit hours of which 45 credit hours shall
be assigned for a thesis.

7.4
There shall be two categories of students, namely, full-time students and part-time
students.

7.4.1
A student may enroll as a part-time student.
Students, serving in different organizations, may also be admitted as part time students
with the written consent of the employer. A part time student may be assigned a
maximum of 9 credit hours of course including thesis work in any semester.

7.4.2
Full-time students must register for a minimum of 12 credit hours and a maximum of
15 credit hours per semester. A full-time student shall not be allowed to be in the
employment of any organization (even as a part-time employee). However, they may be
employed as Teaching/Research Assistant at the University. If a full time student
becomes an employee (full time or part time) of any other organization in the middle of a
semester, he/she may, with the approval of the Head/Director of the Department/Institute
and his/her Employer, be allowed to continue as a full time student for that semester.
7.4.3
A student may be allowed to switch from part-time to full-time or vice versa on the
recommendation of the respective Doctoral Committee before the commencement of a
semester.

7.5
The subjects of study in the different Departments / Institutes shall be as
recommended by the respective BPGS / RAC and the Faculty / CASR and approved by
Academic Council. The BPGS /RAC may review the curriculum from time to time and
recommend any changes as may be considered necessary.

7.6
The subjects that may be offered in any semester shall be as decided by the relevant
department/institute.

7.7
A student on the recommendation of the relevant BPGS / RAC and as approved by
the CASR may be allowed to transfer a maximum of 3.0 credits of the courses completed
by the student at a recognized institution provided that the courses were not taken earlier
than five calendar years from the date of his/her first enrolment in the respective
programme at BUET and that the student obtained a minimum GP of 3.0 out of 4.0 or its
equivalent in such courses and that the courses are equivalent to the approved courses of
BUET.

8. Grading system

8.1
Final grades for courses shall be recorded as follows:

Grade Merit description Grade points

A (Plus) Excellent 4.0
A Very good 3.5
B (Plus) Good 3.0
B Average 2.5
C Pass 2.0
F Failure 0.0
I Incomplete (for theory courses) -
S Satisfactory -
U Unsatisfactory -
W Withdrawn -
X In Progress (for thesis) -
I Discontinued (for thesis) -
8.2
Courses in which the student gets F grade shall not be counted towards credit hour
requirements and for the calculation of Grade Point Average (GPA).
8.2.1
The C grades, up to a maximum of two courses, may be ignored for calculation of
GPA at the written request of the student to the Head of the Department / Director of the
Institute on the recommendation of supervisor provided that the student has fulfilled the
total course credit hour requirement in the remaining subjects with a minimum GPA of
2.75.

8.2.2
When a course is repeated for improvement, better grade shall be counted for
calculation of GPA.

8.2.3
Performance in all the subjects including all the F grades shall be reflected in the
transcript.

8.3
Grade I is given only when a student is unable to sit for the examination of a course at
the end of the semester because of circumstances beyond his control. He/she must apply
to the Head of the Department / Director of the Institute within one week after the
examination to get an I grade in that course. It must be completed within the next two
semesters, otherwise, the I becomes a F grade. He/she may, however, be allowed to
register without further payment of tuition fees for that course.

8.4
Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory used only as final grades for thesis and non-credit
courses. An X grade shall be recorded for thesis continuation. If, however, thesis is
discontinued an I grade shall be recorded.

8.5
Students may enroll for non-credit course(s) termed as audit course(s) on
recommendation of his/her thesis Supervisor and Head of the Department/ Director of the
Institute.

8.6
A student shall withdraw officially from a course within two working weeks of the
commencement of the semester or else his/her grade in that course shall be recorded as F
unless he/she is eligible to get a grade of I. A student may be permitted to withdraw and
change his/her course within the specified period with the approval of his Supervisor,
Head of the Department/ Director of the Institute and the respective teacher(s) concerned.
(In that case his/her grade in the courses registered shall be recorded as ‘W’ in his
Academic Record but shall not be reflected in the transcript.)

8.7
Numerical markings may be made in answer scripts, tests etc., but all final gradings
to be reported to the Controller of Examinations shall be in the letter grade system as
detailed below:
90% and above : A (Plus)
80% to below 90% : A
70% to below 80% : B (Plus)
60% to below 70% : B
50% to below 60% : C
Below 50% F

9 Doctoral Committee

A Doctoral Committee for every student shall be proposed by the Supervisor in

consultation with the Head of the department / Director of the Institute. The committee
shall be approved by the CASR on recommendation of the BPGS / RAC. The Committee
shall be formed within six months from the date of the student’s provisional admission.
The Committee shall consist of at least five members but shall not exceed seven
including the Head of the Department / Director of the Institute and the Supervisor. The
Supervisor shall act as the Chairman and the Head of the Department / Director of the
Institute will be an ex-officio member of the Doctoral Committee. The Doctoral
Committee should meet from time to time at the request of the Supervisor to review the
progress of the student. In special circumstances CASR may approve any addition and/or
alteration in the Doctoral Committee on the recommendation of the Supervisor through
the Head of the Department / Director of the Institute.

10 Research Proposal
10.1
The student, after passing the comprehensive examination, shall submit a research
proposal to the Doctoral Committee which shall examine the proposal and recommend it
for the approval of the CASR through the Head of the Department / Director of the
Institute. In special circumstances the Doctoral Committee may recommend through the
Head of the Department / Director of the Institute to CASR for approval of any
subsequent changes in the research proposal.

10.2
Research work for a thesis shall be carried out in this University or at a place(s)
approved by the Doctoral Committee. The work schedule and financial involvement
should be mentioned in the research proposal for carrying out research work outside the
university.

11. Conduct of Examination

11.1
In addition to tests, assignments and/or examinations during the semester as may be
given by the teacher(s) concerned, there shall be a written examination and/or other tests
for each of the subjects offered in a semester at the end of that semester, the dates of
which shall be announced by the Controller of Examinations, BUET as advised by the
Dean/Director of the respective Faculties/Institute at least two weeks before the
commencement of the examination. The final grade in a subject shall be based on the
performance in all tests, assignments and/or examinations.
11.2
The Controller of Examinations shall keep up-to-date record of all the grades
obtained by a student in individual Academic Record Card. Grades shall be announced by
the Controller of Examinations at the end of each semester. In addition each student is
entitled to one official transcript of the University record at the completion of his/her
academic programme from the office of the Controller of Examinations on production of
statement of clearance from all departments/institutes /offices.

11.3
The BPGS/RAC of a department/institute shall recommend the names of the paper
setters and examiners for the semester examination at least two weeks before the date of
commencement of the examination to the Vice-Chancellor for approval.

12 Qualifying Requirements

12.1 Course Work

To qualify for the degree a student must earn a minimum grade point average (GPA)
of 2.75 based on the weighted average of grade points (GP) in his / her course work.

12.1.1
Two courses may be repeated for improvement with the prior approval of the Head of
the Department / Director of the Institute on the recommendation of Supervisor. Such
approval shall be reported to the BPGS/RAC.

12.1.2
A student obtaining F grade in a course may be allowed to repeat the course with the
prior approval of Head of the Department / Director of the Institute on the
recommendation of Supervisor. Such approval shall be reported to the BPGS/RAC.

12.2
A student shall not be allowed to continue the programme if he/she obtains a total of
three or more F grades in one or more than one subjects taken together, during the course
of his / her studies.

12. 3 Comprehensive Examination

The date(s) and time of the comprehensive examination shall be fixed by the
Doctoral Committee on the request of the Supervisor. Comprehensive examination shall
be held after the completion of the course work by the student.

The comprehensive examination shall comprise of a written examination and/or an oral

examination to test the knowledge of the student in his/her field of study and research.
The Doctoral Committee shall conduct the comprehensive examination. If a student fails
in a comprehensive examination he/she shall be given one more chance to appear at the
examination as scheduled by the Doctoral Committee.
12.4
In addition to successful completion of course works and comprehensive examination
every student shall submit a thesis on his/her research work fulfilling the requirements.

13. Thesis
13.1
At the end of the student’s research work the student shall submit a thesis which must
be an original contribution to engineering/sciences and worthy of publication. At least six
type written copies of the thesis in the final form as per Appendix-I must be submitted to
the Head of the Department.

13.2
The student shall certify (as per Appendix-II) that the research work was done by him
/ her and that this work has not been submitted elsewhere for any other purpose (except
for publication).

13.3
On completion of the research work and submission of the thesis an oral examination
shall be arranged on a date or dates fixed by the Supervisor in consultation with the Head
of the Department / Director of the Institute in which the student shall defend his/her
thesis. The student must satisfy the examiners (as constituted in Art. 14.1) that he/she is
capable of intelligently applying the results of his/her research to the solution of problems,
of undertaking independent research and afford evidence of satisfactory knowledge
related to the theory and technique used in his / her research work.

14. Examination Board

14.1.
An Examination Board for every student for thesis and oral examination shall
consist of the Doctoral Committee and one or more external examiner(s) to be appointed
by the CASR on the recommendation of the thesis supervisor in consultation with the
Head of the Department / Director of the Institute. The Board shall consist of at least six
members including the Head of the Department / Director of the Institute and the
supervisor. The supervisor shall act as the Chairman of the Examination Board. At least
one external examiner shall be appointed from outside the University. If the external
examiner is appointed from outside the country a copy of the thesis should be sent to him
/ her for his / her evaluation and his / her written opinion be placed before the
Examination Board.

14.2
If any examiner is unable to accept the appointment or has to relinquish his / her
appointment before/during the examination, the Vice- Chancellor shall appoint another
examiner in his / her place, on the suggestion from the Supervisor in consultation with the
Head of the Department / Director of the Institute. This appointment will be reported to
the CASR.
14.3
In case a student fails to satisfy the Examination Board in thesis and /or oral
examination, the student shall be given one more chance to resubmit the thesis and/or
appear in oral examination as recommended by the Board.

A student who has been transferred to the Ph.D. programme from the M.Sc.
Engg./M.Phil/ MURP/ M.Arch./ M.Sc.(WRD) programme may be awarded an M.Sc.
Engg./M.Phil/ MURP/ M.Arch./ M.Sc.(WRD) degree on recommendation of the
Supervisor, if the student fails to qualify for the award of the Ph.D. degree.

15 Striking off and removal of names from the rolls

The name of the student shall be struck off and / or removed from the rolls of the
University on the following grounds:

(i) Non-payment of dues within prescribed period. Post graduate students residing in the
halls of residence shall be subject to the same conditions as allowed in the Ordinance
Relating to the Board of Residence and Discipline.
(ii) Failing to proceed with the programme by the exercise of Art.7.1 or 12.2 or 12.3 of
this Ordinance.
(iii) Failing to make satisfactory progress in his/her programme as reported by the
supervisor through the BPGS / RAC and approved by CASR.
(iv) Forced to discontinue his/her studies by the Board of Residence and Discipline.
(v) Withdrawn officially from the Ph.D programme.

16 Academic Fees
Items of Academic fees shall be as per Appendix III, and the fees shall be reviewed
and recommended from time to time by the Academic Council.

17 Refund of Fees
A student withdrawing officially from all courses and / or thesis as per Art. 15(v) is
entitled to get a refund of 50% of the course registration fees provided he / she withdraws
in writing through the respective Head of the Department / Director of the Institute
before the expiry of two working weeks from the commencement of the classes. Thesis
registration fees in any case are not refundable.