PhD in Robotics

The PhD in Robotics program aims to produce graduates with the disciplinary preparation and ability to:

Synthesize scientific and technical robotics knowledge to identify, formulate and solve research challenges, and effectively disseminate the results to a variety of audiences.
Work across multiple disciplines and develop their individual academic, professional and career focus.
Keep abreast of the latest advances in science and engineering that contribute to the advancement of knowledge in robotics for the benefit of society.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a PhD in Robotics will have the ability to:

Demonstrate appropriate breadth and depth of knowledge that is at the frontier of robotics and areas of specialization.
Conduct and defend original independent research that results in significant contributions to knowledge in the field of robotics and leads to publishable quality scholarly articles.
Understand and value diverse methodologies and techniques for solving critical problems in research.
Verify, justify and evaluate the various aspects of the solution to a complex robotics problem.
Communicate effectively and professionally, in written and oral forms, the major tenets of the field of robotics and their work to a variety of audiences.
Demonstrate a commitment to ethical behavior in research and professional activities.
Contribute effectively in teams and collaborative environments.

Completion Requirements

Students admitted to the PhD program with a Master鈥檚 Degree must satisfy the following requirements:

Complete a minimum of 24 credits of coursework (8 courses of 3 credit hours each). 听听听This is in addition to two zero-credit PhD Research Seminar courses. 听Subject to the advisor’s approval, up to two PhD level courses (maximum of 6 credits) can be taken from other doctoral programs offered at KU.
Pass all courses with a minimum passing grade of C in every course.
Achieve an overall CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) of at least 3.0 out of 4.
Pass the Written Qualifying Exam (WQE), which assesses the technical background of the student. WQE is typically administered at the end of the 2nd regular semester after a full-time student鈥檚 admission into the PhD program, and before the end of the 4th semester in the case of a part-time student.
Pass the Research Proposal Examination (RPE), typically before the end of the 4th semester for full-time students and before the end of the 6th semester for part-time students.
Have at least one full paper accepted for publication in a quartile one ranked journal, per Scopus, in the research field of the dissertation before submitting the request of intent to defend the dissertation. The paper must be based on one of the research contributions in the dissertation, and the student must be the lead author of the paper.
Complete a Dissertation on original research and defend it successfully in a viva voce Dissertation Defense examination.

Students admitted to the PhD program with only a Bachelor鈥檚 Degree must satisfy the following requirements:

Complete a minimum of 36 credits of coursework (12 courses of 3 credit hours each). 听This is in addition to two zero-credit PhD Research Seminar courses. Subject to the advisor’s approval, up to two PhD level courses (maximum of 6 credits) can be taken from other doctoral programs offered at KU.
Pass all courses with a minimum passing grade of C in every course.
Achieve an overall CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) of at least 3.0 out of 4. 听听听
Pass the Written Qualifying Exam (WQE), which assesses the technical background of the student. WQE is administered after the student successfully completes a minimum of 27 credits of formal coursework.
Pass the Research Proposal Examination (RPE), typically before the end of the 6th semester of full-time study.
Have at least one full paper accepted for publication in a quartile one ranked journal, per Scopus, in the research field of the dissertation before submitting the request of intent to defend the dissertation. The paper must be based on one of the research contributions in the dissertation, and the student must be the lead author of the paper.
Complete a Dissertation on original research and defend it successfully in a viva voce Dissertation Defense examination.

Regular PhD (With MSc)

The Ph.D. in Robotics (ROBO) program for candidates with a Master鈥檚 Degree consists of a minimum of 60 credit hours. The required program credits are distributed as follows: 3 credits of Program Core courses, 21 credits of Program Elective courses, 36 credits for a PhD Research Dissertation, and two zero-credit PhD Research Seminar courses. The table below summarizes the structure and requirements of the Ph.D. in Robotics program. All the Ph.D. in Robotics program courses, except the Research Seminar courses and the PhD Research Dissertation, have a credit rating of three credits each.

Summary of Ph.D. in Robotics Degree Program Structure and Requirements for Candidates with a Master鈥檚 Degree

Category	Credits Required
Program Core	3
Program Electives	21
ROBO 703 PhD Research Seminar I	0
ROBO 704 PhD Research Seminar II	0
ROBO 795 PhD Written Qualifying Exam	0
ROBO 796 PhD Research Proposal Exam	0
ROBO 799 PhD Research Dissertation	36
Total	60

All the courses that the students will take are at PhD level.

Program Core (3 credit hours)

Students must complete the core courses listed below.

Research Methods in Engineering

3cr

Program Electives (21 credit hours)

Students must complete a minimum of seven technical elective courses from the list below.

Subject to the approval of the dissertation Main Advisor, up to two elective courses (6 credit hours) can be taken from another relevant PhD program in KU.

The PhD in Robotics elective courses are listed below (all 3cr)

Course Code and Title

ROBO 732 Machine Learning and Applications

ROBO 735 Advanced Computer Vision Paradigms

ROBO 755 Cognitive Robotics

ROBO 756 Robotics Perception

ROBO 757 Control of Robotic Systems

ROBO 762 Analysis and Simulation of Mechatronics Systems

ROBO 764 Optimal Control

PhD Research Dissertation (minimum 36 credit hours)

Students must complete a PhD Research Dissertation that involves novel, creative, research-oriented work under the direct supervision of a full-time faculty advisor in robotics, and at least one other full-time faculty who acts as a co-advisor. The outcome of research should demonstrate the synthesis of information into knowledge in a form that may be used by others. The research findings must be documented in a formal Dissertation and defended successfully in a viva voce examination. Furthermore, the research must lead to publishable quality scholarly journal articles.

Dissertation

ROBO 799

PhD Research Dissertation

36

Direct PhD (with only BSc)

The Ph.D. in Robotics (ROBO) program for candidates with only a Bachelor鈥檚 Degree consists of a minimum of 72 credit hours. The required program credits are distributed as follows: 12 credits of Program Core courses, 24 credits of Program Elective courses, 36 credits for a PhD Research Dissertation, and two zero-credit PhD Research Seminar courses. The table below summarizes the structure and requirements of the Ph.D. in Robotics program. All the Ph.D. in Robotics program courses, except the Research Seminar courses and the PhD Research Dissertation, have a credit rating of three credits each.

Summary of Ph.D. in Robotics Degree Program Structure and Requirements for Candidates with a Bachelor鈥檚 Degree

Category	Credits Required
Program Core	12
Program Electives	24
ROBO 703 PhD Research Seminar I	0
ROBO 704 PhD Research Seminar II	0
ROBO 795 PhD Written Qualifying Exam	0
ROBO 796 PhD Research Proposal Exam	0
ROBO 799 PhD Research Dissertation	36
Total	72

All the courses that the students will take are at PhD level. The students will only be able to attempt PhD Written Qualifying Exam (WQE) after successfully completing a minimum of 27 credits of formal coursework.

Program Core (12 credit hours)

Students must complete four of the core courses listed below. The ENGR 701 must be one of the selected four courses.

Code	Title	Cr.
ENGR 701	Research Methods in Engineering	3
ECCE 784	Advanced Digital Signal Processing	3
ECCE 787	Advanced Deep Learning System Design	3
MEEN 784	Advanced Feedback Control	3

Program Electives (24 credit hours)

Students must complete a minimum of eight technical elective courses from the list below. Subject to the approval of the dissertation Main Advisor, up to two elective courses (6 credit hours) can be taken from another relevant PhD program in KU.

PhD in Robotics elective courses (all 3 credits)

Course Code and Title

ROBO 732 Machine Learning and Applications

ROBO 735 Advanced Computer Vision Paradigms

ROBO 755 Cognitive Robotics

ROBO 756 Robotics Perception

ROBO 757 Control of Robotic Systems

ROBO 762 Analysis and Simulation of Mechatronics Systems

ROBO 764 Optimal Control

PhD Research Dissertation (minimum 36 credit hours)

Students must complete a PhD Research Dissertation that involves novel, creative, research-oriented work under the direct supervision of a full-time faculty advisor in robotics, and at least one other full-time faculty who acts as a co-advisor. The outcome of research should demonstrate the synthesis of information into knowledge in a form that may be used by others. The research findings must be documented in a formal Dissertation and defended successfully in a viva voce examination. Furthermore, the research must lead to publishable quality scholarly journal articles.

Dissertation

ROBO 799

PhD Research Dissertation

36

Criteria for Admission

Applicants for the PhD in Robotics (ROBO) must satisfy Khalifa University (KU) general graduate admission requirements as well as program specific requirements. The admission requirements are available on KU admissions webpage through the link below.

/postgraduate-admissions听听听

Schedule of Delivery (Study Plans)

Typical Study Plans for Students with MSc

Typical Study Plan for Students with only BSc

Typical Study Plan for Direct BSc to PhD admitted students

Typical Study Plan for Full-Time Students
	Semester 1	Semester 2
Year 1	ENGR 701 Research Methods in Eng. Core Course 1 Core Course 2 Core Course 3	Technical Elective 1 Technical Elective 2 Technical Elective 3 ROBO 799 PhD Research Dissertation
Year 2	Technical Elective 4 Technical Elective 5 ROBO 799 PhD Research Dissertation	ROBO 799 PhD Research Dissertation ROBO 795 PhD Written Qualifying Exam
Year 3	Technical Elective 6 ROBO 703 PhD Research Seminar I ROBO 799 PhD Research Dissertation	Technical Elective 7 ROBO 799 PhD Research Dissertation ROBO 796 PhD Research Proposal Exam
Year 4	Technical Elective 8 ROBO 799 PhD Research Dissertation	ROBO 704 PhD Research Seminar II ROBO 799 PhD Research Dissertation
Year 5	ROBO 799 PhD Research Dissertation	ROBO 799 PhD Research Dissertation Final Doctoral Dissertation Exam

All courses in the study plan are 3 credit hours each. PhD Research Seminars I & II are zero credits each.

Written Qualifying Examination (WQE)

The WQE for Ph.D. in Robotics consists of written examinations in three topical areas approved by the department. The topical areas are selected by the student with the approval of her/his advisor. The topical areas for Ph.D. in Robotics are the following:

Robot Sensing
Robot Modelling
Robotics and AI Engineering
Computer-Controlled Systems
Mechatronics
Design of Robotic Systems
Digital Signal Processing
Signals and Systems
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Data Analytics
Machine Learning for Robotics
Data Structures
Design and Analysis of Algorithms
Software Development for Robotics
Engineering Dynamic
Dynamic Systems and Control
Robot Control

Failing any of the above topical areas will result in the student failing the entire WQE. However, a failed WQE can be retaken only once and passed upon the next offering of the examination pending a written request from the student and the approval of the relevant department chair, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and the Dean of Graduate Studies. He/she will be required only to retake the exams in the topical areas that he/she failed during the WQE at the first attempt.

Mapping of Program Learning Outcomes to Level-10 Descriptors of QFEmirates

The following tables show the mapping of the PhD in Robotics program learning outcomes to the Level-10 (PhD Level) Descriptors of QFEmirates.

QFEmirates Level-10 Descriptors		Program Learning Outcome (PLO)
QFEmirates Level-10 Descriptors		1	2	3	4	5	6	7
听	Knowledge
K1	comprehensive, deep and overarching knowledge at the frontier of a professional field of work or discipline and at the interface between different fields or disciplines	鈭�
K2	new knowledge, as judged by independent experts applying international standards, created through research or scholarship, that contributes to the development of a field of work or discipline		鈭�
	Skills
S1	a range of mastered skills and techniques, including synthesis, evaluation, planning and reflection, required to extend and redefine existing knowledge or professional practice or to produce original knowledge			鈭�	鈭�
S2	advanced skills in developing innovative solutions to critical problems in research using highly developed cognitive and creative expert skills and intellectual independence			鈭�	鈭�
S3	highly developed expert communication and information technology skills to present, explain and/or critique highly complex and diverse matters to specialist academic, peer specialists/experts and/or professional audiences					鈭�
听	Aspects of Competence: Autonomy & Responsibility
C1	can act with substantial authority, creativity, autonomy, independence, scholarly and professional integrity in a sustained commitment to the development of new ideas or processes or systems in challenging and novel work or learning contexts		鈭�				鈭�
C2	can account for overall governance of processes and systems can lead action to build and transform socio-cultural norms and relationships							鈭�
	Aspects of Competence: Role in Context
C3	can originate and manage complex professional processes		鈭�				鈭�
C4	can lead and take full responsibility for the development and strategic deployment of professional teams and self		鈭�				鈭�	鈭�
C5	can initiate and deploy qualities associated with professional leadership of peer groups and teams							鈭�
	Aspects of Competence: Self-Development
C6	can analyze and critique the state of learning in a specialized field and contribute to its advancement		鈭�		鈭�
C7	can self-evaluate and lead contributions to professional knowledge, ethics and practice including in unfamiliar and unpredictable learning contexts		鈭�				鈭�
C8	can consistently and sensitively manage highly complex and diverse ethical issues leading to informed, fair and valid judgements						鈭�

Teaching and Learning Methods

Assessment Methods

草莓视频

Program Learning Outcomes

Completion Requirements

Criteria for Admission