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The Graduate School of Arts and Science confers the Ph.D. degree, not the School of Engineering and Applied Science, leading to some variations in dissertation guidelines and formal procedures. Details about these requirements can be obtained from the Engineering School's Associate Dean for Graduate Education office. Prospective Ph.D. candidates must submit their applications exclusively through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Admission to the Ph.D. program does not require earning a master's degree first. For students starting with an M.S.E. or comparable qualification, the minimum duration to complete a Ph.D. is two years. Those pursuing a combined M.S.E./Ph.D. typically finish within four to six years.
Applicants for master’s and doctoral programs must have obtained a bachelor’s degree from an accredited School or University prior to intended matriculation date.
A strong command of the English language is necessary for successful study at Penn. Applicants whose families do not speak English at home, or applicants who have not attended a high school or secondary school where the primary language of instruction is English, are asked to take the TOEFL, the Test of English as a Foreign Language, administered by the Educational Testing Service. In the event the TOEFL is not readily accessible, Penn will accept results from the IELTS, the International English Language Testing System.