Petroleum Engineering, PhD

Admission Requirements

Admission to the University of Houston PhD Program in Petroleum Engineering will require the following:

1. GRE - An acceptable score within the Cullen College of Engineering standard on the Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical portions of the Graduate Record Examination. 
2. Three letters of recommendation from recognized professionals who can attest to the applicant’s capability for independent and creative thinking for the graduate level research in petroleum engineering.
3. A written statement of the applicant’s professional goals.
4. English language proficiency, as evidenced by either prior US degree or reported test scores. Details can be found on the Graduate School English Language Proficiency Requirements page: http://www.uh.edu/graduate-school/admissions/international-students/english-proficiency/.

*Be advised that meeting these criteria does not guarantee admission.*

Acceptance into the program is based on a competitive combination of academic background, GRE scores, recommendation letters, resume, and the statement of purpose. The Checklist below lists all requirements for the Application Submission:

Applicant Checklist

• UH Graduate School Application, please visit How to Apply to UH Graduate School for more information: http://www.uh.edu/graduate-school/admissions/how-to-apply/
• Scanned copies of an official transcript will be used for the application evaluation (upload). However, if admitted, an official transcript with the date your degree was conferred/awarded must be submitted to the Graduate School before enrollment can take place.
• GRE scores (University code is 6870): http://www.gre.org/
• Statement of Purpose (uploaded- if possible no longer than 2 pages)
• Resume (uploaded)
• 3 Letters of Recommendation (emails must be listed on the online application)
• Non-refundable application fee
• Additional documentation and test scores for international students, including English language proficiency requirements as detailed on the International Graduate Student page: http://www.uh.edu/graduate-school/international-students/.

Degree Requirements

Credit hours required for this degree: BS to PhD - 66.0/MS to PhD - 54.0

There are two paths to the PhD Degree:

• BS to PhD - Direct from BS to PhD, bypassing the MS degree, or by
• MS to PhD - Obtaining an MS degree first at UH (or elsewhere).

Both BS and MS degrees must have been obtained from an accredited institution in Petroleum Engineering or a relevant engineering or scientific discipline. The applicants must maintain a grade point average of 3.2/4.0 (BS candidate) or 3.3/4.0 (MS candidate).

The chart below demonstrates course requirements for either path to PhD.

Students without sufficient background for the required courses must complete leveling courses that will not count toward the degree. Each PhD student must maintain a grade point average (GPA) above 3.00 throughout the PhD program.

Academic Policies

•  University of Houston Academic Policies  
•  Graduate Academic Policies: Cullen College of Engineering