Manufacturing has entered an era of dramatic transformation. Companies with a long track record of profitability can find themselves challenged to retain their momentum in a competitive global economy. New entrants to the field can rise to the top quickly — and plummet just as suddenly. In this new, quickly-evolving environment, success or failure depends largely on the ability to harness advanced technology. Implementing technological solutions enables businesses of any size to increase the speed and reliability of production, and to better customize products for a wide array of needs.

KIMT University’s online PhD program in manufacturing will prepared you, the manufacturing professional, to meet the challenges and maximize the opportunities presented by these revolutionary changes. Your expertise will be in high demand among companies seeking to introduce new technologies while mitigating the risk that can accompany such transformations. You’ll be able to deliver solutions that can lower costs, streamline processes, and ensure the highest quality as your organization competes in the global marketplace. Through this uniquely designed doctoral program, you can undertake research that is specific to your professional needs and complete your degree while maintaining your career. 

While completing the program, students will already be helping to advance the manufacturing industry through the creation of new knowledge and ideas. Through this research-based, online doctorate, students engage quickly in research and publishing without the limitations inherent in traditional coursework models. Graduates will be prepared for a variety of leadership roles in manufacturing, or for teaching roles in higher education. 

As a doctoral student in manufacturing at KIMT, you’ll enter the program with a research idea and at least a committee chair. After enrollment, you’ll work with your chair and research committee to further develop your research proposal. You’ll then work independently to produce a meaningful body of original research of publishable quality. In the process, you’ll also gain valuable insight into the legal, political, ethical, and social dimensions of your field of study.

This is a research based doctorate PhD degree where you will be assigned an academic supervisor almost immediately to guide you through your program and is based on mostly independent study through the entire program. It typically takes a minimum of two years but typically three years to complete if a student works closely with their assigned academic advisor. Under the guidance of your academic supervisor, you will conduct unique research in your chosen field before submitting a Thesis or being published in three academic journals agreed to by the academic supervisor.  If by publication route it will require original contribution to knowledge or understanding in the field you are investigating.

As your PhD progresses, you move through a series of progression points and review stages by your academic supervisor. This ensures that you are engaged in a process of research that will lead to the production of a high-quality Thesis and/or publications and that you are on track to complete this in the time available. Following submission of your PhD Thesis or accepted three academic journal articles, you have an oral presentation assessed by an external expert in your field.