Georgia Southern University is launching two new engineering doctorates – a Ph.D. in applied computing degree and a Ph.D. in engineering – after approval of the programs this week from the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents.

With almost 4,000 students in its programs, Georgia Southern’s Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing identified the need for the new graduate degrees to sustain growth in the discipline, continue to aid workforce development in the region, add substantially to the university’s research capabilities, and provide additional teacher-scholars for Georgia, school officials said.

“In line with Georgia Southern’s Strategic pillars, the new Ph.D. programs will greatly enhance the University’s research capabilities and further advance key partnerships in the region,” said Carl Reiber, Ph.D., Georgia Southern’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. “A strong Ph.D. program improves faculty recruiting and is a prerequisite for applying for research grants from sources such as the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense.”

The proposed engineering Ph.D. program will have concentrations in civil, electrical, advanced manufacturing and mechanical engineering, and will fuel future multidisciplinary research synergies with other departments and centers within Georgia Southern in fields such as natural sciences, environmental sustainability, public health and education. Greater scholarly collaborations with sister institutions within the university system and beyond are also envisioned. The Ph.D. in engineering program will have a positive impact on the economic and technological development of Southeast Georgia, contributing significantly to the growth of the I-16 technology corridor.

The Ph.D. in applied computing degree program will be offered jointly by the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Information Technology within the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing at Georgia Southern University. The program will provide students with the requisite foundation to conduct basic and applied research to solve advanced technical problems in computing foundations, cybersecurity and machine learning.