Graduate School in Civil Engineering

Objectives and goals

The graduate school in civil engineering at the University of Pavia was founded in the academic year 1994/95 (X cycle).

Ph.D. students can choose among four different curricula: hydraulic engineering, environmental and health engineering, earthquake engineering, structural engineering.

Research activity is carried out in the departments of Structural Mechanics and Hydraulics. During the first two years Ph.D. students must attend at least six classes. The teaching staff, made by professors of both the departments, organize classes with the aim to supply Ph.D. students with advanced in civil engineering science.

The teaching staff put into effect courses dealing with the following topics:

• - Solid and fluid mechanics,
• - Numerical methods for solid and fluid mechanics,
• - Environmental and structural risk,
• - Experimental methods for solid and fluid mechanics,
• - Artificial Intelligence and other specific curriculum courses.

At the end of the first year courses the teaching staff charge Ph.D. students with a research task concerning the curriculum they chose. The task, which has to be fulfilled until the end of the second year, does not necessary influence the topic of the final thesis.

At the beginning of the second year Ph.D. students choose with the coordinator the title of their final thesis which must be approved later on by the teaching staff.

At the end of every year Ph.D. students have to prepare a detailed discussion about their activity. On the basis of the discussion the teaching staff make a report to the chancellor who decide about the admission of the candidate to the next year.

Research activity can be both theoretical or experimental thanks to the laboratories of the two departments.