PhD Petroleum Engineering at University of North Dakota

Programme overview

Solutions to tomorrow's energy needs depend on you. Lead the way at North Dakota's only petroleum engineering program. As a Ph.D. candidate in UND's petroleum engineering program, you'll become an innovative, critical thinker poised to solve today's energy problems and build technology that unlocks tomorrow's hydrocarbon reservoirs. The Department of Petroleum Engineering backed by significant support from the state and the oil industry.

Department: Department of Energy & Petroleum Engineering | Duration: 4 years (90 credit hours) | Study mode: full-time; online | Intake: Fall (Aug. 1), Spring (Dec. 1), Summer (May 1) | Location: Grand Forks, ND, United States

What you will study

Complete these requirements for a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering.

Career pathways

In addition, petroleum engineers are involved in refining, petro-chemical production and transportation of products, as well as geosciences, environmental efforts and international commerce. Roles include Petroleum exploration, Geologic formation characterization, Drilling and fracturing, Computer simulation, Equipment and process design to optimize recovery, Monitoring of production and processing.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

In addition to meeting these program requirements, you must also meet the UND School of Graduate Studies admissions requirements to apply for this program. Graduate Requirements The requirements on this page are pulled from UND’s academic catalog and may not reflect future terms. Updates are published annually in April.

Domestic applicants: USD 14,700 a year (2026-27). North Dakota resident rate. On-campus tuition for 2026/2027 as shown in the programme's tuition table (fall and spring semesters, rate band 'Engineering (including Computer Science & Geology)'); excludes mandatory student fees, housing and books. The same Source

International applicants: USD 29,401 a year (2026-27). International student rate. On-campus tuition for 2026/2027 as shown in the programme's tuition table (fall and spring semesters, rate band 'Engineering (including Computer Science & Geology)'); excludes mandatory student fees, housing and books. Source

Terms run Fall (August-December), Spring (January-May) and Summer (May-August).

Graduate applications go through the UND admissions application with a $35 non-refundable fee (no waivers); each graduate program sets its own deadline, listed in the Program Finder.

International graduate applicants: Fall May 1, Spring Sept. 1, Summer Feb. 1, unless the program sets a specific deadline. Application fee $35.

Apply through the official page: https://und.edu/admissions/graduate/apply.html

Explore more study programmes

Engineering