Splitting my time between two locations means that I’ve never full-time anywhere. As such, it’s not too unusual for people to ask me what, exactly, it is that I do: what is an EngD?
Hopefully this post will answer that question. 
A Doctorate of Engineering is very similar to a PhD. It has the same major requirements, with a few extras thrown in for good measure. Unlike a PhD, it’s integrated with industry. It takes four years, not three. One of these years is taken up with a mixture of MBA and masters-level technical modules. One of the years is spent carrying out research at the university, and the remaining two years are spent carrying out research at the sponsor company; in my case, IBM.
Traditionally, the EngD student spends two straight years at uni, then two straight years at the host company. Why aren’t I doing that? Well, there’s so much going on in Hursley that it seems a waste! With so many exciting projects and technologies, it’s good to pop in (if only for a day a week, which has been the case for most of this year), and at least stay in touch with developments at the office.
Officially, I’m part-time at IBM over the four years of the course, but what’s really happening is that, having started on one day a week, I’m ramping it up as things progress. Once my lit review is done, and I know where my research is going, I’m better placed to get on with stuff at Hursley. Towards the end of the course, I’ll be in almost full-time… but keeping in touch with the uni, in the same way that I’m currently keeping in touch with IBM.
At least, that’s the plan!