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2024-2025 Graduate Catalog
Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
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 Return to: College of Engineering
Program Educational Goals
A graduate of the ECE Ph.D. program will be able to:
- Define ECE engineering problems and apply advanced knowledge to formulate hypotheses for, analyze, and synthesize solutions to these problems generating new knowledge.
- Learn ECE subject matters independently, showing an ability to lifelong learning.
- Lead interdisciplinary teams, showing initiative and ability to make independent contributions and synthesize contributions from the team members.
- Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, so as to contribute to the technical and research literature expanding existing knowledge.
- Demonstrate professional development and maturity in preparation for a successful professional career in an ECE related field, either in industry or academy.
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Requirements for the Degree:
The Ph.D. degree program is designed for individuals interested in fundamental research on novel aspects of electrical and computer engineering. The degree is intended for individuals planning to pursue academic research and/or industrial research and development careers. All students pursuing the Ph.D. degree are initially entered in pre-candidacy. Formal entry into the Ph.D. program, or candidacy, is granted following the successful completion of the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination and approval by the Graduate Committee of the student’s Research and Study Program. The PhD is a research degree. Each PhD candidate must carry out a program of substantial original publishable research on a topic agreed upon by his/her committee and prepare a written dissertation. Candidates must also satisfy the following general requirements: - Candidates are required to complete one continuous academic year of full-time study as a residency requirement.
- Candidates must complete the course requirements for the thesis master’s degree, or have been awarded a master’s degree in electrical or computer engineering or closely related field.
- Candidates must take at least 9 credits of Doctoral Dissertation (ELEG 969 ).
A grade of B- or better is required for a course to count toward a degree requirement. A student who receives a grade less than B- must either take the course over to raise the grade, or take another course approved by his/her advisor to replace it in meeting the degree requirement. Foundation courses:
Candidates who started the Ph.D. in the ECE program without an M.S. degree in ECE must have completed at least four Foundation courses with a GPA of at least 3.50 to sit for the Qualifying Examination. If more than four Foundation courses have been completed, only the four ones with the highest grade will count to compute the GPA. Candidates who started the Ph.D. in the ECE program with an M.S. degree in ECE will have a coursework approved by the Graduate Committee, and they should have a GPA of at least 3.50 in the approved coursework to sit for the Qualifying Examination.
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers the following Foundation courses (other Foundation courses may be approved by the ECE faculty): Concentrations
Requirements:
Students in the Ph.D. and M.S.E.C.E. programs may elect to choose a concentration area of study. Concentrations are available in Computer Systems & Networking, Signal Processing, Communications, and Controls, Materials and Devices, Electromagnetics and Photonics, and Biomedical Engineering. Students selecting a concentration must meet the concentration requirements detailed here, in addition to meeting their general degree requirements. Students admitted to the MSECE program upon successful completion of one or more Graduate Certificates will be able to apply the graduate courses of up to three (3) successfully completed Certificates towards the concentration requirements. Concentrations are voluntary, and students selecting multidisciplinary or other specialized studies need not declare a concentration.
Concentration in Computer Systems and Networking
Students in the Computer Systems & Networking (CSN) concentration focus on research and coursework in computer architecture and parallel systems, optimizing and parallelizing compilers, design and test of high-performance digital and analog VLSI circuits, wired and mobile wireless networking, computer program optimization, as well as emerging CSN theories and applications. The CSN concentration is available to students in the MSECE and Ph.D. degree programs. Required Courses
Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. ELEG 662 should be taken each semester. A minimum of two courses from the following:
Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. Concentration in Signal Processing, Communications, and Controls
Students in the Signal Processing, Communications, and Controls (SPCC) concentration focus on research and coursework in multimedia signal processing, statistical and nonlinear signal processing, image processing, time-frequency analysis, wireless communications, information theory, coding, as well as emerging SPCC theories and applications. The SPCC concentration is available to students in the MSECE and Ph.D. degree programs. A minimum of two courses from the following:
Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. A minimum of two courses from the following:
Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. Required courses
ELEG 663 must be taken each semester. Concentration in Materials and Devices
Students in the Materials & Devices (MD) concentration focus on research and coursework in solid-state physics, semiconductor growth, device fabrication, and electro-magnetic measurement & characterization. The MD concentration is available to students in the MSECE and Ph.D. degree programs. Required courses
Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. ELEG 661 must be taken each semester. A minimum of two courses from the following:
Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. Concentration in Electromagnetics and Photonics
Students in the Electromagnetics & Photonics (EP) concentration focus on research and coursework in optics and electromagnetics; optoelectronic, microwave, millimeter-wave and terahertz devices and systems, device fabrication, and electro-magnetic measurement & characterization. The EP concentration is available to students in the MSECE and Ph.D. degree programs. Required courses:
Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. ELEG 661 should be taken each semester. A minimum of two courses from the following:
Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. Concentration in Biomedical Engineering
Students in the Biomedical Engineering (BME) concentration focus on research and coursework in biomedical applications of signal and image processing, imaging systems, biophotonics, biochemical detection, cardiovascular and respiratory control, electrophysiology, computational biology, and bioinformatics. The BME concentration is available to students in the MSECE and Ph.D. degree programs. Required courses
Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. ELEG 664 should be taken each semester.
A minimum of two courses from the following:
Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. Credits to Total a Minimum of 9
Last Revised for 2023-2024 Academic Year
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