The Electrical Engineering PhD (one of the three PhD programs offered by the School of EECS) prepares students for careers in research or academia with specializations including Communications, Digital Signal Processing/Image Processing, Controls and Robotics, Electromagnetics, Electro-Optics, Photonics, Power Electronics and Electronics, Solid-State/Microelectronics, and VLSI Design.
The specific research that each one of the EECS faculty conduct can be found at the School of EECS website (www.eecs.ucf.edu).
The Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering is primarily intended for students with a master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related discipline who wish to pursue a career in research or academia. Specializations include Communications, Digital Signal Processing/Image Processing, Controls and Robotics, Electromagnetics, Electro-Optics, Photonics, Power Electronics and Electronics, and Solid-State/Microelectronics.
Research interests of the Electrical Engineering faculty include antennas, microwave and millimeter circuits/devices, communication systems, digital signal/image processing, power electronics, electronic circuits, IFF devices, electromagnetic theory, radar and microwave remote sensing, speech processing, VLSI design, spread spectrum systems, SAW and ACT devices, spectral estimation, solid state device modeling and computer-aided design (CAD) techniques, communication networks, integrated services digital networks, neural networks, systems and controls, robotics, robust control, computer control, microelectronics, semiconductors, thin films, power system stability, bipolar device modeling, solid state lasers, optical propagation, fiber optics, optical signal processing, laser-induced damage, optical testing, diffractive optics, phase conjunction, infrared detectors, Fourier optics, lens design, and nonlinear optics.
The Electrical Engineering PhD degree requires a minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree. Of these 72 hours, a minimum of 36 credit hours must be formal coursework, exclusive of independent study coursework. A minimum of 15 credit hours with up to a maximum of 24 credit hours of dissertation hours can be credited toward the degree. No more than 12 credit hours of Independent Study are allowed. The remaining hours can be a combination of formal coursework and/or pre-candidacy doctoral research.
Total Credit Hours Required: 72 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Program Prerequisites
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
Undergraduate articulation courses are required to be completed prior to admission for students who do not hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. In particular, the articulation courses specified below, plus all of the prerequisite string which any of them require, must be completed prior to admission. Grades of "B" or higher must be obtained in each articulation course specified below. Articulation courses are not eligible for inclusion on a graduate Program of Study.
- EEL 3123C Network and Systems
- EEE 3307C Electronics I
- EEL 3470 Electromagnetic Fields
- EEL 3552 Signal Analysis and Communications
- EEE 3350 Semiconductor Devices I
In addition, choose one of the following:
- EEL 3657 Linear Control Systems
- EEE 4309C Electronics II
- EEL 4750 Digital Signal Processing Fundamentals
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
36 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
- The Electrical Engineering Program supports a number of specialization areas. These technical areas are (in alphabetical order): Electromagnetics and Optics (EO), Signal Processing and Systems (SPS), and Micro-Systems and Nano-Systems (MNS). The Micro-Systems and Nano-Systems area covers the typical Electrical Engineering topic areas of Electronics, Power Electronics and Micro-Electronics, while the Signal Processing and Systems area covers the typical electrical topic areas of communications, controls, and signal processing. Please visit the department’s website (https://www.ece.ucf.edu/people/faculty-by-research-area/) for a list of faculty within each specialization area. For each one of these areas there is a suggested list of courses stated below. Students are also allowed to take courses from other specialization areas, but the majority of their courses should be chosen from courses in their specialization area. A majority of specialization classes is at least 19 credit hours, typically 7 graduate courses.
Electromagnetics and Optics (EO) - Suggested Courses- Earn at least 36 credits from the following:
- EEE5542 - Random Processes I (3)
- EEE5557 - Introduction to Radar Systems (3)
- EEL5437C - Microwave Engineering (4)
- EEL5439C - RF and Microwave Active Circuits (4)
- EEL5462 - Antenna Analysis and Design (3)
- EEL5462 - Antenna Analysis and Design (3)
- EEL6425C - RF and Microwave Measurement Techniques (4)
- EEL6482 - Electromagnetic Theory I (3)
- EEL6481 - Numerical Techniques in Electromagnetics (3)
- EEL6489 - Advanced Topics in Electromagnetics and Microwaves (3)
- EEL6504 - Wireless Communications (3)
- EEL6530 - Communication Theory (3)
- MAP5426 - Special Functions (3)
- MAP5435 - Advanced Mathematics for Engineers (3)
- MAP6424 - Transform Methods (3)
- OSE5041 - Introduction to Wave Optics (3)
- OSE5414 - Fundamentals of Optoelectronic Devices (3)
- OSE6111 - Optical Wave Propagation (3)
- OSE6115 - Interference and Diffraction (3)
- OSE6143 - Fiber Optics Communication System (3)
- OSE6211 - Imaging and Optical Systems (3)
- OSE6445 - Fundamentals of Ultrafast Optics (3)
- OSE6455C - Photonics Laboratory (3)
- OSE6615L - Optoelectronic Device Fabrication Laboratory (3)
- OSE5525 - Laser Engineering (3)
Micro-Systems and Nano-Systems (MNS) - Suggested Courses- Earn at least 36 credits from the following:
- BME5572 - Biomedical Nanotechnology (3)
- EEL5245 - Power Electronics (3)
- EEE5332C - Thin Film Technology (3)
- EEE5352 - Semiconductor Material and Device Characterization (3)
- EEE5353 - Semiconductor Device Modeling and Simulation (3)
- EEE5356C - Fabrication of Solid-State Devices (4)
- EEE5370 - Operational Amplifiers (3)
- EEE5378 - CMOS Analog and Digital Circuit Design (3)
- EEE5390C - Full-Custom VLSI Design (3)
- EEE5555 - Surface Acoustic Wave Devices and Systems (3)
- EEE6317 - Power Semiconductor Devices and Integrated Circuits (3)
- EEE6358 - Advanced Semiconductor Device I (3)
- EEL6246 - Power Electronics II (3)
- EEE6326C - MEMS Fabrication Laboratory (3)
- EEE6338 - Advanced Topics in Microelectronics (3)
Signal Processing and Systems (SPS)- Suggested Courses- Earn at least 36 credits from the following:
- EEE5513 - Digital Signal Processing Applications (3)
- EEE5542 - Random Processes I (3)
- EEE5557 - Introduction to Radar Systems (3)
- EEE6504 - Adaptive Digital Signal Processing (3)
- EEL5173 - Linear Systems Theory (3)
- EEL5630 - Digital Control Systems (3)
- EEL5669 - Introduction to Robotics and Autonomous Vehicles (3)
- EEL5820 - Image Processing (3)
- EEL5820 - Image Processing (3)
- EEL6026 - Optimization of Engineering Systems (3)
- EEL6504 - Wireless Communications (3)
- EEL6530 - Communication Theory (3)
- EEL6590 - Advanced Topics in Communications (3)
- EEL6619 - Nonlinear Robust Control and Applications (3)
- EEL6621 - Nonlinear Control Systems (3)
- EEL6662 - Advanced Robotics (3)
- EEL6667 - Mobile Robotic Systems (3)
- EEL6671 - Modern and Optimal Control Systems (3)
- EEL6674 - Optimal Estimation for Control (3)
- EEL6616 - Adaptive Control (3)
- EEL6683 - Cooperative Control of Networked Autonomous Systems (3)
- EEL6812 - Introduction to Neural Networks and Deep Learning (3)
- CAP5415 - Computer Vision (3)
- CAP6419 - 3D Computer Vision (3)
- CAP6411 - Computer Vision Systems (3)
- CAP6412 - Advanced Computer Vision (3)
Elective Courses
21 Total Credits
- Earn at least 21 credits from the following types of courses: Additional elective courses listed above. - May include formal coursework, directed research hours, doctoral research hours, dissertation research, and no more than 12 credit hours of Independent Study.
Dissertation
15 Total Credits
- Earn at least 15 credits from the following types of courses: XXX 7980 Dissertation Research The program will only allow students to complete up to 24 hours of dissertation coursework in XXX 7980. The College of Engineering and Computer Science requires that all dissertation defense announcements are approved by the student's adviser and posted on the college's website at least two weeks before the defense date.
Qualifying Review
0 Total Credits
- The Qualifying Review relies on annual appraisals of the student's progress conducted by the student's research/academic adviser and advisory committee, once formed. The student's appraisal template that the adviser completes will assess the student's academic performance (course performance) and research performance. On an annual basis, and based on the completed PhD Student Annual Review template, as well as additional student documentation attached with approval of the adviser, the EECS Graduate Committee will rate the student's performance as "Above Expectation," "At Expectation," or "Below Expectation" toward the completion of the PhD degree. Students must pass the Qualifying Review no later than the deadline, which is the semester in which they complete 24 credit hours after admission or within two calendar years after admission, whichever occurs later. If a student has passed the Qualifying Review, then the student is eligible to continue PhD studies. However, a student who does not pass the Qualifying Review by the deadline will be dismissed from the degree program and will be given the opportunity to complete a master's degree (if applicable).
Dissertation Committee
0 Total Credits
- PhD Dissertation Committees for this degree program must have all of the below characteristics: - consist of at least five committee members including the committee chair - the committee chair must be either a Regular Appointment faculty member in EECS or a Secondary-Joint Appointment faculty member in EECS - at least 50% of committee members (when tabulated including the chair) must be EECS regular faculty - the majority of committee members must vote in favor of passing for the student to Pass - in addition to the above, all college and university requirements (such as one member outside of EECS) must be met. Joint faculty members may serve as committee chairs, but graduate faculty scholars may not serve as committee chairs.
Candidacy Examination
0 Total Credits
- After passing the Qualifying Review, students are required to successfully complete the candidacy examination in order to demonstrate readiness for preliminary research in a chosen field of study. This exam is administered by the student's dissertation advisory committee. Preparedness for taking the candidacy examination requires that the student must demonstrate his/her readiness for the PhD program in Electrical Engineering by authoring an accepted journal article or high-quality conference paper. The student must be the first author on this paper and the research advisor must also be an author on this paper to be used for Candidacy. The publication should reflect the work related to the student's PhD research. Candidacy is normally attempted at the completion of required coursework and must be passed before registering for doctoral dissertation hours (EEL 7980). Continuous enrollment in at least 3 hours of doctoral dissertation hours is required once a student starts taking dissertation credits.
Admission to Candidacy
0 Total Credits
- The following are required to be admitted to candidacy and enroll in dissertation hours. - Completion of all required formal coursework, except for dissertation hours. - Successful completion of the candidacy examination. - The dissertation advisory committee is formed, consisting of approved graduate faculty and graduate faculty scholars. - Submission of an approved program of study. Signed and well-formed Doctoral Committee Candidacy Status form and associated paperwork (dissertation advisory committee and program of study, etc.) must be submitted to the Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Office for processing on or before the last day to defend Dissertation during the semester prior to enrolling in dissertation credits.
Dissertation Proposal Exam
0 Total Credits
- After passing the candidacy examination, the student will write a dissertation proposal and present it to the dissertation advisory committee for approval. The proposal must include a description of the research performed to date and the research planned to be completed for the dissertation. The presentation of a written dissertation proposal must be deemed as passing requirements by the majority of the dissertation committee.
Grand Total Credits: 72
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
Formal coursework required is 36 credit hours, exclusive of independent study and research. A minimum of 15 credit hours of dissertation hours are required. All other credit hours will be determined with a faculty adviser. Students admitted with an earned master's degree may request to have up to 30 of those credit hours counted toward their doctoral program. The student's doctoral adviser in conjunction with the graduate office will determine the precise number of hours to be counted subject to Graduate Studies regulations.
The Program of Study (POS) form must be approved by an adviser in the selected specialization area no later than the end of the second semester after admission. The program of study must meet all the university requirements specified in the graduate catalog. Details about this program are located in the Electrical Engineering PhD Handbook.
Equipment FeeStudents in the Electrical Engineering PhD program pay a $90 equipment fee each semester that they are enrolled. Part-time students pay $45 per semester.
Independent LearningThe Independent Learning Requirement is met by successful completion of the student's candidacy and dissertation defense examinations.
