Electrical and Computer Engineering Ph.D.

In addition to the University doctoral degree requirements listed in the PSU Bulletin, a candidate for the Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering must complete a minimum of 82 graduate credits consisting of at least 45 EE/ECE graduate credits, 2 credits of Grad School Essentials (ECE 563 and ECE 564), 8 elective graduate credits and at least 27 credits of ECE 603 (dissertation).  Of the 45 EE/ECE credits, 32 credits must come from EE/ECE lecture courses (24 lecture credits if the student successfully completed an ECE MS Thesis).  The 8 elective credits may come from any academic department, but must be lecture credits only. Specific course requirements depend on the student’s area of emphasis, and the student’s program must be approved by his/her academic adviser. Lecture courses taken under the undifferentiated grading option (P/NP) shall not be used to satisfy any graduate degree program requirements.  All coursework must be completed with a grade of B- or better.

Students in the Ph.D. program in Electrical and Computer Engineering are required to pass a research proficiency examination by the end of their second year at PSU. Students shall demonstrate their ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate a body of knowledge within their domain of research. This satisfies the university requirement for a comprehensive exam.

Ph.D. students are also required to obtain approval of their proposed research plan by their doctoral committee before they can be advanced to candidacy. A dissertation containing a real contribution to knowledge based on the candidate’s own investigation and a final oral dissertation defense are required. The dissertation must show a mastery of the literature of the subject and be written in credible literary form. The defense is public and its schedule must be posted in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at least two weeks in advance. 

Each Ph.D. must have at least one journal publication. The student must be the principal author of a journal publication as approved by the committee. The publications must be approved as acceptable by the doctoral committee.

Students should choose a research topic and adviser for their dissertation. Further information on research in the department and the ECE PhD program can be found on the department's PhD website.