Doctoral Degree
PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering
The research-driven doctoral degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering focuses on original contributions in ten specialized concentrations – communications, networking, signal and information processing, computational sensing, machine learning, systems and controls, computer engineering, software engineering, and electronic devices, circuits and systems – to prepare graduates for leadership positions in academia and industry research laboratories.
PhD Degree Requirements
To obtain a PhD (doctoral) degree in the ECE department, students must navigate a set of distinct criteria. Central to the Rutgers ECE doctoral journey is an emphasis on rigorous research, culminating in a dissertation. This body of work undergoes rigorous evaluation and approval by specially selected faculty committees.
Research Advisor: Every PhD student must be under the guidance of a research advisor, who is a member of the graduate faculty of the ECE Graduate Program. This advisor not only provides direction in the student’s research journey but also chairs both the PhD Proposal and Dissertation Committees.
Specialization Area: In coordination with their research advisor, every PhD student is required to select a specialization area for their studies. While specific specializations are provided in Section 1. Introduction, students are also encouraged to pursue interdisciplinary themes that intersect multiple areas. Those with such cross-cutting interests should seek guidance from their research advisor. Notably, the chosen specialization dictates the coursework prerequisites for the PhD Qualifying Examination.
Credit and Course Requirements: To attain the PhD degree, students are required to complete a minimum of 72 credits while maintaining a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.5. Of these credits, a minimum of 36 should come from graduate coursework and 24 should be attributed to dissertation research. The remaining 12 credits can be sourced from either further graduate coursework or dissertation research. Within the graduate coursework, students are required to select 5 courses from designated lists specific to each specialization. These courses serve as prerequisites for the PhD Qualifying Exam.
PhD Qualifying Examination: This exam assesses a student’s innovative capabilities, depth of knowledge, and readiness for independent research. Upon passing this exam and submitting the PhD Candidacy Form to the Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, a student gains the formal designation of a PhD Candidate, also known as a Post-Qualifying PhD Student.
PhD Proposal Defense: After advancing to PhD candidacy, students are expected to draft a PhD Proposal typically one year before their anticipated graduation. This document details both their completed research and the planned trajectory for their dissertation. The proposal is then defended before the PhD Proposal Committee, which is chaired by the student’s research advisor. See Section 4.3. PhD Proposal Defense for details.
PhD Dissertation Submission and Defense: The culmination of the PhD program is the dissertation, commonly referred to as the PhD thesis. This document stands as the definitive archival record of the student’s extensive research efforts. Before its final approval, each dissertation is subjected to rigorous scrutiny by the PhD Dissertation Committee, which is chaired by the student’s research advisor. Moreover, every PhD student is mandated to publicly present their dissertation’s findings in a session commonly known as the PhD Thesis Defense. During this defense, the dissertation committee evaluates the thoroughness and validity of the presented research.