Doctoral Program in Electrical & Computer Engineering
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Programs of study leading to the PhD in electrical engineering and computer engineering are available. Completion of the PhD establishes a student’s ability to conduct independent basic or applied research, and prepares him or her for a career in academia, industry, or government. Students pursue theoretical and empirical studies in a topic area determined by their interests, faculty research areas, and departmental research facilities. External collaborations with industry and government laboratories are encouraged. Information regarding admissions, degree requirements, and financial aid may be found in the “Graduate Programs” section of this bulletin.
Doctoral program candidates should contact faculty members in the department to discuss their research plans (for contact information, email ecegrad@bu.edu or visit www.bu.edu/ece). Students admitted to the PhD program must first complete the department’s MS degree requirements.
Electrical & Computer Engineering
In addition to fulfilling the MS degree program requirements, all PhD students must enroll for an additional 32 units (8 courses) at the graduate level (500 level or above). Post-master’s PhD students are required to complete 32 graduate units (8 courses) beyond their MS work. In addition to an oral prospectus defense and final dissertation defense, students must pass a written comprehensive examination covering basic knowledge in electrical and computer engineering and fulfill the department’s mathematics requirement.
All PhD students are required to fulfill their math requirement no later than the end of their fourth academic semester. The guidelines are as follows.
For post-BS students: complete with a grade of B+ or better one of the following:
- EE or CE: EK 501
- EE: EC 501, EC 505, EC 515, EC 516, EC 574
- CE: EC 504, EC 533, EC 534, EC 541, EC 561
For post-MS students: post-BS requirement or submit evidence of successful completion of B+ or better of equivalent course as determined by the ECE Graduate Committee.
