Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering (BS Entry)
About This Program
The Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering is a degree with emphasis on research. It provides for students who wish to increase knowledge in many areas of electrical engineering. Graduate study and research are offered in five fields.
Communication and signal processing
Communication and signal processing connect our digital world. This field uses fundamental theory in signal and information processing, designs spectrum and energy efficient communications system or sensor networks for data gathering and transmission, and keeps pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery. Recent examples include 5G mobile wireless communications, Internet of Things, Machine Learning, Big Data, Virtual Reality, etc.
Computer and digital circuit
Computer and digital circuit engineering integrates digital electronics with computer sciences, involving hardware and software in a wide range of industry sectors and consumers' daily lives. Many of our household and commercial items make use of digital electronics, including computers, smartphones, vehicles, airplanes, televisions, remote controls, and other entertainment systems. Computer hardware engineers, including digital circuit designers, work on developing microprocessors, memory chips, data storage, and computer networking devices while computer software engineers develop operating systems, computer programs, computer networks, and software securities. Local employers include Texas Instruments, TSMC, Facebook, Lockheed Martin, Intel, Mathworks, and Boeing.
Control systems
Control systems engineering studies the design and implementation of feedback control systems which are responsible for the safe and efficient automatic operation of all human engineered systems. Examples include aircraft autopilots, automobile speed control, automated drug delivery, and industrial process control. The theoretical basis for modern control systems was developed during the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century for the steam engine, steam locomotive, and automated windmills.
Photonics and Electronics
Photonics is the science of using light to generate energy, detect information, or transmit information. The main purpose of the photonics engineering field is to develop new and innovative products for medicine, telecommunications, manufacturing, and construction. From light that can connect all electronic devices, to ultra-performance lasers used in data centers and autonomous cars, photonics engineers are responsible for significant scientific discoveries and smart societies.
Power and Energy
Power systems engineers design, develop, and operate electrical power systems. The field is broad and becoming broader with deregulation, smart grid development, decarbonization, and inverter-based resources. Future power systems engineers will have to implement more intelligent control, low environmental impact resources, battery storage systems, and power electronic converters for global power system transformation.
Competencies
- Upon graduation, students will demonstrate mastery of advanced concepts in electrical engineering, enabling them to innovate and contribute original research to the field.
- Upon graduation, students will be able to identify, analyze, and solve complex electrical engineering problems using advanced theoretical and computational tools.
- Upon graduation, students will design, execute, and disseminate independent research that addresses significant challenges in electrical engineering and adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards.
- Upon graduation, students will effectively collaborate across disciplines, leveraging their expertise in electrical engineering to contribute to diverse, multidisciplinary projects.
- Upon graduation, students will demonstrate the ability to communicate complex engineering concepts and research findings effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences, while also exhibiting leadership in academic and professional settings.
Admissions Criteria
The admission process considers all of the application material including official transcripts, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and answers to EE Department supplementary questions. No single objective factor is used to finalize the decision for admission or to deny admission. It is expected that an applicant have background in such areas as linear systems, dc and ac electronics circuits, static and dynamic electromagnetic fields, microprocessors, among the courses completed in a typical electrical engineering curriculum. Students with an BS in other fields are encouraged to apply, but they may be required to remedy a lack of required EE courses by taking additional EE courses. An attempt will be made to match the technical aspirations of the potential graduate students with the departmental resources in order to provide a stimulating academic environment for the students and their graduate education. GRE is not required for admission.
Unconditional Admission
In addition to general requirements for graduate admission, a typical applicant who is admitted will have met the following:
- Document a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.5.
- Hold a rigorous undergraduate degree relevant to the EE curriculum from a reputable institution.
- Have published in scholarly conferences/journals (this is optional but will improve both a student’s chances of securing admission and receiving financial support).
- Provide three recommendation letters from individuals who can judge the probability of success of the student’s graduate study.
- Satisfactory answers to the EE Department supplementary questions.
For an international students the program will give preference to students with a TOEFL score of 79 with a minimum of 22 writing, 21 speaking, 20 reading, and 16 listening; or IELTS scores of 6.5 in all categories.
Provisional Admission
An applicant unable to supply all required official documentation prior to the admission deadline, but whose available documentation otherwise appears to meet admission requirements may be granted provisional admission.
Deferred Status
A deferred decision may be granted when a file is incomplete.
Denied Status
An applicant who does not meet requirements in any category above will be denied admission.
Part-Time Status
US industrial or government employees who will work full time in electrical engineering or related areas may be granted part-time status. Part-time students maintain residency if enrolled in at least 3 hours each long semester.
Fellowships
Award of a fellowship will be based on the criteria required by the sponsor agency (including the graduate school) on a competitive basis.
Curriculum
| PhD Electives | ||
| Complete 30 elective hours with at least 21 hours of advanced electives. | 30 | |
| Select up to three from the following: | ||
| RANDOM SIGNALS AND NOISE | ||
| CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS | ||
| ANALOG INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DESIGN | ||
| ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY | ||
| LINEAR SYSTEMS ENGINEERING | ||
| POWER SYSTEM MODELING AND ANALYSIS | ||
| SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE THEORY | ||
| DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING | ||
| DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF PHOTONICS AND OPTICAL ENGINEERING | ||
| POWER ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING | ||
Or other course approved by advisor. | ||
| Advanced Electives | ||
| Select at least seven from the following (Part-time students may substitute up to 12 hours in EE 6397 or EE 6697 for required electives): | ||
| ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE SEMINAR | ||
| ADVANCED STUDY IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | ||
| TOPICS IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | ||
| DIGITAL VLSI DESIGN | ||
| VLSI SIGNAL PROCESSING ARCHITECTURES | ||
| CMOS RFIC DESIGN | ||
| MICROPROCESSOR SYSTEMS | ||
| EMBEDDED MICROCONTROLLER SYSTEMS | ||
| SYSTEM ON CHIP (SOC) DESIGN | ||
| CMOS MIXED SIGNAL IC DESIGN | ||
| ADVANCED DIGITAL VLSI DESIGN | ||
| TOPICS IN DIGITAL SYSTEMS | ||
| OPTIMAL CONTROL | ||
| INTELLIGENT CONTROL SYSTEMS | ||
| NONLINEAR SYSTEMS | ||
| ROBOTICS | ||
| SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION AND ESTIMATION | ||
| TOPICS IN SYSTEMS ENGINEERING | ||
| DISTRIBUTED DECISION AND CONTROL | ||
| RF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING | ||
| ANTENNA SYSTEM ANALYSIS | ||
| WAVE PROPAGATION AND SCATTERING | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF RADAR REMOTE SENSING | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF RADAR IMAGING | ||
| FOUNDATIONS OF MEDICAL IMAGING | ||
| COMPUTATIONAL METHODS IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | ||
| TOPICS IN ELECTROMAGNETICS | ||
| ELECTRONIC MATERIALS: FUNDAMENTALS AND APPLICATIONS | ||
| SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE MODELING AND CHARACTERIZATION | ||
| SILICON INTEGRATED CIRCUIT FABRICATION TECHNOLOGY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS (MEMS) AND DEVICES | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO BIO-NANOTECHNOLOGY | ||
| MICROWAVE DEVICES | ||
| RADIO-FREQUENCY CIRCUIT DESIGN | ||
| TOPICS IN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT TECHNOLOGY | ||
| DIGITAL VIDEO CODING | ||
| STATISTICAL SIGNAL PROCESSING | ||
| NEURAL NETWORKS AND DEEP LEARNING | ||
| MACHINE LEARNING | ||
| DISCRETE TRANSFORMS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS | ||
| DIGITAL IMAGE PROCESSING | ||
| STATISTICAL PATTERN RECOGNITION | ||
| COMPUTER VISION | ||
| TOPICS IN SIGNAL PROCESSING | ||
| DATA COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING | ||
| INFORMATION THEORY FOR DATA SCIENCE | ||
| FIBER OPTIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS | ||
| WIRELESS COMMUNICATION AND IoT | ||
| TOPICS IN COMMUNICATIONS | ||
| ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVES | ||
| POWER SYSTEM PLANNING, OPERATION, AND CONTROL IN A DEREGULATED ENVIRONMENT | ||
| CONGESTION MANAGEMENT | ||
| UNBUNDLING SERVICES OF A DEREGULATED POWER SYSTEM | ||
| POWER SYSTEM PROTECTIVE RELAYING | ||
| POWER SYSTEM DISTRIBUTION | ||
| POWER SYSTEM RELIABILITY IN PLANNING AND OPERATION | ||
| PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERS IN INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION | ||
| POWER QUALITY | ||
| TOPICS IN POWER SYSTEM ENGINEERING | ||
| FOUNDATIONS IN SEMICONDUCTORS | ||
| OPTICAL DETECTORS AND RADIATION | ||
| SOLAR ELECTRICITY & PHOTOVOLTAICS | ||
| OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES FOR COMMUNICATION | ||
| NONLINEAR OPTICS | ||
| INTEGRATED OPTICS | ||
| FOURIER OPTICS AND HOLOGRAPHY | ||
| LASERS | ||
| TOPICS IN OPTICS | ||
| ADVANCED STUDY IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | ||
| ADVANCED MICROPROCESSOR SYSTEMS | ||
| ADVANCED EMBEDDED MICROCONTROLLER SYSTEMS | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO UNMANNED VEHICLE SYSTEMS | ||
| UNMANNED VEHICLE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT | ||
| ADVANCED QUANTUM DEVICES | ||
| QUANTUM WELL LASERS | ||
| NANOSYSTEMS AND QUANTUM ELECTRONIC DEVICES | ||
| ADVANCED MEMS -- MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS | ||
| CONVEX OPTIMIZATION FOR ENGINEERS | ||
| IMAGE AND VIDEO CODING | ||
| ADVANCED DATA NETWORKS | ||
| ADVANCED FIBER OPTICS SYSTEMS | ||
| ADVANCED AND NEXT-G WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS | ||
| RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS | ||
| NANOPHOTONICS | ||
| OPTICAL BIOSENSORS: INSTRUMENTATION AND TECHNIQUES | ||
| RESEARCH IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | ||
| RESEARCH IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | ||
| Or other course approved by advisor. | ||
| Disseratation | ||
| Complete at least 9 hours in the folllowing. | 9 | |
| DISSERTATION | ||
| DISSERTATION | ||
| DISSERTATION | ||
| DOCTORAL DEGREE COMPLETION | ||
| Total Hours | 39 | |
Program Completion
A student working toward a PhD must maintain a 3.5 GPA in all electrical engineering coursework and at least a 3.5 GPA in all coursework. Approval to continue in the doctoral program is given by:
- Obtaining the approval of a dissertation adviser, and
- Passing the Diagnostic Examination. This exam will be over the two Technical Proficiency areas selected by the student.
This procedure must be completed within the year of coursework toward the PhD. A student not having attempted the Diagnostic Examination by this time will be allowed one more opportunity to take the examination during the next full semester.
The status of a doctoral candidate is approved for students who have passed an oral Comprehensive Examination (a comprehensive dissertation proposal) and submitted a Final Program of Work. If the student fails the examination, he/she would be given one more chance to pass it no later than during the following semester. Upon completion of the Diagnostic Examination, the candidate should enroll in the dissertation course EE 6699 DISSERTATION or EE 7399. The student can only enroll in EE 7399 DOCTORAL DEGREE COMPLETION one time. If the student does not graduate in the semester EE 7399 is used, all future semesters the student must enroll in EE 6699 until the dissertation is defended.
A student’s supervisory committee shall consist of at least three members of the Graduate Faculty, a majority of whom must be in Electrical Engineering.
Advising Resources
EE Advising - General information
Electrical Engineering
Location:
Master's - NH 531
Ph.D. - NH 545
Email:
ee_grad_advising@uta.edu
Phone:
Master's - 817-272-3423
Ph.D. - 817-272-3472
Web:
Master's - Schedule graduate advising
Ph.D. - Schedule graduate advising