Ph.D. program
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is one of the core engineering programs within the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) at the University of Minnesota. We offer two graduate degree programs: Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (MSECE) and Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD).
Why pursue a graduate degree?
Pursuing graduate studies in electrical and computer engineering opens up many new opportunities in a field that is key to global innovation in areas such as renewable energy, biomedical devices, computer systems, communications, nanotechnology, robotics, artificial intelligence, and more. A Ph.D. puts you on a path toward developing expert level knowledge that will make you a leader in the technology of tomorrow. Transitioning from our master's to our doctoral program is seamless, but if you know you want to earn a Ph.D. you can apply directly with your undergraduate degree.
The Ph.D. typically takes 3 to 4 years if you have a relevant master's degree. If you enter the program directly with a relevant undergraduate degree, it usually takes 4 to 5 years.
Most of our graduate students have bachelor's degrees in electrical engineering or computer engineering, but students of physics, math, and other engineering fields are often qualified for admission and can apply their special brand of knowledge to various courses and research groups. If you look through our faculty, you will see that they come from various academic backgrounds, including physics, math, systems engineering, and robotics.
Our Ph.D. students are typically full-time due to the intensive nature of the research program that employs them as research and teaching assistants, if they are not on fellowship. The full cost of tuition and living expenses is offset by these opportunities.
Ph.D. degree requirements
- EE major field coursework credit requirement = 14
- Non-EE coursework credit requirement = 12
- Additional EE or non-EE coursework credits = 14
- PhD thesis credits (EE 8888) = 24
- Total credits for the degree = 64
