Electrical Engineering, PhD
Deepen your electrical engineering expertise through advanced study and research in areas that include energy systems and signal processing. Prepare to develop innovations in how the world connects, powers and communicates.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: Yes
International students (F1) can extend U.S. work experience by 24 months.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
The Doctor of Philosophy program in electrical engineering prepares you to make contributions to the field of electrical engineering. The program focuses on research, enabling you to develop a personalized area of expertise.
Graduate courses and programs are offered in the following six areas of specialization:
- control systems
- electric power and energy systems
- electromagnetics, antennas and microwave circuits
- electronic and mixed-signal circuit design
- physical electronics and photonics
- signal processing and communications
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation
Doctoral students are required to complete 84 credit hours of academic credit beyond the bachelor's degree. The following summarizes the degree course requirements: Master's degree (30 credit hours) Electives 500 level or above (18 credit hours) Research Class or Omnibus Courses (12 credit hours) Dissertation (12 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information The additional 12 credit hours can be more hours of research (EEE 792) or can be coursework as determined by the supervisory committee. At least nine of the minimum 18 required credit hours of doctoral coursework must be in electrical engineering. EEE 790 Reading and Conference can be used for no more than three credit hours toward the required 18 but does not count toward the nine hours of 500-level EEE classes required. All courses counting toward the required 18 credit hour minimum must be at the 500 level or higher. (Note: All courses with the prefix EEE 591 count as 400-level courses.) No more than one three-hour reading and conference course (EEE 790) may be taken as part of the 18 credit hour requirement. The content of any proposed reading and conference course must be reviewed and approved by the electrical engineering graduate program chair before a student registers for the course. A qualifying examination, a comprehensive exam and the dissertation defense are required. Additional information on the program can be found in the Blue Student Guide published and available on the program's website.
From any accredited institution
At least nine credit hours of EEE courses
Can be 400-level and above or
EEE 792 Research (12)
EEE 799 Dissertation (12)
The 84 credit hours include 30 credit hours from the master's degree, a required 18 credit hours of doctoral coursework, 12 credit hours of research (EEE 792) and 12 credit hours (and only 12 credit hours) of dissertation (EEE 799).
Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution. In general, a student must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in all undergraduate coursework and a minimum GPA of 3.50 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in all graduate coursework for admission to the doctoral program. A student usually must hold a master's degree before being admitted to the doctoral program. Direct doctoral admission is available for students graduating from an ABET-accredited electrical engineering program with a GPA of 3.60 (scale is 4.00 = "A") or higher. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information International students seeking teaching assistantships must demonstrate proficiency in spoken English by scoring at least 26 on the speaking portion of the internet-based TOEFL or a score of 50 on the ASU-administered Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit. A student whose master's degree is not from a U.S. ABET-accredited institution must score 156 or higher on the quantitative section of the GRE General Test. A good score on the writing portion is considered desirable. ASU does not accept the GRE® General Test at home edition. A student whose undergraduate degree is not in electrical engineering may need to take appropriate undergraduate courses to establish a baseline of knowledge in the discipline. Applicants should see the program website for application deadlines.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Graduates demonstrate an advanced understanding of electrical engineering and apply that knowledge to advance in their careers, in both academia and industry.
Career examples include:
- computer hardware engineer
- computer and information research scientist
- computer network architect
- director of engineering
- electrical engineer
- electrical engineering researcher
- energy engineer
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
Electrical Engineering Program
|
GWC 209
askee@asu.edu
480-965-3424
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
