Program Overview

Computer Engineering, Ph.D.

The doctoral program in computer engineering has a set of six core courses (total of 18 hours) that cover the basic concepts each graduate of this program is expected to know. Upon completion of these core courses, students can pursue research and coursework that will emphasize either the computer science or electrical engineering aspect of this joint degree.

Learning Outcomes

• Specialize in solutions and techniques from the discipline’s foundational areas by successfully completing comprehensive exams in 4 of the following areas: Algorithms, Databases, Programming languages, Artificial Intelligence, Scientific Computing, Graphics, Systems, Software Engineering, and Information Assurance/computer security.
• Contribute to the body of knowledge in Computer Science topics by completing scholarly papers, which are publishable in peer-reviewed journals.
• Demonstrate research skills and professional behavior consistent with the computer science scientific community.
• Demonstrate knowledge required to mathematically analyze and evaluate complex interactions between variables, computing hardware, timing of data transfers, and networking in the field of Computer Engineering.
• Demonstrate skills needed for studying an open-ended problem and be able to manage projects in the field of Computer Engineering.
• Demonstrate knowledge leading to advancement of the state of the art in the discipline and benefit to society.
• Pursue submission of scholarly work.

Admission

Requirements for admission to the Graduate School, including English proficiency, may be found in the Admission section of this bulletin. In addition, applicants for the doctoral program in computer engineering must hold a baccalaureate degree or a master’s degree from an accredited institution in the United States or from a recognized institution in another country. A doctoral applicant who has earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related discipline must have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0. An applicant who does not have a master’s degree must have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.5 with a baccalaureate degree in electrical engineering, computer science, computer engineering or a closely related discipline. Each application must include a letter of intent describing the applicant’s interests and career objectives, plus a list of two references that can be contacted or two letters of reference. All applicants must also submit GRE scores. Applicants with more than 12 hours (four courses) of deficiency are not eligible for admission. Applicants who lack only fewer than 12 hours (4 courses) of the computer science or electrical engineering undergraduate proficiency courses may be admitted conditionally to the doctoral program, but they will be required to remove those deficiencies by taking prescribed undergraduate courses and obtaining a grade of B or better in each deficiency course as soon as possible and within the first year.

Curriculum Requirements

• Minimum credit hours of research and dissertation (not including master’s degree thesis): 18
• Minimum credit hours in computer engineering: 18
• Minimum credit hours in mathematics: 6
• Minimum credit hours in computer science or electrical engineering: 27
• Maximum credit hours of 6000-level courses: 18
• Maximum credit hours of independent study: 12

An important feature of the joint Ph.D. program in computer engineering is the articulation of four core areas: theory, architecture, hardware, and systems. Students complete 18 hours of courses in these four areas, with at least one course in theory, one course in architecture, two courses in hardware, and two courses in systems.

Doctoral Matriculation Requirements

Students entering the doctoral program with a baccalaureate degree will file a report with the graduate coordinator stating their intention to remain in the Ph.D. program and indicating their area of research. This report must be filed during the second semester of their studies and shall be supported by a graduate faculty member who becomes their designated research advisor. Failure to secure a designated research advisor will prompt a recommendation to the Graduate School that the student be removed from the Ph.D. program and entered into the Master’s program.

Residency Requirements

Because research is a full-time activity and technology changes very rapidly in this field, part-time study for the Ph.D. is not encouraged. Every doctoral student is required to satisfy a one-year, full-time residency (9 hours per semester) in work towards the doctorate.

Core Requirements

Every computer engineering doctoral student is required to satisfy competency requirements in four topic areas with at least one course in theory, one course in architecture, two courses in hardware, and two courses in systems. The list of topic areas is maintained and reviewed regularly by the program faculty and may be modified.

Preliminary Examination

Within one semester (not including summer session) after completion of the core competency course requirements, each student is to request a date be established for their preliminary examination. Students will be asked to pass a set of preliminary exams that will cover architecture, hardware, and systems (one for each topic). The student will be allowed to pick a fourth area for their exam based on their area of research. Each student will be required to pass each of the four exams in no more than two attempts. Failure to do so will result in the student having to withdraw from the program.

Advisory Committee

No later than eight weeks after successful completion of the preliminary examination, the student shall secure the agreement of a graduate faculty member to serve as the candidate’s dissertation advisor, which may or may not be the same as the designated research advisor, and shall request an advisory committee. The program will recommend to the Graduate School dismissal from the program of students who fail to secure a dissertation advisor. The members of the advisory committee are selected with the assistance of the candidate’s dissertation advisor, the computer science or electrical engineering graduate program advisor, and the respective department chair. When appropriate, the advisory committee may suggest alternate graduate faculty members for the committee. The advisory committee must consist of at least five graduate faculty members, including at least one member from outside the Tandy School of Computer Science and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The advisory committee must include at least one electrical engineering and one computer science faculty member. The candidate’s dissertation advisor chairs the advisory committee. The purpose of the advisory committee is to assist the doctoral student in identifying any deficiencies in the student’s graduate record to date, scheduling a research internship (if desired by student), scheduling the proposal defense, and evaluating the dissertation research.

Proposal Defense

Within one year of passing the preliminary examination, the student must attempt the proposal defense, which is administered by the student’s advisory committee. The student must apply for the examination at least two weeks before it is to be held. The dissertation proposal should 1) identify the research topic in an area of scientific or technological importance and should relate any progress to date, and 2) outline the scholarly research proposed that demonstrates the student’s ability to explore the topic in depth. The proposal should be of at least master’s level quality and may be undertaken as a research course of three credits. An extended master’s thesis, a properly documented computer project, or the report from a research internship may also be acceptable. The examiners may also ask questions covering the student’s major, minor, and related topics. The proposal must be accepted by the committee.

Admission to Candidacy

Students who are in good standing, who have passed the four areas of the computer engineering preliminary examination, who have successfully completed a minimum of 45 acceptable coursework credits, and who have passed the proposal defense will be recommended by the department for admission to candidacy.

Doctoral Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation is the final and the most important component of the series of academic goals which culminate in the awarding of the doctoral degree. The dissertation is to be a work of original research scholarship which represents a patentable invention and/or material publishable in an archival publication. It should demonstrate the student’s ability to address a significant intellectual problem and arrive at a successful conclusion.

Final Oral Examination

The final oral examination is a defense of the dissertation and is open to the public. The candidate will prepare and distribute reading copies of the dissertation to each doctoral committee member two weeks prior to the oral examination. The dissertation can only be accepted by the unanimous approval of the committee.

Computer Engineering (CE) and Related Courses

Core Areas: Theory (T), Architecture (A), Hardware (H), Systems (S)

• COMPUTER SCIENCE (CS)
  • CS 6153 Computer Security (CE) (S) (T)
  • CS 6333 Computer Networks (CE) (S)
  • CS 6413 Compiler Construction (CE) (S)
  • CS 6423 Computer Architecture (CE) (A)
  • CS 7133 Theory of Computing (CE) (T)
  • CS 7023 Software Reverse Engineering (CE)
  • CS 7033 SCADA Systems Security (CE)
  • CS 7073 Embedded Devices Reverse Engineering (CE)
  • CS 7083 Security Auditing and Penetration Testing (CE)
  • CS 7093 Hardware Reverse Engineering (CE) (H)
  • CS 7483 Computer and Network Forensics (CE)
  • CS 7961 Residency
  • CS 7981-6 Research and Thesis
  • CS 7991-3 Independent Study
• ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING (EE)
  • ECE 6163 Computer Hardware Techniques (H)
  • ECE 6173 Computer Networks (S)
  • ECE 6243 Applied Electronics (CE)
  • ECE 6273 Optical Networking (S)
  • ECE 6423 Radio Frequency Engineering (CE)
  • ECE 6443 VLSI Design (H)
  • ECE 6513 Digital Signal Processing (T)
  • ECE 6623 Electro-optics (S)
  • ECE 6723 Robotics (CE)
  • ECE 7013 Random Processes in Engineering (T)
  • ECE 7063 Computer Engineering (CE) (H)
  • ECE 7073 Fundamentals of Engineering and Management
  • ECE 7263 Advanced Hardware Architecture (CE) (A)
  • ECE 7353 Aircraft Systems, Simulation, and Control (CE) (S)
  • ECE 7363 Computer Architecture (CE) (A)
  • ECE 7413 Neural Networks
  • ECE 7861-3 Special Topics in Electrical Engineering
  • ECE 7961 Residency
  • ECE 7981-6 Research and Thesis
  • ECE 7991-3 Independent Study
  • ECE 9981-9 Research and Dissertation
  • ECE 9991-3 Independent Study