Program Overview

Program Overview

The Electrical Engineering PhD program at Temple University is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in electrical engineering, preparing them for careers in research, industry, and academia.

General Program Requirements

The program requires a minimum of 60 credits beyond the bachelor's degree, including 45 credits of graduate-level didactic coursework and 15 research credits. For students with a master's degree in Electrical Engineering, the program requires a minimum of 30 credits, including 15 credits of graduate-level didactic coursework and 15 research credits.

Post-Baccalaureate Requirements (for students WITHOUT a master's degree in Electrical Engineering)

• Required Seminar: ECE 5600 Graduate Seminar (0 credits)
• Core Courses: 45 credits
• Research Courses: 15 credits
  • ECE 9991 Directed Research (1-9 credits)
  • ECE 9994 Preliminary Examination Preparation (1-2 credits)
  • ECE 9998 Pre-Dissertation Research (1 credit minimum)
  • ECE 9999 Dissertation Research (2 credits minimum)
• Total Credit Hours: 60

Post-Master's Requirements (for students WITH a master's degree in Electrical Engineering)

• Required Seminar: ECE 5600 Graduate Seminar (0 credits)
• Core Courses: 15 credits
• Research Courses: 15 credits
  • ECE 9991 Directed Research (1-9 credits)
  • ECE 9994 Preliminary Examination Preparation (1-2 credits)
  • ECE 9998 Pre-Dissertation Research (1 credit minimum)
  • ECE 9999 Dissertation Research (2 credits minimum)
• Total Credit Hours: 30

Culminating Events

Formation of the Doctoral Advisory Committee

The selection of a research advisor and the formation of a Doctoral Advisory Committee are the first steps toward achieving a PhD. The Doctoral Advisory Committee selects the required coursework and guides the progress of the student's dissertation research.

Preliminary Examination

All students generally complete their didactic coursework prior to taking the preliminary examination. The preliminary exam tests both the student's core knowledge in Electrical Engineering and their capacity to synthesize and interpret research communications.

Dissertation Proposal

After passing the preliminary exam, the student must develop a written research proposal and present it in an open College seminar. The student must schedule the proposal ten business days prior to the presentation seminar and post an announcement.

Research Credits

Students carry out research throughout their studies and register for the corresponding research credits while in the PhD program. The type of research credits that a student registers for depends on the student's progress in the program.

Dissertation Defense

The dissertation defense is an open University seminar in which the student presents the concepts and results of their research. The student must coordinate the formation of the Dissertation Examining Committee in the term that they intend to defend their dissertation.

Additional Requirements

• All doctoral students must publish at least two technical papers in refereed journals or refereed conferences. The papers must be based on the student's dissertation research with the student as the first author.
• The dissertation document should be prepared in a format compliant with University standards.
• A copy of the completed dissertation must be provided to the committee at least three weeks before the date of the dissertation defense.