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Electrical Engineering



	Description

	Degrees Offered

	Admission

	Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

		Communications Track

		Controls/Power Track

		Digital Signal Processing Track

		Electro-Optics Track

		Electromagnetics Track

		Power Electronics and Electronics Track

		Solid State and Microelectronics Track

		VLSI Design Track

	Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering

	Contact Info

Description

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Electrical Engineering. Students in the Electrical Engineering program receive a broad background in areas such as communications, controls/robotics, digital signal processing, electromagnetics, power electronics and electronics, electro-optics, solid state and microelectronics, and very large-scale integration (VLSI) while specializing in a research area of their interest.

Research interests of the Electrical Engineering faculty include antennas, microwave and millimeter circuits and devices, communication systems, digital signal/image processing, electronic circuits, IFF devices, electromagnetic theory, radar and microwave remote sensing, speech processing, VLSI design, spread spectrum systems, SAW and ACT devices, spectral estimation, solid state device modeling and computer-aided design (CAD) techniques, communication networks, integrated services digital networks, neural networks, systems and controls, robotics, robust control, computer control, microelectronics, semiconductors, thin films, power system stability, bipolar device modeling, solid state lasers, optical propagation, fiber optics, optical signal processing, laser-induced damage, optical testing, diffractive optics, phase conjunction, infrared detectors, fourier optics, lens design, and nonlinear optics.

Degrees Offered

Communications Track
Controls/Power Track
Digital Signal Processing Track
Electro-Optics Track
Electromagnetics Track
Power Electronics and Electronics Track
Solid State and Microelectronics Track
VLSI Design Track

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering

Admission

For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. Please be sure to submit all requested material by the established deadline(s).

The Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering (M.S.E.E.) is intended for students with a baccalaureate degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field from a regionally accredited institution. In addition to the general admission requirements, applicants must provide:

Minimum GPA of 3.0 on the last 60 attempted credit hours of the bachelor’s degree.
Minimum combined score of 1000 on the verbal-quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Resume.
Goals statement.
Two letters of recommendation.

For the Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering (Ph.D.) program, students must satisfy university requirements and:

Have completed either a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related discipline with a minimum GPA of 3.5 and a minimum of 1100 on the combined verbal-quantitative sections of the GRE, or
Have a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related discipline with a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the last 60 attempted credit hours of the bachelor’s degree, and a minimum of 1100 on the combined verbal-quantitative portion of the GRE
Submit a resume, goal statement, and three letters of recommendation

Additional Notes on Admissions

In both programs, for applicants from countries where English is not the official language, or for an applicant whose bachelor’s degree is not from an accredited U.S. institution, an official score of at least 220 (computer-based test; or equivalent score on the paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required.

Students with a grade point average of less than 3.0 may be admitted on a provisional basis in some circumstances. Additional courses may also be required to correct any course deficiencies. Students should contact the graduate program coordinator for further information.

The College of Engineering and Computer Science requires that you fill out a pre-application form (www.graduate.cecs.ucf.edu) before you complete the application for graduate admission. The deadlines for the pre-application form can be found on the Prospective Student Page on the College of Engineering and Computer Science website.

Application Due Dates

All students applying for fellowships or assistantships must apply by the Fall Priority deadline date.

U.S. Applicants

Program(s) Fall Priority Fall Spring Summer

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Communications Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Controls/Power Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Digital Signal Processing Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Electro-Optics Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Electromagnetics Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Power Electronics and Electronics Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Solid State and Microelectronics Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

VLSI Design Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

International Applicants

Program(s) Fall Priority Fall Spring Summer

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Communications Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Controls/Power Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Digital Signal Processing Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Electro-Optics Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Electromagnetics Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Power Electronics and Electronics Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Solid State and Microelectronics Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

VLSI Design Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

International Transfer Applicants

Program(s) Fall Priority Fall Spring Summer

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Communications Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Controls/Power Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Digital Signal Processing Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Electro-Optics Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Electromagnetics Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Power Electronics and Electronics Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Solid State and Microelectronics Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

VLSI Design Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

The Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree offers tracks in Communications, Controls/Power, Digital Signal Processing, Electronics/Robotics Electronics, Electro-optics, Solid State and Microelectronics and VLSI Design. The program is intended for students with a baccalaureate degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Detailed information on the tracks and research activities is available in the department or on the school website.

General College Requirements

Articulation

Undergraduate articulation courses may be required for students with BS and/or MS degrees in fields other than Electrical Engineering. The articulation courses will be determined by the graduate program director in consultation with student’s research adviser on a case-by-case basis. In general, students with a non-Electrical Engineering degree must have had the equivalent course work or satisfy the following articulation program:

Mathematics through Differential Equations (MAP 2302 or equivalent)
Physics with Calculus (PHY 2048, PHY 2049 or equivalent)
Electronics I (EEL 3307C or equivalent)
Electromagnetic Fields (EEL 3470 or equivalent)
Signal Analysis and Communications (EEL 3552C or equivalent)
Semiconductor Devices I (EEL 3306 or equivalent)

Additional courses may also be required to correct any undergraduate course deficiencies. Courses taken to correct deficiencies cannot be used to satisfy minimum degree requirements.

Transfer Credits

Graduate students (subject to approval from an adviser) with a bachelor’s degree from Electrical Engineering at UCF may transfer up to 9 credit hours of 5000-level work toward an M.S. non-thesis option and up to 3 credit hours of 5000-level work toward an M.S. thesis option. Up to 9 credit hours may be transferred from graduate work conducted elsewhere or in nondegree status from a regionally accredited institution.

Thesis or Non-thesis Option

The master’s program offers a thesis option (30 credit hours, including 6 credit hours of thesis) and a non-thesis option (36 credit hours) for all tracks. Students must have an adviser appointed and an official program of study submitted before completing 9 credit hours of course work.

Thesis Option

This option requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of approved course work, of which 6 are thesis work. The course requirements are as follows:

Required courses from one of the following tracks: Communications, Controls/Power, Digital Signal Processing, Electromagnetics, Power Electronics and Electronics, Electro-optics, or Solid State and Microelectronics
One course from any other two areas listed above (6 credit hours total)
No more than 6 credits of thesis will count toward the degree requirement
The remainder of the program courses is chosen in conjunction with an adviser in an approved program of study
At least 15 credit hours must be from 6000-level courses
Continuous enrollment in one hour of thesis is required once six hours of thesis credits have been completed and all course work has been satisfied, until the final thesis has been received by the Division of Graduate Studies

Non-Thesis Option

This option requires a minimum of 36 credit hours of course work and is intended primarily for part-time students. Program requirements are the same as the thesis option except that the thesis requirement is replaced by 12 credit hours of course work. Students are required to pass a final comprehensive examination or another appropriate culminating experience. Please see the graduate program director for details.

Communications Track

Total Hours Required for M.S.E.E.—30 or 36 Credit Hours

Required Courses—12 Credit Hours

EEL 5542 Random Processes I (3 credit hours)
EEL 6530 Communication Theory (3 credit hours)
One course from two of the following tracks: Controls/Power, Digital Signal Processing, Electromagnetics, Power Electronics and Electronics, Electro-optics, Solid State and Microelectronics (6 credit hours)

Thesis Option—18 Additional Credit Hours

EEL 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)
Electives (12 credit hours)

Non-Thesis Option—24 Additional Credit Hours

Electives (24 credit hours)

Elective Courses

EEL 6504 Communications Systems Design (3 credit hours)
EEL 6543 Random Processes II (3 credit hours)
EEL 6537 Detection and Estimation (3 credit hours)
EEL 5555C RF and Microwave Communications (3 credit hours)
EEL 5762 Performance Analysis of Computer and Communication Systems (3 credit hours)
EEL 5547 Introduction to Radar Systems (3 credit hours)
EEL 6785 Computer Network Design (3 credit hours)
EEL 6590 Advanced Topics in Communications (3 credit hours)

Controls/Power Track

Total Hours Required for M.S.E.E.—30 or 36 Credit Hours

Required Courses—12 Credit Hours

EEL 5630 Digital Control Systems (3 credit hours)
EEL 5173 Linear Systems Theory (3 credit hours)
One course from two of the following tracks: Communications, Digital Signal Processing, Electromagnetics, Power Electronics and Electronics, Electro-optics, Solid State and Microelectronics (6 credit hours)

Thesis Option—18 Additional Credit Hours

EEL 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)
Electives (12 credit hours)

Non-Thesis Option—24 Additional Credit Hours

Electives (24 credit hours)

Electives in Controls

EEL 6621 Nonlinear Control Systems (3 credit hours)
EEL 6671 Modern and Optimal Control Systems (3 credit hours)
EEL 6674 Optimal Estimation for Control (3 credit hours)
EEL 6617 Fundamentals of Modern Multivariable Control (3 credit hours)
EEL 6616 Adaptive Control (3 credit hours)
EEL 6680 Advanced Topics in Modern Control Systems (3 credit hours)

Electives in Power

EEL 5245C Power Electronics - (3 credit hours)
EEL 6208 Advanced Machines (3 credit hours)
EEL 6255 Advanced Power Systems Analysis (3 credit hours)
EEL 6269 Advanced Topics in Power Engineering (3 credit hours)
EEL 6246 Power Electronics II (3 credit hours)

Digital Signal Processing Track

Total Hours Required for M.S.E.E.—30 or 36 Credit Hours

Required Courses—12 Credit Hours

EEL 4750 Digital Signal Processing Fundamentals (3 credit hours)
EEL 5513 Digital Signal Processing Applications (3 credit hours)
One course from two of the following tracks: Communications, Controls/Power, Electromagnetics, Power Electronics and Electronics, Electro-optics, Solid State and Microelectronics (6 credit hours)

Thesis Option—18 Additional Credit Hours

EEL 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)
Electives (12 credit hours)

Non-Thesis Option—24 Additional Credit Hours

Electives (24 credit hours)

Elective Courses

EEL 6502 Adaptive Digital Signal Processing (3 credit hours)
EEL 6505 Multidimensional Digital Processing (3 credit hours)
EEL 6558 Advanced Topics in Digital Signal Processing (3 credit hours)
EEL 5820 Image Processing (3 credit hours)
EEL 6823 Image Processing II (3 credit hours)
EEL 5825 Pattern Recognition (3 credit hours)

Electromagnetics Track

Total Hours Required for M.S.E.E.—30 or 36 Credit Hours

Required Courses—12 Credit Hours

EEL 6488 Electromagnetic Fields (3 credit hours)
One course from two of the following tracks: Communications, Controls/Power, Digital Signal Processing, Electronics, Electro-optics, Solid State and Microelectronics (6 credit hours)

One of the following courses is required:

EEL 4436C Microwave Engineering (3 credit hours)
EEL 5462C Antenna Analysis and Design (3 credit hours)
EEL 5434 Microwave Circuits and Devices (3 credit hours)

Thesis Option—18 Additional Credit Hours

EEL 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)
Electives (12 credit hours)

Non-Thesis Option—24 Additional Credit Hours

Electives (24 credit hours)

Elective Courses

EEL 5432 Satellite Remote Sensing (3 credit hours)
EEL 5555C RF and Microwave Communications (3 credit hours)
EEL 6463 Antenna Analysis and Design II (3 credit hours)
EEL 6492 Advanced Topics in Electromagnetics and Microwaves (3 credit hours)

Power Electronics and Electronics Track

Total Hours Required for M.S.E.E.—30 or 36 Credit Hours

Required Courses—12 Credit Hours

EEL 6371 Advanced Electronics I (3 credit hours)
One course from two of the following tracks: Communications, Controls/Power, Digital Signal Processing, Electromagnetics, Electro-optics, Solid State and Microelectronics (6 credit hours)

One of the following courses is required:

EEL 5245C Power Electronics (3 credit hours)
EEL 5378 CMOS Analog and Digital Circuit Design (3 credit hours)

Thesis Option—18 Additional Credit Hours

EEL 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)
Electives (12 credit hours)

Non-Thesis Option—24 Additional Credit Hours

Electives (24 credit hours)

Elective Courses

EEL 5353 Semiconductor Device Modeling and Simulation (3 credit hours)
EEL 5370 Operational Amplifiers (3 credit hours)
EEL 6354 Advanced Semiconductor Device I (3 credit hours)
EEL 6372 Advanced Topics in Electronics (3 credit hours)
EEL 6246 Power Electronics II (3 credit hours)

Electro-optics Track

Total Hours Required for M.S.E.E.—30 or 36 Credit Hours

Required Courses—9 Credit Hours

OSE 5041 Introduction to Wave Optics (3 credit hours)
OSE 6560 Laser Engineering (3 credit hours)
OSE 6211 Fourier Optics (3 credit hours)

Thesis Option—18 Additional Credit Hours

EEL 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)
Electives (12 credit hours)

Non-Thesis Option—24 Additional Credit Hours

Electives (24 credit hours)

Elective Courses

Courses from the following tracks can serve as electives: Communications, Controls/Power, Digital Signal Processing, Electromagnetics, Electronics, Solid State and Microelectronics. The elective courses depend on the sub-option chosen in the Electro-optics track. The sub-options are: Photonics, Optical Communications, Electro-optics Systems, Imaging Systems, Remote Sensing, and Laser Engineering. More details of these sub-options can be obtained from the graduate office in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Solid State and Microelectronics Track

Total Hours Required for M.S.E.E.—30 or 36 Credit Hours

Required Courses—12 Credit Hours

EEL 5355C Fabrication of Solid-State Devices (4 credit hours)
EEL 6354 Advanced Semiconductor Device I (3 credit hours)
One course from two of the following tracks: Communications, Controls/Power, Digital Signal Processing, Electromagnetics, Power Electronics and Electronics, Electro-optics (6 credit hours)

Thesis Option—18 Additional Credit Hours

EEL 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)
Electives (12 credit hours)

Non-Thesis Option—24 Additional Credit Hours

Electives (24 credit hours)

Elective Courses

EEL 5332C Thin Film Technology (3 credit hours)
EEL 5353 Semiconductor Device Modeling and Simulation (3 credit hours)
EEL 5378 CMOS Analog and Digital Circuit Design (3 credit hours)
EEL 5517 Surface Acoustic Wave Devices and Systems (3 credit hours)
EEL 5352 Semiconductor Material and Device Characterization (3 credit hours)
EEL 6354 Advanced Semiconductor Device I (3 credit hours)
EEL 6338 Advanced Topics in Microelectronics (3 credit hours)

VLSI Design Track

Total Hours Required for M.S.E.E.—30 or 36 Credit Hours

Required Courses—6 Credit Hours

EEL 5390 Full-Custom VLSI Design (3 credit hours)
EEL 5378 CMOS Analog and Digital Circuit Design (3 credit hours)

Thesis Option—24 Additional Credit Hours

EEL 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)
Electives (18 credit hours)

Non-Thesis Option—30 Additional Credit Hours

Electives (30 credit hours)

Elective Courses

EEL 5353 Device Modeling and Simulation (3 credit hours)
EEL 5370 Operational Amplifiers (3 credit hours)
EEL 5434 Microwave Optics and Devices (3 credit hours)
EEL 5708 High-Performance Computer Architecture (3 credit hours)
EEL 5722 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Design (3 credit hours)
Additional electives selected in consultation with adviser

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering

Total Hours Required for Ph.D.—Minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree; minimum of 36 credit hours beyond the master’s degree

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is primarily intended for students with a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related discipline who wish to pursue a career in research or academia. Specializations include Communications, Digital Signal Processing/Image Processing, Controls, Electro-Optics, Electromagnetics, Power Electronics and Electronics, Solid-State/Microelectronics, and VLSI Design.

Degree Requirements

General College Requirements

The Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the bachelors degree. Of these 72 hours, a minimum of 36 credit hours should be regular course work and a minimum of 15 credit hours should be dissertation hours. The remaining 21 credit hours could be course work (including courses such as Independent Study or Directed Research) or dissertation hours.

The Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of 36 credit hours beyond the masters degree (depending on the number of transfer credits from the masters degree). Of these 36 hours, a minimum of 12 credit hours should be regular course work and a minimum of 15 credit hours should be dissertation hours. The remaining 9 credit hours could be course work (including courses such as Independent Study or Directed Research) or dissertation hours.

At least 6 credit hours must be taken outside the students program while at UCF. There is a residency requirement of two contiguous semesters in full-time graduate student status (minimum of 9 credit hours) after acceptance to the graduate program at UCF. The program of study must be developed in consultation with an adviser within the first 9 credit hours of course work and must meet with departmental approval, at which time transfer credit will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. Students are required to pass a Qualifying Examination, after which the student must form a dissertation committee. The degree must be completed within seven years from the entry date to the doctoral program.

Transfer Credits

Up to 6 credit hours of 4000 level course work are acceptable if transferred from a master’s degree program. A limited number of up to 36 credit hours may be transferred from a master’s degree toward these requirements, including a maximum of 6 credit hours of 4000-level courses; no 3000-level courses; and no courses with grades less than “B” grades.

Qualifying Examination

Students are required to pass a qualifying examination, after which the student must form a dissertation committee. The degree must be completed within seven years of the entry date to the doctoral program. The prospective doctoral student must take a written qualifying exam before being admitted to full doctoral student status. This exam covers relevant material typically learned at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and serves to verify the student’s capability and readiness for the Ph.D. program.

The exam consists of a written four-hour test, given on the first Friday of April and first Friday of November of each year. Open books and open notes are allowed, but published solution manuals for texts are not. It is the policy of the Electrical Engineering Program that any calculator used during the exam may not be used to store user-defined programs.

Exam Format

The student declares a major area prior to taking the exam by notifying the Electrical Engineering Graduate Secretary, or during the exam time. During the exam the student has to solve three problems in the declared major area and six other problems that can be selected from at least two and at most four other chosen areas. The areas from which the student can select problems from are the following:

Circuits
Communications
Digital Signal Processing
Controls/Power
Digital Systems and Computer Architecture
Electro-optics
Electromagnetics
Physical Electronics
Electronics

Candidacy Examination

The Candidacy Examination evaluates the student’s preparation to undertake research in his/her dissertation topic area. A student may sit for the Candidacy Examination upon: (1) Passing the Qualifying Examination; (2) Completing all conditions placed as a result thereof; and (3) Completing all but six credits or less of the courses prescribed in the plan of study. The Candidacy Examination consists of the following:

A Candidacy Proposal developed by the student to identify the chosen area of research.
An oral presentation of the Candidacy Proposal by the student to the dissertation committee.
A written Candidacy Examination based on the student’s chosen area of research may be required by the major professor. The format is determined by the major professor in consultation with the dissertation committee.

Upon successful completion of the Candidacy Examination, the student can be accepted into Candidacy status, allowing him/her to enroll for dissertation credit hours. The final step in the process is the Dissertation Defense Examination, which is an oral examination taken in defense of the written dissertation before the dissertation committee.

Dissertation Committee

The Dean, through the chairs, is responsible for committee formation, additions, and deletions. The doctoral committee must consist of a minimum of five members: three must be faculty members from within the student’s department, and one must be at large from outside the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering .

The committee chair must be a member of the department graduate faculty approved to direct dissertations. Joint faculty members serve as department-faculty committee members. Adjunct faculty and off-campus experts may serve as the outside-the-college person in the committee. Program areas may further specify additional committee membership. Graduate Studies reserves the right to review appointments to advisory committees, place a representative on any advisory committee, or appoint a co-adviser.

In unusual cases, with approval from the program chair, two professors may chair the committee jointly. Joint faculty members may serve as committee chairs, but off-campus experts and adjunct faculty may not serve as committee chairs. Particular programs may have more stringent requirements. All members vote on acceptance or rejection of the dissertation proposal and the final dissertation. The dissertation proposal and final dissertation must be approved by a majority of the advisory committee.

Financial Support

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Financing Grad School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Key points about financial support:

If you’re interested in financial assistance, you’re strongly encouraged to apply for admission early. A complete application for admission, including all supporting documents, must be received by the priority date listed for your program under "Admissions."
You must be admitted to a graduate program before the university can consider awarding financial assistance to you.
If you want to be considered for loans and other need-based financial assistance, review the UCF Student Financial Assistance website at http://finaid.ucf.edu and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Apply early and allow up to six weeks for the FAFSA form to be processed.
UCF Graduate Studies awards university graduate fellowships, with most decisions based on nominations from the colleges and programs. All admitted graduate students are automatically considered in this nomination process. To be eligible for a fellowship, students must be accepted as a graduate student in a degree program and be enrolled full-time. University graduate fellowships are not affected by FAFSA determination of need.
Please note that select fellowships do require students to fill out a fellowship application (either a university fellowship application, an external fellowship application, or a college or school fellowship application). For university fellowship applications, see Financing Grad School.
For information on assistantships (including teaching, research, and general graduate assistantships) or tuition support, contact the graduate program director of your major.