COMPUTER ENGINEERING, PHD
Computer Engineering
Coursework Requirements
Students entering the PhD program with a baccalaureate degree must, in keeping with UAB Graduate School policies, complete at least 48 hours of coursework prior to admission to candidacy. Up to 16 of the 48 credits can be non-dissertation research, and up to 10 credits can be a combination of laboratory rotations, seminars, and directed study.
Students entering the PhD program with a Master’s degree in a related field, MD, DMD, etc., must complete at least 27 credit hours of coursework prior to candidacy. Up to 6 credits of the 27 can be non-dissertation research credits, and up to 6 credits can be as lab rotations, seminars, or directed study credits.
For all students, at least 24 hours of dissertation research are required and must be taken over at least two semesters after admission to candidacy.
Committee and Candidacy Requirements
In addition to completing coursework requirements (see below), doctoral students must form a Graduate Dissertation Committee consisting of at least five faculty members, including the primary research mentor. At least two committee members must have a primary appointment at UAB in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and one must have a primary appointment at UAH in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department.
Program requirements and course descriptions can be found in the UAB Graduate Catalog.
A comprehensive examination is required of all doctoral candidates. This exam is given after:
- All coursework is completed, and
- The student’s Graduate Committee, which consists of faculty representatives from both campuses, deems the student to have adequate preparation in the major and minor fields of study.
The examination is conducted by the Graduate Committee and administered on the resident campus. The examination consists of a written part and an oral part. The student presents a dissertation proposal during the oral portion of the examination. The comprehensive examination may only be taken twice.
After successfully passing the exam and defense, the graduate student will then enter into doctoral candidacy. Doctoral candidates must complete a minimum of 24 hours of dissertation research and then develop a dissertation for review by the dissertation committee. The candidate must also present an oral public defense of their dissertation. If the defense is successful, the student then has 10 working days to revise the dissertation and submit its approved form to the Graduate School.
A written dissertation proposal must be orally presented to the committee and approved, at which time the student is eligible for admission into candidacy. This must take place at least two semesters before the student may graduate. A written dissertation embodying the results of the student’s original research must then be publicly defended, approved by the committee, and submitted to the Graduate School by the published deadline.
Additional Academic Policies
Special Topics (590/690/790) courses and Independent Study (591/691/791) courses are reviewed for degree applicability for each program in the School of Engineering. No more than 6 combined hours of Special Topics and/or Independent Study courses will be applied to the Computer Engineering PhD without appeal to and approval from the Program Director.
The School of Engineering offers similar courses at the 400/500 and 600/700 levels. While the higher numbered course has more advanced content, there is a significant overlap in topics. Therefore, students are not allowed to take a 500-level or 700-level course for credit if they have previously taken the related 400-level or 600-level course, respectively.
Post Bachelor Requirements
Students entering the PhD program with a bachelor degree are required to complete at least 48 semester hours of coursework followed by 24 semester hours of dissertation research.
- 18 semester hours of approved coursework in computer engineering
- 12 semester hours of approved coursework in electrical or computer engineering
- 9 semester hours of approved coursework in mathematics, theoretical or formal methods as related to computer engineering
- 6 semester hours of approved coursework in fields that support the dissertation research
- 3 semester hours of GRD 717 Principles of Scientific Integrity
- 24 semester hours of EE 799 Dissertation Research
Students must be in candidacy prior to enrolling in EE 799 Dissertation Research. A student is eligible for admission to candidacy after (1) all coursework, including GRD 717, is complete and (2) a written dissertation proposal has been orally presented to and approved by the committee.
Post Master Coursework Requirements
Students entering the PhD program with a master degree are required to complete at least 27 semester hours of coursework followed by 24 semester hours of dissertation research.
- 9 semester hours of approved coursework in computer engineering
- 6 semester hours of approved coursework in electrical or computer engineering
- 6 semester hours of approved coursework in mathematics, theoretical or formal methods as related to computer engineering
- 3 semester hours of approved coursework in fields that support the dissertation research
- 3 semester hours of GRD 717 Principles of Scientific Integrity
- 24 semester hours of EE 799 Dissertation Research
Students must be in candidacy prior to enrolling in EE 799 Dissertation Research. A student is eligible for admission to candidacy after (1) all coursework, including GRD 717, is complete and (2) a written dissertation proposal has been orally presented to and approved by the committee.
