PhD in Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering

Cornell's doctoral program in electrical and computer engineering prepares students for leadership roles in teaching and research. Admission is directly to the doctorate, so a prior master's degree is unnecessary. Students choose between electrical engineering, electrical systems and electrophysics, or computer engineering. Before the second year begins they sit a qualifying examination made up of subject-area tests set by the faculty. Other milestones include an admission-to-candidacy exam in the third year and a dissertation defense in spring of the fifth year, with at least ten semesters of study. Prospective applicants should check with the graduate field office and the Cornell Graduate School about admission requirements, funding and application timelines, because this catalog entry concentrates on the academic content and milestones of the degree rather than on costs or deadlines.