The Computer Engineering PhD prepares students for careers in research or academia with a potential focus in computer systems and VLSI design, software engineering and algorithms, intelligent systems and Machine Learning, computer networks and computer security, as well as simulation systems.
The doctoral program in Computer Engineering is primarily intended for students with a master's degree in Computer Engineering or a closely related discipline wishing to pursue a career in research or academia. Specializations include computer systems and VLSI design, software engineering and algorithms, intelligent systems and Machine Learning, computer networks and computer security and simulation systems.
Research interests of the Computer Engineering faculty include computer architecture, software engineering, artificial intelligence, expert systems, modeling and simulation, computer networking and ubiquitous computing, computer security, and very large-scale integration (VLSI) systems.
The specific research that each one of the ECE faculty conduct can be found at the Department of ECE website.
The Computer Engineering PhD degree requires a minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree. Of these 72 hours, a minimum of 36 credit hours must be formal coursework, exclusive of independent study coursework. A minimum of 15 credit hours with up to a maximum of 24 credit hours of dissertation hours can be credited toward the degree. No more than 12 credit hours of Independent Study are allowed. The remaining hours can be a combination of formal coursework and/or pre-candidacy doctoral research. Details about this program can be found in the Computer Engineering PhD Handbook, linked in the Program Handbook Section of this page.
Total Credit Hours Required: 72 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
This program has potential ties to professional licensure or certification in the field. For more information on how this program may prepare you in that regard, please view the licensure disclosure for the Computer Engineering PhD program.
Program Prerequisites
Master's or bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering or a closely related discipline.
Articulation Courses
Undergraduate articulation courses are required to be completed prior to admission for students who do not hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering. In particular, the articulation courses specified below, plus all of the prerequisite string which any of them require, must be completed prior to admission. Grades of "B" or higher must be obtained in each articulation course specified below. Articulation courses are not eligible for inclusion on a graduate Program of Study.
- EEE 3342C Digital Systems
- EEL 3801 Computer Organization
- COP 3502 Computer Science I
- COP 3503 Computer Science II
In addition, choose one of the following:
- COP 4331 Processes for Object-Oriented Development
- EEL 4768C Computer Architecture
- EEL 4781 Computer Communications Networks
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
36 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
- The Computer Engineering Program supports a number of specialization areas. These specialization areas are (in alphabetical order): Computer Networks and Computer Security (CNCS), Computer Systems and Reconfigurable Hardware (CS/RH), Intelligent Systems and Machine Learning (ISML), and Software Systems and Algorithms (SSA). Please visit the department’s website (https://www.ece.ucf.edu/people/faculty-by-research-area/) for a list of faculty within each specialization area. For each one of these areas there is a suggested list of courses stated below. Students are also allowed to take courses from other specialization areas, but the majority of their courses should be chosen from courses in their specialization area. A majority of specialization classes is at least 19 credit hours, typically 7 graduate courses.
Computer Networks and Computer Security (CNCS)- Earn at least 36 credits from the following:
- CDA5106 - Advanced Computer Architecture (3)
- CDA5110 - Parallel Architecture and Algorithms (3)
- CDA6530 - Performance Models of Computers and Networks (3)
- CDA6938 - Special Topics (3)
- CGS5131 - Computer Forensics I: Seizure and Examination of Computer Systems (3)
- CNT5008 - Computer Communication Networks Architecture (3)
- CNT6418 - Computer Forensics II (3)
- CNT6519 - Wireless Security and Forensics (3)
- CNT6707 - Advanced Computer Networks (3)
- COP5537 - Network Optimization (3)
- COP5611 - Operating Systems Design Principles (3)
- CAP6133 - Advanced Topics in Computer Security and Computer Forensics (3)
- CAP6135 - Malware and Software Vulnerability Analysis (3)
- COT5405 - Design and Analysis of Algorithms (3)
- EEE5542 - Random Processes I (3)
- EEL5780 - Wireless Networks (3)
- EEL6762 - Performance Analysis of Computer and Communication Systems (3)
- EEL6785 - Computer Network Design (3)
- EEL6788 - Advanced Topics in Computer Networks (3)
- EEL6883 - Software Engineering II (3)
Computer Systems and Reconfigurable Hardware (CS/RH)- Earn at least 36 credits from the following:
- CDA5106 - Advanced Computer Architecture (3)
- CDA5110 - Parallel Architecture and Algorithms (3)
- CDA6107 - Parallel Computer Architecture (3)
- CDA6938 - Special Topics (3)
- COP5537 - Network Optimization (3)
- EEE5390C - Full-Custom VLSI Design (3)
- EEL5722C - Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Design (3)
- EEL6762 - Performance Analysis of Computer and Communication Systems (3)
- ECM6308 - Current Topics in Parallel Processing (3)
Intelligent Systems and Machine Learning (ISML)- Earn at least 36 credits from the following:
- CAP5055 - AI for Game Programming (3)
- CAP5512 - Evolutionary Computation (3)
- CAP5610 - Machine Learning (3)
- CAP5636 - Advanced Artificial Intelligence (3)
- CAP6545 - Machine Learning Methods for Biomedical Data (3)
- CAP6616 - Neuroevolution and Generative and Developmental Systems (3)
- CAP6640 - Computer Understanding of Natural Language (3)
- CAP6671 - Intelligent Systems: Robots, Agents, and Humans (3)
- CAP6675 - Complex Adaptive Systems (3)
- CAP6676 - Knowledge Representation (3)
- EEL5825 - Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition (3)
- EEL5874 - Expert Systems and Knowledge Engineering (3)
- EEL6812 - Introduction to Neural Networks and Deep Learning (3)
- EEL6875 - Autonomous Agents (3)
- EEL6878 - Modeling and Artificial Intelligence (3)
Software Systems and Algorithms (SSA)- Earn at least 36 credits from the following:
- CAP6515 - Algorithms in Computational Biology (3)
- CGS5131 - Computer Forensics I: Seizure and Examination of Computer Systems (3)
- CNT6418 - Computer Forensics II (3)
- CAP5510 - Bioinformatics (3)
- CAP6133 - Advanced Topics in Computer Security and Computer Forensics (3)
- CAP6545 - Machine Learning Methods for Biomedical Data (3)
- CEN5016 - Software Engineering (3)
- CEN6075 - Formal Specification of Software Systems (3)
- COP5021 - Program Analysis (3)
- COP5711 - Parallel and Distributed Database Systems (3)
- COP6730 - Transaction Processing (3)
- COP6731 - Advanced Database Systems (3)
- COT5405 - Design and Analysis of Algorithms (3)
- COT6410 - Computational Complexity (3)
- COT6417 - Algorithms on Strings and Sequences (3)
- COT5600 - Quantum Computing (3)
- COT6602 - Introduction to Quantum Information Theory (3)
- EEL6883 - Software Engineering II (3)
Elective Courses
21 Total Credits
- Earn at least 21 credits from the following types of courses: Additional elective courses listed above. - May include formal coursework, directed research hours, doctoral research hours, dissertation research, and no more than 12 credit hours of Independent Study.
Dissertation
15 Total Credits
- Earn at least 15 credits from the following types of courses: XXX 7980 Dissertation Research (15 credit hours minimum). The program will only allow students to complete up to 24 hours of dissertation coursework in XXX 7980. The College of Engineering and Computer Science requires that all dissertation defense announcements are approved by the student's adviser and posted on the college's website at least two weeks before the defense date.
Qualifying Review
0 Total Credits
- The Qualifying Review relies on annual appraisals of the student's progress conducted by the student's research/academic adviser and advisory committee, once formed. The student's appraisal template that the adviser completes will assess the student's academic performance (course performance) and research performance. On an annual basis, and based on the completed PhD Student Annual Review template, as well as additional student documentation attached with approval of the adviser, the ECE Graduate Committee will rate the student's performance as "Above Expectation," "At Expectation," or "Below Expectation" toward the completion of the PhD degree. Students must pass the Qualifying Review no later than the deadline, which is the semester in which they complete 24 credit hours after admission or within two calendar years after admission, whichever occurs later. If a student has passed the Qualifying Review, then the student is eligible to continue PhD studies. However, a student who does not pass the Qualifying Review by the deadline will be dismissed from the degree program and will be given the opportunity to complete a master's degree (if applicable).
Dissertation Committee
0 Total Credits
- PhD dissertation committees for this degree program must have all of the below characteristics: - consist of at least five committee members including the committee chair - the committee chair must be either a Regular Appointment faculty member in ECE or a Secondary-Joint Appointment faculty member in ECE - at least 50% of committee members (when tabulated including the chair) must be ECE regular faculty - the majority of committee members must vote in favor of passing for the student to Pass - in addition to the above, all college and university requirements (such as one member outside of ECE) must be met. Joint faculty members may serve as committee chairs, but graduate faculty scholars may not serve as committee chairs.
Candidacy Examination
0 Total Credits
- After passing the Qualifying Review, students are required to successfully complete the candidacy examination in order to demonstrate readiness for preliminary research in a chosen field of study. This exam is administered by the student's dissertation advisory committee. Preparedness for taking the candidacy examination requires that the student must demonstrate his/her readiness for the PhD program in Computer Engineering by authoring an accepted journal article or high-quality conference paper. The student must be the first author on this paper and the research advisor must also be an author on this paper to be used for Candidacy. The publication should reflect the work related to the student's PhD research. Candidacy is normally attempted at the completion of required coursework and must be passed before registering for doctoral dissertation hours (EEL 7980). Continuous enrollment in at least 3 hours of doctoral dissertation hours is required once a student starts taking dissertation credits.
Admission to Candidacy
0 Total Credits
- The following are required to be admitted to candidacy and enroll in dissertation hours. - Completion of all required formal coursework, except for dissertation hours. - Successful completion of the candidacy examination. - The dissertation advisory committee is formed, consisting of approved graduate faculty and graduate faculty scholars. - Submittal of an approved program of study. Signed and well-formed Doctoral Committee Candidacy Status form and associated paperwork must be submitted to the Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Office for processing on or before the last day to defend Dissertation during the semester prior to enrolling in dissertation credits.
Dissertation Proposal Exam
0 Total Credits
- After passing the candidacy examination, the student will write a dissertation proposal and present it to the dissertation advisory committee for approval. The proposal must include a description of the research performed to date and the research planned to be completed for the dissertation. The presentation of a written dissertation proposal must be deemed as passing requirements by the majority of the dissertation committee.
Grand Total Credits: 72
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, 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.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
Formal coursework required is 36 credit hours, exclusive of independent study and research. A minimum of 15 credit hours of dissertation are required. All other credit hours will be determined with a faculty adviser. Students admitted with an earned master's degree may request to have up to 30 of those credit hours counted toward their doctoral program. The student's doctoral adviser in conjunction with the graduate office will determine the precise number of hours to be counted subject to Graduate Studies regulations.
The Program of Study (POS) form must be approved by an adviser in the selected specialization area no later than the end of the second semester after admission. The program of study must meet all the university requirements specified in the graduate catalog.
Equipment FeeStudents in the Computer Engineering PhD program pay a $28 equipment fee each semester that they are enrolled. Part-time students pay $14 per semester.
Independent LearningThe Independent Learning requirement is met by successful completion of the student's candidacy and dissertation defense examinations.
