The Post-Master’s track trains and prepares graduates for successful careers in research and development in industry, in academia, and in government research laboratories and agencies. PhD graduates will have the advanced ability to apply their knowledge of mathematics, engineering, and science to formulate and solve problems and conduct high-quality research in computer engineering, the ability to communicate scientific and technical research effectively in writing and oral presentations, and the ability to conduct independent cutting-edge research and contribute to the existing body of knowledge.
The track is intended for students with a master's degree in computer engineering or a closely related discipline. The PhD degree offers the following gateways into the program:
1) graduate education and research training.
2) a PhD for students with formal training in a related field who have earned an MS degree and are seeking higher level graduate education and research training.
The Post-Master’s Track requires completion of 42 credit hours, of which 15 credit hours minimum must be formal coursework, exclusive of directed research (XXX 6918), thesis (xxx 6971), doctoral research (XXX 7919), and independent study (XXX 6908), and 15 credit hours minimum of dissertation research (XXX 7980). No more than 12 credit hours combined of directed research (XXX 6918), or thesis (XXX 6971), doctoral research (XXX 7919) and/or independent study (XXX 6908) may be taken toward fulfilling the degree program of study coursework requirements. The track is designed for students who have an M.S. degree in engineering and are seeking a higher-level education and research training.
Total Credit Hours Required: 72 Credit hours minimum beyond the bachelor's degree and 42 Credit hours minimum beyond the master's degree.
Track Prerequisites
An earned Master's degree or its equivalent in computer engineering or a related discipline is required. The Graduate Program Director will evaluate the suitability and applicability of degrees in other disciplines for admission purposes.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
9 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
- Earn at least 9 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)
- EEL6788 - Advanced Topics in Computer Networks (3)
- Earn at least 9 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)
- COP5537 - Network Optimization (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)
- Earn at least 9 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 - Artificial Intelligence for Autonomous Systems (3)
- EEL6878 - Modeling and Artificial Intelligence (3)
- Earn at least 9 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
18 Total Credits
- Earn at least 18 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 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.
Grand Total Credits: 42
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.
The Post-Master’s Track requires successful completion of a minimum of 42 credit hours at the graduate level beyond MS and the successful defense of a PhD dissertation. Specifically, the Post-Master’s Track requires:
(1) 15 credit hours minimum must be formal coursework, exclusive of directed research (XXX 6918), doctoral research (XXX 7919), and independent study (XXX 6908).
(2) No more than 12 credit hours combined of directed research (XXX 6918), or doctoral research (XXX 7919) and/or independent study (XXX 6908) may be taken toward fulfilling the degree program of study coursework requirement.
(3) 15 credit hours minimum must be Dissertation (XXX 7980).
(4) Successful completion of the Candidacy Examination.
(5) Successful completion of defense of the doctoral dissertation.
