A hand adjusting electronics in the robotics lab

Tomorrow Needs You. Are You Ready?

Receive a graduate education from an accredited institution.

Electrical Engineering—PhD

Since 1928, Michigan Tech has been a world leader in providing quality electrical engineering education. Today, that translates to programs that are highly ranked, flexible and hands-on — a great synergy of learning and experience. Create technological advances that improve everyday life and change the world for the better. Are you ready?

Program Overview

Our doctorate in electrical engineering program supports research in energy systems, signals systems, solid-state electronics, and robotics. Research areas include nanotechnology circuit design, renewable electricity energy sources, and wireless communications—just to name a few.

Delivery Options
- On-Campus: PhD

Electrical Engineering Program Details

Learn more about the electrical engineering program at Michigan Tech. For international students, Electrical Engineering is a designated STEM program.

On-Campus Programs

PhD Requirements: Electrical Engineering

To complete a doctoral degree, students must complete the following milestones:

Complete all coursework and research credits (see credit requirements below)
Pass Qualifying Examination
Pass Research Proposal Examination
Prepare and Submit Approved Dissertation
Pass Final Oral Defense

The minimum credit requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Degrees	Credits
MS-PhD (minimum)	30 Credits
BS-PhD (minimum)	60 Credits

Individual programs may have higher standards and students are expected to know their program's requirements. See the Doctor of Philosophy Requirements website for more information about PhD milestones and related timelines.

Additional Program Information

Want to learn more about mechanical engineering at Michigan Tech? Visit the department for more information:

Electrical Engineering Alumni

"I built a strong technical foundation at Michigan Tech along with experiences working with teams and the value of understanding various perspectives. I've been able to shape my career and focus in new areas that I hadn't imagined working in."

Kaitlyn Bunker

Electrical Engineering—PhD, '14, MTU

Contact

Graduate Director

Jin Choi

Graduate Assistant

Lynn McCormick

Sample Areas of Interest

Select areas of interest to help customize your electrical engineering degree. Sample areas include:

Robotics
Electromagnetics
Biomedical Engineering
VLSI

View full listing for this program

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Applications are reviewed on an individual basis using a holistic approach. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, although you will need to upload them later.

Graduate School Admissions Process

Applying to Graduate School is free (no application fees) and fast (no official transcripts or test scores are needed to start). The application process involves three easy steps. International applicants are required to pay a non-refundable $10 processing fee per application.

See Admissions Steps

Graduate School Admissions Options

Michigan Tech offers several admissions options in order to meet the educational needs of students from a variety of backgrounds. Students should review the options available to them and apply for the program that will best help them achieve their personal educational goals.

See Admissions Options

Graduate School Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Graduate School as a degree- or certificate-seeking student, you need to:

have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, and
be prepared for advanced study in your chosen field, as demonstrated by your previous degree and your scholastic record.

See additional application requirements, including required materials:

Student Statements

Official Transcripts

Program Specific Requirements

Program Specific

2 Letters of Recommendation including at least one academic reference (all waived for Michigan Tech undergrads)
Résumé / Curriculum vitae
No GRE required
Priority will be given to students with interest in existing departmental research areas
No Additional Documents Accepted

International Students

TOEFL: Required Score of 100 iBT
IELTS: Required Overall Band Score of 7.0

Admissions Decisions

Made on a rolling basis.

Recommended Deadlines

The department tries to match advisors with funding for PhD candidates. To improve their chances of receiving funding, PhD applicants should apply by:

Fall semester: February 15

Spring Semester: August 15

Summer: Please contact the Graduate Program Director

International Student Requirements

International Students must apply and be accepted into a degree-granting program in order to earn a graduate certificate. A non-refundable $10 processing fee per application is required.

See International Applicants

Accredited by HLC

Michigan Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1928. Our Graduate School offers over 125 certificates, master's, and PhD programs to provide our students and the world with what tomorrow needs.

Who You'll Work With

Be part of a working laboratory where students and faculty collaborate to find answers to some of the world's most relevant questions. We are a close-knit community, with accomplished faculty dedicated to mentoring students.

Where You'll Work

Our department occupies more than 50,000 square feet of space and maintains a variety of laboratories and facilities, including the Microfabrication Facility, the Paul and Susan Williams Center for Computer Systems Research, the Wireless Positioning Laboratory, the Energy Storage Laboratory, the Smart Grid Control Center, and a host of other spaces for research in power, photonics, microgrids, and robotics.

Faculty Spotlight

Elena Semouchkina

Elena Semouchkina

Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

"Novel devices can be created, operating from radio frequencies to visible light."

Semouchkina engineers artificial materials with unusual properties and employs them to control electromagnetic wave paths. This makes it possible to modify antenna radiation patterns and build devices with unprecedented functionalities, such as invisibility cloaks.

Program Faculty