Graduate student testing the inside of computer.

Tomorrow Needs You. Are You Ready?

Receive a graduate education from an accredited institution.

Computer Engineering—PhD

We like to say it hasn’t been done—yet. At Michigan Technological University, you can conceive, analyze, design, integrate, and evaluate the next generation of digital systems. Develop the hardware, software, and security infrastructure for the Internet of Things, the future of our connected world. Are you ready?

Program Overview

Our doctorate in computer engineering program research include numerical methods for VLSI CAD, advanced integrated circuit modeling, machine learning, computational intelligence, interconnect optimization, cyber-physical systems, smart homes, smart grids, parallel computing for convex optimization, underwater acoustic communication networks, autonomous vehicles, and many more. External funding for departmental research comes from both government and industry sources.

Delivery Options
- On-Campus: PhD

Computer Engineering Program Details

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

On-Campus Programs

PhD Requirements: Computer 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 computer engineering at Michigan Tech? Visit the department for more information:

Contact

Graduate Director

Jin Choi

Graduate Assistant

Lynn McCormick

Sample Areas of Interest

Select areas of interest to help customize your computer engineering PhD. Sample areas include:

Artificial Intelligence
Big Data
Embedded Computing
Fault-Tolerance

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 (At least one academic reference required, waived for MTU undergraduates)
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

Michigan Tech requires a minimum of 79 overall TOEFL or 6.5 overall IELTS score.

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

Students and faculty work together in search of practical answers to vexing technological questions. Work in the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC), a university-wide research center, with researchers from Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and many other academic units on campus.

Where You'll Work

Our department occupies over 50,000 square feet of space and maintains a variety of state-of-the-art 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 spaces for research in power, photonics, microgrids, and robotics.

Faculty Spotlight

Timothy Havens

Timothy Havens
Director, Great Lakes Research Center and Institute of Computing and Cybersystems

"Explore the boundaries of software, hardware, and possibility."

We work at the intersection of electrical engineering and computer science, spanning software and hardware for microcontrollers and microprocessors, embedded systems programming, and robotics design.

Program Faculty