Electrical Engineering

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering

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Why choose a Ph.D. in electrical engineering?

The Doctorate of Philosophy is the highest degree awarded by Wright State University. This pinnacle academic credential signifies a mastery of a body of skills and knowledge in preparation for a career as an independent and productive scholar. Doctoral training involves working closely with faculty on significant technological challenges of importance and mutual interest.

Careers

Why choose electrical engineering or electrical and computer engineering technology?

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) program and the Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology (BSECET) program work in all economic sectors: energy, transportation, communications, health care, security and defense, and leisure. They work individually and in teams to innovate solutions ranging from an efficient power system for your cell phone to the complete ground and satellite network, which streams your internet services.

They design the electronics, sensors, and algorithms to control electric cars, boats, planes, satellites, and spacecraft, as well as the multitude of acoustic, radio wave, and optical systems that enable autonomous operation. Engineers and technologists invent manufacturing robots and signal processing and computing methods to detect injury and disease and to provide surveillance for air traffic control, weather, and commercial and residential security. With such versatility, these graduates enjoy consistent employment opportunities with high-paying salaries in rewarding and exciting careers.

Degrees and Programs

View a full list of Electrical Engineering courses with descriptions.

Success Stories

Morgan Highlander, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in engineering at Wright State, received a two-year National Institutes of Health diversity award to support her research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS.
Mike Trombley, a Wright State electrical engineering graduate, founded NativeAudio out of his love for engineering, music and his heritage.

Department News

View all Electrical Engineering News

Success Stories

Last summer I interned at Google located at California, USA. I worked on the Power Systems team that focused on the development of electric architecture for data center power supplies.
Matthew Scherreik, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, won the Lockheed Martin Best Student Paper award for the third year in a row.

Academics and Curriculum

View the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering program information, outcomes, and requirements in the Academic Catalog.

The Ph.D. in EE allows students to customize the program for a concentration of study in specific areas of EE. 

  • Complete sixty semester hours of graduate coursework (numbered 6000 or above) beyond a Master’s degree
  • Complete twenty semester hours of graduate coursework in Electrical Engineering numbered 7000 or above
  • Complete at least 6 semester credit hours of graduate courses (numbered 6000-level and above) in mathematics (MTH) or statistics (STT)
  • Complete a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of dissertation research
  • Present research findings at a conference, submission of a manuscript to a journal and successful defense of dissertation research with written document approved by the committee

Credit will be given for requirement completion in graduate coursework.

Ph.D. in EE Program Guide (PDF)

Graduate Student Support

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA)

GTA positions are awarded by the department based on the student's established academic performance at Wright State, research interest, and departmental needs. Students must be pursuing a graduate degree with a thesis. GTA positions are responsible for 20 hours per week of teaching duties, which could include conducting lab or recitation sessions, grading homework and quizzes, and otherwise assisting the professor with the class.

GTA appointments are awarded on a semester by semester basis. Appointments occur during the fall and spring semester with summer appointments available to a lesser extent.

Note that English as a Second Language (ESL) students are required to pass an Oral English Proficiency (OEP) Test before they can be a GTA without faculty supervision.

Graduate Research Assistants (GRA)

Graduate Research Assistants are responsible for performing research tasks on a contract secured by an individual faculty member, research staff member, or research group. The research usually leads to the satisfaction of thesis or dissertation requirements. Since the tuition and stipend are paid by individual research contracts, a student who seeks a GRA appointment must contact individual faculty/staff members or research groups in their area of interest for opportunities.

Shashaanka Ashili International Grad Student Research Fund

This travel fund was established by a Department of Electrical Engineering alum to provide support for international graduate students in electrical engineering participating in unfunded research activities for their travel to research-related conferences and symposia. The department will broadcast a call for applications on an annual basis or as additional funds become available. For consideration of an award, international graduate students requiring travel support should coordinate with their thesis/dissertation advisor to complete an application form. Each application will be evaluated for an award by the departmental Graduate Studies Committee. Number and size of awards will vary based on available funds. Preference will be given to students who have not been awarded this support in the past.

Further donations to support this fund are welcome. Donate to the fund.

Admission

To be eligible to apply for the Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • A B.S. and M.S. degree in electrical engineering or closely related field
  • A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and graduate GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
  • GRE minimum scores: quantitative 155, verbal 145 and AWA 2.5
  • Transcripts of all prior coursework
  • A written statement of research interests and objectives
  • Three Letters of Recommendation attesting to the student's potential for independent research
  • Proof of English Proficiency (International students)

Students not meeting established criteria may be admitted conditionally on a case by case basis.

How to Apply

All students who are interested in the Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering should apply for admission through Wright State's Graduate School. Please read the Graduate School's application instructions and requirements carefully and complete the application for admission. Additional instructions for international students may be obtained from International Admissions.

Program Objectives

The program of study leading to a Doctoral Degree in Electrical Engineering is designed to achieve the following objectives:

  • To enable students to engage in continued advanced study and research.
  • To foster original and scholarly research contributions to the various fields of composing Electrical Engineering.
  • To instill in each student proficiency for innovation manifesting a fundamental advancement of knowledge.
  • To enable graduates to integrate their education and experience with the larger problems of the technological professions.

A student's primary advisor, or Dissertation Director, is a key factor to success in graduate studies. Members of the dissertation committee also play critical mentoring roles in a student's academic progress. Each Ph.D. student is paired with a faculty advisor upon admission to the program. The faculty advisor will assist the student in developing the student's program of study, selecting a Dissertation Committee, and scheduling all program milestones.


Take the Next Step

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