Ph.D. Program

Requirements

Ph.D. students select a major advisor, who, in consultation with the student, chooses additional advisory committee members. The student’s advisory committee must include at least four tenure-track faculty members; three of the members must be from within the ECE department, and one must be from outside the department.

Ph.D. students without an M.S. Degree

Direct entry to our Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering Ph.D. programs is available for specially qualified candidates with a B.S. degree. Before applying for direct entry, contact us to determine your eligibility. The Ph.D. degree, without a prior M.S. degree, must include a minimum of 60 credit hours of graduate-level coursework at the 6000-level, 8000-level, or 9000-level, including the following:

• 18 credits exactly of dissertation research (ECE 9910)
• 9 credits minimum of letter-graded coursework from non-ECE courses.
• 33 credits minimum remaining of letter-graded coursework
  • No more than 9 credit hours of the letter-graded coursework can be at the 6000 level.
  • No credit for coursework at the 7000 level can be applied toward the degree requirements.
  • No credit for MATH 6000 can be applied toward the degree requirements.

60 credits minimum beyond the master's degree

Ph.D. students with an M.S. Degree

For applicants who hold an M.S. degree, the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Ph.D. in Computer Engineering requires a final examination, defense of the dissertation, and a minimum of 42 credit hours of graduate-level coursework at the 6000-level, 8000-level, or 9000-level, including the following:

• 18 credits exactly of dissertation research (ECE 9910)
• 24 credits minimum of letter-graded coursework
  • No credit for coursework at the 7000 level can be applied toward the degree requirements.
  • No credit for MATH 6000 can be applied toward the degree requirements.

42 credits minimum beyond the bachelor's degree

Each student enrolled in the ECE Ph.D. program must pass the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination. The purpose of the examination is to evaluate the ability of the student to conduct independent research. The examination will be administered by the student’s Ph.D. dissertation committee. The material to be examined is a specific research topic within the student’s general research area. This topic is to be determined jointly by the student and their Ph.D. advisor(s). A document focusing on the selected topic must be written by the student and both submitted to and approved by the Ph.D. dissertation committee prior to the examination. The examination consists of an oral presentation by the student on their selected research topic, given to their Ph.D. dissertation committee.

The possible outcomes of the examination are pass or fail. A student who fails the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination in the first attempt must retake and pass the examination before the end of the semester following the semester in which their first attempt was made. Failure on the second attempt will result in the student's dismissal from the Ph.D. program. A minimum of two months must pass before the student can undergo the second examination.

Qualifier Registration

Students attempting the examination must complete the Qualifying Examination Signup Form and turn it in to the Student Services Program Coordinator for the Graduate Program. 

The registration form is a fillable PDF. However, you must save the form on your computer first, then enter your information and save it again in order for the text to save.

The deadline for submitting this form for a first attempt is three weeks following the first day of classes of the student’s final semester of eligibility for the Qualifying Examination. If the examination is taken before the final semester of eligibility, the Qualifying Examination Signup Form must be completed and submitted to the Student Services Program Coordinator for the Graduate Program at least one week before the examination.  Students must have a Ph.D. GS-2 form approved at the time the Qualifying Examination Signup Form is submitted (this establishes the Ph.D. dissertation committee). The examination must be completed at least 2 weeks before the last day of classes in the semester in which it is attempted.

For additional information about the exam, please contact Jennifer Gooch.

A student in the Ph.D. program is classified as a “candidate for the doctorate” (or is "admitted to candidacy") upon successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination and dissertation proposal. 

The student's advisory committee administers this exam. The content and scope of the exam are at the discretion of the committee. As part of the comprehensive exam, the student must submit a proposal to their advisory committee outlining the details of the research planned to fulfill the dissertation requirement. The advisory committee evaluates the research proposal and may require an oral defense. Additionally, the advisory committee may require a written or a combination of written and oral exam. Satisfactory completion of the comprehensive examination must occur at least six months prior to the date of graduation. The GS5D (Doctoral Candidacy) form is required for documentation of the completion of the requirement.

Two Forms are required:

• GS5D
• GS-Research Approval Form

You must have an up-to-date GS2- Committee Selection in iroar.

Scheduling Your Comprehensive Exam

First, you must have your committee members agree on a date/time. Then you must confirm and schedule your Qualifier with the ECE Graduate Coordinator.

Please complete the comprehensive form and send it back to the ECE Graduate Coordinator.

The ECE Graduate Coordinator will send an official memo to your committee and update and circulate the required forms (GS5D and GS-Research Approval) on the day of your exam and send them to Enrolled Student Services.

For additional information about the exam, please contact Jennifer Gooch.

The GRE is not required for Ph.D. or M.S. applications. Please note that you may include unofficial or official GRE scores in your application file if you believe it will strengthen your application. Please note that your chances for admissions or assistantships will not be impacted by not including GRE scores.

Admission is based on the applicant’s record of academic performance, standardized test scores, and letters of reference. Each applicant should highlight relevant work experience and detail academic goals and research interests in a written statement of purpose. Information on required undergraduate prerequisite courses can be found on the UG Course Requirements.

Required Documents

• Personal Statement
• Resume
• Online Application
• Unofficial Transcripts - Official Transcripts are required upon acceptance. Do not send official transcripts until you have received your letter of acceptance.
• Letters of Recommendation (3 are required)

Language Proficiency Exams for International Students: Only official scores will be reviewed, Clemson Institution Code = 5111. For more information, see the Clemson Graduate School's page on English Language Proficiency for Graduate Admissions.

How to Apply

Students interested in applying to the ECE doctoral program must be accepted to the Clemson University Graduate School. Application information and forms can be found on the Graduate School website. International students are welcome to apply and must meet Graduate School requirements for TOEFL and GRE scores.

Additional information concerning deadlines and program contacts can be found in the ECE Admissions FAQ. Enrollment is open to graduates in any branch of engineering, computer science, or applied mathematics who have an appropriate engineering or science background.