Doctoral Program Overview
The ECE Department offers the following degree options:
- Ph.D. in Engineering with concentration in Electrical Engineering
- Ph.D. in Engineering with concentration in Computer Engineering
- Ph.D. in Optical Science and Engineering
The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 48 credit hours of coursework (excluding the 18 hours of dissertation credit hours and 2 hours of ECE 590) beyond the bachelor’s degree, which may include a maximum of 6 hours of master’s thesis. A minimum of 24 credit hours must be completed at the University of New Mexico, of which 18 hours must be at the 500 level or above.
The PhD degree requires at least 12 hours of ECE core courses, among which 9 hours are required by the selected emphasis area as 3 major core courses, and the other 3 hours are required as a minor core course to be chosen from any ECE emphasis outside the major emphasis. Note that in addition to the three major core courses some emphases may require another course. The remaining courses are free electives.
As a potential candidate for the Ph.D. program, each student must pass the Ph.D. qualifying examination to demonstrate satisfactory academic preparation and scholastic capabilities.
International applicants are automatically considered for the International Amigo Scholarship. Those selected are awarded a non-resident tuition waiver (valued at more than $11,000 per year). Amigo Scholarships are limited in number, so early applicants have a greater chance of receiving this scholarship.