Engineering 7 (E7) Building on Waterloo's East Campus.
Conduct research in one of our 14 areas of specialization and generate new knowledge to shape the future with the PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering program.
Electrical and Computer Engineering is at the core of almost everything – through coursework, original research and a thesis, you’ll explore creative and innovative solutions for the everyday needs of society spanning from communications to energy and technology, guided by our internationally recognized faculty and researchers.
You’ll have the opportunity to work in our world-class research labs and centres, establish connections with our partners in industry, and access a suite of competitive funding opportunities, preparing you for a career in academia, leading engineering firms, corporations or government agencies.
Research areas and degree options:
- Antennas, Microwaves and Wave Optics
- Biomedical
- Circuits and Systems Including Computer - Aided Design
- Communications and Information Systems
- Computer Hardware
- Computer Software
- Nanotechnology
- Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (PAMI)
- Power and Energy Systems
- Quantum Information
- Silicon Devices and Integrated Circuits
- Systems and Control
- Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI)
- Wireless Communication
Program overview
Department/School: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering
Admit term(s): Fall (September - December), Winter (January - April), Spring (May - August)
Delivery mode: On-campus
Program type: Doctoral, Research
Length of program: 48 months (full-time)
Registration option(s): Full-time, Part-time
Study option(s): Thesis
Application deadlines
- February 1 (for admission in September)
- June 1 (for admission in January of the following year)
- October 1 (for admission in May of the following year)
Supervisors
- Review the finding a supervisor resources
- A supervisor is required to receive an offer of admission
Admission requirements
- Admission to the program is based upon the student's academic record and evidence of ability to pursue independent research.
- Normally an overall standing equivalent to 80% in either a relevant thesis-based Master's degree or a University of Waterloo Master of Engineering (MEng) degree that includes a completed ECE 699 Master of Engineering Project course.
- At the time of admission, each student must have a faculty supervisor who has endorsed the recommendation for admission.
Degree requirements
- Review the degree requirements in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree
- Check out Waterloo's institutional thesis repository - UWspace to see recent submissions from the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate students
Application materials
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Resume
- Supplementary information form (SIF)
- The SIF contains questions specific to your program, typically about why you want to enrol and your experience in that field. Review the application documents web page for more information about this requirement
- If a statement or letter is required by your program, review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion
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Transcript(s)
- References
- Three references are required; at least two from academic sources
- Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
- TOEFL 80 (writing 22, speaking 20, reading 20, listening 18), IELTS 6.5 (writing 6.0, speaking 6.0)
Tuition and fees
- Visit the graduate program tuition page on the Finance website to determine the tuition and incidental fees per term for your program
- Review living costs and housing
- Review the funding graduate school resources for graduate students