# Electrical and Computer Engineering
**Source**: https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate/discover-opportunities/explore-programs/electrical-and-computer-engineering-phd
**Parent**: https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate/discover-opportunities/explore-programs/biomedical-engineering-msc-thesis
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Thesis-based program
[Start your application](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/how-apply)
## Program overview
For students seeking to gain cutting-edge expertise in a particular area, the Electrical and Computer Engineering doctoral program will place you in a vibrant community of researchers who are focused on finding practical solutions to real-world problems. The PhD is a research-based degree that usually takes three to four years of full-time study following a master's degree, or five to six years following a bachelor's degree. Successful students go on to work in high-tech companies in positions such as senior research and development engineer, senior system/network architect, senior system designer, senior system engineer, senior application engineer, senior application developer and senior software architect. They can also work in academia as an assistant professor or instructor.
### Completing this program
- **Courses:** Topics may include virtual environments, data mining, intelligent control, VLSI and SOC, multidimensional signal processing and more.
- **Professional Development Courses:** Students take two professional development courses on communication styles, presentation skills and more.
- **Thesis:** Students will be required to submit and defend an original research thesis.
- **Software Engineering Specialization:** Topics may include modelling and measurement of software performance, advanced software testing and more.
- **Candidacy:** Students will complete both oral and written candidacy exams.
### Specializations
- Software Engineering (*offered jointly through the Department of Electrical and Software Engineering and the Department of Computer Science*)
- [Engineering, Energy and Environment Interdisciplinary](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/programs/ENEEINTSPC)
- [Engineering, Environmental Interdisciplinary](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/programs/ENENINTSPC)
- [Energy and Environmental Systems Interdisciplinary](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/programs/EESSINTSPC)
- [Wearable Technology Interdisciplinary](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/programs/WTECINTSPC)
- [Medical Imaging Interdisciplinary](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/programs/MEDIINTSPC)
### Outcomes
Electrical energy, electronics, control, and instrumentation, telecommunications, information and communications technology, computer, software, oil and gas, medical, biomedical, automotive.
**A PhD in electrical and computer engineering is usually considered a final degree.**
### Thesis-based program
Students are required to prepare a thesis and successfully defend in an open oral defense.
### Courses
Two to five courses minimum
[Learn more about program requirements in the Academic Calendar](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/programs/ENECPHD)
### Classroom delivery
### Time commitment
Expected completion time is 4 years; six years maximum; part-time available
### Supervisor
A supervisor is required, but is not required prior to the start of the program
### Fees and funding
See the Graduate Calendar for information on [fees and fee regulations,](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/uofcregs/tuitionandfeesoverview/grad) and for information on [awards and financial assistance](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/uofcregs/studfinsupport/awardsgrad).
## Virtual Tour
Explore the University of Calgary (UCalgary) from anywhere. Experience all that UCalgary has to offer for your graduate student journey without physically being on campus. Discover the buildings, student services and available programs all from your preferred device.
[Take the FGS Virtual Tour](https://virtualtour.grad.ucalgary.ca/ucalgary/home/campuses/?utm_source=Explore+Programs+Pages&utm_medium=Web&utm_campaign=Circuit+Tour)
---
## Supervisors
Learn about faculty available to supervise this degree.\
Please note: additional supervisors may be available. [Contact the program](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate/discover-opportunities/explore-programs/ecegapp@ucalgary.ca) for more information.
---
1. [Hatem Abou-Zeid](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/hatem-abou-zeid)
Seeking Students
6G, Foundation Models and Trustworthy AI , Wireless Sensing , AI-Powered Brain Computer Interfaces, Extended Reality Networking
2. [Ann Barcomb](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/ann-barcomb)
Accepting Inquiries
Software engineering, open source software, human and social aspects of software engineering, human factors, research methods, collaboration, community management
3. [Leo Belostotski](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/leo-belostotski)
Accepting Inquiries
RF and Mixed-Signal Integrated Circuits and Systems
4. [Colin Dalton](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/colin-dalton)
Unavailable
Electrokinetic Microsystems, Microneedles, Brain-machine interfaces
5. [Lorenzo De Carli](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/lorenzo-de-carli)
Accepting Inquiries
Network Security, Software Security, Usable Security
6. [Ronnie de Souza Santos](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/ronnie-de-souza-santos)
Accepting Inquiries
Human Aspects of Software Engineering, Software Fairness, Software Testing, Software Engineering Education
7. [Novarun Deb](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/node/3636)
Accepting Inquiries
Requirements Engineering, Transient Micro-services, MLOps and Advanced DevOps
8. [Gouri Ginde Deshpande](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/gouri-deshpande)
Accepting Inquiries
Software Engineering, Requirements Engineering, Machine Learning, NLP, Data Analytics
9. [Steve Drew](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/steve-drew)
Accepting Inquiries
Distributed Learning Systems, Edge Computing, Container orchestration systems and AIOps, Blockchain Services
10. [Samira Ebrahimi Kahou](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/node/3619)
Seeking Students
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, AI + Health, Natural Language Processing, Climate Modelling and Disaster Response
---
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## Admission Requirements
---
#### GPA
A minimum of 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 point system.
#### Minimum education
MSc degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or software engineering.
#### Work samples
None
#### Documents
None
#### Reference letters
Two
#### Test scores
None
---
#### English language proficiency (ELP)
An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in different ways. For accepted criteria, please refer to the program “Admissions” tab in the [Academic Calendar](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/programs/ENECPHD).
*\*Please contact your program of interest if you have any questions about ELP requirements.*
#### Deadlines
**For admission on September 1:**
- Canadians and permanent residents: Jan. 31 application deadline
- International students: Jan. 31 application deadline
**For admission on January 1:**
- Canadians and permanent residents: Apr. 30 application deadline
- International students: Apr. 30 application deadline
If you're not a Canadian or permanent resident, or if you have international credentials, make sure to learn about
[international requirements](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/international-students)
## Are you ready to apply?
[Application process](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/how-apply)
## Learn more about this program
### Department of Electrical and Software Engineering
ICT (Information and Communications Technology) 402\
2500 University Drive NW\
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4\
403.220.7596
[Contact the Graduate Program Administrator](mailto:ese.gradstudies@ucalgary.ca)
[Visit the departmental website](https://schulich.ucalgary.ca/electrical-software)
### Schulich School of Engineering
University of Calgary\
2500 University Drive NW\
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
[Visit their website](http://schulich.ucalgary.ca/)
Learn more about UCalgary by taking a
[virtual tour](https://virtualtour.grad.ucalgary.ca/)
## Related programs
If you're interested in this program, you might want to explore other UCalgary programs.
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## Curious about the University of Calgary?
Located in the nation's most enterprising city, we are a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude.
[Learn More about student life at UCalgary](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/student-life)