About

Electrical engineering is the design and analysis of any device or system that uses electricity or electromagnetic radiation, including computers and the networks that connect them; consumer electronic goods like MP3 players, satellite radio and HDTV; power generation and transmission systems; wireless cellular and wireline telephone networks; integrated circuits and electronic devices; electronic motors and actuators; MRI and other medical instruments and more. The variety of challenges facing our modern society means that electrical engineers can look forward to highly rewarding, dynamic careers.

Mission

The mission of the undergraduate program of Electrical Engineering is to offer an EE program of study that augments the liberal education expected of all FAU undergraduates and imparts a basic understanding of electrical engineering built on a foundation of physical science, mathematics, computing and technology.

Educational Objectives

The educational objectives of the Electrical Engineering undergraduate program are to enable graduates who, within a few years after graduation, will:

• Be successful in understanding, formulating, analyzing and solving a variety of electrical engineering problems;
• Be successful in designing a variety of engineering systems, products or experiments;
• Be successful in careers and/or graduate study in engineering or other areas such as business, medicine and law;
• Have the ability to assume leadership and entrepreneurial positions;
• Successfully function and communicate effectively, both individually and in multidisciplinary teams;
• Understand the importance of lifelong learning, ethics and professional accountability.

The Bachelor of Science degree program in Electrical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Student Outcomes

Based on the Educational Objectives of the BSEE program, the department has established the following student learning outcomes for the baccalaureate program in Electrical Engineering.

Graduates will have:

• An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
• An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
• An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
• An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
• An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
• An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
• An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Program Information

• Degree Requirements
• Program Summary
• Mission, Objectives and Student Outcomes

Additional Resources

• IFP Check Lists and Flight Plans for a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE)
  
  • MAC1105 (College Algebra)
  • MAC1140 (Pre-Calculus Algebra)
  • MAC2311 (Calculus with Analytic Geometry 1)
• Student Learning Outcomes Assessment
• Course Syllabi

Admission Requirements

All students must meet the minimum admission requirements of the University. Please refer to the Admissions section of the University Catalog.

All students must meet the preprofessional requirements listed in the University Catalog in order to be accepted into the Electrical Engineering program.

Prerequisite Coursework for Transfer Students

Students transferring to Florida Atlantic University must complete both lower-division requirements (including the requirements of the Intellectual Foundations Program) and requirements for the college and major. Lower-division requirements may be completed through the A.A. degree from any Florida public college, university or community college or through equivalent coursework at another regionally accredited institution. Before transferring and to ensure timely progress toward the baccalaureate degree, students must also complete the prerequisite courses for their major as outlined in the Transition Guides.

All courses not approved by the Florida Statewide Course Numbering System that will be used to satisfy requirements will be evaluated individually on the basis of content and will require a catalog course description and a copy of the syllabus for assessment.

Admission Requirements for a Second BS in Electrical Engineering 

Students seeking a bachelor's degree or graduate degree in another discipline must satisfy all admission requirements of the first bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering at FAU.

Degree Requirements

The minimum number of credits required for the Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (B.S.E.E.) degree is 123 credits. All courses that count toward the degree must be completed with grades of "C" or better. The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree will be awarded to students who meet all admission and degree requirements of the department and the University. Notes below are referenced in the tables following the list.

Notes:

1. Students entering FAU with less than 30 credits must satisfy the course requirements specified in the catalog section, Degree Requirements. Students entering FAU with more than 30 credits (transfer students) must see the undergraduate advisor for an evaluation of courses taken at another school. The general education requirements are normally satisfied if a student has an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree from a Florida community or state college. Once students earn beyond 30 credits, they must substitute EGN 1002, Fundamentals of Engineering, with an electrical engineering elective.
2. For those students who are also pursuing a math minor, STA 4032, Probability and Statistics for Engineers, can be substituted for EEE 4541, Stochastic Processes and Random Signals.

Degree Requirements for a Second BS in Electrical Engineering 

1. Earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at FAU, at the 3000 level or higher, beyond those required for the first degree. Students earning two degrees simultaneously (a dual degree) must earn at least 150 credits.
2. Earn at least 75 percent of all upper-division credits required for the major from FAU.
3. Students must have completed 15 credits in mathematics, 9 credits in science and 51 credits in core courses listed in the Electrical Engineering degree program. Each course must be completed with a minimum grade of "C."

Core Courses

All students must take the following core courses, which total 51 credits.

Semi-Core Courses

All students must take 3 credits from Semi-Core Group 1 and 9 credits from Semi-Core Group 2.

Electives

All students must take 6 credits of technical electives and 6 credits of Electrical Engineering electives. Any 4000-level course offered by the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department may be used as a technical or Electrical Engineering elective. In addition, any two Computer Science courses listed in the Computer Science minor program may be used as technical electives. Certain 5000- or 6000-level courses offered by the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department may be taken as technical electives or Electrical Engineering electives, subject to the approval of an academic advisor.

The following course may be taken as a technical or Electrical Engineering elective.

***Please check University Catalog for newest updates. 

MSEE Admission Requirements

Applications for admission to the master's program are approved by the University upon the recommendation of the department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science. All applicants must submit with their applications the official transcripts from previous institutions attended. Applications for admission are evaluated on an individual basis. As a minimum, applicants are expected to meet the following requirements:

1. International students from non-English-speaking countries must be proficient in written and spoken English as evidenced by a score of at least 500 (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test) or 79 (Internet-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a score of at least 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS);
2. A minimum GPA of 3.0 (of a possible 4.0 maximum) in the last 60 credits of undergraduate work;
3. The GRE is not required for this program.
4. See the MS in Electrical Engineering Worksheet for the prerequisite requirements.

MS with Major in Electrical Engineering

The department offers thesis and non-thesis options at the master's level. Students may specialize in several areas: telecommunications; digital signal processing; systems and robotics, including control systems and machine vision; electromagnetics and RF, antennas, microwave systems, EMC/EMI and HF RF circuit design; alternative energy systems, including photovoltaic and fuel cell systems; bioengineering; neural networks; and optics and photonics. The program can be completed on campus or fully online.

Program Information

• Admission Requirements
• Degree Requirements
• Program Worksheet - for students who started in Spring 2025 or earlier
• Program Worksheet - for students who started in Summer 2025 or later

Apply Online

MSEE with or without Thesis - Degree Requirements

Students must satisfy all of the University graduate requirements. In addition, the following specific degree requirements apply, depending on the choice of degree program:

Master of Science Degree Thesis Option (30 credits)

1. Requires 6 credits of orally defended thesis. The M.S. committee is chaired by the student's thesis advisor. The chair of the committee must be a graduate faculty member from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
2. Requires 24 credits of approved coursework with the following constraints:
   1. Minimum of 18 credits at the 6000 level;
   2. Minimum of 12 credits in EE courses;
   3. A 3-credit course with math prefix or one of the following courses: EEL 5613, Modern Control; EEE 5502, Digital Processing of Signals; EEL 6482, Electromagnetic Theory 1; EOC 5172, Mathematical Methods in Ocean Engineering 1.
   4. Every thesis student must take CGS 5937/Graduate Seminar/ A seminar series with distinguished speakers. Students must attend at least five seminar presentations. (Grading: S/U, 0 credits.)

Note: A maximum of 3 credits of directed independent study may be applied toward the master's degree.

Master of Science Degree Non-Thesis Option (30 credits)

1. Requires 30 credits of approved coursework with the following constraints:
   1. Minimum of 18 credits at the 6000 level;
   2. A 3-credit course with math prefix or one of the following courses: EEL 5613, Modern Control; EEE 5502, Digital Processing of Signals; EEL 6482, Electromagnetic Theory 1; EOC 5172, Mathematical Methods in Ocean Engineering 1;
   3. A minimum of 18 credits must be completed in EE.
2. Every non-thesis student must take CGS 5937/Graduate Seminar/ A seminar series with distinguished speakers. Students must attend at least five seminar presentations. (Grading: S/U, 0 credits.)

Note: A maximum of 3 credits of directed independent study may be applied toward the master's degree.

Deficiency Requirements

From the following list of deficiency EE courses, students must take two mandatory courses and at least two from the menu of courses.

An insufficient number of the above courses will be considered a deficiency. Students are expected to take the necessary deficient courses during their course program as an extra load beyond the regular graduate coursework.

Students with engineering technology degrees are expected to first satisfy the FAU EE undergraduate graduation requirements before being admitted to the graduate program.

Submission of Plan of Study

Students are required to submit a Plan of Study when they have completed between 9 and 15 credits of coursework with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. All courses must be approved by the student's advisor. A student may not register for thesis credits prior to submitting a Plan of Study.

Transfer Credits

Any transfer credits toward the requirements for a master's degree in Electrical Engineering must be approved by the department, the College and the University. The transfer credits must correspond to equivalent requirements and performance levels expected for the degree. Normally no more than 6 credits of coursework (that have not been applied to a degree) can be transferred from another institution.

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Doctor of Philosophy with Major in Electrical Engineering

The PhD in Electrical Engineering program (PhD EE) prepares students for academic careers in higher education, for careers as research scientists at high-tech companies and research labs, and senior positions in electrical engineering related fields. Topics of study include robotics and autonomous systems, wireless communications, signal processing and acoustics, renewable energy, nanotechnology, brain modeling, smart sensing, medical imaging, RF engineering, engineering applications to biomedical and health fields, and more. 

PhD in Electrical Engineering - Admission Requirements

MS to PhD

• Students are expected to have a Master’s degree in engineering or a related discipline awarded by a recognized institution. Applicants with a different background are encouraged to apply. The admission committee will evaluate the application holistically to determine applicant suitability using several factors such as academic performance, GPA, GRE scores, background and experience. The admission committee may assign remedial courses on a case-by-case basis.
• Submit official transcripts from previous institutions attended. The desirable minimum GPA is 3.3 (of a 4.0 maximum) in the last 60 credits attempted in the relevant field.
• Submit the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. The GRE requirement is waived for students with a Master’s degree from EECS.
• The applicant must produce two reference letters (at least two from academia) that address his/her research potential, motivation, relative academic achievement, and personality. Forms are supplied with applications for admission.
• International students from non-English-speaking countries must be proficient in written and spoken English as evidenced by a score of at least 500 (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test) or 79 (Internet-based test) on the TOEFL or a score of at least 6.0 on the IELTS.
• Applicants are expected to have taken the prerequisite courses listed below (or equivalents) before pursuing the Ph.D. degree. In some cases, prerequisite requirements may be satisfied after admission to the Ph.D. program. In such a case, proficiency in the prerequisite courses must be shown before the student takes dissertation credits.
• Statement of Research Interests

BS to PhD Direct Path program

• Students are expected to have a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related discipline awarded by a recognized institution. The admission committee will evaluate the application holistically to determine applicant suitability using several factors such as academic performance, GPA, GRE scores, background and experience. The admission committee may assign remedial courses on a case-by-case basis.
• Submit official transcripts from previous institutions attended. The desirable minimum bachelor GPA is 3.3 (of a 4.0 maximum) in the last 60 credits attempted prior to graduation.
• Submit the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. The desirable combined score (verbal and quantitative) of the GRE is 310 or better.
• The applicant must produce two reference letters. Where possible these letters should address the student's qualifications for research.
• International students from non-English-speaking countries must be proficient in written and spoken English as evidenced by a score of at least 500 (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test) or 79 (Internet-based test) on the TOEFL or a score of at least 6.0 on the IELTS.
• Applicants are expected to have taken the prerequisite courses listed below (or equivalents) before pursuing the Ph.D. degree. In some cases, prerequisite requirements may be satisfied after admission to the Ph.D. program. In such a case, proficiency in the prerequisite courses must be shown before the student takes dissertation credits.
• Statement of Research Interests

Students in the MS Program at FAU can apply for the direct path Ph.D. program within the first year of graduate studies. In addition to the requirements stipulated for the BS to PhD program, the students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the graduate program at FAU.

As part of the application to EECS PhD programs, applicants are required to submit a research statement. This crucial document should clearly communicate the applicant’s research background, interests, and potential fit with current research foci of faculty in the department. Applicants are strongly encouraged to go over the department's faculty research and publications before writing their research statement. The research statement must address three main areas:

1. The Applicant’s Research Experience and Preparation
   Describe the academic and professional experiences that have prepared the applicant for doctoral studies:
   • Relevant coursework, research training, and applicable professional experience
   • Research projects and technical skills
   • Publications, presentations, or significant findings
2. The Applicant’s Proposed Research Direction
   Outline the research areas to be pursued during PhD studies:
   
   • Clearly state research interests
   • Explain the importance of this research
   • Describe how previous experiences have prepared the applicant for this research
3. Faculty Alignment
   Identify potential faculty advisors in the EECS department:
   
   • Name two or three faculty members whose research aligns with the applicant’s proposed research direction
   • For each faculty member, (i) explain how their work connects to the applicant’s research interests and (ii) discuss how their expertise would benefit the proposed research program

Prerequisite Courses

From the following list of deficiency EE courses, students must take two mandatory courses and at least two from the menu of courses.

Apply Online

PhD Candidacy Examination

The purpose of the PhD Candidacy Examination in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science is for the doctoral student to demonstrate the student’s ability to identify, undertake, and analyze a specific substantive area (or areas) of research in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science. This exam must be passed to be formally admitted to candidacy in the doctoral program. A student failing the exam may, upon re-application, take it a second time. Two failures will result in the student's dismissal from the PhD program.

Procedure for Candidacy Examination

1. The student is expected to take graduate courses and select a dissertation advisor during the first year of the PhD program.
2. Upon completing at least 9 credit hours and not more than 24 credit hours of graduate course work (including credit hours of Directed Independent Study and Advanced Research), a PhD student may request to take the PhD Candidacy Exam. A student entering the PhD program with a bachelor’s degree (direct-path PhD student) is expected to take the PhD Candidacy Exam upon completing at least 24 credit hours and not more than 36 credit hours of graduate course work (including credit hours of Directed Independent Study and Advanced Research). The student must have a dissertation advisor before taking the PhD Candidacy Exam.
3. The student will submit the  Candidacy Exam Application Form , approved by their dissertation advisor, by a specified deadline—a date in September (Fall semesters) or January (Spring semesters).
4. A Candidacy Exam Committee will conduct the examination and evaluate the student. The student's dissertation advisor is not a member of the Candidacy Exam Committee.
5. Research papers aligned with current departmental research will be announced before the exam. For the sake of the exam, each student will select one research paper.
6. After the paper selection, the student has 4 weeks to prepare a 20- to 30-minute PowerPoint presentation. The student will deliver the presentation to the committee based on the paper on the scheduled exam date and time. To demonstrate readiness to begin doctoral-level research, students must show a strong understanding of the selected paper and its broader research context. During the exam, faculty may ask questions drawn from a range of topics intended to assess the student's comprehension, reasoning, and ability to engage with research. Examples of topics that may be covered include but are not limited to:
   • State a problem and provide motivation and requirements for a solution for the problem.
   • Describe the novelty of the work as compared to the field in general
   • Determine if a proposed solution to the problem is correct and meets the requirements for the solution.
   • Describe how the problem and presumed solution fit in the broader research context.
   • Describe the meaning of mathematical equations (or models) used in the paper.
   • Describe the system’s performance evaluation and results if present in the paper.
   • Identify and describe the limitations of the work.

Candidate Evaluation

The PhD Candidacy Exam Committee will make final decision (Pass or Fail) based on the overall quality of the oral presentation, understanding of the research problem and presented solution in the paper, and research area in general.

Admission to Candidacy

Students should apply for candidacy as soon as they become eligible. A doctoral student is eligible to apply for candidacy when:

1. He/she has passed the qualifying examination.
2. A minimum of 3.0 GPA in all courses attempted as a doctoral student has been maintained. Students may not register for dissertation credits until their admission to candidacy.

To be considered for the doctoral candidacy:

1. The student must pass the Qualifying Examination (QE) administered semiannually by the Department. The examination is based on undergraduate electrical engineering and mathematics coursework and must be taken by all students after completion of 9 credits of Ph.D. coursework. A student who fails the examination may be allowed a second attempt subject to departmental approval.
2. Following successful completion of the QE, the student must find a qualified faculty member in the Department willing to chair the doctoral (dissertation) committee. The dissertation committee chair will then consult with the student to form the complete committee. Working with this dissertation committee chair, the student must complete the official Admission to Candidacy application form.

Candidacy approval will be based on:

1. The academic record of the student;
2. The opinion of the dissertation committee concerning the overall fitness for candidacy, based on the outcome of an oral examination on graduate coursework administered by the dissertation committee;
3. An approved dissertation topic.
4. A student may not register for dissertation credit until the application for candidacy has been approved.

Transfer Credits

Any transfer credit toward requirements for the PhD program must be approved by the Department and the University. A maximum of 30 credits (which may include credits taken toward the master's degree with no more than 6 credits for the MS thesis) can be transferred into the student's program of study.

Program Information

Students can select between the following options:

1. PhD EE, General program (i.e. no concentration)
   • BS-PhD Program Worksheet (pdf)
   • MS-PhD Program Worksheet (pdf)
2. PhD EE, Neuroengineering concentration
   • BS-PhD Program Worksheet NeuroEng (pdf)
   • MS-PhD Program Worksheet NeuroEng (pdf)

Apply Online

PhD in Electrical Engineering

Degree Requirements

MS to PhD

1. A minimum of 72 graduate credits is required beyond a bachelor's degree. A master's degree in a related field is considered equivalent to 30 credits. Students must take a minimum of 18 credits of graduate coursework beyond the master's degree and a minimum of 24 dissertation credits.
2. Of the 18-credit minimum of coursework, a minimum of 12 credits must be Electrical Engineering courses (excluding directed independent study credits) and a minimum of 9 credits of 6000-level must be completed.
3. No more than 3 credits of directed independent study or advanced research may be used to satisfy the minimum of 18 credits. In that case, the subject matter may not overlap the student's dissertation.
4. Specific Focus Area coursework will be required.
5. At least 6 credits in courses with math prefix are required as part of coursework beyond the bachelor's degree. These may include EEL 5613, Modern Control; EEE 5502, Digital Processing of Signals; EEL 6482, Electromagnetic Theory 1; EOC 5172, Mathematical Methods in Ocean Engineering 1.
6. Students must complete two semesters of CGS 5937 Graduate Seminar.
7. A written dissertation proposal must be accepted by the dissertation committee, at least six months prior to defending the dissertation.
8. When the candidate submits the Application for Graduation, he/she must indicate the following as a check list: (a) Date of CE taken and candidacy filed; (b) Date of dissertation proposal presented and approved by the Ph.D. Committee and (c) Status of the Plan of Study.
9. Draft copy of the dissertation must be submitted for review by the Ph.D. Committee at least 15 days prior to the date of defending the dissertation. And the dissertation must be completed and orally defended.
10. It is expected that all doctoral candidates have at least one research paper published or accepted for publication in a fully refereed conference or journal prior to graduation. A patent relevant to the Ph.D. research topic/dissertation as approved by the U.S. Patent Office with an assigned number can substitute for the journal or conference publication requirement.

BS to PhD

1. A minimum of 72 graduate credits is required beyond a bachelor's degree. Students must take a minimum of 42 credits of graduate coursework and a minimum of 30 dissertation credits.
2. Of the 42-credit minimum of coursework, a minimum of 27 credits must be Electrical Engineering courses (excluding directed independent study credits) and a minimum of 18 credits of 6000-level must be completed.
3. No more than 6 credits of directed independent study and/or advanced research graduate courses may be used to satisfy the minimum of 42 credits. In that case, the subject matter may not overlap the student's dissertation.
4. Specific Focus Area coursework will be required.
5. At least 6 credits in courses with math prefix are required as part of coursework beyond the bachelor's degree. These may include EEL 5613, Modern Control; EEE 5502, Digital Processing of Signals; EEL 6482, Electromagnetic Theory 1; EOC 5172, Mathematical Methods in Ocean Engineering 1.
6. Students must complete two semesters of CGS 5937 Graduate Seminar.
7. A written dissertation proposal must be accepted by the dissertation committee, at least six months prior to defending the dissertation.
8. When the candidate submits the Application for Graduation, he/she must indicate the following as a check list: (a) Date of CE taken and candidacy filed; (b) Date of dissertation proposal presented and approved by the Ph.D. Committee and (c) Status of the Plan of Study.
9. Draft copy of the dissertation must be submitted for review by the Ph.D. Committee at least 15 days prior to the date of defending the dissertation. And the dissertation must be completed and orally defended.
10. It is expected that all doctoral candidates have at least one research paper published or accepted for publication in a fully refereed conference or journal prior to graduation. A patent relevant to the Ph.D. research topic/dissertation as approved by the U.S. Patent Office with an assigned number can substitute for the journal or conference publication requirement.

PhD Electrical Engineering, Neuroengineering Concentration

Degree Requirements

Students must meet all the degree requirements for the PhD EE General program. In addition, the following requirements must be satisfied:

1. 1. Graduate coursework counted for the Ph.D. program must contain at least three graduate courses from the table below. Additional courses may be approved by the dissertation advisor. Graduate courses completed during the master's degree program may also be used to meet this requirement.
   2. The student's Ph.D. dissertation research and scholarship must have a strong emphasis on one or more areas of neuroengineering, including but not limited to applied and/or theoretical areas.

PhD in Electrical Engineering Dissertation Information

Dissertation Committee

Students are encouraged to interact with faculty members of the department to select a dissertation advisor and research area/topic for their dissertation. After a student has passed the Candidacy Examination, a dissertation committee shall be formed to supervise the student's research work. The committee will consist of at least four faculty members who are familiar with the research area, at least three of whom are regular faculty members of the department. At least one member of the committee is recommended to be from outside the department (could also be from another institution or industry), and this member should have an academic or professional level compatible with the rest of the committee. The committee is chaired by the student's dissertation advisor. The chair of the committee must be a faculty member from the EECS department. Students are expected to work in close cooperation with their dissertation committee and to keep the committee members informed about their progress on a regular basis. The dissertation committee should meet with the student at least once a semester to review the progress of the research work.

Time Limitation

A PhD student who enters the program with a Master's degree has no more than ten years to complete all requirements for the PhD degree.

Dissertation and Oral Defense

The dissertation must be written in the format specified by the Graduate College. A copy of the dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate College for approval of the dissertation format. Dissertations must be defended orally. A dissertation should be submitted to the members of the dissertation committee for their review at least two weeks before the oral defense. After an oral defense, the members of the dissertation committee vote on acceptance or rejection of the dissertation. The committee may also suggest that the student do some additional work so as to make the dissertation acceptable. The decision of the dissertation committee will be reported in the form of satisfactory/ unsatisfactory grade for dissertation credits.

PhD in Electrical Engineering Qualifying Exam

Note: The Qualifying Exam for the PhD in  Computer Science,  Computer Engineering  or Electrical Engineering is the same except for the course selections (see the  application form).

The Electrical Engineering (EE) Qualifying Exam is a written exam intended to assess whether a student is ready to conduct research at the doctoral level and is able to publish in international conferences and journals. This exam must be passed for formal admission into the doctoral program. Students seeking the PhD degree are expected to take the exam during the second semester of their doctoral studies, excluding the Summer semester.

The exam addresses the student's knowledge of graduate and undergraduate course material and basic mathematical concepts and engineering methods required for research and professional practice at the doctoral level. The exam consists of six problems (one from each course) related to material covered in recent FAU graduate and undergraduate EE courses, which are prepared by faculty with input from the student and selected by the Graduate Committee. The exam, administered in the Fall and Spring semesters, is given in two 3-hour sessions, each session covering three courses, morning and afternoon, in one day. The student can bring three 2-sided pages of notes and a simple calculator to each session, but no books, computers, or phones. An overall minimum score of 70% or better is required to pass. A student failing the written exam may, upon re-application, take it a second time. Two failures will normally result in the student's dismissal from the PhD program.

Application for the Electrical Engineering Qualifying Exam

Students need to fill out and submit an  application  for the qualifying exam. In filling out the form, the student should list six courses, at most four of which may be at the graduate level and at least two of which must be at the undergraduate level and selected from one of the lists below. Each of the graduate courses selected must satisfy the following requirements: (1) the course is not a DIS course (i.e. BME 6905, COT 6900, COT 6905, EEL 6905), (2) at most 2 graduate courses taught by the same instructor, and (3) the course was offered by the EECS department in the preceding three years. Students can select at most one graduate course outside the EECS department with the approval of the advisor. All other courses must have been offered by the EECS department during the preceding three years but the student may have taken them anywhere or prepared for them on their own. The student will also list a primary area of research and at least one secondary area.

The application must be approved by the student's adviser and then submitted to the Graduate Committee. Upon approving the application, the Graduate Committee will arrange for preparation of the exam.

Electrical Engineering Courses

1. CDA 4102 Computer Architecture
2. CDA 4240C Design of Digital Systems
3. EEE 4361C Electronics 2
4. EEL 3502 Signals and Digital Filter Design
5. EEL 4512C Principles of Communication Systems
6. EEL 4652C Control Systems 1

Textbook information and QE topics for each undergraduate course are available  here.