PhD in Computer Engineering
Admission Requirements:
- The candidate must meet the following minimum prerequisites for admission to the program:
- A Master of Science degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, or other closely related areas.
- Preparation in terms of coursework with passing grades in the following:
- Digital System Design
- Computer Architecture/Microprocessors
- Operating Systems
- Data Structures and Algorithms
- Those deficient in one or more of these courses may be admitted with required coursework to remove the deficiencies.
- GRE general test scores (plus TOEFL scores for applicants whose native language is not English). The program committee will specify the requirements for these test scores.
- Additionally, all applications for admission must also include the following:
- Three letters of reference from people who can comment on the candidate's potential to succeed as a PhD student, and
- Candidate's curriculum vitae, including a statement of objectives and interests.
Breadth Requirements
These are specified in terms of three TRACKS with a partial list of current or future courses shown below. Students may satisfy the breadth requirement by taking three courses in each track. We leave it up to further discussion of program committee whether the choices should be further narrowed down within each track.
TRACK 1: CIRCUIT/DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION
Courses in VLSI and ASIC Design dealing with analog and digital VLSI design, low-power design, Board-level and SoC designs, design verification.
Courses related to physical design and manufacturing, including, electronic design automation, VLSI testing, and device/interconnect modeling.
Courses on Logic and high-level synthesis.
Courses related to digital signal processing (some of these might go in Track 2).
TRACK 2: SYSTEM LEVEL ARCHITECTURE
Courses on advanced computer architecture, advance microprocessors, computer performance modeling
Fault Tolerance.
Courses on embedded systems design, real-time scheduling, rapid prototyping.
Courses on parallel and distributed processors and systems.
TRACK 3: TELECOMMUNICATIONS/NETWORKING
Courses on communication systems/networks, packet switched networks, telecommunications.
Courses on communication theory, coding/cryptography, network security.
Courses on wireless communications, broadband networks, optical fiber communications, spread spectrum. communications, sensor networks, data acquisition and conditioning.
Qualifying Examination:
The three tracks define the three areas of the qualifying examination. It is desirable to decouple the test from specific courses. Student may have acquired the necessary background elsewhere by a different combination of courses. Instead, for each track we will identify a core group of topics (plus an associated reading list) in each track that the students will be tested on.
Joint examination committees for each track will be responsible for creating the topics and reading lists and communicating to the students the format and expectations for a passing grade in the examination. The committees are also responsible for grading the test and reporting the same to the Joint Graduate Committee.
The qualifying examinations at the two locations will be identical and given at the same time. With the help of the Access Grid it should be possible for one person (either at Lincoln or Omaha) to proctor the examination.
Supervisory Committee:
