Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineering |

The Department of Electrical Engineering initiated the graduate program in 1967, offering courses leading to the Master's degree. In 1977, the graduate program was expanded to include studies leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

The graduate program offers studies and research in control engineering, antennas, communications, microwaves, applied microelectronics, power systems, signal processing, and solid state electronics. The combination of high-quality curriculum, research, faculty and facilities enables the department to provide excellent preparation for those who wish to embark on careers in electrical engineering.

Published theoretical and experimental investigation of current research topics are vital to the electrical engineering program. The faculty here publish their scholarly work frequently, chair international and national conferences, serve as reviewers for governemtal programs or as referees for scientific journals. Some collaborative efforts are international. The department has sponsored several international workshops in Africa, presentation of papers in Russia, France and Germany among others. The department hosted the 25th North American Power Symposium in October of 1993.

Three research centers and two departmental laboratories are designed to support graduate research. in addition to graduate faculty, research staff includes research associates, visiting scholars from other countries, visiting professors from US-based companies and graduate students. Each academic year, over 60 graduated students from America and international schools are enrolled.

Study Areas

Energy Systems and Control: Power and energy systems; Power electronics; Fault detection and location; Power electronics reliability analysis; Smart grid; Renewable energy; Computational intelligence; Motion control and drives; Digital control.

Signal Processing and Communications: Signal and image processing; Applied mathematics and probability

Material Science and Solid State Electronics: Material science; Optical devices; Nano-technology; Computational chemistry and material science

Electromagnetics and Optics: Electromagnetics; Optics; Antennas

Computer Engineering: Hardware Trojan detection; Embedded Systems; Intelligent Systems; Cybersecurity for computer control system

• Related Degrees: Ph.D.
• Program Frequency: Full-Time
• Format: In Person

A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is preferred and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in major course work is required. Each graduate department may have additional "special admission requirements" which are noted on this page.

• Completed on-line application and signature page or * Download the paper application (HTML) | (Acrobat)
• The non-refundable application fee
• Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the Registrar’s Office from ALL colleges and universities attended
• GRE Scores (Only official score reports are accepted within 5 years of the test date) www.gre.org
• Statement of Academic and Research Interest
• Autobiographical Sketch (Personal biography)
• Resume
• Three letters of recommendation Word

Special Admission Requirements

Master of Engineering

Admission preference to the master's program is given to those individuals who hold a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Electronics Engineering from an accredited institution, and who have accumulated an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 out of a possible 4.0, and have taken the following or equivalent undergraduate fundamental courses:

Fundamentals of Circuits, Fundamentals of Electronics. Fundamentals of Signals, Fundamentals of Electromagnetics, and Fundamentals of Digital Systems. GRE scores are required and used in admission decision. Applicants seeking admission without full satisfaction to the requirement of fundamental courses may be admitted in probation with mandatory registration and making B or above grade(s) in the courses not taken before. These probationary courses will not contribute credits toward the degree requirements. Individuals having a lower GPA or with degrees in other disciplines or branches of engineering may be provisionally admitted if their GRE scores are very high.

Doctor of Philosophy

Admission to the Ph.D. program is accorded those applicants holding a master's degree in electrical, computer, and electronics engineering from a nationally or regionally accredited institution and possessing a GPA at least 3.0 out of a possible 4.0. All applicants are required to have taken the following or equivalent undergraduate fundamental courses: Fundamentals of Circuits, Fundamentals of Electronics. Fundamentals of Signals, Fundamentals of Electromagnetics, and Fundamentals of Digital Systems. Applicants seeking admission without full satisfaction to the requirement of fundamental courses may be admitted in probation with mandatory registration and making B or above grade(s) in the courses not taken before. These probationary courses will not contribute credits toward the degree requirements. GRE scores are required. Admission will also be granted to those applicants with equivalent qualifications from foreign institutions.

International Applicants

In addition to the requirements listed above you must meet the following:​

• Official transcripts, certificates and/or mark/grade sheets must be sent directly from the college or university to the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions, and must show proof of degree(s) earned, courses taken and marks/grades received.   All transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (http://www.wes.org/) or by a current NACES member (https://www.naces.org/members). All GRE score reports must be submitted to Howard University (school code: 5297).
• TOEFL Scores (Minimum computer-based score of 213 is required and only official score reports are accepted within 2 years of the test date) www.toelf.org

Degree Requirements

Master of Engineering

Students must complete a minimum of 30 semester credits with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. All students must take the following courses: EECE 501 Graduate Seminar (two semesters); EECE502, Engineering Analysis A; EECE503, Engineering Analysis B; EECE541 Probability and Random Variable; and EECE604 Optimization Theory. Maximum 6 credits taken at another institution or in other Master's programs can be transferable upon approval from the graduate director. Additionally, all graduate students must pass the Expository English examination in their first semester.

The department provides two optional methods under which students may complete the master's degree requirements: thesis and non-thesis options. Obtaining a master's degree under Thesis Option requires the satisfactory completion of 24 semester credits of course work and 6 semester credits of Thesis hours (EECE599), followed by a formal oral defense before a thesis examining committee. On the other hand, obtaining a master's degree under Non-Thesis Option requires the satisfactory completion of 30 semester credit hours of course work.

Doctor of Philosophy

A minimum of 72 semester hours of credit beyond the baccalaureate degree is required for the Ph.D. degree, among which at least 60 hours are to be from course credits and at least 12 from Dissertation research credits (EECE699). Maximum 24 semester hours of credit in Electrical, Computer, and Electronics Engineering from Master Degree program may be transferrable, upon approval from the graduate director, to the required Ph.D. hours of credit. Maximum 6 credits taken at another institution in corresponding Ph.D. program can be transferable upon approval from the graduate director.

Students must also pass qualifying and preliminary examinations. Ph.D. qualification examination is given once a regular semester. To pass a Ph.D. qualifying examination, students should pass 3 of the 4 subjects of their free choice out of the 5 undergraduate fundamental courses. Students should pass Ph.D. qualifying examination within the first regular 2 semesters of residence. Failure to pass Ph.D. qualifying exam within the period would result in expulsion from the program. A preliminary examination is given by a student's dissertation committee when the student's dissertation proposal is ready to be defended.

For approval for scheduling the final oral defense, a student is required to provide evidence that he or she has submitted a manuscript based on the dissertation research to a refereed journal or has presented a talk at a professional conference.

Admission to Candidacy

A student should file for admission to candidacy after 12 hours of work has been completed and this student has satisfied the GSAS writing proficiency requirement. Forms provided by the dean should be filed a semester before graduation and approved by the student's thesis committee and the Executive Committee of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciencec.