EE-PHD - Electrical Engineering (PhD)

The University requirements for the Ph.D. degree are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this Bulletin.

Admission to a graduate program does not imply that the student is automatically a candidate for the Ph.D. degree. Advancement to candidacy requires superior academic achievement, satisfactory performance on a qualifying examination, and sponsorship by two faculty members: a dissertation advisor and a second reader. Enrollment in EE 391, Special Studies, is recommended as a means for getting acquainted with a faculty member who might be the dissertation advisor.

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program must take the department qualifying examination. Students must pass the qualifying exam prior to the end of Winter quarter of their second year of study. Students who have never taken the qualifying examination or have not passed the qualifying exam will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program for failure to progress. Such students may be allowed to complete a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.

Upon completion of the qualifying examination and after securing agreement by two faculty members to serve as dissertation advisor and second reader, respectively, the student files an Application for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree. The dissertation advisor must be a member of the Academic Council.  One of the two faculty members must have either a full or a joint appointment in the Electrical Engineering Department. Students are required to advance to candidacy prior to the end of their second year in the graduate program. Students who do not advance to candidacy by the end of their second year will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program for failure to progress. Such students may be allowed to complete a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering instead.

After receiving department approval of the Application for Candidacy, the student becomes a candidate for the Ph.D. degree.

Degree Requirements

Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in order to maintain good academic standing and graduate with the EE Ph.D. degree.

The Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering is a specialized degree, built on a broad base of science, mathematics, and engineering skills. The course program must reflect competency in Electrical Engineering and specialized study in other areas relevant to the student's research focus. Students should discuss their course selection with their dissertation advisor.

Students in the Ph.D. program are required to complete 135 units of unduplicated coursework. Note that up to 45 units of a master's degree earned at Stanford or another institution in Electrical Engineering or other science/engineering/math fields may be counted toward the 135 units required for the doctoral degree. 

The proposed program of study must be listed on the Application for Candidacy for Ph.D. Degree. Any deviations from these guidelines must be accompanied with an explanation and the approval of the dissertation advisor. All deviations must be approved by the Associate Chair of Graduate Education (submit all requests for program deviations to the Degree Progress Officer).

The Ph.D. program must satisfy the following minimum unit guidelines: 

·      1 unit of seminar course EE 301 (Introductory Research Seminar in Electrical Engineering). Students must take this course in autumn quarter of their first year.

·      21 units of letter-graded lecture/lab courses at the 200 level or above in STEM fields - engineering, natural sciences, math, or statistics.

·      Students who want to earn a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering should choose courses that fulfill the EE MS Depth and Breadth requirements described in the EE Graduate Handbook (see the MS section).

The remaining units required to complete the 135 total units may be comprised of:

·      Special Studies (e.g. EE390 or EE391)

·      research units (e.g. EE400)

·      seminar units

·      additional lecture/lab courses taken CR/NC or for letter grades.

·      non-departmental units in nontechnical areas

Students who wish to receive a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford may count the 21 units of lecture/lab courses mentioned above toward the requirements for that degree (45 total units are required to earn a Master’s degree).  They must submit the Graduate Authorization Petition in Axess to open the degree and then submit the MS Proposal form that lists the courses taken in fulfillment of that degree.  Ph.D. students that wish to open the Master’s degree must confer the degree within 3 years of the first Master’s degree quarter.

Students wishing to earn an MS degree in a different science or engineering department at Stanford instead of EE in partial fulfillment of the 135 units may submit a request to the Degree Progress Officer, to be reviewed by the Associate Chair of Graduate Education. 

For complete requirements and additional information, see the department's website.

Financial Assistance

The Department awards a limited number of fellowships, teaching and course assistantships, and research assistantships to incoming graduate students. Applying for financial assistance is part of the admission application.

For a statement of University policy on graduate advising, see the Graduate Advising section of this bulletin.

The Department of Electrical Engineering is committed to providing academic advising in support of doctoral student scholarly and professional development. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by both advisor and advisee. Students are expected to meet with their Ph.D. dissertation advisor at least once per year. Students who do not have a dissertation advisor are encouraged to check in with their program advisor. As a best practice, advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both advisor and advisee are expected to maintain professionalism, respect, and integrity. They should also be responsive to one another in a timely manner.

Faculty advisors guide students in key areas such as selecting courses, designing and conducting research, developing teaching pedagogy, navigating policies and degree requirements, and exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways.  The Department’s Graduate Handbook provides information and suggested timelines for different stages of the doctoral program. For more information, see the Department's Graduate Degree Progress website.

Ph.D. students are initially assigned a program advisor based on the interests expressed in their application. This faculty member provides initial guidance in course selection, in exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways, and in identifying doctoral research opportunities.  The Department does not require formal lab rotations, but students are encouraged to consider exploring research activities in two or three labs during their first academic year.

Students identify their doctoral research/thesis advisor, pass the qualifying exam, and advance to candidacy prior to the end of the second year of study. The research supervisor assumes primary responsibility for the future direction of the student, taking on the roles previously filled by the program advisor, and ultimately directs the student’s dissertation. Most students find an advisor from among the primary faculty members of the Department. The research advisor may alternatively be a faculty member from another Stanford department who is familiar with supervising doctoral students and able to provide both advising and funding for the duration of the doctoral program. When the research advisor is from outside the Department, the student still maintains the previous program advisor from the primary faculty, to provide guidance on Departmental requirements and opportunities.   

The faculty Associate Chair of Graduate Education is available during the academic year by email and during office hours. The Department’s student services office is also an important part of the doctoral advising team: they inform students and advisors about University and Department requirements, procedures, and opportunities, and they maintain the official records of advising assignments and approvals. Students are encouraged to talk with their doctoral program advisor, the Graduate Student Teaching Advisor, and the Degree Progress Officer from the student services office as they consider advisor selection, or for guidance in working with their advisor(s).

The Department's doctoral students are active contributors to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program. For more information, see the Electrical Engineering Department Graduate Handbook (pdf).  

The Ph.D. is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research. Through course work and guided research, the program prepares students to make original contributions in Electrical Engineering and related fields.