Doctoral program · Rossin College
PhD in Computer Engineering
The PhD in Computer Engineering at Lehigh University’s P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science prepares researchers to create and share new knowledge about computer systems, from architecture and embedded hardware to networks, robotics and intelligent systems.
- Degree awardedDoctor of Philosophy in Computer Engineering
- DepartmentElectrical and Computer Engineering
- Credit hours72 minimum
- Fall deadlineDecember 15
- GRENeither accepted nor reviewed
- Application fee$50 USD
Overview
What the PhD in Computer Engineering is
The program exists to prepare computer engineers for the challenges ahead, to build a sense of scholarship, leadership and service among its graduates, and to instill the desire to create, develop and disseminate new knowledge. It also aims to provide international leadership to the computer engineering profession.
Applicants come from computer or information science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mathematics and the physical sciences, and the department prefers, but does not require, a prior master’s degree. Research in the department is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation and Lockheed Martin.
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering maintains the authoritative program detail. See the department page.
Research
Research on the systems computing depends on
Faculty and doctoral students in computer engineering take on large, complex problems: building computing hardware and embedded devices that meet growing demands, keeping networks and mobile systems secure, creating machines that sense and act in the physical world, and helping people find and use information in enormous collections of data.
Architecture and embedded systems
Every application runs on hardware that someone had to design. Researchers in this area study how processors and digital systems are organized and how small computing devices are built into the products and infrastructure around us, so that computing can do more in more places.
Focus topics: Computer architecture, Embedded systems.
Networks, mobile and secure systems
As computing spreads across networks and into mobile devices, protecting what travels over them grows harder. Work here examines how networks are built and how mobile and secure systems can stay dependable when many devices and users depend on them.
Focus topics: Networks, Mobile computing, Secure systems.
Robotics, vision and intelligent systems
Machines that work alongside people must make sense of images, sound and human input. Researchers in this area develop robots and intelligent systems, along with the image processing, graphics and interfaces that let machines interpret what they sense and respond to the people who use them.
Focus topics: Robotics, Intelligent systems, Multimedia and image processing, Graphics and user interfaces.
Data, information and the web
The volume of stored information has outgrown what people can search by hand. This area looks at how databases, search and web-based systems organize and retrieve information, and how computing can draw meaning from biological data.
Focus topics: Database and information systems, Internet search, Web-based systems, Bioinformatics.
Affiliated research labs
Laboratory of Networking Group (LONGLAB)
Pattern Recognition Research (PRR) Lab
Signal Process and Communications Research (SPCRL) Lab
Vision, Assistive Devices and Experimental Robotics (VADER) Lab
Wireless Infrastructure and Network Security (WiNS) Lab
Web Understanding, Modeling, and Evaluation (WUME) Lab
Degree requirements
What the doctorate requires
72 credits beyond a bachelor’s degree, or 48 credits for students entering with a technical master’s degree from another institution. Lehigh publishes the following complete set of requirements.
- Credit hours
A minimum of 72 credits beyond a bachelor’s degree, or a minimum of 48 credits for students who enter with a technical master’s degree from another institution. Credits beyond the core come from electives and from research, through dissertation credits or maintenance of candidacy credits. No course graded below C- counts toward the degree. Once you are admitted to candidacy and past the credit minimum, you register for one credit of Maintenance of Candidacy.
- Required core courses
Nine credits, with one course from each of three course areas and a B- or better in each. Area 1: Digital System Design (ECE 319), Embedded Systems (ECE 336) or Computer-Aided Design of Digital Systems (ECE 363). Area 2: Advanced Computer Architecture (ECE 401). Area 3: Operating System Design (CSE 303), Advanced Operating Systems (CSE 403), Design and Analysis of Algorithms (CSE 340) or Advanced Algorithms (CSE 440).
- Qualifying examination
Take the appropriate qualifying exam within two years of entering the program, preferably in the spring of your first year. The department offers different qualifying examinations for the different areas of study. The exam asks you to show competency in areas that may relate to your research thrust but are not identical to your dissertation topic. It typically consists of reading assigned research papers, writing a response paper and taking an oral exam with an Examining Committee of at least three faculty members from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, or both. You have two weeks to write the paper, and the oral exam follows one week after you submit it.
- If you do not pass the qualifier
You may retake the exam after a 5-month waiting period. If you do not retake it within a 12-month period, you are removed from the PhD program and must reapply. A second unsuccessful attempt ends your path in the PhD program.
- Doctoral committee and admission to candidacy
After you pass the qualifier, you form a Doctoral Committee of at least 4 members and submit a written program plan that discusses your intended dissertation research. Once the committee accepts the plan, you may apply for candidacy.
- General examination
The general examination tests your capacity and proficiency in your area of specialization. It is not limited to the content of courses you have taken at Lehigh University or elsewhere. Your doctoral committee is in charge of the exam, which may be written, oral or both, and it must take place no later than seven months before the date you plan to receive the degree. If you do not pass, the committee may allow a second attempt within 5 to 7 months. An unsatisfactory second result ends your path in the PhD program.
- Teaching
All PhD students serve as a half or full teaching assistant for a minimum of one semester.
- Dissertation and defense
Independent research under the guidance of a faculty advisor and a doctoral committee, defended in a public presentation.
- Time limit
Complete the degree within 10 years.
- Foreign language
Competence in a foreign language is not required.
Curriculum
Core and required courses
| Code | Course | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| ECE 319 | Digital System Design | Design techniques at the register transfer level. |
| ECE 336 | Embedded Systems | Use of small computers embedded as part of other machines. |
| ECE 363 | Computer-Aided Design of Digital Systems | Digital chip design with EDA tools. |
| ECE 401 | Advanced Computer Architecture | Design, analysis and performance of computer architectures. |
| CSE 303 | Operating System Design | Processes, memory management and operating systems. |
| CSE 403 | Advanced Operating Systems | Advanced operating system principles and design. |
| CSE 340 | Design and Analysis of Algorithms | Algorithm design, analysis and proofs. |
| CSE 440 | Advanced Algorithms | Randomized algorithms and amortized analysis. |
Careers
Where graduates work
Computer engineering alumni build the hardware, software and systems that modern computing runs on.
A doctorate in computer engineering prepares you for research leadership, research and development, and academic and industry research roles. Lehigh alumni in this field work mostly in information technology and engineering, with others in finance, defense and space, electronics manufacturing, telecommunications, education and healthcare. Roles include research scientist, applied scientist, principal or staff engineer, digital design engineer, software engineering manager and executive director, with work ranging from processor and chip design to artificial intelligence and video codecs.
Employers where our alumni most often work include:
- Intel
- Microsoft
- Amazon
- Apple
- Meta
- IBM
Alumni also work at Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Arm, S&P Global, Lutron Electronics, Lockheed Martin and Da Yardman.
Based on current employers of Lehigh computer engineering alumni, all degree levels, who graduated between 1996 and 2024.
Funding
Financial support
All PhDs at the Rossin College are 100% fully-funded, however, funding sources may vary by department. Funding covers PhD tuition and a stipend.
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering does not publish program-specific stipend or assistantship figures; ask the graduate contact below what funding looks like for this program.
- PhD applicants wishing to be considered for financial assistance should submit a complete application no later than December 15 for a fall semester start.
- Named opportunities open to Rossin College doctoral students include the Rossin Research Scholars program, Pasteur PhD Partners (P3), and the SEED-EF NSF National Research Traineeship, see special opportunities for Lehigh PhD students.
- Financial aid for Lehigh’s graduate programs consists mainly of fixed-rate federal student loans through the Office of Financial Aid.
- Loan eligibility requires enrollment at least half-time, six credits during the academic year, three credits in summer.
- Emergency loans and grants are available through the Graduate Life Office.
Admissions
How to apply
Applications for admission, all semesters, all levels, are completed online. Applications open September 1; PhD applications for fall admission are due December 15 for financial aid consideration.
Application open dates and deadlines are determined by individual departments. Contact the department concerning relevant deadlines and available start terms.
What to submit
- Completed online application
- Official transcripts (with English translation for international applicants)
- Statement of purpose / essay
- Letters of recommendation (typically three)
- Résumé or CV
- Application fee of $50 USD
Electrical and Computer Engineering requirements
- Prior degree: A master’s degree is not required, but it is preferred. Applicants may enter with a bachelor’s degree or with a master’s degree, and the program appeals to people with backgrounds in computer or information science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mathematics or the physical sciences.
- GPA: The preferred minimum GPA is 3.0 out of 4.0.
- Deadline: The application deadline is December 15.
GRE scores are neither accepted nor reviewed for any Rossin College graduate program.
English proficiency minimums
| Test | Minimum score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | Overall 81 (old scale) / 4 (new scale); Speaking 22/4, Writing 20/4, Reading 20/4, Listening 16/4 |
| IELTS | Overall 6.5; Speaking 6.5, Writing 6, Reading 6.5, Listening 6 |
| Duolingo English Test | Overall 125; Speaking 125, Writing 120, Reading 125, Listening 110 |
| Cambridge | Overall 176; Speaking 176, Writing 169, Reading 176, Listening 169 |
| Pearson (PTE) | Overall 68, with 53 or higher on each band |
Scores expire two years from the test date. MyBestScore and One Skill Retake formats are not accepted. Waivers are available for applicants who are citizens or permanent residents of an English-speaking country, earned a U.S. degree with two or more years of in-person study, earned a degree taught in English in an English-speaking country, or studied or worked full-time in an English-speaking country for two or more years within the last five.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Which department at Lehigh offers the PhD in Computer Engineering?
The PhD in Computer Engineering is offered by Lehigh University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, within the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. Full program detail, faculty and current requirements are maintained on the department’s own page: https://engineering.lehigh.edu/ece/graduate/computer-engineering-phd
How many credits does the PhD in Computer Engineering require?
72 credits beyond a bachelor’s degree, or 48 credits for students entering with a technical master’s degree from another institution.
Do I need a master’s degree to apply to the PhD in Computer Engineering?
No. A master’s degree is not required, but it is preferred. You can enter with a bachelor’s degree and complete a minimum of 72 credits, or enter with a technical master’s degree from another institution and complete a minimum of 48 credits.
What background do I need for the PhD in Computer Engineering?
The program appeals to people with backgrounds in computer or information science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mathematics or the physical sciences.
What GPA do I need for the PhD in Computer Engineering?
The preferred minimum GPA is 3.0 out of 4.0.
Is the GRE required for the PhD in Computer Engineering?
No. GRE scores are neither accepted nor reviewed for any P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science graduate program.
What is the application deadline for the PhD in Computer Engineering?
The application deadline is December 15. At the college level, PhD applications for fall admission are due December 15 for financial aid consideration, and applications open September 1. Application open dates and deadlines are determined by individual departments. Contact the department concerning relevant deadlines and available start terms.
How much is the application fee?
The application fee is $50 USD. Applications for admission at all levels are completed online through Lehigh’s graduate application portal.
What are the required core courses for the PhD in Computer Engineering?
Nine credits, with one course from each of three areas and a B- or better in each. Area 1 offers Digital System Design (ECE 319), Embedded Systems (ECE 336) or Computer-Aided Design of Digital Systems (ECE 363). Area 2 is Advanced Computer Architecture (ECE 401). Area 3 offers Operating System Design (CSE 303), Advanced Operating Systems (CSE 403), Design and Analysis of Algorithms (CSE 340) or Advanced Algorithms (CSE 440).
When do I take the qualifying examination, and what happens on it?
Within two years of entering, preferably in the spring of your first year. You read assigned research papers, write a response paper in two weeks, and take an oral exam about one week after you submit it, with an Examining Committee of at least three faculty members. If you do not pass, you may retake it after a 5-month wait, and a second unsuccessful attempt ends your path in the program.
What happens after the qualifying examination?
You form a Doctoral Committee of at least 4 members and submit a written program plan on your intended dissertation research. Once the committee accepts it, you may apply for candidacy. The general examination follows, no later than seven months before you plan to receive the degree, and you then complete and publicly defend your dissertation.
How long do I have to finish the PhD in Computer Engineering?
The degree is to be completed within 10 years.
Do PhD students in Computer Engineering teach?
Yes. All PhD students serve as a half or full teaching assistant for a minimum of one semester.
Is the PhD in Computer Engineering funded?
All PhDs at the Rossin College are 100% fully-funded, however, funding sources may vary by department.
What research areas can I work in as a PhD in Computer Engineering student?
Research on the systems computing depends on published by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Architecture and embedded systems; Networks, mobile and secure systems; Robotics, vision and intelligent systems; Data, information and the web.
What English proficiency scores are required?
International applicants must meet Lehigh’s minimum scores: TOEFL iBT overall 81 (old scale) or 4 (new scale); IELTS overall 6.5; Duolingo English Test overall 125; Cambridge overall 176; or Pearson (PTE) overall 68. Scores expire two years from the test date. Waivers are available in defined circumstances.
Who do I contact about the PhD in Computer Engineering?
Lucy Waldman, Graduate Coordinator, xlw224@lehigh.edu is the graduate contact for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The department can be reached at engineering@lehigh.edu or (610) 758-4070. General Rossin College graduate inquiries go to engineering@lehigh.edu.
What courses do students take in the PhD in Computer Engineering?
Required courses include Digital System Design, Embedded Systems, Computer-Aided Design of Digital Systems, Advanced Computer Architecture and Operating System Design, among others. Other courses students can choose from include Advanced Electromagnetics, Computer Networks, Accelerated Computing for Deep Learning, Assistive Technologies, Memory Systems and Advanced Programming Techniques, among others. Coursework is planned with your advisor and doctoral committee, and the Lehigh course catalog carries the current requirements.
Contact
Talk to the department
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Graduate contact
Lucy Waldman, Graduate Coordinator · xlw224@lehigh.edu · (610) 758-4072
Address
Packard Laboratory
19 Memorial Drive West
Bethlehem, PA 18015
Phone and email
(610) 758-4070
engineering@lehigh.edu
P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science
19 Memorial Drive West
Bethlehem, PA 18015
engineering@lehigh.edu
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