Overview

PhD Written Qualifier Examination

The purpose of this examination is to determine whether the student has sufficient knowledge of the EE principles which are essential for conducting advanced research toward a PhD degree.
It is best described as an examination to test the student on knowledge of the principles of electrical engineering at the first year graduate level and at the junior and senior undergraduate levels. Each PhD student must take and pass the examination within four (4) semesters of admission to the department.
Those who enter the Electrical Engineering program at the University at Buffalo after completing an MS degree in EE at UB, must take this examination within 12 months.

The PhD Committee

Soon after a student passes the PhD qualifier exam s/he will form a committee of faculty members who will work with the student closely on dissertation research. By the time the student is ready for the PhD Advanced Examination (Prelim) s/he should have determined, at least in approximate terms, a research area, and should have identified a faculty advisor who is willing to supervise the work.
This faculty advisor, sometimes called the "major professor" or "committee chair," will ordinarily head the committee that administers the advanced examination, defense of dissertation research proposal, and dissertation defense.
The major professor must be a member of the Graduate Faculty. This committee must include at least three other members of the university faculty who hold the rank of Assistant Professor or higher in the University Faculty.
The major professor can help identify faculty members who share an interest in the topic, and who would be willing to review the dissertation and serve on the examining committee.

Programme Structure

Students graduate from the program having demonstrated, by means of their dissertations, their ability to make original and significant contributions to the fields of:

Signals, Communications and Networking

Optics and Photonics

Solid State Electronics

Energy Systems

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 60 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-20 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-15 00:00:00
Starting 2027-08-23 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-01 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

72 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Buffalo, United States

Disciplines

Electrical Engineering View 109 other PhDs in Electrical Engineering in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

GRE^®

Required

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Application

Transcripts

GRE & TOEFL Scores

Statement of Purpose Essay

Resume/Curriculum Vitae

Online Recommendation Letters

Application Fee

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

25740 USD / year

≈ 25740 USD / year
Out-of-State

25740 USD / year

≈ 25740 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

11310 USD / year

≈ 11310 USD / year

Living costs

Buffalo

United States

920 - 1560 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

In support of the University at Buffalo’s PhD Excellence Initiative, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences offers competitive, elite fellowship packages designed to attract the best and brightest scholars in the world.

The Presidential Fellowship offers outstanding prospective graduate students an elite fellowship package to the top 10% incoming enrolled doctoral students each academic year. This competitive package pays a stipend of up to $43,000 USD per year for up to 4 years and includes summer support. This award also includes a full tuition waiver of $11,310 USD for New York State Residents and $23,100 USD for Non-Residents bringing the total package of support to $54,310-$66,100 dollars per year.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Electrical Engineering.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

PhD Written Qualifier Examination

The PhD Committee

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Buffalo

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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