UMBC’s Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department offers both M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Electrical Engineering. Below you will find information on the Electrical Engineering graduate program, research areas in Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as information about the application process.
Research Areas
Signal Processing & Machine Learning — Faculty in this area conduct research developing new platforms and methods to address many of the challenges posed by today’s data-rich applications, especially addressing problems in the complex and big data realm. The application domains are many and include problems in medical image analysis and data fusion, remote sensing, image processing for hyperspectral data, cognitive radio networks and future power systems (smart grids).
- Tülay Adali, PhD., Distinguished University Professor, Specialization Areas: Statistical and adaptive signal processing, machine learning, matrix and tensor factorizations, and their applications in multimodal and multi-set data fusion and medical image analysis. Machine Learning for Signal Processing Laboratory (MLSP Lab): http://mlsp.umbc.edu
- Chein-I Chang, Ph.D., Professor, Specialization Areas: Hyperspectral imaging, remote sensing signal and image processing, medical imaging.
- Seung-Jun Kim, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Specialization Areas: Statistical signal processing, optimization, machine learning, and big data techniques with applications to wireless communications/networking, future power systems/smart grids, brain/medical data analysis. Signal Processing and Smart Systems Laboratory: https://www.csee.umbc.edu/~sjkim
Microelectronics/ Microsystems (MEMS) & Photonics — Faculty in this area conduct research in the complementary fields of electronic, bioelectronic, nanotechnology, electromagnetic, and optical devices and circuits, with broad application to the next generation light emitters, power electronics, wearable and implantable biomedical sensors that advance consumer, industrial, national security, and health care outcomes.
- Fow-Sen Choa, PhD., Professor, Specialization Areas: Material growth, nanofabrication, Near and Mid-IR lasers and detectors, RF-photonic components and systems, photoacoustic sensing, EEG brain function analysis and monitoring, transcranial magnetic, direct/alternating current stimulations, dynamic brain network analysis.
- Li Yan, Ph.D., Professor, Specialization Areas: Ultrafast optics, solid-state lasers, optical communications, nonlinear optics, quantum optics, coherent beam combining and mixing.
- Ergun Simsek, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Specialization Areas: Computational methods, machine learning, and optimization for electromagnetics, photonics, and optoelectronics. Computational Photonics for Multilayered Structure (CPMS) Lab: https://www.csee.umbc.edu/~simsek
Optics & Communications — Faculty in this area conduct basic and applied research that relies on the synergy of physics, materials science, numerical modeling, and device applications to understand and develop innovative materials, devices, and algorithms that addresses the demand for higher data transfer rates and bandwidths, and next generation mobile/wireless technologies.
- Gary Carter, Ph.D., Professor, Specialization Areas: Optoelectronics; diode lasers; nonlinear optics; optical communications.
- Anthony Johnson, PhD., Professor, Specialization Areas: Ultrafast photophysics and nonlinear optical properties of bulk, nanostructured, and quantum well semiconductor structures, ultrashort pulse propagation in fibers and high-speed lightwave systems.
- Curtis Menyuk, Ph.D., Professor, Specialization Areas: Lasers, computational modeling of photonic systems, time and frequency generation and transfer, lightwave communications, optical fibers, optical networks, and nonlinear phenomena.
- Mohamed Younis, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Specialization Areas: Wireless networks; Cyber-physical systems, internet of things, fault tolerant computing, embedded computer systems, and secure communication. Embedded Systems and Networks Lab (ESNET): http://esnet.cs.umbc.edu/
VLSI Systems/ Hardware Security & Digital design — Faculty in this area are working on advanced computer-aided VLSI chip design, and developing innovations in VLSI hardware testing, security, computational and communication protocols, and sensor-processing integration that protect the security and integrity of hardware systems that meet the challenges for ultrafast and low-power computing, real-time and secure cyber-physical systems, and effective methods for processing complex data and enhancing multicore and cloud computing.
- Naghmeh Karimi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Specialization Areas: Hardware Security & Design-for-Trust, Fault Tolerance & Design-for-Reliability, Hardware Testing & Design-for-Testability, Hardware Design & Synthesis, and VLSI Design.
- Dhananjay Phatak, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Specialization Areas: Computer arithmetic algorithms and implementations, all aspects of computer/cyber security, number theory, computer networks and neural nets.
- Ryan Robucci, PhD., Associate Professor, Specialization Areas: Analog and mixed-signal VLSI; sensors and cyber-physical systems, human-computer systems, and hardware security. ECLIPSE: https://eclipse.umbc.edu/robucci/
How to Apply
Pre-requisites for Admission
Applicants must have a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited undergraduate program with a GPA equivalent to ‘B+’ or higher. Individuals whose records indicate strong potential for successful pursuit of the master’s or doctoral degree objectives and who have similar undergraduate preparation with strong academic records in computer science, mathematics, physics or other areas of engineering or science are encouraged to apply (B.S. degrees in engineering technology are not considered equivalent to the B.S. degree in engineering or the B.A. degree in the sciences). Students whose degrees are not in electrical engineering generally will be required to take courses to make up deficiencies in their backgrounds. Students who plan to pursue the Ph.D. degree but who do not already have an M.S. degree are advised to apply for admission to the M.S. program.
The Application Process
Apply online through UMBC’s Graduate School Website. Applicants must also submit:
- An Official Transcript
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- Statement of purpose (See Preparation Guidelines)
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores or GRE Waiver Form
(GRE is mandatory to be considered for departmental support.) - TOEFL scores (International students only)
Application Deadlines
International Students
- Fall: January 7th
- Spring: June 1st
Domestic Students
- Fall: January 7th (for financial consideration), June 1st
- Spring: June 1st (for financial consideration), November 1st