School of Engineering Graduate
Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering
Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science and Engineering
A Ph.D. program that combines computer science and computer engineering is unusual. Our program will offer depth and breadth in both disciplines.
The degree
What the Ph.D. certifies
The Ph.D. degree is a certification of critical aptitude in scholarship, imagination, knowledge in the discipline, enterprise in research, and proficiency and style in communication. A candidate obtaining a Ph.D. degree must display a thorough understanding in the major areas of computer science and engineering and must master the necessary tools and techniques so as to be able to make original contributions to the field of computer science and engineering. An equally important aspect is that of proficiency in oral and written communication skills.
The requirements
The requirements of the Ph.D. program are: Successful completion of preliminary examinations and courses, satisfactory performance in written comprehensive and oral examinations, admission to Ph.D. candidacy, successful completion and defense of original work documented as a dissertation, and the satisfaction of additional requirements such as teaching and seminars.
Your advisor
Each candidate, in her/his first semester, will be assigned an advisor by the Ph.D. program coordinator. The advisor will develop a program of study for the student and monitor her/his progress until a dissertation committee is formed for the student. The dissertation advisor will perform all subsequent advising. A student is required to form a dissertation committee in conjunction with the Ph.D. program coordinator after finishing the core Ph.D. courses, so that a better understanding of the various topics and research interests in the department will, by then, have been achieved.
A teaching practicum
A two-semester teaching practice requirement (3 credit hours each), for which students are to register with no fees. The students will be expected to teach lower undergraduate level classes, and/or assist professors as teaching assistants (i.e., perform a significant teaching role), thus giving Ph.D. graduates experience for an academic teaching career.
A publishing requirement
Publication of at least two journal papers, or one journal paper and two refereed conference papers, within the course of the Ph.D. topic research. These publications are not required to be single-authored by the student and they might be co-authored with members of the dissertation committee. The journals and conferences are expected to meet quality metrics established by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
A summary of steps
Admission
Admission to the Ph.D. program of computer science and engineering on a ‘provisional status,’ if needed. Completing prerequisites.
Coursework
Completing the course work requirement for the Ph.D. Eight (3-credit hours) courses at the 500 or 600 level, in the discipline, excluding independent studies. In addition, two (3-credit hours) courses at the five-hundred or six-hundred level from the Technology Management Department are required to satisfy the Information Technology Globalization Track requirement. Only courses with at least B grade can be counted towards satisfying the course requirements.
Comprehensive examination
Passing the Written Comprehensive Examination is granted when the student achieves at least a 3.5 GPA in the 4 core courses with at least B grade in each course. The seminar requirement represents the oral (proposal defense) section of the exam. The outcome of this examination will be of fail or pass. A student can re-take this examination no more than once. A student who does not pass the comprehensive examination in two attempts will be dismissed from the program.
Candidacy and advisor
Admission to “Candidacy.” Selection of a dissertation advisor. Writing a dissertation proposal.
Dissertation committee
The dissertation advisor in consultation with the Ph.D. program director, recommends a dissertation committee for the student. The dissertation committee includes at least three members in addition to the dissertation advisor. At least four members of the dissertation committee must be from a professorial rank within the school. Additionally, an external examiner is appointed as well. It is expected that the dissertation Supervisor and at least 50% of the committee membership has to be from professorial ranks of the Computer Science and Engineering Department. The external examiner is one whom has been distinguished in the field of computer science and engineering. S/he might not hold a professorial rank. Ph.D. program director and the dean of the School of Engineering must then approve the dissertation committee.
Dissertation and defense
At least 15 semester hours of dissertation research, culminating in a dissertation proposal defense and dissertation defense. The completed dissertation must be distributed to the dissertation committee members at least two weeks before the dissertation defense. The committee will read it and certify that the dissertation is a work of substantial merit and that it can be defended. It is the responsibility of the student that the final draft of the dissertation addresses all legitimate concerns of the committee members.
Graduation
Submission of dissertation to the School of Engineering. Graduation with a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science and Engineering.
Where our graduates work
- Amazon
- American Express
- IBM
- Jotform
- Verizon
Admission requirements
How to apply
Completed application and all supporting documents must be received by July 15 for the fall semester and Dec 1 for the spring semester.
Program prerequisites
- Master’s degree and bachelor’s degree in computer science, or engineering or a related STEM field from an accredited university or recognized international institution
- Recommended cumulative undergraduate and graduate GPA of 3.5 or higher
Required materials
- Application
- Official transcript for the last degree earned
- Personal statement: In 250‑500 words, describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your area of specialization, including your preparation for this field of study, your academic plans or research interests in your chosen area of study, and your future career goals. Please be specific about why the Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering degree at University of Bridgeport would be a good intellectual fit for you.
- Resumé
- To be considered for a scholarship, you must submit transcripts from each institution attended.
- In certain cases, the GRE can be waived based on previous academic performance.
Deadlines
The largest graduate engineering program in Connecticut
The largest graduate engineering program in Connecticut across all disciplines, University of Bridgeport has amassed a long and distinguished history in computer science and engineering since it began offering master’s degrees in 1970.
Both student and faculty research papers have won prestigious awards at professional engineering conferences throughout the years. Strong affiliations with many area companies have led to varied internship and co-op opportunities. And graduates have gone on to research and development careers at many of the most distinguished companies locally and nationally.
Depth and breadth
Concentration and research areas
Other unique characteristics include the program’s teaching and publishing requirements.
Prepared to teach and to publish
Recognizing that many of its graduates will pursue academic careers, the program requires all students to teach two courses. The teaching practicum is an important component. Most Ph.D.s in this field are not prepared to teach, and this experience will give our students an edge as they compete for faculty positions. Similarly, the requirement that all students have research articles accepted for publication prior to graduation will demonstrate to prospective employers that they know how to write for scholarly publications. The requirement is for two articles in high-level refereed journals or one journal and two conference articles. Another highly relevant requirement for all Ph.D. students calls for two courses in global technology management.
Course catalog
Every course, in full
View all courses offered and read full course descriptions in our online course catalog system.
Concentration areas
Concentration areas
The following is a list of research/concentration areas under the Ph.D. program.
- Computer architecture and VLSI and FPGA
- Design, modeling, and simulation of embedded and integrated systems and device applications
- Electromechanical systems prototyping and optimization
- Robotics, automation, machine perception and sensing
- Software engineering, Web development, and computational sciences
- Systems and computer security and biometrics
- Mobile communications, clould computing, Internet of Things and networking.
Core courses
10 courses
Core courses
Ph.D. candidates are required to finish a set of 4 courses out of a list of 7 core courses. The department of Computer Science and Engineering publishes a list of core courses every two years. The list is available through the Ph.D.program director. The list of core courses include:
| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CPSC 606 | Quantum Computing |
| CPEG 585 | Computer Vision |
| CPEG 560 | Performance Evaluation and Analysis |
| CPSC 590 | Parallel and Distributed Processing |
| CPEG 562 | Cryptography and Cryptanalysis |
| CPSC 552 | Data Mining |
| CPSC 694 | Written Comprehensive Exam |
| CPSE 698 | Teaching Requirement |
| CPSE 699 | Seminar (Oral Exam) |
| CPEG 447 | Field Programmable Gate Arrays |
A Ph.D. candidate must complete at least 30 credit hours of coursework, not including the dissertation, beyond the MS degree. Upper-level undergraduate remedial courses cannot be used to fulfill the coursework requirement.
Area A: Choose one course
17 courses
Area A: Choose one course
| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CPEG 460 | Introduction to Robotics |
| CPEG 560 | Performance Evaluation and Analysis |
| CPSC 509 | Automata Theory |
| CPSC 504 | Artificial Intelligence |
| ELEG 405 | Random Signal Processing |
| ELEG 410 | Bio Sensors |
| ELEG 413 | Bioinformatics |
| ELEG 453 | Pattern Recognition |
| ELEG 454 | Introduction to Audio Signal Processing |
| ELEG 456 | Adaptive Signal Processing |
| ELEG 459 | Audio Processing Lab |
| ELEG 460 | Controls |
| ELEG 513 | Biomedical Image Processing (Elective) |
| ELEG 542 | Advanced DSP (digital signal processing) |
| ELEG 544 | Wavelets and Filter Banks |
| ELEG 546 | Biomedical and Biometric Signal Processing |
| MATH 402 | Advanced Analysis for Scientists and Engineers II |
Area B: Choose one course
12 courses
Area B: Choose one course
| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CPEG 489 | Software Engineering |
| CPSC 410 | Java Programming |
| CPSC 411 | Advanced Object-Oriented Programming with JAVA |
| CPSC 435 | Unix System Programming |
| CPSC 440 | Windows Programming |
| CPSC 501 | OOP and Design Patterns |
| CPSC 502 | Analysis of Algorithms |
| CPSC 503 | Operating Systems |
| CPSC 545 | Component Based Software Design |
| CPSC 551 | Advanced Database Design |
| CPSC 552 | Data Mining |
| CPSC 555 | Web-Based Application Development |
Area C: Choose one course
13 courses
Area C: Choose one course
| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CPEG 472 | Computer Networks |
| CPEG 473 | Local Area Networks |
| CPEG 481 | Mobile Communications |
| CPEG 482 | Network Administration |
| CPEG 561 | Network Security |
| CPSC 590 | Parallel and Distributed Processing |
| ELEG 415 | Fiber Optics |
| ELEG 430 | Satellite/Wireless communication Systems |
| ELEG 437 | Microwaves |
| ELEG 439 | Radar Thry & Sim |
| ELEG 441 | RF Communications |
| ELEG 442 | Digital Communications |
| ELEG 443 | Digital Signal Proc I |
Area D: Choose one course
14 courses
Area D: Choose one course
| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CPEG 447 | Field Programmable Gate Arrays |
| CPEG 448D | Introduction to VLSI Design |
| CPEG 458 | Analog VLSI |
| CPEG 540 | Image Processing |
| CPEG 548 | Low Power VLSI Circuit Design |
| CPEG 550 | Advanced VLSI Design |
| ELEG 404 | Digital VLSI |
| ELEG 443 | Digital Signal Proc I |
| ELEG 458 | Analog VLSI |
| ELEG 482 | Analog Integrated Circuit Design |
| ELEG 483 | Digital Integrated Circuit Design |
| ELEG 548 | Low Power VLSI Circuit Design |
| ELEG 549 | VLSI Testing |
| ELEG 550 | VLSI; Digital System Design |
Technology Management- Choose one course
4 courses
Technology Management- Choose one course
Summary of milestones
Summary of milestones
A summary of steps, not necessarily ordered, through which a student will proceed is as follows:
- Admission to the Ph.D. program in Computer Science and Engineering.
- Completing prerequisites.
- Completing the coursework requirement for the Ph.D.
- Passing the requirements written comprehensive examination.
- Admission to ‘Candidacy.’
- Selection of a dissertation advisor.
- Writing a dissertation proposal.
- Completion of the seminar requirement and working on the proposed research topic.
- Formation of the dissertation committee.
- Approval of the dissertation by the dissertation committee.
- Successful completion of the dissertation defense.
- Submission of the dissertation to the School of Engineering.
- Graduation with a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science and Engineering.
Related programs
Start your application
Completed application and all supporting documents must be received by July 15 for the fall semester and Dec 1 for the spring semester.