Engineering, Electrical and Computer (PhD, MS)

Program Overview

Graduate programs offered by Binghamton University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering are competitive and affordable options for students seeking to obtain a Master of Science (MS) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree while conducting research in their areas of interest. Our program was ranked in the top 25 percentile in the nation by Academics Analytics, alongside Johns Hopkins University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Brown University. Designed to prepare students for a broad range of career paths, our curriculum is diverse and highly flexible to suit the student’s personal interests.

Interested students are encouraged to explore faculty research areas, which include speech recognition, cyber security, new/green energy, circuit design, next-gen computer engineering and e-health. The department receives funding from resources such as the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Energy, New York State Energy Research & Development Authority and the National Science Foundation. Students can receive funding through teaching and research assistantships. Often, assistantships include a stipend and a tuition scholarship.

Before beginning the application process, students should recognize how their personal interests align with faculty research areas and think extensively about professional ambitions. Prospective students are encouraged to contact the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at ecestaff@binghamton.edu with questions.

Degrees Offered

  • PhD in Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • MS in Electrical & Computer Engineering

Internships, Research Opportunities and More

The department works closely with faculty from other disciplines and both domestic and international researchers. These collaborations are conducted through research centers such as the Center of Excellence in Information Assurance Education and the Center for Autonomous Solar Power.

Specific research specializations include:

  • Steganography and watermarking
  • Signal process in sensor networks
  • Signal process for communications
  • Speech signal processing
  • Optoelectronics and laser communication
  • Fault-tolerant control systems
  • Robust control of power systems
  • Computer and network security
  • Computer architecture
  • Low-power VLSI
  • Solar cell devices and systems
  • BioMEMS/NEMS, biosensors and biofuel cells
  • Medical cyber physical systems
  • Smart grid power systems

Watson Career and Alumni Connections offers professional advice and services such as interview guidance, cover letter critiques and networking opportunities.

After You Graduate

91% of our doctoral students obtain positions within 3 months of graduation, employed by companies such as GlobalFoundries, Toshiba and Facebook. Our graduates are prepared to enter the industry or continue their research in academic institutions, such as the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University. Many obtain positions with competitive companies such as IBM, Verizon Wireless, Siemens Industry Inc, Lockheed Martin and federal agencies. Recent alumni have become an optics module test engineer at Intel, and a resesarch engineer at the Ford Motor Company.

Admission Requirements

Funding/Scholarships

There are many funding and scholarship opportunities at Binghamton. We encourage prospective students to review available program-specific scholarships and awards, and visit the program's website for additional information. PhD students who are registered and/or certified full-time will receive a scholarship that covers the cost of broad-based fees (this does not include international student fees). Note: Master's students are generally self-funded, although funding opportunities occasionally arise.

Accelerated/4+1 Degrees

You may also be interested in our accelerated/4+1 degree programs which allow students to complete their bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in just 5 years!


For more information, visit the Engineering, Electrical and Computer website.