PhD in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (PhD)

Tuition is Students are required to be sponsored by a U.S. government agency; tuition is covered by the sponsoring agency..

Students conduct original research in electrical and computer engineering under faculty supervision. They complete a screening exam in three technical areas and must pass both written and oral qualifying exams. The programme requires a dissertation proposal, oral defense, and final acceptance of the dissertation by a committee.

Focus areas include Communications, Computer Engineering, Controls, Electromagnetics, Electronics, Signal Processing.

The programme requires completion of breadth requirements, qualifying exams, and a dissertation. Students must take at least three graduate-level courses outside their research area and pass all major exams before advancing to candidacy.

Graduates pursue research and academic roles in electrical and computer engineering, often within government or defense-related institutions.

Applicants must be military officers or government employees sponsored by a U.S. government agency. They must pass a written screening exam in three technical areas and meet all programme requirements set by the ECE Ph.D. Program Committee.

On-campus, full-time or part-time, with typical duration dependent on individual progress and programme milestones.

Applied research connects the Naval Postgraduate School's graduate education with practical defense needs. Warfare studies and wargaming form a central area of work, alongside research in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, digitally crewed vessels, and space-related imaging systems. Centers, institutes, and academic groups provide interdisciplinary expertise across the institution's education and research programs.

Based in Monterey, California, NPS offers graduate study through academic departments and provides programs both on campus and through distance learning. NPS Online extends defense-focused education through tailored graduate-level distance learning and on-location opportunities. The school also supports research and education linked to operational challenges, with faculty expertise spanning a broad range of critical disciplines.

International applicants should understand that NPS is designed primarily for eligible U.S. and allied military personnel, Department of Defense civilians, and a limited number of defense contractors. The school also works with international partners. Its degrees are master's and PhD programs focused on defense-related study, and its academic model expects students to connect professional operational experience with graduate education and applied research.