phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
  • Graduate School
  • Prospective Students
  • Graduate Degree Programs

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The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Electrical and Computer Engineering Program is for students interested in pursuing advanced studies and research in Biomedical Technologies, Communications Systems, Computer and Software Systems, Energy Systems, or Micro and Nano Technologies. Applicants to the program must have a high scholastic standing and must have demonstrated an aptitude for research to be admitted to the Ph.D. program, as the program is designed to develop the ability for independent research.

Electrical and Computer Engineers develop computing systems, from chip architecture to mobile applications, to communications protocols as well as the energy systems to allow these devices and all other electrical systems to function. The discipline has a huge impact on society because it helps to design the systems we use in everything from health to finance to safety.

In this program students can choose to contribute to research on technologies very close to or already in the market or technologies that are in the early stages of research such as quantum computing or carbon nanotubes.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

Electrical and Computer Engineering is one of the largest graduate programs at The University of British Columbia with over 75 faculty members and 400 students. All of our faculty members lead distinguished research programs. The faculty members also collaborate with colleagues in the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Science as well as with industry leaders. These collaborations allow our students to work beside world-leaders in their area of interest. Our students use cutting-edge technologies at The University of British Columbia’s many research facilities and centres of excellence as well as in the field.

Every year, our department admits students to the PhD program from around the globe.  We currently have students enrolled from Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Korea ,Taiwan ,Turkey, and Vietnam.

Being one of the most prestigious universities in Canada and the world and having a vibrant research environment convinced me to choose UBC for my graduate studies. UBC also has a great system of support for graduate students, which assists students in every step of their journey so that students will maintain their focus on their research.

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Sara Hosseinirad

Quick Facts

Program Enquiries

Admission information & requirements, program instructions.

At least one of the required reference letters submitted to an application must be an academic reference. If all three reference letters are professional, it will be noted on your application that you do not meet this department requirement. 

Applicants are required to upload PDF versions of their Official Transcripts from every post-secondary institution (college, university, etc.) that they have attended, showing both sides of the transcript document to include the university grading scale.  All transcripts must be official and signed/endorsed by the university in order to be accepted. Uploading Secondary/High School transcripts is not necessary.

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

  • Canada or the United States
  • International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior degree requirements.

Admission to the PhD Program with a Previous Course and Thesis-based Master's Degree

Applicants applying should have: - A recognized course and thesis-based Master’s degree which includes graduate level courses and a written thesis - References should include a detailed letter from the thesis supervisor - North American degree holders must have an overall average of B+ (76% at UBC) in your master’s degree program - Non-North American degree holders must review the academic entrance requirements for students from your country at the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. - Applicants who have completed a degree by research only may have to complete a year of additional coursework as part of their Ph.D. program.

Admission to the PhD Program with a Previous Undergraduate Degree

This is also known as a direct entry PhD. In addition to the usual M.A.Sc. requirements, you must have: - A first class standing in your bachelor’s degree and evidence of prior research ability. First class standing is indicated for each nation by UBC G+PS guidelines (80% minimum or equivalent for Canadian institutions). It is understood that such a grade-average is a minimum requirement and depending on the overall applicant profile, higher grades can be expected. - Hard evidence of research experience and ability, by way of previous research internships, for example. Ideally, you should be a co-author on a manuscript or paper accepted in a high visibility, rigorously peer reviewed academic venue, e.g., an internationally recognized journal, or, in certain disciplines (especially computer and software engineering), top tier conferences. - Prospective supervisors of direct entry students must submit a maximum one page explanation of why the student is deemed sufficiently-prepared to be directly admitted to the Ph.D. program.

Admission to the PhD Program with a Previous Course-based Master's Degree

In addition to the usual M.A.Sc. requirements, you must have: - Hard evidence of research experience and ability, by way of previous research internships, for example. Ideally, you should be a co-author on a manuscript or paper accepted in a high visibility, rigorously peer reviewed academic venue, e.g., an internationally recognized journal, or, in certain disciplines (especially computer and software engineering), top tier conferences. - Prospective supervisors of students with a previous course-based masters degree must submit a maximum one page explanation of why the student is deemed sufficiently-prepared to be directly admitted to the Ph.D. program.

Other Requirements

GRE scores are not mandatory for applying to our PhD program. You are welcome to submit GRE scores if you have them, to provide further support to your application. Please ask GRE to submit their examination report to UBC using the institution code 0965 (UBC).

Applicants who have recently completed a degree in one of the following countries do not need to submit a language score. Degrees must have been completed within the past 5 years of the date of application to our department in order for this language score requirement to be waived.

Australia, Botswana, Canada, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the English-speaking countries of the West Indies.

Other applicants, including Canadians, who have completed their most recent degree in other countries, must submit a current TOEFL or Academic IELTS score. We will not waive this requirement for you. Our department does not consider conditional admission in the case of pending English language training.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 intake, application open date, canadian applicants, international applicants, deadline explanations.

Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.

Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.

Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

  • Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)

Faculty members will review applications based on research interests and availability of student positions during the application/evaluation process.

Citizenship Verification

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

FeesCanadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / DiplomatInternational
$114.00$168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year33
Tuition $1,838.57$3,230.06
Tuition
(plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%)
$5,515.71$9,690.18
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year ( ) $3,200.00 (-)
Other Fees and Costs
(yearly)$1,116.60 (approx.)
Estimate your with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

UBC has launched Canada's first Blockchain training pathway for graduate students. The Graduate Pathway on Blockchain and Decentralized Trust Technologies will be a 12-credit non-degree training program that augments existing Master's and Phd programs. Additional funding may be available for students as part of the Blockchain pathway.

Average Funding

  • 58 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 58 students was $7,360.
  • 93 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 93 students was $23,523.
  • 16 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 16 students was $4,758.
  • 101 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 101 students was $9,659.
  • 10 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 10 students was $24,100.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

211 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 200 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, career options.

The Doctoral program in Electrical and Computer Engineering prepares students for employment directly after completing the degree or to pursue further a career in research at a public institution. Some of our recent graduates are now working with Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Intel, Samsung, D-wave, BC Hydro, Bell Mobility, Sierra Wireless, PMC-Sierra, TELUS, Bank of Montreal, BC Children’s Hospital, The Government of Canada, Drobo, Siemens Canada, Celestica, Cisco, Alpha Technologies, etc. Many of our M.A.Sc. graduates have also gone on to pursue their Ph.D. with us at UBC. Some graduates have completed their PhDs at institutions such as Stanford, MIT, UC Berkeley and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Some of our graduate students have also founded companies; a recent example is Veridae that was acquired by Tektronix.

Alumni on Success

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Michel AlSharidah

Job Title Assistant Professor

Employer Public Authority for Applied Education and Training

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Michael Wrinch

Job Title President

Employer Hedgehog Technologies Inc.

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Mehrdad Fatourechi

Job Title Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Employer BroadbandTV Corp

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Mohamed Sultan Mohamed Ali

Job Title Associate Professor

Employer Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

 20232022202120202019
Applications216221224237214
Offers4639475841
New Registrations3026283425
Total Enrolment172180175169169

Completion Rates & Times

  • Research Supervisors

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

  • Aamodt, Tor (computer architecture, optimizing compilers, Computer architecture, Microarchitecture and programming models for energy efficient computer accelerators)
  • Abolmaesumi, Purang (Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and information engineering; Medical and biomedical engineering; Artificial Intelligence; Biomedical Engineering; Biomedical Technologies; Cancer Imaging; Computer Assisted Interventions; Image Guided Surgery; Machine Learning; Medical Imaging; Surgical Robotics; Ultrasound Imaging)
  • Beznosov, Konstantin (Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and information engineering; computer security and privacy; mobile security and privacy; online social networks security and privacy; usable security and privacy)
  • Chen, Yu Christine (Engineering and technology; energy systems; Electric power system modelling, control, and operation; Renewable energy sources; electricity markets)
  • Cheung, Karen (Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and information engineering; Medical and biomedical engineering; additive manufacturing; BioMEMS; Biomedical Technologies; biosensors; microfluidics; neural interfaces; organ-on-chip; Tissue Engineering)
  • Chrostowski, Lukas (Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and information engineering; Optics and Photonics; Micro and Nanoelectronics; Nanotechnologies; Manufacturing Processes; biophotonics; biosensors; optics; optoelectronics; photonics; quantum computing; semiconductor lasers; silicon photonics)
  • Cretu, Edmond (Nano-technology; Electronics; Medical and biomedical engineering; microsystems and nanotechnology; sensor clusters and networks; Signal processing and control; Ultrasound Imaging; Microinstrumentation; Inertial measurement units; wearable systems)
  • Desjardins, Adrien
  • Di Matteo, Olivia (Quantum information, computation and communication; Quantum computing: compilation, circuits and algorithms; Tomography and characterization; Open-source quantum software)
  • Dumont, Guy A (biomedical engineering; automatic drug delivery; mobile health; global health; anesthesia; physiological monitoring;, Adaptive control, predictive control, control of distributed parameters systems, advanced process control, applications of wavelet analysis, biomedical applications of control, pulp and paper process control)
  • Fedorova, Alexandra (design of system software: the software that manages the hardware and decides how to allocate its resources to applications; building better performance tools.)
  • Fels, S Sidney (Human computer interaction, human 3D biomechanical modeling, speech synthesis, medical applications of modeling, computer vision, interactive arts and music)
  • Garbi, Rafeef (Bioinformatics; Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and information engineering; Medical and biomedical engineering; Artificial Intelligence; Biomedical Engineering; Biomedical Technologies; Computer Vision; Deep Learning; image analysis; Imaging; Machine Learning; Medical Image Computing)
  • Gopalakrishnan, Sathish (computer and software systems, real-time and embedded computing (computer systems as part of the real world); cyber-physical systems, Real-time systems, distributed systems, resource management)
  • Ivanov, Andre (microelectronics; integrated circuits, computer chip design, smart grid, engineering curriculum, Computer and Software Systems, Emerging Micro/Nano Technologies)
  • Jaeger, Nicolas A (Integrated-optics, fiber-optics, optical sensors, optical measurement of voltage and current in power substations, ultrahigh-speed electro-optic modulators, ultrahigh-speed measurement techniques)
  • Jatskevich, Juri (Power and energy systems, smart energy grids, power electronic systems and converter circuits, electrical machines and drives, controls, electromagnetic transients, computer modeling and simulation, distributed and parallel simulation)
  • Lampe, Lutz (Communication Systems, Wireless Communications, Mobile Communications, , Communication and information theory, Smart Grid, Grid diagnostics, Ultra-wideband (UWB), Wireless sensor networks, Localization and tracking, RFID, Cognitive radio, Power line communications, Compressed sensing, Machine Learning)
  • Lemieux, Guy (vector processors, parallel programming, programmable logic devices (PLDs, FPGAs), computer architecture, computer arithmetic, custom computing hardware, computer engineering, Programmable logic and computing systems, multiprocessor and computer architecture)
  • Leung, Cyril (Wireless communication systems; digital communication networks; Wireless communications; network security; ageless aging technologies)
  • Li, Xiaoxiao (Machine Learning; Deep Learning; Explainable AI; Trustworthy AI; Privacy and Security; Medical image analysis; Bioinformatics)
  • Liao, Renjie
  • Lis, Mieszko (Computer and Software Systems)
  • Madden, John (Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and information engineering; Medical and biomedical engineering; artificial muscle; electrochemical devices; electronic skin; Functional and Intelligent Materials; medical devices; smart materials; supercapacitors; wearables)
  • Marti, Jose (Computer modelling of response to disasters, Infrastructures Interdependencies Simulation (I2Sim) project, electric power, Energy systems)

Doctoral Citations

Year Citation
2024 Health monitoring is essential to enable timely and appropriate care for newborns. However, this is limited in low-to-middle-income countries due to insufficient resources and health staff. Dr. Grooby examined accessible newborn health monitoring. He developed software to monitor heart and lung health using digital stethoscopes and video cameras.
2024 Dr. Schmidt designed and researched methods for efficiently tracking organ surfaces during surgery. He designed multiple algorithms to track tissue motion along with a dataset to evaluate performance for applications of tissue tracking. His research in efficient tracking will enable applications in surgical robotics, such as autonomy.
2024 Dr. Sallinen developed a computational model for analyzing data about evolving activities on networks, like social media interactions or financial transactions. His work advances the capabilities of real-time investigation and analysis into large scale data.
2024 Dr. Askari has developed a minimally invasive near-infrared spectroscopy sensor for spinal cord hemodynamic assessment in spinal cord injury patients. This innovative sensor aids in managing hemodynamics and has been successfully implemented and implanted. The sensor was able to provide the regional hemodynamic metrics of the spinal cord.
2024 Dr. Kalia devised computer vision techniques for augmented reality in robotic surgery, aligning patients' MRI or Ultrasound images with the surgical camera view. This enables clinicians to do a real-time assessment of cancer margins and anatomy, to optimize clinical decisions and thus, reducing the incidents of incomplete cancer removal.
2024 Dr. Hashemi developed a fast, non-invasive method to measure the elasticity of the tissue through ultrasound elastography. She applied her ultrafast elastography method in the liver ultrasound images to detect the liver fibrosis disease for more accurate tissue abnormality detection and reducing the ultrasound exam time substantially.
2024 Dr. Pashaei designed and fabricated novel solar cell devices made with materials as thin as one atom. He incorporated various engineering methods to make them more practical. His work proposes innovative designs to make efficient solar cells.
2024 Dr. Jafaryrabanybastany devised a method to capture and extract features of scalp SD, noting its precursor role to seizures and proximity to the epileptic brain lesion. This work aids in intractable epilepsy diagnosis, paving the way for studies on stroke, traumatic brain trauma, and migraines.
2024 Dr. Setayesh utilized machine learning techniques for resource allocation in wireless communication systems. He proposed a deep learning framework for network slicing in radio access networks, a federated learning algorithm to address data and device heterogeneity issues, and a novel 360-degree video streaming approach in terahertz wireless systems.
2023 Dr. Park studied optical systems used in head-mounted augmented reality devices. The outcomes of his study include novel optics designs that can greatly reduce the size of augmented reality glasses and improve the image quality.

Sample Thesis Submissions

  • Video-based human fall detection in indoor spaces for health monitoring
  • Efficient frequency synthesis using subsampling and serrodyne techniques
  • Applications of injection locking and phase interpolation in high-speed circuits
  • Efficient compression, human-inspired refocusing, and quality assessment of light field videos
  • Energy-efficient acceleration for autonomous robotics
  • Context-aware minor-embedding for quantum annealing processors
  • Machine learning-based algorithms design for network slicing, federated learning, and 360° video streaming in wireless systems
  • Real-time tracking of surgical tissue
  • Scalp spreading depression
  • Light field spatial and angular super-resolution
  • Accessible audio-visual system for neonatal health monitoring
  • Optoelectronics with two-dimensional atomic crystals
  • Asynchronous dynamic graph processing with real-time analysis
  • Development of a minimally invasive implantable optical sensor to monitor spinal cord oxygenation using near-infrared spectroscopy
  • 3D ultrafast ultrasound elastography

Related Programs

Same specialization.

  • Master of Applied Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (MASc)
  • Master of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering (MEng)

Same Academic Unit

  • Master of Engineering Leadership in Dependable Software Systems (MEL)

At the UBC Okanagan Campus

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Engineering

Further Information

Specialization.

Electrical and Computer Engineering provides advanced study and research for graduates of electrical or computer engineering, engineering physics, physics, computer science or other related subjects. Facilities are provided for research in: communications and signal processing; computers and computer applications; digital system design, VLSI design and software engineering; electromagnetics; power systems and power electronics; solid state devices; microelectronics, nanoelectronics and optoelectronics; robotics and telerobotics; and systems and control.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Vancouver has always been the city that I consider home, getting to both return to the place I love while studying at a world-class university was not an opportunity to pass up. I feel very fortunate that the supervisor I was interested in studying under works here.

Headshot of Zitao Chen

UBC is a vibrant research community and provides numerous support to ensure the students can succeed in their pursuit of knowledge. At UBC, I also have the opportunity to work with a group of excellent researchers and gain tremendous mentorship from my advisor (Prof. Karthik Pattabiraman). Hence, I...

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Esther Roorda

UBC is one of the top universities in Canada for reconfigurable computing and FPGA research. It has world-class faculty and a good selection of interesting classes. Visiting campus also helped me to make this decision: UBC has an amazing campus and Vancouver is a really beautiful city.

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

David Black

I have lived in several places in Europe, USA, and Canada, and have traveled widely elsewhere, and I am convinced that Vancouver is the best place on Earth. Studying at one of the top universities in the world while having an untracked wilderness of spectacular mountains and ocean right at our...

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Considering UBC for your graduate studies?

Here, you can choose from more than 300 graduate degree program options and 2000+ research supervisors. You can even design your own program.

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University of Manitoba

University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, R3T 2N2

Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)

The doctoral (PhD) program in Electrical and Computer Engineering requires students to complete an original contribution to the field. Mentored by your advisor, your degree will culminate in a written thesis and oral defense. Along the way you will have the opportunity to collaborate with world-leading researchers and use state-of-the art research facilities. 

Program details

Admission requirements.

A persons hands carefully work with electrical engineering equipment.

• Price Faculty of Engineering • Faculty of Graduate Studies

• PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Expected duration

• 3.5 years

Specialized research facilities 

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is home to several cutting-edge research facilities including:

  • Advanced RF Systems Laboratory
  • Applied Electromagnetics Laboratory
  • Biomedical Instrumentation and Signal Analysis Laboratory
  • Communication Systems and Network Research Laboratory
  • Computational Intelligence Laboratory
  • Electromagnetic Imaging Laboratory
  • High Voltage Laboratory
  • Nano Systems Fabrication Laboratory
  • Power and Energy Systems Laboratory

Research groups

Research groups like these in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering bring student and faculty researchers together to address complex problems:

  • Bioinformatics and Computational Medicine Group
  • Coding, Information Theory, and Communications Signal Processing
  • Communication and Network Engineering Research (CNER) Group
  • Cognitive Systems Group (Delta Research Group)
  • Electromagnetic Design and Characterization Research Group
  • Nano Systems Research Group
  • Wireless Communications, Networks, and Services Research Group

Financial support

Most research students in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering receive financial support either in the form or a scholarship or research stipend. Students may also apply for a wide range of scholarships, bursaries, and teaching assistantships to assist them as they work towards their degree.

International students

Our students come from all parts of the world to contribute to research excellence in electrical and computer engineering. In addition to the supportive, community-based environment of research groups and the wider department, international students have access to supports through the International Centre and a wide range of student societies that help international students settle into life at the University of Manitoba and in Winnipeg.

An electrical engineering student works in a lab with a professor.

Expected duration: 3.5 years

Tuition and fees:  Tuition fees are charged for terms one and two and terms four and five. A continuing fee is paid for term three, term six and each subsequent term. (Refer to Graduate tuition and fees .)

Specific requirements for the PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering program vary based on each student's prior education. However, for all students, the program consists of coursework and a substantial research component. A minimum of 12-24 credit hours of coursework is required, including several required and recommended courses.

In addition to coursework, students must present, submit and defend a comprehensive thesis that constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the field of study.

Sample course offerings

  • ECE 7010: High Voltage Techniques and Insulation Design Criteria
  • ECE 7050: Switching and Automata Theory
  • ECE 7076: Advanced Electric Machines and Drives
  • ECE 7190: Micromachining and MEMS Technology
  • ECE 7210: Fractal and Chaos Engineering
  • ECE 7230: Artificial Neural Circuits and Networks
  • ECE 7330: Experimental Methods for Electronic Materials
  • ECE 7920: Human Physiology for Engineers
  • ECE 8110: Digital Systems Design
  • ECE 8230: Pattern Recognition and Scene Analysis
  • ECE 8400: Intelligent Systems

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar .

Qualification for admission to the PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering program is contingent on first receiving tentative acceptance from an academic advisor who will accept you into their research group.

To qualify for admission to the PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering program, you must normally have completed a Master of Science degree in electrical or computer engineering with a recommended minimum GPA of 3.5.

Individual research groups and programs may require additional degrees, credentials, pre-requisites and/or more specific degree requirements.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.

In addition to the admission requirements described here, all applicants must meet the minimum admission and English language proficiency requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies .

How to apply

Before submitting an application for admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies, you must first find a faculty advisor who will accept you into their research group. Be sure to follow the complete instructions for gaining tentative acceptance from an advisor provided on the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering page.

The PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering program accepts applications for Fall, Winter and Summer admission. Applications are submitted online and must include the following before they will be reviewed by the admissions committee:

  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Uploaded copies of transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
  • Two letters of recommendation (must be requested from within the application)
  • A letter (email confirmation is acceptable) of an agreement with a faculty member who has agreed to serve as your advisor
  • Proof of English language proficiency , if required

Please read the Faculty of Graduate Studies online application instructions before beginning your application.

Application deadlines

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Architecture reviews applications in March.

Applications open up to 18 months prior to start term.

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) January 15
Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) December 1

Applicants must submit their online application with supporting documentation and application fee by the deadline date indicated.

Start or continue your application

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for City Planning reviews applications in March.

Winter applications are accepted on a case-by-case basis.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Design and Planning reviews applications in March.

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) January 10

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Interior Design reviews applications in March.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Landscape Architecture reviews applications in March.

Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) January 15

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Anthropology reviews applications in March/April.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . Please contact the department for admission committee review timelines.

Applications open September 1 of year prior to start term.

Applications open   up to 18 months prior  to start term.

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) May 1
Winter (January) September 1
Term Annual application deadline
Winter (January) June 1
Fall (September) January 15
Term Annual application deadline
Winter (January) June 1
Fall (September) January 15

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for History reviews applications in February.

Applications are reviewed on a  rolling basis .

Applications open July 1 of year prior to start term.

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) March 15
Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) February 1

Applications are reviewed on a  Committee basis . The Committee for German and Slavic Studies reviews applications in February/March.

Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) May 1
Winter (January) September 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Winter (January) June 1
Fall (September) February 1

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis .

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) May 1
Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) March 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) May 1
Winter (January) October 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) March 1
Winter (January) July 1

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Management reviews applications in February / March.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Physical Therapy reviews applications in April / May.

Applications open  August 1 of the year prior to start term.

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (August) November 15
Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) June 1
Winter (January) October 1
Summer (May) February1
Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) March 1
Winter (January) July 1
Summer (May) November 1

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . Please contact the department for admission committee review timelines.

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) June 1
Winter (January) October 1
Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) March 1
Winter (January) July 1
Term Annual application deadline
Summer (July) September 1

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Orthodontics reviews applications in August/September and holds interviews in September/October.

Term Annual application deadline
Summer (June) August 1

Program currently undergoing review, applications will not be opening at this time.

Term Annual application deadline
Summer (July) August 15

Select Preventive Dental Science in the Program drop-down on the application form.

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (August) June 1 (year prior to start term)
Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) August 1

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Educational Administration, Foundations and Psychology reviews applications in March / April.

Canadian and US applicants
TermAnnual application deadline
Fall (September)January 8
Summer (May)January 8
International applicants
TermAnnual application deadline
Fall (September)January 8

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Education reviews applications in February / March.

Canadian, US and International applicants
TermAnnual application deadline
Fall (September)December 1
Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) May 1
Winter (January) September 1
Summer (May) January 4
Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) February 1
Winter (January) June 1
Summer (May) October 1

Applications are reviewed after the deadline, with decisions issued in March - April.

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) June 1
Winter (January) October 1
Summer (May) February 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) June 1
Winter (January) October 1
Summer (May) February 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) March 1
Winter (January) July 1
Summer (May) November 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) May 1
Winter (January) September 1
Summer (May) January 4
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) February 1
Winter (January) June 1
Summer (May) October 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) May 1
Winter (January) September 1
Summer (May) January 15

Currently not accepting applications to this program.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . Please contact the department for admission committee review timelines.

Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) March 1
Winter (January) June 1

Applicants must submit their online application with supporting documentation and application fee by the deadline date indicated. Applications received by the March 1 deadline for a September start-date will receive first consideration for any available funding. Late applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis for any available funding, please contact the department for further information.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Human Rights reviews applications in January - March.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Law reviews applications in January - March.

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) December 15

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Nursing (MN) reviews applications in April / May.

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) November 1

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Nursing PhD reviews applications in February / March.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee reviews applications as per the timelines noted below each table.

Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) May 15
Winter (January) September 15
Summer (May) January 15

Winter applications reviewed in October Summer applications reviewed in February Fall applications reviewed in June

Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) January 15
Winter (January) May 15
Summer (May) September 15

Winter applications reviewed in June Summer applications reviewed in October Fall applications reviewed in February

Applicants must submit their online application with supporting documentation and application fee by the deadline date indicated. This includes having the support of a faculty supervisor before you apply.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Natural Resources Management reviews applications in March - June.

Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) June 1

After the annual application deadline (see below), applications are reviewed on a committee basis by the Faculty of Social Work internal admissions committee. Once this process is complete, decisions are sent to all applicants in March / April. 

Applications open  July 1 of year prior to start term.

Term Applications open Annual application deadline
Fall (September) July 1 December 1

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Social Work reviews applications in March / April.

Term Applications open Annual application deadline
Fall (September) July 1 January 15
Term Applications open Annual application deadline
Fall (September) July 1 October 15

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Music reviews Fall term applications in December / January, and Winter term applications in July.

Term Annual application deadlines Audition dates
Fall (September) December 1 January 22-27, 2024
Winter (January) Winter intake currently suspended  
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) June 1
Winter (January) October 1

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Occupational Therapy reviews applications in May / June.

Master of Occupational Therapy regular program  applications open September 15 of the year prior to deadline .

Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (August) February 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (August) January 15

Master of Occupational Therapy accelerated program  applications open October 1  of the year prior to deadline .

Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (August) May 1
Winter (January) October 1

The name of your confirmed supervisor is required at the time of application. To identify a prospective thesis research supervisor on your application, please  contact Immunology Faculty members .

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Community Health Sciences reviews applications in March / April.

Canadian, US and International applicants

TermAnnual application deadline
Fall (September)January 10

The name of your preferred supervisor is required at time of application.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . Students selected for in-person interview will be notified in February.

Term Applications open Annual application deadline
Fall (September) November 15  January 11

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Physician Assistant Studies reviews applications in April.

Offers of admission will be released to successful applicants on May 17, 2024 from the University of Manitoba Master of Physician Assistant Studies, the same day as the University of Toronto BScPA Program and McMaster University Physician Assistant Education Program. The three institutions are pleased to provide applicants their offers on the same day to help with the decision-making process.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Pharmacology and Therapeutics reviews applications one month after the application deadline.

Applications for Pathology MSc are reviewed on a  rolling basis .

Applications for Pathologist Assistant are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Pathologist Assistant reviews applications in April / May. 

The Pathologist Assistant program only admits Canadian and US students every two years. The next intake is tentatively scheduled for Fall 2026.

Canadian and US applicants

TermApplications openAnnual application deadlines
Fall (September)April 1 (Pathology MSc)
October 1 (Pathologist Assistant)
March 31 (Pathologist Assistant)
June 1 (Pathology MSc)

International applicants

TermApplications openAnnual application deadlines
Fall (September)April 1March 1 (Pathology MSc)
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) February 1
Winter (January) May 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) February 1
Winter (January) June 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Summer (May) February 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) February 15
Winter (January) June 15
Summer (May) October 15

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Statistics reviews applications in March / April.

Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) February 1
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) February 15
Winter (January) Winter intake currently suspended.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Biological Sciences reviews applications one month after deadline.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Indigenous Studies reviews applications in February and June.

Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) January 15
(for scholarship consideration)

May 15

Applicants must submit their online application with supporting documentation and application fee by the deadline date indicated. For those who wish to be considered for scholarships, applications must be received by January 15 of the year in which you're seeking admission.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions Committee for Applied Human Nutrition reviews applications in February.

Term Applications open Annual application deadline
Fall (September) October 1 January 6
Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) March 1
Winter (January) July 1
Term Annual application deadline
Fall (September) February 15

Les demandes d’admission sont évaluées par un comité . Le comité d’admission évalu les demandes durant les mois de Mars et Avril.  

Les demandes peut être surmise jusqu’à concurrence de 18 mois avant le début de premier trimestre.

Session

date limite

automne (septembre) 1 juin
hiver (janvier) 1 octobre
été (mai) 1 février
Session date limite
automne (septembre) 1 mars
hiver (janvier) 1 juillet
été (mai) 1 novembre

Toute demande d’admission en ligne doit être déposée, avec documents à l’appui, au plus tard aux dates indiquées.

Soumettre ou continuer votre application

Engineering research

Learn about the key areas of research in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and across the Price Faculty of Engineering.

Tuition and fees

Learn about tuition and fee requirements for graduate studies at UM.

Scholarships and awards

Engineering graduate students are eligible for department- and faculty-specific as well as university-wide funding opportunities.

Explore program requirements and detailed descriptions for required and elective courses throughout the electrical and computer engineering graduate programs.

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Explore the Price Faculty of Engineering

As the oldest engineering school in Western Canada and home to nearly 20 unique programs of study across multiple engineering disciplines, the University of Manitoba's Price Faculty of Engineering is a premier centre of engineering research and education in the prairies.

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Explore the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Discovery happens here. Join the graduate students and researchers who come here from every corner of the world. They are drawn to the University of Manitoba because it offers the opportunity to do transformational research.

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Discover more programs

With over 140 graduate programs across multiple faculties, schools and colleges, the University of Manitoba offers more learning, teaching and research opportunities than any other post-secondary institution in the province.

  • Master of Engineering/Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (MEng, MSc)
  • Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering (BSc)
  • Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSc)

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What it's like to be a UM student

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Be adventurous, challenge yourself and make a difference.

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Experience a world-class education in the heart of Canada.

Why international students study with us

The University Of Manitoba Fort Garry campus.

We offer state of the art facilities with 140 years of history.

Admission and application inquiries

Faculty of Graduate Studies Room 500 UMSU University Centre 65 Chancellors Circle University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus) Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

[email protected] Phone: 204-474-9377

Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Program inquiries

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Room E2-390 Engineering & Information Technology Complex 75 Chancellor Circle University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus) Winnipeg, MB R3T 5V6

[email protected] Phone:  204-474-9603

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Electrical Engineering (PhD)

Program description.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Electrical Engineering offered by the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering is a research-intensive program that emphasizes scholarly and enriching learning opportunities. The program's objective is to equip students with skills in literature search, research design, and original thinking to pursue professional opportunities in academia or industry.

Unique Program Features

  • Research and experimental laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment where numerous multidisciplinary research projects are conducted providing students an ideal environment to develop new technologies, discover novel phenomena, and design revolutionary devices;
  • The Department's main research areas include: Bioelectrical Engineering, Computational Electromagnetics, Intelligent Systems, Integrated Circuits and Systems, Nano-Electronic Devices and Materials, Photonic Systems, Power Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems and Control, Telecommunications and Signal Processing.

University-Level Admission Requirements

  • An eligible Bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA out of a possible 4.0 GPA
  • English-language proficiency

Each program has specific admission requirements including required application documents. Please visit the program website for more details.

Visit our Educational credentials and grade equivalencies and English language proficiency webpages for additional information.

Program Website

PhD in Electrical Engineering website

Department Contact

Graduate Program grad.ece [at] mcgill.ca (subject: PhD%20in%20Electrical%20Engineering) (email)

Available Intakes

Application deadlines.

Intake Applications Open Application Deadline - International Application Deadline - Domestic (Canadian, Permanent Resident of Canada)
FALL September 15 December 15 December 15
WINTER February 15 August 1 October 15
SUMMER N/A N/A N/A

Note : Application deadlines are subject to change without notice. Please check the application portal for the most up-to-date information.

Application Resources

  • Application Steps webpage
  • Submit Your Application webpage
  • Connecting with a supervisor webpage
  • Graduate Funding webpage

Application Workshops

Consult our full list of our virtual application-focused workshops on the Events webpage .

Department and University Information

Graduate and postdoctoral studies.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Electrical and Computer Engineering

Program overview.

As a PhD student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, you can play a vital role in researching and developing future technology. We offer opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration, both at Queen’s and abroad.

During the first month of the program, the department, in consultation with the student's supervisor(s), establishes the PhD Advisory Committee consisting of the supervisor(s), an internal examiner, and a department representative. At this time, an area of research is chosen. The internal examiner should have expertise close to the candidate's general research area. The requirements to be fulfilled include a minimum of 4 term-length graduate courses beyond the master’s degree, a two-part comprehensive examination, the seminar course ELEC-891, satisfactory research progress and a thesis. One of the graduate courses must be taken from outside the department, and one of the graduate courses must be taken inside the department. Only one course may be a double-numbered graduate course (also known as combined undergraduate/graduate course). Fourth-year undergraduate courses cannot be taken for credit toward PhD program requirements, as per Smith Engineering at Queen's Graduate Council Regulation 2.1.5. The supervisor(s) and the department must approve all programs of study.

For students who received a master’s from the same department at Queen's and in the same area of study, the minimum course requirements shall be decided in consultation with the PhD Advisory Committee and approved by the Department Head or Graduate Coordinator.

All PhD candidates will take a comprehensive examination administered in two parts by the candidate's PhD Advisory committee. Part I deals with the candidate's background in their chosen area of research. Part II consists of the candidate's thesis proposal. The PhD Part I report must be submitted to the department within 10 months of the start of the program, and the PhD Part I Comprehensive Examination should be held no later than two months from the report submission date. For Part II, the PHD Advisory Committee for the Part I exam is augmented with an external/Internal examiner (outside the ECE Department, within Queen's University). The PhD Part II report must be submitted to the department within 22 months of the start of the program, and the PhD Part II Comprehensive Examination should be held no later than two months from the report submission date. After the successful completion of Part II, thesis research progress is reported by the candidate and reviewed by the PhD Advisory Committee annually.

Example Timeline of a Potential PhD Program

  • Degree Expectations (PDF) Courses Grad Map

Admission and Application

A bachelor’s degree in engineering or a closely related field.

Domestic Applicants

75% or B+ or Upper Second Class Standing

International Applicants

P.R. China: 80% or GPA of 3.1/4.0

India, Bangladesh & Pakistan: First class or 63%

Iran: 16/20

All others: 80%

Curriculum Vitae

We require curriculum vitae. Curriculum vitae is a detailed, structured listing of education, publications, projects, awards, and engineering work history. This document can be part of the online application or emailed to the department, or a hard copy can be included with your mailed documents.

English Proficiency Requirements

Proficiency in English is a requirement for admission. Applicants whose native language is not English will be required to obtain satisfactory standing in English language proficiency tests before their application can be considered for admission. We require a minimum of 7.0 on IELTS or 65 on PTE or for TOEFL; 580 (paper-based); 237 (Computer-based); and 88 (Internet-based) with a minimum score in each of the components: Writing test 24/30, Speaking test 22/30, Reading test 22/30 and Listening test 20/30. The results must be no more than two years old.

How to Submit English Language Test Scores

The School of Graduate Studies can access test scores directly from TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic and CAEL CE databases. We do not require hard copies of your test scores sent from the testing center if we can obtain them directly from TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or CAEL.

TOEFL, PTE Academic and CAEL CE

Please ensure that you have the testing center release the TOEFL, PTE Academic, or CAEL CE score to Queen’s University (0949). Inform the School of Graduate Studies (following submission of your application) that your score report is available to retrieve electronically from the official testing center site. Email: [email protected]   

Please provide the School of Graduate Studies with the TRF number found on your IELTS score report (following submission of your application) in order for us to obtain your IELTS test score electronically from the IELTS site. Email: [email protected]   

Hard copy test results: If you did not arrange to have the results of your English language proficiency test accessible to the School of Graduate Studies, you must request that the testing agency send us a hard copy official test results document either by email at [email protected]    or through regular mail (address below).

We do not require the GRE. Please do not send us official GRE scores.

Master of Applied Science or Master of Science

  • Fill out the application
  • Send original, official transcripts to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS).
  • Indicate accurate email addresses for your referees. They will be contacted and asked to supply an electronic reference.
  • Submit payment by credit card online. 
  • Contact professors who work in your area of interest to increase your chance of receiving an offer.

Before you begin your application, please review the graduate studies application process.

Fall Admission

Application due: January 31 (international), March 1 (domestic).

Notification of acceptance: usually the end of April for international students.

Winter Admission

Application due: August 15 (for both domestic and international applicants).

Notification of acceptance: usually mid-October for international students.

Finding a Supervisor

We encourage you to identify an area of research interest and contact potential supervisor(s) before applying. Visit research groups  and faculty profiles . When you find a faculty member with similar research interests to yours, contact them to let them know about your interest in graduate work, area of research and related experience.

The minimum funding guarantee for domestic and international MASc students is $23,000 per year, up to four years, providing good academic standing and satisfactory progress toward the completion of the degree. The typical financial support package usually consists of research assistantships, teaching assistantship, graduate award(s) and/or a scholarship.

Domestic students are encouraged to apply for external funding from OGS, NSERC, and other sources. Top-up awards may be given to students who hold federal government Tri-Council Awards such as NSERC. Visit the School of Graduate Studies’ Awards and Scholarships  for more information.

The department may also nominate students to the Graduate School for any internal scholarships available. The student does not submit an application.

The Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering is home to nationally and internationally recognized researchers and cutting-edge research facilities. Our research is categorized into the areas of:

  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
  • Biomedical and Human-Machine Systems
  • Communication and Signal Processing
  • Engineering Education and Technology
  • High Performance and Next Generation Computing
  • Information and Software Security
  • Networks and The Internet of Things
  • Photonics, Nanotechnology & Integrated Circuits
  • Power Electronics and Energy Systems
  • Robotics, Autonomous Systems and Control
  • Software Engineering

  Our Research

Graduate Supervisors

Career Opportunities

Our graduates have found careers:

  • As university professors, including at the University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, Carleton University, and Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS)
  • With high tech companies such as AMD, BlackBerry, Ciena, Cisco Systems, Google, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Infinera, Microsoft, Nokia
  • With startup companies
  • In service sectors such as financials, pension, actuarial, intellectual property

Interested in learning more about becoming a postdoctoral fellow? Learn more through Queen’s School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs .

Program Contacts

Graduate Program Assistant Cheryl Wright [email protected] 613-533-6000 ext. 79307 Walter Light Hall, Room 416

Graduate Program Assistant Debie Fraser [email protected] 613-533-2179 Walter Light Hall , Room 416A

More Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Programs

Master of applied science (masc) in electrical and computer engineering.

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Two-year thesis/research-based master’s program.

Master of Applied Science (MASc) with a Field of Study in Artificial Intelligence

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

solid foundation in the principles of AI, machine learning, and deep learning.

Master of Engineering (MEng), Electrical and Computer Engineering

MENG

Advanced engineering skills in a specific area of specialization.

Biomedical Engineering

research participant on treadmill with sensors attached to them

This program is offered in collaboration by the departments of chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering.

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Electrical & Computer Engineering

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree requirements:.

  • Between three and eight approved technical graduate courses
  • JDE1000H ‘Ethics in Research Seminar’
  • Attendance at the DLS is mandatory for all PhD students.
  • PhD Background Statement
  • PhD Qualifying Examination
  • PhD Thesis Proposal
  • Annual Meetings of PhD Supervisory Committee
  • Department Oral Examination (DOE) of PhD Thesis
  • Final Oral Examination (FOE) of PhD Thesis

Schedule for Timely Completion

ECE’s expectations for the timely completion of the PhD degree requirements are outlined below. Timely completion is a condition of financial support and continued registration.

SGS policy requires that the supervisory committee be formed and meet within the first 16 months of registration; in ECE this requirement is met through the thesis proposal (i.e. the thesis proposal presentation is the 1st annual supervisory committee meeting).

Thereafter, the student must meet with their supervisory committee at least once per year. As per Section 7.5.2 of the SGS General Regulations :

  • “A student is expected to meet with this committee at least once a year, and more often if the committee so requires. At each meeting, the supervisory committee will assess the student’s progress in the program and provide advice on future work.”
  • “A student who, through their own neglect, fails to meet with the supervisory committee in a given year will be considered to have received an unsatisfactory progress report from the committee.”

The Department Oral Examination (DOE) is the student’s final annual supervisory committee meeting. The DOE can replace the requirement of a supervisory committee meeting in the student’s final year if the DOE takes place within 12 months of the student’s previous supervisory committee meeting.

Program EntryCourses + JDE1000HBackground StatementQualifying ExaminationThesis Proposal (1st Annual Sup. Comm. Meeting) + Achieve Candidacy2nd Annual Sup. Comm. Meeting3rd Annual Sup. Comm. MeetingDept. Oral Exam (4th Annual Sup. Comm. Meeting) + Final Oral Exam
Complete over Winter 2023 and Fall 2023Complete by March 2023Complete by September/October 2023Complete by March 2024Complete by March 2025Complete by March 2026Complete by December 2026
Complete over Fall 2023 and Winter 2024Complete by November 2023Complete by May/June 2024Complete by July 2024Complete by July 2025Complete by July 2026Complete by April 2027
Complete over Fall 2023 and Winter 2024Complete by November 2023Complete by May/June 2024Complete by November 2024Complete by November 2025Complete by November 2026Complete by August 2027
Complete over Winter 2024 and Fall 2024Complete by March 2024Complete by September/October 2024Complete by March 2025Complete by March 2026Complete by March 2027Complete by December 2027
Complete over Fall 2024 and Winter 2025Complete by November 2024Complete by May/June 2025Complete by July 2025Complete by July 2026Complete by July 2027Complete by April 2028
Complete over Fall 2024 and Winter 2025Complete by November 2024Complete by May/June 2025Complete by November 2025Complete by November 2026Complete by November 2027Complete by August 2028

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Doctoral (PhD)

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Our Doctoral (PhD) program is designed to develop the student’s ability for independent research. Students in the PhD program must have a thesis supervisor upon being admitted to the program. Students are expected to study full time, and will normally be required to spend a minimum of two consecutive years of full time study at the University.

The maximum time of completion is 6 years for the phd program, but substantial completion of the phd requirements is expected within three years for students with a master’s degree and within four years for those students who have transferred from the master of applied science (masc) program., in the final step of the phd program students are required to complete a final oral defence. phd students will be required to defend their dissertation and its underlying assumptions, methodology, results and conclusions in a manner consistent with that of the doctoral degree being sought., phd program details, requirements to complete the phd program.

  • Minimum of 24 credits of approved courses
  • Qualifying Exam recommended at 24 months
  • Final oral defense and completion of thesis (EECE 699)

Directed studies courses only count for a maximum of 3 credits towards the PhD degree.

Students in the PhD program must have a thesis supervisor upon being admitted to the program. A supervisory committee, comprised of the student’s supervisor and two additional members, should be established by the end of the first year in the program.

For those who hold a Masters degree or have completed masters-level coursework, appropriate credit (maximum 18 credits) will be given for courses completed. At the start of your PhD program, our program staff will inform you of your course requirements and how many credits can be counted from your previous masters degree. No paperwork or transfer forms are required, as our staff will review your transcripts to determine how many courses will be counted towards your PhD program. In most cases, for students who have completed a Masters degree prior to their PhD program, 6 further credits of coursework are required in your PhD program.

A Qualifying Exam should be taken within 24 months of registration for a PhD program following submission of the thesis proposal. This examination is based on the student’s oral defence of a thesis proposal, which will state the objectives of the proposed research, summarize its significance and its relation to previous work, and outline the methods to be pursued during the course of the research.

A note for Direct to PhD students :

Students entering the PhD program without a previous research-based Masters degree must, during the first two years of study, complete a total of 12 credits with a first class average, of which at least 9 credits must be at the 500-level or above and at least 9 credits must be of first class standing. More information on Direct to PhD requirements can be found here: https://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=12,204,340,181

First Month · Meet with supervisor to discuss expectations of both student and supervisor, degree requirements, course selection, policies, research plan and timelines

First Two Terms · Complete required coursework. Must be completed with a passing grade (68%). · Begin research.

Within 12 months of registering · Formation of a Supervisory Committee · Prepare for the Qualifying Examination · Complete the yearly Progress Reports

Within 24 months of registering · Take the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination/Thesis Proposal Defence to be admitted to Ph.D. Candidacy

Following years · Complete yearly Progress Reports · Complete research · Complete thesis within 6 years of initial registration

The Qualifying Exam

A comprehensive examination is a Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requirement for the Ph.D. program. Normally, the examination will be held after the completion of all required course work. The comprehensive examination is in addition to any course examinations and is intended to test the students understanding of the chosen field of study as a whole and the students preparation for the thesis research to follow. A Ph.D. student must satisfy all the course work requirements and pass the comprehensive examination before being admitted to Ph.D. candidacy. In the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the comprehensive examination is in the form of the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination.

Effective September 2014, the first-year progress report will be used to confirm that the student is on track towards the PhD Qualifying Examination.

Qualifying Exam Guidelines:

Click here for a quick reference guide to help prepare for the qualifying exam

1. The Qualifying Examination is recommended to be held within 15 months of a student's program start date. If the student is not able to meet the 15 month deadline, he/she will be asked to submit another progress report requesting and explaining the need for a 3-month extension. Another progress report will be due every 3 months until the qualifying exam. If the qualifying exam has not been held within 24 months after the program start date, the student will prepare a status report for the supervisory committee and the department (Graduate Advisor) with a detailed plan for how to prepare for the examination. Based on the report, the supervisory committee and the graduate advisor will determine further deadlines for the student.

2. The purpose of the examination is to ascertain whether the proposed topic is suitable for a Ph.D. thesis and whether the candidate is capable of carrying out the work required to successfully complete the Ph.D. degree. Suitability relates largely to the possibility of making original and significant contributions. Capability relates largely to knowledge and understanding of material in the subject area of the proposal as well as areas related to it that affect the proposed research.

3. The examination consists of the presentation of a research proposal for the thesis work, followed by questions from the examining committee. The questions are to address both the specific research topic and topics related to the general subject area of the proposal.

4. A two-hour period is scheduled for the examination. The first 25 minutes of which are devoted to the presentation of the proposal. Under no circumstances will the presentation be allowed to exceed 30 minutes.

5. The research proposal should have 3 chapters:

Introduction and Overview: in which the background to and motivation for, the proposed topic is succinctly discussed. It is only this chapter that the necessary details of the work of others are to appear. This work must be clearly and properly referenced.

Work Accomplished: In which any original work that the candidate has done on advancing he state-of-knowledge on the proposed topic is described. The candidate is expected to show evidence, commensurate with the period since registering in the Ph.D. program, which demonstrates the viability of the thesis proposal and the plans for future work.

Work Planned: In which the procedures to be implemented in carrying out the remaining and probably major part of the work are outlined. A tentative time schedule for completion is also to be included in this chapter.

The written proposal must not exceed 30 pages of normal typescript (12-point font, double-spaced with approximately 26 lines per page and 6.5-inch line length), plus extra pages for the list of references.

6. Prior to the examination being scheduled a research proposal has to be approved by the Graduate Advisor. At least one week before the examination, the candidate must give a copy of the proposal to each member of the Examining Committee.

7. The Examining Committee consists of the candidate's Supervisory Committee and the Chair. The Chair is selected by the Ph.D. Graduate Advisor. In the event that the Graduate Advisor is the on the Supervisory Committee, the chairperson is to be appointed by the Associate Head, Graduate Program. The Chair is an examiner, chairs the meeting, and votes. The Chair has to be an ECE faculty member.

The procedure for the Chair selection is as follows: Student and/or supervisor inform the department that they would like to schedule the examination and they may provide three suggestions for possible Chairs. The Ph.D. Graduate Advisor makes his/her choice of Chair, and the department administrator for graduate students contacts the entire committee and student to schedule the exam.

8. The Examining Committee may make one of the following recommendations:

The candidate continue in the Ph.D. program.

The candidate be given a conditional pass. Verification that conditions have been met will be coordinated by the Department.

The candidate be re-examined within 3-month time.

The candidate be asked to withdraw from the Ph.D. program but permitted to complete requirements for the M.A.Sc. degree.

The candidate be withdrawn from the University.

9. All recommendations of the examining committee must be submitted in writing to the Graduate Advisor of the Department and be signed by all members of the Examining Committee. A decision requires an absolute majority. In case of a tie, the principal supervisor's vote breaks the tie.

10. In case no absolute majority is reached, the case is passed on to the Arbitration Committee.

ECE Department Exam

To obtain department approval of the thesis for submission to the external examiner of the Final Oral Defense

Exam Committee:

The Examining Committee consists of the Supervisory Committee and the Chair. The Chair is normally the same as for the PhD Qualifying Examination.

- The Department exam is not public - The Candidate makes a presentation of the dissertation (roughly 30 minutes) - The Examining Committee questions the Candidate - The Examining Committee holds an in-camera discussion - The Head's Nominee conveys the findings of the Examining Committee to the Candidate - The Department Exam usually lasts two hours

Recommendations:

The examining committee makes one of the following recommendations • Pass (includes minor revisions) • Conditional pass: major revisions required and to be approved by the Examining Committee • Not pass

A decision requires an absolute majority. In case of a tie, the Chair’s vote breaks the tie. In case no absolute majority is reached, the case is passed on to the Arbitration Committee.

How to set up the Department Exam:

Department exams should be scheduled when the student’s thesis/dissertation is ready for final approval by the supervisory committee members for the Final Doctoral Examination at the university level. Generally the department exam is held two months before the Final Doctoral Examination.

The student and supervisory committee are responsible for finding an appropriate Chair for the department exam. If possible, it is recommended that the Chair and supervisory committee be the same as the student’s qualifying exam.

The student and supervisory committee should determine a preferred time/date for the exam to be held. Either the student or supervisor must email [email protected] to request the exam be set up and to book a room. Exams can also be held virtually if the supervisory committee agrees.

Students should refer to the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website for submitting their dissertation in preparation for their Final Doctoral Examination.

Final Doctoral Examination

To ensure the Candidate is able to present and defend the dissertation and its underlying assumptions, methodology, results and conclusions in a manner consistent with the doctoral degree being sought. To communicate the results of the work to the campus community.

The Final Doctoral Examination is set up with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Students and supervisors can refer to the Final Doctoral Examination Guideline for all information about the examination procedure and set up.

Questions about the PhD program can be directed to our student services staff by emailing [email protected]

Phd admissions, applications for september 2025 admission open october 15th, 2024.

A note for Four Year Fellowship hopefuls: All PhD applicants who complete their September applications for the doctoral program by December 31st will be eligible to be nominated by an ECE faculty member for a Four Year Fellowship that year.

A note for CGSD/Affiliated/GSI award hopefuls: All applications (including references) must be submitted by the deadline posted on https://www.grad.ubc.ca/awards/canada-graduate-scholarships-doctoral-cgs-d-program

Before applying, we recommend that prospective students explore the general research areas that the ece department is structured around:.

  • Micro and Nano Technologies

Prospective applicants can also explore the personal web pages of the faculty members they might be interested in working with. Our faculty listing can be found here .

We recommend that prospective students also consider their financial situation and the costs of living in vancouver during a graduate program. for information on the financial requirements of living in vancouver and studying at ubc, please visit the costs page., questions about phd admissions can be directed to our student services staff by emailing [email protected] . looking for suggestions on how to apply to ubc and how to approach your referees or supervisors click here for some advice, dates and deadlines.

Applications for September 2025 admission will open October 15th, 2024 . The deadline to apply is January 15th, 2025 .

Applicants who submit an application by the January 15th deadline will be able to continue to submit references, test scores and other application documents until January 31st, 2025 .

Applications for January 2026 admission will open May 1st, 2025.

Students applying for September admission will be notified of a decision in the Spring. Students applying for January admission will be notified of a decision in late Summer. These rough timelines of results depend on the number and competitiveness of applications being reviewed.

Tuition Costs

For full information on cost of tuition at UBC, please visit UBC Tuition Costs

As Vancouver and UBC can be an expensive place to study, work, and live, we encourage all prospective applicants to consider the financial costs of attending our program at UBC. UBC's graduate student Cost of Living Calculator can be used to help determine if attending UBC is the right decision for prospective students.

Application Requirements

Applicants to the program must have a high scholastic standing and demonstrate an aptitude for research to be admitted.

Applicants to the PhD program must have a course and thesis-based Master's degree and references should include a detailed letter from the Masters thesis supervisor. Applicants who have completed a course-based only Master's program are only eligible for the PhD program through "Direct Entry", which requires a strict set of admission requirements, listed on our admissions page. Applicants who have completed a degree by research only may have to complete a year of additional coursework as part of their PhD program.

Applicants to the PhD program must have a faculty member who is willing to supervise them before they can be admitted. It is not mandatory to find a supervisor before applying, but you are welcome to contact faculty beforehand to inform them of your interest in applying. Please note that all complete applications are made available to all faculty members for review. When you apply, you will be able to indicate your preferred supervisors or research groups you are interested in working with.

In ECE, there are two levels of admission requirements. First, applicants must meet the minimum UBC-wide requirements for admission . Second, applicants must meet the following ECE Department minimum requirements which are mandatory before you will be considered for admission to our graduate programs.

Grade Requirements:

Applicants to our Doctoral program from the US or Canada must have a minimum B+ (3.3 on a 4.0 point scale) average overall in their Master's program. For specific requirements for applicants from other countries, please check the UBC minimum requirements here.

Language Requirements:

Applicants who have recently completed a degree in one of the following countries do not need to submit a language score. Degrees must have been completed within the past 5 years of the date of application to our department in order for this language score requirement to be waived :

Australia, Botswana, Canada, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the English-speaking countries of the West Indies.

Other applicants, including Canadians and Permanent Residents, who have completed their most recent degree in other countries must submit a current, official TOEFL or Academic IELTS score, regardless of the language of instruction.

TOEFL requirements: Total of 100 on the IBT with minimum component scores of 22 (reading, listening) and 21 (writing, speaking); Academic IELTS requirements: Total of 7/9 with a minimum score of 6.0 in each component. The General IELTS test is not acceptable.

Please note, the department may request proof of English proficiency from any candidate where there are concerns that their language skills may interfere with success in the program.

If your TOEFL score is within a few points of the minimum score (eg. 95+ on the iBT) you will not be asked to rewrite the test but your lower score will be pointed out on your evaluation and if a professor decides to accept your application they will have to provide a low-TOEFL rationale. We do not make exceptions for the IELTS score of 7/9. If you have a score of 6.5 we unfortunately will not be able to accept it.

Please note that in some cases there are a few other forms of acceptable language scores that are approved at UBC for submission. Please see the following website for more information: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission/english-language-test

Admission through the Direct to PhD Pathway

Admission to the PhD Program with a Previous Course and Thesis-based Master's Degree

Applicants applying should have: - A recognized course and thesis-based Master’s degree which includes graduate level courses and a written thesis - References must include a detailed letter from the thesis supervisor - North American degree holders must have an overall average of B+ (76% at UBC) in your master’s degree program - Non-North American degree holders must review the academic entrance requirements for students from your country at the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. - Applicants who have completed a degree by research only may have to complete a year of additional coursework as part of their Ph.D. program.

Admission to the PhD Program with a Previous Undergraduate Degree

This is also known as a direct entry PhD. In addition to the usual M.A.Sc. requirements, you must have: - A first class standing in your bachelor’s degree and evidence of prior research ability. First class standing is indicated for each nation by UBC G+PS guidelines (80% minimum or equivalent for Canadian institutions). It is understood that such a grade-average is a minimum requirement and depending on the overall applicant profile, higher grades can be expected. - Hard evidence of research experience and ability, by way of previous research internships, for example. Ideally, you should be a co-author on a manuscript or paper accepted in a high visibility, rigorously peer reviewed academic venue, e.g., an internationally recognized journal, or, in certain disciplines (especially computer and software engineering), top tier conferences. - Prospective supervisors of direct entry students must submit a maximum one page explanation of why the student is deemed sufficiently-prepared to be directly admitted to the Ph.D. program.

Admission to the PhD Program with a Previous Course-based Master's Degree

In addition to the usual M.A.Sc. requirements, you must have: - Hard evidence of research experience and ability, by way of previous research internships, for example. Ideally, you should be a co-author on a manuscript or paper accepted in a high visibility, rigorously peer reviewed academic venue, e.g., an internationally recognized journal, or, in certain disciplines (especially computer and software engineering), top tier conferences. - Prospective supervisors of students with a previous course-based masters degree must submit a maximum one page explanation of why the student is deemed sufficiently-prepared to be directly admitted to the Ph.D. program.

Application Documents

Hardcopies of documents are no longer required to apply for our programs. If you are admitted to UBC, further instructions on submitting hardcopies will be sent to you directly. We will require the following when you submit your online PhD application:

Official Transcript from each post-secondary institution you have attended (college, university, etc.): You are required to upload a PDF version of your official transcript that clearly shows your university grading scale. Please note that we do accept current transcripts from degrees that are in progress at the time of application.

  • UBC students do not need to provide transcripts to their applications for their UBC degrees, as we already have UBC transcripts on file.
  • Please upload a PDF version of your overall GPA calculation if your GPA is not clearly indicated on your official transcript. For Canadian and US universities, GPA is calculated using only upper-level (300, 400, and graduate-level) courses. For international students, GPA is calculated using all grades listed on the transcript.

Curriculum Vitae (CV): Your CV should outline professional employment experience, education, publications, and awards which you feel should be taken into account in considering your application for admission and/or scholarships. Please ensure that you list the titles of research projects / graduation theses. If your thesis or other writing is available online, please consider including links to your work.

UBC-Specific Statement of Purpose: A clearly written (two pages maximum) Statement of Purpose outlining your goals for your program. Specifically, you should detail why you would like to attend UBC to engage in studies leading to a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Please describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your interest area, including your preparation for this field of study, your academic plans or research goals, and your future career goals. Additionally, please indicate whether you have been awarded or have applied for any scholarships for your time in our program, and include amount of funding, duration of funding, etc.

TOEFL or IELTS scores (if required): See above for specific language proficiency requirements. Please note that TOEFL and IELTS scores must be sent in via ETS transfer from the test centres directly. We are unable to accept any other means of TOEFL or IELTS submission.

  • For TOEFL submissions, please use the UBC institution code 0965 when sending in your scores to UBC. If asked for a department code, please indicate the Electrical Engineering department.
  • Name of institution: The University of British Columbia
  • Name of person/department: Graduate School Admissions
  • Address: 170-6371 Crescent Road, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z2, Canada

A scan of your Permanent Resident Card (if applicable): If you are a Permanent Resident of Canada, you are required to submit a PDF scan of both sides of your Permanent Residency card or, if you have not yet obtained a card, of your Record of Landing in Canada.

Three Reference Letters: All three reference letters must be submitted by your referees to your application. At least one of your references should detail your academic achievement and how you would perform in a graduate level degree program. Please be sure to contact your referees in advance of your application so that you have their correct contact information. When you apply, you will be asked to provide the following referee information, and an email will be automatically sent to them asking for their reference submission via either our e-reference form or uploading a written letter:

  • An official institution email address - please note that we are unable to accept e-mails from Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, MSN or other free e-mail accounts for referees.
  • Contact information at his/her institution
  • Title or position held

GRE scores are not required: All applicants are welcome to submit a GRE score in support of their application if they wish, but it is not required for a complete application. If you choose to submit a GRE score, please ask GRE to submit their examination report to UBC using the institution code 0965.

How To Apply

Submit Your Application Online through UBC's admission portal

The online application system will ask several ECE-specific questions. Please think about the following questions in advance of beginning your online application:

  • Which research area are you interested in?
 BIOT Biomedical Technologies
 COMM Communication Systems
 COSE Computer and Software Systems
 EPES Energy Systems
 MINA Micro and Nano Technologies
  • For MASc and PhD applicants, which faculty members are you interested in working with?
  • Do you require financial support?
  • U of R Home
  • Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

Electronic Systems Engineering (MASc, MEng, PhD)

The electronic systems engineering graduate programs at the University of Regina give you the academic and applied research experience needed to compete for top engineering jobs, grow your career, and create next-generation innovations in electronics for industrial and consumer uses.

Applied research remains the driver of invention and modernization in the electrical engineering profession. Leading research also strives to serve organizations, nations and individual end-users as their needs and demands change.

Our systems approach to electronic engineering focuses on the big challenges addressing safety, environmental, social, economic and administrative implications.

Choose U of R and connect with these core strengths:

  • Applied engineering research
  • Research partnerships with industry
  • Faculty dedicated to your success and training

Popular graduate-level electronic systems engineering courses include applied machine learning and power systems advanced protection and control.

Find the master’s degree option that best meets your interests and goals:

  • Master of Applied Science – Thesis (30 credit hours), focusing primarily on research
  • Master of Applied Science – Co-op (38 credit hours), combining research and field experience
  • Master of Engineering – Project (30 credit hours), focusing on growth for practicing engineers
  • Master of Engineering – Co-op (38 credit hours), integrating academic growth and professional development

We offer the following doctoral programs:

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Electronic Systems Engineering (60 credit hours) (after Master's degree)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Electronic Systems Engineering (63 credit hours) (after MEng degree)

Quick Facts

Connect with us, what is electronic systems engineering.

If you want an advanced career in designing information and communication systems using electronics and computers, then a graduate degree in electronic systems engineering gives you a strong foundation to achieve your goals. From micro circuits and artificial intelligence to drones and advanced communications, you gain knowledge and experience to forge new frontiers in electronic engineering.

Electronic Systems Engineering Meet Your Faculty

Why study electronic systems engineering at the university of regina, flexible options.

Electronic systems engineering master’s students can choose to add the co-op education option to their master’s degree. This gives you the opportunity to:

  • Gain industry experience
  • Solve industry problems through your applied research

Industry-standard labs

With the guidance of dedicated, professional lab instructors, you gain hands-on experience in labs with cutting-edge technology, including:

  • Wireless sensor networks lab
  • Micro-electronics/embedded lab with industry-standard microcontrollers and test equipment
  • Power systems and power protection and control lab designed in partnership with SaskPower Corporation
  • Fully equipped electronics lab
  • Radio frequency lab
  • Robotics / unmanned aerial vehicles lab
  • Computing facilities for artificial intelligence applications

Research strengths

Our electronic systems engineering graduate programs feature faculty members with deep experience in industry as well as key strengths in these areas of applied research:

  • Advanced communication systems
  • Cyber-physical systems
  • Signal processing
  • Smart energy systems

Core values

U of R Electronic Systems Engineering grad program motivated me to keep moving towards my dream. The faculty members guided me to acquire the knowledge required for future success.

Frequently Asked Questions

The University of Regina gives students in the master’s degree in electronic systems engineering access to graduate teaching assistantships as well as grants and scholarships through the Graduate Awards Portal .

Also, consider your eligibility for the following awards and scholarships:

  • Edgar A. Wahn Scholarship
  • J.D. Mollard Graduate Award
  • Esam Hussein Engineering and Applied Science Graduate Scholarship for Excellence
  • Harald Liebe Graduate Scholarship in Petroleum Engineering
  • International Energy Agency (IEA) Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme Climate Change Graduate Travel Scholarship
  • Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) 10th Anniversary Graduate Student Scholarship
  • Regina Engineering Society Scholarship
  • Sampson J. Goodfellow Scholarship
  • SaskPower Graduate Scholarship
  • Saskatchewan Innovation and Excellence Graduate Scholarship
  • The Miklos F. Barabas, P.Eng. Graduate Scholarship
  • National Scholarships (Tri-Council Funding)
  • Faculty Sponsorship
  • Thesis Student Scholarships
  • STEM Women Scholarship
  • Levene Graduate School of Business Funding

Take the opportunity to connect with fellow graduate-level engineering students through the Regina Engineering Graduate Students Association. 

Also, build your professional network through these additional engineering clubs!

  • Engineers Without Borders (EWB)
  • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) , with a members-only lounge
  • Society of Automotive Engineers International (SAE)
  • Celestial Labs: Airlock team
  • American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
  • Regina Engineering Concrete Toboggan Team (RECT)

Electronic Systems Engineering Concepts and Goals

Research-based problem solving, project leadership and modernization, professionalism, what can you do with an electronic systems engineering graduate degree.

U of R electronic systems engineering graduates vie for prestigious and impactful engineering jobs with government, not-for-profit organizations, and public sector employers across Canada or wherever in the world they choose to live and work. Our graduates are employed by companies such as Brandt, Canadian Natural Resources Limited, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Government of Canada, MacPherson Engineering, Ministry of Energy and Resources, Government of Saskatchewan, SaskEnergy, SaskPower, SaskTel, SeedMaster, Stantec, The Mosaic Company, and more.

  • Electronic systems engineer
  • Test engineer
  • Engineering manager

Related Programs

The U of R

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Electrical and Computer Engineering (MASc, MEng, PhD)

Part of the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science

Electrical Engineering student with engineering equipment in lab

Program Overview

Format : Full-time (MASc, MEng, PhD), Part-time (MEng)

Degree Earned : Master of Applied Science, Master of Engineering or PhD

Our programs provide a rigorous academic environment with strong cross-disciplinary links to support advanced education, research and engineering applications. The PhD program provides an opportunity to pursue specialized research, while the MASc program involves advanced studies in a field of interest, and research and engineering design activities. The MEng program, meanwhile, offers education in design and engineering practice.

Electrical circuity and wiring

At a Glance

Admissions information.

  • Completion of a four-year undergraduate (or equivalent degree) from an accredited institution
  • Minimum grade point average (GPA) or equivalent of 3.00/4.33 (B) in the last two years
  • Statement of interest
  • Transcripts
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • English language proficiency requirement
  • Minimum grade point average (GPA) or equivalent of 3.00/4.33 (B) in the last two years of study
  • One letter of recommendation
  • Completion of a master’s degree in one of the relevant engineering or applied science disciplines from an accredited institution
  • Minimum grade point average (GPA) or equivalent of 3.33/4.33 (B+)

More information on  admission requirements . Due to the competitive nature of our programs, it is not possible to offer admission to everyone who applies that meets the minimum entrance requirements for the program. 

Program-specific requirements

Check Application Deadline

Students are encouraged to submit applications prior to the first consideration date to increase their chances of securing financial support for their graduate studies. Applications received after the first consideration date will be accepted and reviewed based on spaces remaining in the program.

See application dates .

Financing Your Studies

For detailed graduate tuition and fees information please visit  Fees by Program .

For information on scholarships, awards and financing your graduate studies visit  Financing Your Studies.

Research Areas

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Communications
  • Computer Systems and VLSI
  • Power Systems Engineering and Controls
  • Signal and Multi-Media Processing

Sample Courses

Electrical and Computer Engineering (MASc, MEng, PMDip, PhD) graduate program calendar

  • Biomedical Robotics and Rehabilitation Research Lab
  • Biomedical Signal and Image Analysis Lab
  • Biophotonics and Bioengineering Lab
  • Centre for Urban Energy
  • Communications and Signal Processing Applications Lab (CASPAL)
  • Computer and Network Security Lab, Integrated Circuits & Smart Systems
  • Computer Networks Lab
  • Computer Vision and Image Processing Lab
  • Dependable Autonomic System Lab
  • Embedded and Reconfigurable Systems Lab
  • Fiber Optic Communications and Sensing Lab (FOCSL)
  • Field-programmable Devices for High Performance Computing Lab
  • Lab for Systems, Software & Semantics
  • Laboratory for Electric Drive Applications and Research (LEDAR)
  • Medical Image and Signal Analysis Research (MISAR) Lab
  • Microsystems Research Lab
  • Multimedia and Distributed Computing Lab
  • Optimization Problems Research and Applications Laboratory (OPRAL)
  • Power and Energy Analysis Research Lab
  • Toronto Metropolitan University Communication Lab
  • Toronto Metropolitan University Multimedia Research Lab (RML)
  • Toronto Metropolitan University Power Systems Research Lab
  • Sensorimotor Processing and Integration for Rehabilitation, Adaptation, and Learning, Signal and Information Processing Research Lab
  • Signal Analysis Research (SAR) Lab
  • System-on-Chip (SoC) Lab
  • WindTech Lab
  • Wireless Networks and Communications Research (WINCORE) Lab

Graduate Admissions

Admissions information and how to apply

Graduate Studies Admissions Office 1 Dundas St. W, 11th floor Toronto, ON Telephone: 416-979-5150 Email:  [email protected] For information specific to programs, please see the program contact information below.

Program Contacts

Dr. Naimul Khan Graduate Program Director Telephone: 416-979-5000 ext. 556479 Email: [email protected]

Dawn Wright Graduate Program Administrator Telephone: 416-979-5000 ext. 557732 Email: [email protected]

“I learned a lot from my graduate experience at TMU. After successful completion of my studies I was appointed as an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University. My teaching and research experience at TMU is helping me to excel in my current position.” Jiacheng Wang, PhD alumnus

Link to Raymond Phan, electrical and computering engineering MASc and PhD alumnus profile.

Student Profile  (external link) 

Raymond Phan (electrical and computering engineering MASc and PhD alumnus) reflects on Toronto Metropolitan University's unique approach to the practical side of engineering.

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Find curriculum, course descriptions and important dates for Electrical and Computer Engineering (MASc, MEng, PMDip, PhD).

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

Once you’ve made an informed choice about which program(s) you are going to apply to, preparing your application requires careful research and planning.

At Toronto Metropolitan University, we understand that pursuing graduate studies is a significant financial investment. Funding comes from a combination of employment contracts (as a teaching assistant), scholarships, awards and stipends. There are a number of additional funding sources – internal and external – available to graduate students that can increase these funding levels.

As an urban innovation university, Toronto Metropolitan University offers 60+ cutting-edge, career-oriented graduate programs, as well as 125+ research centres, institutes and labs, in a wide range of disciplines. Our close connections with industry, government and community partners provide opportunities to apply your knowledge to real-world challenges and make a difference.

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Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Thompson Engineering Building Room 279 London, ON N6A 5B9 Tel: 519-661-2111 (86264) [email protected]

Ph.D. Program

Time to completion: 12 terms (4 years), funding information.

Eligible research-based students currently receive and have previously received a minimum of $13,000 plus tuition annually (excludes ancillary fees) through research grants, contracts, scholarships and teaching assistantships. Currently and previously, following the completion of the PhD Comprehensive exam, PhD funding will be and was increased to $14,000 annually. Starting Fall 2023, PhD students will receive a minimum of $17,000 plus tuition anually (excludes ancillary fees) through research grants, contracts, scholarships and teaching assistantships. Starting Fall 2023, following the completion of the PhD Comprehensive exam, PhD funding will be increased to $18,000 annually. To maintain fundable status, students must sustain an average of 78% at Western.  For information about the cost of living and educational expenses while at Western, please visit our  Financial Planning page .

Students are encouraged to review all opportunities available and apply to those for which you are eligible. 

  • Scholarships
  • Internships

Ph.D. Program Requirements

  • Only technical courses can be counted toward the degree requirements - professional development or non-technical courses would be considered outside the course requirements.
  • Undergraduate courses can be taken as an audit with supervisory approval. Any undergraduate course taken would be above & beyond the degree requirement and will not be considered towards the degree.
  • Students may request course credit exemption in accordace with the Faculty of Engineering Graduate Course Exepmtion Policy . All requests are subject to approval. Please contact the ECE Graduate Program Coordinator for more information.
  • This module will be offered every Summer term. Students who begin the program on September 1, 2019 will be able to complete the module during Summer 2020. 
  • Direct Entry PhD Candidates must complete 8 graduate courses, up to 2 may be exempt with permission from the Graduate Program Chair. 
  • 1st attemt at completion must be made during the 4th term of enrollment in the PhD program
  • Direct Entry PhD - 1st attempt must be made during the 6th term of enrollment
  • Complete 2 seminar sessions over the course of degree
  • Successful presentation, defense, and submission of a research thesis ( Thesis Defense Timeline )
  • Students enrolled in the PhD program MUST register in every term from initial registration until all degree requirements are complete.  If unable to register, the student may apply for a Leave of Absence . 

Ph.D. Course Offerings

**All courses & schedules may be subject to change. Please regularly check this page for the most up to date information**  Western Buildings & Abbreviations 

Summer 2025

Course Title Instructor
ECE 9200 Software Engineering for Human-Computer Interface Design R. Eagleson
ECE 9400 Flexible AC Transmission Systems FACTS R. Varma
Course Title Instructor
Digital Image Processing H. Ladak
High Frequency Power Converters G. Moschopolous
Modelling Power Systems for Protection, Control, and Transient Studies

 

F. Ajaei

ECE 9503 Robot Manipulators A. Trejos
Linear Systems and Modern Control Theory L. Brown
Data Analytics Foundations TBA

To see the time and location, please login to the OWL site. 

Winter 2025

Course Title Instructor
ECE 9202 Advanced Image Processing & Analysis F. AlMahamid
Random Signals, Adaptive and Kalman Filtering V. Parsa
Wireless Communications: Design and Simulations S. Primak
Machine Learning S. Nikan
Power System Protection F. Ajaei
Special Topics in Power: Modeling Transmission Lines in Power Systems A. Dounavis
Sensor Networks & Embedded Systems J. McLeod
ECE 9513 Robot Control I. Polushin
Topics in Autonomous Robotics I. Polushin
ECE 9507 Advanced Digital Control TBA
Introduction to Hacking A. Essex
Convex Optimization for Engineering and Science F. Fang

Course Enrollment Deadlines

**Please note the below deadlines apply to all Fall 2023 courses - regardless of course start date.

: Fall term officially begins - does not necessarily concide with the beginning of classes.


: Last Day to ADD a Graduate Course for Fall term. Last Day to Drop a graduate course online. *


: Last Day to declare an AUDIT for a Fall course.


:Last Day to DROP a  graduate course without it appearing on the transcript. All forms must be received by the end of business hours. 


: Last Day to DROP a graduate course and receive a 'Withdrawn' on the transcript - after this date a 'Fail' will be assigned. All forms must be received by the end of business hours. 

**Please note the below deadlines apply to all Winter 2024 courses - regardless of course start date.

: Winter term officially begins - does not necessarily concide with the beginning of classes.


: Last Day to ADD a Graduate Course for Winter term. Last Day to Drop a graduate course online. *


: Last Day to declare an AUDIT for a Winter course.


: Last Day to DROP a graduate course without it appearing on your transcript. All forms must be received by the end of business hours. 


: Last Day to DROP a graduate course receive a 'Withdrawn' on the transcript - after this date a 'Fail' will be assigned. All forms must be received by the end of business hours.

**Please note the below deadlines apply to all Summer 2024 courses - regardless of course start date.

: Summer term officially begins - does not necessarily concide with the beginning of classes.


: Last Day to ADD a Graduate Course for Summer term. Last Day to Drop a graduate course online. *


: Last Day to declare an AUDIT for a Summer course.


: Last Day to DROP a  graduate course without it appearing on the transcript. All forms must be received by the end of business hours.


: Last Day to DROP a  graduate course receive a 'Withdrawn' on the transcript - after this date a 'Fail' will be assigned. All forms must be received by the end of business hours. 

Ph.D. Program Information

Course Enrollment Forms

  • Add Graduate Course Outside Home Program Form
  • Graduate Course Drop Form
  • Graduate Course Add Form
  • Graduate Course Audit Form
  • Course Exemption Policy

Request Forms

  • Graduate Student Off Campus Request Form
  • PhD Thesis Examination Request Form
  • PhD Request for Registration Extension Form

Other Forms

  • PhD Proposed Program Form
  • PhD Comprehensive Form
  • PhD Comprehensive Exam policy
  • PhD Comprehensive Examination Extension Request Form
  • PhD Annual Progress Report Form
  • Travel Award Application Form

Ph.D. Annual Progress Report

SGPS requires that student’s progress be evaluated annually by the student’s Advisory Committee.  The Advisory Committee shall consist of the supervisor(s) and two members.  At least one of the members should be from the same area of research as the student.  Each member must have at least non-core SGPS membership status.  For PhD students, the Annual Progress Report needs to be submitted by March 31 st .

A Progress Report should normally be submitted following a Face-to-Face Advisory Committee meeting.  However, the meeting may be substituted by a Review-via-Report format, if the supervisor(s) proposes, and the student and Advisory Committee agree to.

Face-to-Face meetings must be held under the following conditions:

  • If the student, supervisor and/or a member of the Advisory Committee, or the Graduate Chair requests a Face-to-Face meeting
  • When student cannot complete their thesis requirements within the normal 12 term period, each and every Progress Report, starting from the 12 th term, must be done through a Face-to-Face meeting, so that the Committee can closely monitor the progress.
  • If any significant issue has been raised in the last Progress Report which imposed a condition, the following Progress Report must be done by a Face-to-Face meeting.

At any time and under any condition, if the student, supervisor, Graduate Chair and/or a member of the Advisory Committee, requests a review meeting, the supervisor must arrange such a meeting within 3 weeks of the request. Such a meeting must be a Face-to-Face meeting and a Progress Report must be completed.

Important Dates:

  • Parts I & II of the PhD Annual Progress report must be completed by the student by March 30 th (or the following Monday if March 31 th falls on a weekend).
  • Part III of the PhD Annual Progress report must be completed by the supervisor by April 30 th .
  • Part IV of the PhD Annual Progress report must be completed by the Advisory Committee by June 15th.

For More Information Please review the Annual Progress Review Document .

Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam

The main purpose of the PhD comprehensive examination is to:

  • Assess the suitability of the candidate for graduate work at the doctoral level,
  • Identify areas of weakness (if any) of the candidate in his/her discipline and field of specialization,
  • Evaluate the scope of the proposed research for suitability and feasibility.

 The exam will focus primarily on (1) the research topic and related background knowledge, and (2) the research proposal.

Failure to pass the examination may result in a requirement to withdraw from the program. The exam may have one of three outcomes: (a) Pass without condition , (b) Pass with conditions (to be satisfied for continued registration), or (c) Fail .

A student who fails the first attempt at the comprehensive examination may be required to withdraw or may be granted permission to attempt the examination again within a period of three months. A student who has passed with conditions but fails to satisfy the conditions shall be required to withdraw.

Completion Timeline :

  • Students are required to attempt their comprehensive exam by the end of their 4 th term since the first registration in the Ph.D. program.
  • Student who are granted permission to re-attempt the examination must pass the comprehensive exam successfully (with no conditions) before the end of the 5th term of the Ph.D. study.
  • Course work must be completed before the comprehensive exam, otherwise special approval required from the Associate Chair (Graduate).

Direct Entry Ph.D.:  In the case of Direct Entry PhD, the comprehensive exam must take place by the 6th term of enrollment.

MESc to PhD Transfers:  In the case of a transfer from the MESc to PhD program, the PhD Comprehensive Examination must take place by the 6th term of initial registration in the MESc program.

The Committee

  • The examination committee should be proposed by the student’s advisor at least three weeks before the date of the oral examination. 
  • The advisor in consultation with the examination committee will specify at least two subject areas related to the fundamental aspects of the proposed research. 
  • A Ph.D. comprehensive examination committee shall normally consist of at least three members of the Faculty of Graduate Studies (at least 1 of whom should not be from the advisory committee and at least 1 who should be a regular ECE member) and a chair appointed by the graduate coordinator.
  • The examining committee shall be formed at least 3 weeks before the proposed examination date and approved by the associate chair (Graduate), who will ensure that each committee has sufficient members who are knowledgeable of the subject area of the student’s research project. The chief advisor may be a member of the examining committee but not the chair.

The Proposal

  • The research proposal must be limited to 20 pages (including figures, tables, and references).
  • The report should be formatted with 1.5 line spacing and a 12 pt font.
  • Literature Review : Discuss the literature relevant to the proposal, placing the proposed research in the context of the latest development in the field of research. Strengths and weaknesses of previous research must be emphasized.
  • Discussion/Methodology: The student must describe the methods/proposed approaches and research tools that the student will be using in his/her research. Sufficient details must be provided to allow the committee members to assess the feasibility of the proposed research. Any progress or findings made to date must be included.
  • Proposal: Summary of the proposed research and timetable describing the research milestones/deliverables with expected start and end dates.
  • Significance: A statement that highlights the anticipated significance of the proposed research
  • The proposal must be submitted to the committee at least 10 days before the exam date. 

The Presentation

  • During the oral examination, the candidate must make a short oral presentation (limited to 30 minutes) on the research project at the beginning of the examination
  • This will be followed by questions to the candidate from each member of the committee.
  • The oral examination is closed

The Results

  • The candidate 'Passed without conditions'
  • The candidate 'Passed with specific conditions' listed on their report. (Successful completion of the conditions by the due date assigned is required to Pass. Failure to meet conditions or the deadline for conditions would be considered a Fail. In this case the student will either be required to attempt a 2nd examination or withdraw from the program.) 
  • In the event of a failed exam the committee may recommend a re-examination attempt or the committee may recommend the candidate transfers to the MESc program. The second examination attempt must take place within three (3) months of the first exam.
  • If the candidate Fails the 2nd attempt they may be required to withdraw from the program (the candidate may be allowed to transfer to the MESc program)

Failure to Complete the Comprehensive Exam

If the comprehensive exam is not completed before the end of 5th term, the student’s academic record will be sealed. The student’s PhD advisory committee shall meet and submit a report to the graduate committee during the first two weeks of the 6th term. The student’s file will be discussed at the graduate committee. The graduate committee may request to withdraw the student from the program. The examination committee should be proposed by the student’s advisor at least three weeks before the date of the oral examination. The advisor in consultation with the examination committee will specify at least two subject areas related to the fundamental aspects of the proposed research. These subject areas must be included in the PhD comprehensive examination submission form.

Thesis Exam Information

Please see  the SGPS Thesis Guide  for information on formatting, timelines, preliminary submission, exam requirements and final submission. 

PhD Own Your Future - Professional Development Program

The  Own Your Future  doctoral professional development program creates career-ready graduates with the  Power Skills  necessary to excel in their studies and achieve their future goals.  Assess  your own strengths and opportunities for growth and focus on what you want to get out of your time here at Western.

How to Participate?

  • Join in one or more   Own Your Future   Workshops  
  • Take 10-15 minutes to reflect on your current skills using the “ Own Your Future Power Skills Assessment " (Western Identity required)
  • Connect with your peers as part of the   Own Your Future   Linkedin Group

https://www.uwo.ca/ownyourfuture/

Request for Academic Consideration

If, on medical or compassionate or other legitimate grounds, you are unable to meet your academic responsibilities, i.e., unable to write term tests, quizzes, project reports or final examinations or complete other required components of the course (e.g. project(s), presentation(s), case studies, or any other activity assigned as required by the course instructor), then you can request for accommodation.

To request accommodation, complete the Request for Academic Consideration Form and submit it along with the supporting documents via Kuali, to the Associate Dean (Graduate) Office. The accommodation request must be submitted either in advance or no later than one week after the date of course activity for which the accommodation is sought.

You should understand that academic accommodation will not be granted automatically on request. You must demonstrate that there are compelling medical or compassionate or other legitimate grounds that can be documented before academic accommodation will be considered.

The Associate Dean’s Office will review the accommodation request and convey the decision to the student and copy, Course Instructor and the Graduate Office of student’s home department. Note that the confidential information related to the accommodation is not shared with the Instructor and the Departmental Graduate Office.

If the accommodation request is approved, the Course Instructor has to convey the accommodation arrangement to the student and provide a copy to the Departmental Graduate Office.

Link to the  Academic Consideration Form

To learn more about Academic Accommodation

Career Development

Western Engineering's Career Services

The Western Engineering Career Services team supports the Faculty of Engineering in its goal of providing the best student experience through experiential learning opportunities. Students have the opportunity to participate in Co-op which ensures a seamless transition from student life to employment and their career. Western Engineering offers both an undergraduate and graduate co-op program to its students. Co-op provides students with the opportunity to apply classroom learning in the workplace through hands-on experience, while building a professional network and earning a salary. In addition, research shows that participating in a co-op work term has a positive impact on students' grades when they return to their studies. Western Engineering's Career Services engage students in self-discovery and assist them with career planning, career exploration, and career development to help meet their career goals. Our team offers one-to-one virtual or in-person career appointments where students can get support on resume building, and interview skills, as well as a wide variety of career-focused workshops throughout the academic year.

SGPS Career Development

Western University offers a variety of excellent resources for you to invest in your personal and professional growth. The Career Development site is a central resource that lists all professional development resources available to graduate students, including online modules and discipline-specific resources.

Writing Support Center

The Writing Support Centre is now offering both in-person and online services to help you meet the expectations of graduate level writing.

Location Room 4100, Western Student Services Building London, Ontario, Canada N6A 3K7

Office Hours Monday - Friday 9:30am - 4:30pm

Contact Information Phone: 519-661-3655 Email:  [email protected]

Accessible Education

Accessible Education provides supports and services to students with disabilities at Western, in all programs and faculties.

Location Accessible Education is located on the 4th floor of the Western Student Services Building (WSSB). WSSB is on the west side of campus between the University Community Centre (UCC) and the Weldon Library. 

Contact Information phone: (519) 661-2147 email: [email protected]  

Human Rights Office

Western’s Human Rights Office (HRO) provides information on the University’s discrimination and harassment policies and other human rights-related issues. They are here to help you, whether you are a student, staff or faculty member. They are dedicated to making Western a safe, respectful and supportive environment for all members of the University community.

Location Room 2319, Sommerville House, N6A 3K7

Contact Information phone: 519-661-3334 email:  [email protected]

Office of the Ombudsperson

The Office of the Ombudsperson provides a safe, confidential environment in which students can discuss a University-related problem or concern. They work with students to help identify the root of the problem and create strategies for resolving it. In situations where there is no further recourse, they may investigate or review a decision and may recommend a remedy. However, the recommendations of the Ombudsperson are not binding. 

For quick questions regarding any university-related problems, feel free to call or email the Ombudsperson's office. If you are emailing or completing an online appointment request, please be sure to tell them whether you are a graduate or undergraduate student and what you wish to discuss. This information will be kept confidential, but helps Ombuds staff prepare for the meeting.

For more in-depth issues, the Ombudsperson recommends you   Schedule an Appointment online .

Location Western Student Services Room 3135, Third Floor Western University Main Campus

Office Hours Monday - Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Contact Information phone: (519) 661-3573 email:  [email protected]

Scholastic Integrity

Graduate Students in the ECE Department are expected to meet and uphold Western University's standards of Academic Integrity. 

For the complete policy and regulations see:  http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_grad.pdf

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Electrical and Computer Engineering (Doctoral program)

Program details.

Faculty Engineering and Applied Science

Degree Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Delivery method In-class

Location Ontario Tech University, North Oshawa

Start dates September, January or May

Length Approximately 48 months, based on full-time study

Program load Full-time Part-time

Program format Courses with PhD research thesis

phd in electronics and communication engineering in canada

The objectives of the PhD program in Electrical and Computer Engineering are to furnish the students with the highest possible level of knowledge and scholarship in their areas of expertise. This will be achieved through advancing independent initiatives, critical thinking, methodological analysis, creative problem solving and practical design synthesis. This will in turn prepare graduates for a career in industry, government research labs or academia. During their careers as academics, they should then be able to train Canada's next-generation of research scientists and also be actively involved in independent as well as collaborative research. 

PhD students will obtain their degree through a combination of advanced course work, independent research, research seminars, mandatory professional workshops, conference presentations, refereed research publications and a novel research dissertation.

  • Communications and Signal Processing
  • Control Systems
  • Power Systems and Power Electronics
  • Software Systems

Find an expert

  • Admission requirements
  • Application deadlines
  • How to apply
  • Completion of a Master of Applied Science (MASc) level degree in engineering from a Canadian university, or its equivalent from a recognized institution.
  • A minimum B+ average (GPA: 3.3 on a 4.3 scale or 77 to 79 per cent).

Required supporting documents:

Please see the  checklist of required documents  for a list of supporting documentation that must be submitted with your application.

Required test scores for English language proficiency:

See  English language proficiency  for the minimum required test scores for this program.

Please see   application deadlines   for specific dates. Note that the application deadlines listed are for both the online application and all supporting documentation.

Applications for admission to all graduate studies programs are submitted online. There are five steps you must go through to complete the application process. See   application process and requirements   for step-by-step instructions.

Many of our graduate programs are extremely competitive; the number of qualified applicants normally exceeds the number of seats available for each intake. Satisfaction of minimum entry requirements does not ensure admission.

Faculty website

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Research areas

  • Automatic/intelligent sensing and control
  • Data mining and knowledge discovery
  • Electric energy storage and electric transportation
  • Embedded and real-time systems
  • Haptics and virtual reality
  • Machine intelligence and large scale optimization
  • Mobile, pervasive and service computing
  • Network infrastructure protection, security and privacy
  • Networked and distributed control systems
  • Nonlinear and optimal control and path planning
  • Power electronics and motor drives
  • Renewable energy systems and energy harvesting
  • RF and microwave engineering
  • Satellite communications
  • Smart grid and power system protection
  • Software engineering and systems modeling
  • Statistical signal processing
  • Wireless and mobile communications

Learn more about the research areas within this program and find research experts by visiting the   faculty’s website   and   the university's Expert Centre.

Additional Information

  • ENGR 5510G – Foundations of Software Engineering
  • ENGR 5520G – Software Development Methods and Tools
  • ENGR 5590G – Software Engineering Studio
  • ENGR 5550G - Software Testing and Quality Assurance
  • ENGR 5560G - Software Security and Dependability
  • ENGR 5740G - User Interface Design
  • ENGR 5785G - Real-Time Data Analytics for Internet of Things

Please note that courses are subject to change without notice.

Internal awards and funding

Applicants to research-based graduate programs who are studying full-time are automatically considered for some types of funding at the time of admission.

Types of funding that do not require an application:

  • Entrance scholarships
  • Minimum funding packages
  • Teaching assistantships, research assistantships and graduate research assistantships

For more details on the above funding opportunities, see   graduate student awards and funding .

Please note:   Part-time students are not eligible for the above funding opportunities.

External awards and funding

Graduate program applicants are encouraged to apply for   external awards   to help finance their education. The application process differs for each competition, so review the information carefully to determine where and when you must apply.   Please note:   The majority of these awards are for domestic or permanent residents only.

Tuition fees for graduate programs are charged on a flat-fee or fee-per-credit basis and vary by program and student status.

For current, specific fees and details on flat-fee versus fee-per-credit programs, please see   tuition and fees .

Contact the program:

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science 905.721.8668 ext. 2988 [email protected]

Contact the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies:

905.721.8668 ext. 6209 [email protected]

Ontario Tech University

PhD Program

The PhD program prepares candidates for a career in engineering teaching, research, or consulting. The program offers opportunities for advanced research in the areas of Mechanical Engineering, Biological Engineering, Computer Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Engineering Systems and Computing, and Water Resources Engineering. The PhD program is available in full-time as well as part-time studies. The program provides advanced training in the engineering sciences and research methodology through a combination of course work, independent research, a qualifying examination, and the production and defence of a research dissertation.  

Program Fees

Please refer to  Student Financial Services  for further information about Graduate Fees.  

Degree Requirements

The prescribed program of study must consist of no fewer than 2.0 credits in addition to those taken as part of the MASc degree. At least 1.0 of the credits must be engineering graduate courses. Of the remaining 1.0 credits, 0.5 credits must be at the graduate level, and the other 0.5 credits may be graduate credits or senior undergraduate engineering credits. Depending on the student's background, the advisory committee may specify more than 2.0 credits, including undergraduate make-up courses. If make-up courses are deemed necessary, they will be considered additional courses.

PhD Qualifying Examination

The PhD Qualifying Examination should be no later than the student's fifth registered semester (full-time students).  The examination is held after the student has completed the required coursework. 

At that time the Advisory Committee will request the SOE Associate Director, Graduate Studies to schedule the examination by using the  School of Engineering Qualifying Examination Request Form .  At the same time the Advisory Committee will submit an evaluation of the student’s coursework and of his/her potential as a researcher. The Associate Director, Graduate Studies will select the Examination Committee as outlined in the  Graduate Calendar .

The examination includes written and oral components and is normally completed within a two-week period.  The written part consists of four examinations, each 90 minutes in length, and is to be completed within two consecutive days.  The oral examination will follow one week later and will not exceed 3 hours in length.   

PhD Final Examination

Candidates for the PhD Degree must submit a thesis on research of an approved topic. The thesis is expected to contribute significantly to knowledge in the field, and the candidate must explain this contribution. The thesis must demonstrate mature scholarship and critical judgement and be sufficiently meritorious to warrant publication in reputable scholarly journals in the field. The SOE Associate Director, Graduate Studies will arrange for an Examination Committee as outlined in the  Graduate Calendar . The duration of the examination will not exceed 3.5 hours and will follow the format outlined in the  School of Engineering Guidelines for Oral Examination of Thesis .   

Typical Program Timeline (Full-Time)

   
Semester 1 - 3 Coursework

4 courses (minimum 2.0 credits)

By Semester 5 Qualifying Exam  
Semester 5 + Research

Research for thesis

Collaborative International Development Studies (IDS) Designation

Students in the  Environmental Engineering and Water Resources Engineering  fields can choose to combine their PhD with an IDS designation (PhD.ENGG + IDEV). The collaborative IDS specialization provides an opportunity for advanced students to engage with interdisciplinary development theories and to conduct research on international development. Completion of the IDS program adds the designation "International Development Studies” to the PhD degree. This designation provides the necessary disciplinary qualifications for the academic job market as well as the interdisciplinary breadth required for development policy and practice.  

Students complete requirements for the departmental degree as well as the IDS components which consist of two core courses:

  • IDEV*6800 [0.50] Theories and Debates in Development
  • IDEV*6850 [0.50] Development Research and Practice

Students must obtain a minimum final grade of 75% in each of the two IDS PhD core courses to remain in the IDS collaborative specialization.

Requirements from the School of Engineering:

  • Two graduate level Engineering courses (to be selected in consultation with Advisor)

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41 Universities in Canada offering Electronic Engineering degrees and courses

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Are you looking for Electronic Engineering courses? Here you can find course providers offering full-time, part-time, online or distance learning options.

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Georgian College

Western university (ontario).

THE World Ranking: 201

York University

THE World Ranking: 351

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology

Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology

Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology

Centennial College

Centennial College

Okanagan College

Okanagan College

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)

Loyalist College

Loyalist College

Confederation College

Confederation College

Simon Fraser University

Simon Fraser University

THE World Ranking: 251

Toronto Metropolitan University International College

Toronto Metropolitan University International College

  • Digital Electronics
  • Electrical / Electronic Servicing
  • Electrical Appliance Servicing
  • Electronic Engineering (General)
  • Electronics Technicians
  • Mechatronics
  • Sound / Audio Technology
  • British Columbia
  • New Brunswick
  • Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Nova Scotia
  • Saskatchewan
  • Study level:
  • All study levels
  • Postgraduate
  • Undergraduate
  • Career based/Vocational
  • Study mode:
  • Online/Distance

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MS in Electrical and Electronics Engineering in Canada

MS programs in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Canadian universities not only offer an education that is high in quality but flexibility in course structure that is rarely seen at other universities. With this flexibility, students can ensure the program caters to their needs and goals. Read to find out more about the best universities for MS in EEE programs in Canada, the eligibility criteria, funding required, and job prospects after graduating.

What is the Scope of the Program?

Canadian schools usually provide a combined approach to classroom learning, independent research, and practical skills. Students often have varied options for choosing their area of interest. The main structure of the Canadian Master’s programs is also flexible to meet students’ needs and goals.

Many Canadian schools have also established, internationally recognized engineering departments which offer a Master’s degree program. Electrical and electronics and telecommunication engineering programs usually provide a broad array of courses for students to choose from, which is perfectly balanced with the required fundamentals necessary to work in industries. Many programs also provide courses that need students to practice leadership and communication skills.

Earning a Master’s in Electrical or Electronics engineering from Canada enables students to gain advanced knowledge in the specialization of their choice. With digital advances in this technological era, many types of electric and electronic systems are implicated in most of the industries and sectors. An advanced degree in electrical or electronics and telecommunication engineering provides the perfect pathway for exploring new developments in this domain. Whether you have just completed your undergraduate studies or practicing engineering for many years, the Master’s degree curriculum from Canada provides an opportunity to study cutting-edge advances in these areas.

In addition to electrical and electronics engineering work in the field, many Master’s graduates pursue careers in research. While some students may prefer academic research, others may be employed by the private research organization, governments, or non-profit bodies. Some students tend to go on to earn advanced academic degrees in electrical or electronics engineering and pursue careers in teaching. Electrical and electronics engineers with advances knowledge are also in demand as consultants in many industries, from manufacturing, defense to healthcare.

What is the Eligibility Criteria for MS in Electrical and Electronics Engineering?

  • Majority of the universities in Canada need the candidate to have 16 years of education which comprises of a four- year Bachelor’s degree from a recognized & accredited institution in the relevant field.
  • When it comes to the academic requirement, you need to have a minimum a GPA of 3 on a scale of 4. So, approximately that will be 65 – 70% or CGPA 7.0 – 7.5 in Indian standards.
  • Most of the reputed universities also ask for GRE/GMAT scores as a part of their admission requirement. You also need to check the exact eligibility criteria at the university website for further details.
  • You also need to provide the evidence of English Language Proficiency by submitting IELTS (minimum 6.5 or 7.0) or TOEFL (~90) score.
  • As a part of the application, you need to submit a statement of purpose which would clearly state the reason for applying for this particular program, your career goals, academic background, and other relevant details.
  • Also, a letter of recommendation from your previous college faculty or employer and resume are two most important part of your application.
  • Work experience is not required for most of the universities when it comes to MS in electrical or engineering program from Canada. However, work experience certificates are mandatory for business schools in Canada

Top Universities For Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineering

  • McGill University

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

University of Ottawa

University of Alberta

University of Waterloo

Dalhousie University

Western University

Queens University

University of British Columbia

University of Victoria

McMaster University

Programs and Tuition fees

  • Program - Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) Electrical Engineering
  • Tuition fees - CAD$16,816.00 (8,75,010) per year
  • Program - Master of Applied Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Tuition fees - CAD$21,709.00 (11,29,615) per year
  • Program 1 - Master of Applied Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Tuition fees - CAD$14,636.00 (7,61,575) per year

Program 2 - Master of Applied Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Program 3 - Master of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Tuition fees - CAD$18,014.00 (9,37,348) per year

Program 1 - Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Tuition fees - CAD$10,260.00 (5,33,873) per year

Program 2 - Master of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Tuition fees - CAD$9,250.00 (4,81,318) per year

  • Program 1 - Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Tuition fees - CAD$20,514.00 (10,67,434) per year
  • Program 2 - Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Electrical and Computer Engineering – Nanotechnology
  • Program 3 - Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Electrical and Computer Engineering – Quantum Information
  • Program 4 - Master of Engineering (MEng) in Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Tuition fees - CAD$30,024.00 (15,62,281) per year)
  • Tuition fees - CAD$9,192.00 (4,78,300) per year
  • Program 2 - Master of Engineering (MEng) in Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Program 1 - Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Program 2 - Master of Engineering Science (M.E.Sc.) – Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Tuition fees - CAD$12,927.00 (6,72,649) per year
  • Program 2 Master of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Tuition fees - CAD$19,492.00 (10,14,255) per year
  • Program: Master of Applied Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (MASc)
  • Tuition fees: CAD$8,605.00 (4,47,756) per year
  • Program: Master of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering (MEng)
  • Program: Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Program: Master of Engineering (MEng) in Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Program: MBA – Master of Business Administration plus Master of Engineering (Electrical)
  • Program 1 - M.A.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Tuition fees - CAD$21,559.00 (11,21,810) per year
  • Program 2 - M.Eng. in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering (Project)
  • Program 3 - M.Eng. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Project)

Top Universities For Electronics Engineering

Electronics Engineering

  • Mc Master University

University of Regina

University of Water Loo

Seneca College

The University of British Columbia

  • Centennial College
  • Electronics Engineering Technology (Fast-Track), Advanced Diploma

Programs and Tuition Fees

  • Program 1 - Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering
  • Program 2 - Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering – Nanotechnology
  • Program 3 - Master of Engineering (MEng) in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering
  • Tuition fees - CAD$30,024.00 (15,62,281) per year
  • Program 1 - Master of Applied Science – Electronic Systems Engineering (ESE) (Thesis)
  • Program 2 - Master of Engineering in Electronic Systems Engineering (ESE) – Co-op
  • Program 3 - Master of Engineering in Electronic Systems Engineering (ESE) – Project

Program - Master of Engineering in Mechatronics Design (MENG)

Program - M.Eng. in Mechatronics Engineering (Project) Tuition Fee - CAD$21,559.00 (11,21,810) per year

Program - Graduate Certificate in Applied Electronics Design

Simon Fraser University

  • Program 1 - Master of Engineering (MEng) in Mechatronic Product Realization
  • Program 2 - Master of Applied Science in Mechatronic Systems Engineering

Program Specialization

Specialization areas within the **electrical engineering field **include communications, power systems, electronic materials, and digital systems. Apart from fundamental courses in engineering research methods and laboratory practice, you can also choose among the following array of courses:

  • Data Science
  • Biomedical device
  • Pattern recognition
  • Smart grid and renewable energy
  • Digital signal processing
  • Microseismic fault location
  • X-ray lithography
  • Microelectronics
  • Integrated circuits
  • Energy storage
  • Computer engineering
  • Optoelectronic materials

Students may also opt for courses that incorporate other disciplines such as computer science , biomedicine, operational logistics, and statistics.

When it comes to electronic engineering specializations, some of the popular options are -

  • Communication Systems (combined with Signal Processing)
  • Embedded Systems
  • Nanotechnology
  • Power Electronics

What are the Stay-back Options in Canada?

There has been no significant change in immigration policies in Canada . The post-study work program in Canada enables you to stay in the country for a maximum period of 3 years . The stay of the post-study work will usually be of the same duration as your program, but surely not more than three years.

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) provides the opportunity for international students (graduated from a recognized Canadian school) to look for employment in Canada. Later on, the work experience gained through the PGWPP can help graduates to opt for the permanent residency in Canada through Express Entry.

Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP)

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) provides post-graduate students studying at a participating Canadian university/college to gain Canadian work experience. Work experience gained through the PGWPP will eventually help students qualify for permanent residence in Canada through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

A post-graduation work permit cannot be valid longer than your course of study. For example, if your post-graduate course was of two years’ duration, then the work permit granted to you will also be for two years.

The study program must also be a minimum of eight months in length.

Applying for Post-Graduation Work Permit

  • You must apply for a work permit within 90 days of receiving written confirmation from your university that indicates you have completed and passed your academic program.
  • Get the application package, and fill the forms you need to fill.
  • You must also pay for the Open Work Permit Holder fee and the Standard Work Permit fee in Canadian currency, either via online or manually.
  • The application kit will contain the mailing address where you need to send your application.

Job Prospects

The forecast is for the Canadian economy to produce about 1,800 job openings for electrical and electronic engineers annually over the next five years. It is said that the replacement of retiring engineers will drive sixty-five percent of these openings.

The overall employment rate of electrical and electronics engineers in Canada is projected to grow 7 percent from the year 2016 to 2026, which is as fast as the average for all occupations.

Electrical engineering is regarded as one of the most in-demand fields of engineering in Canada, with thousands of available openings that are available. Electrical engineers design, develop, maintain, and test systems which are used in the powering and production of electricity. The ongoing trend towards sustainable development and energy efficiency speaks of the fact that electrical engineering will continue to be an essential field, as well as a hotbed for innovation.

Electrical engineering is considered as the third most in-demand engineering field in Canada, with over 1,800 electrical engineer job openings. Electrical engineers are in high demand in major cities in Canada. Due to the demand, most of the licensed electrical engineers will be able to hold a starting salary of around $70,000 range in most Canadian markets. Many industries employ electrical engineers in various types of roles. Flourishing electrical industries include:

  • Power and energy
  • Electronics
  • Oil and Gas
  • Construction
  • Transportation
  • Telecommunications
  • Consumer goods manufacturing
  • Biomedical research and development

With some experience, your salary can climb up to $90,000 in the right businesses in Canada.

As an electrical engineer, you’re responsible for designing, developing, maintaining, and test products and systems powered by or producing electricity. You need to be comfortable with a diverse range of technologies. Very frequently, you need to deal with electricity, electromagnetism, and electronics, as well as other components which involve control systems, signal processing, and telecommunications. You may plan and design systems using computer software, but you’re also good at designing by hand. The salary for electrical engineers in different parts of Canada are as follows-

  • Toronto electrical engineer salary- $66,600 to $124,500
  • Vancouver electrical engineer salary- $67,200 – $124,400
  • Montreal electrical engineer salary- $62,700 to $118,000
  • Calgary electrical engineer salary- $69,300 – $127,200

Electronic engineering

As an electronics engineer, you need to design, develop and test, devices, systems, or equipment which makes use of electricity as part of their source of power. These components generally include capacitors, resistors, diodes, and transistors.

You can be involved at any stage of a project starting from the initial briefing for a concept, the designing and development stage, testing of prototypes and the final manufacturing and implementing of a new product or a system. You’ll usually work in project teams along with your colleagues from other branches of engineering.

You can find work in a variety of sectors, as electronics are used in many things. These areas include:

  • medical instruments
  • nanotechnology
  • mobile phones
  • radio and satellite communication

The average Electronic engineer salary in Canada is $85,000 per year or $43.59 per hour.

Top Employers

Some of the popular companies for each of these type of engineers are as follows-

  • Powell Canada Inc
  • Curtiss-Wright Corporation
  • AECOM Stantec
  • T2 Systems Inc
  • Lineman’s Testing Laboratories of Canada Limited (LTL)
  • Randstad Canada
  • Esse India The
  • Arrow Electronics India Pvt Ltd
  • Parsons International Ltd
  • Fluor Corporation Pvt. Ltd.
  • Cummins Engine, Inc. WSP
  • National Defence and the Canadian Forces, Ottawa, ON
  • Xiris Automation Inc.
  • Eaton Corporation
  • Alpha Technologies Ltd
  • A V Immigration and careers consultancy private limited
  • Canadian Armed Forces

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