Electronic, Electrical and Computing Engineering

Description

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We offer research for the MPhil(Eng) and PhD degrees in the mainstream areas of signal processing, virtual reality and artificial life, educational technology, human factors, speech technologies, multimodal interaction, computer engineering, communications, control engineering, digital systems, power and solid-state devices and also in specialist areas such as acoustics and sonar, image processing, and high-critical-temperature superconductivity.
About ten per cent of our higher degree students work externally, employed full-time.

We have particularly strong links with BT, the Defence Research Agency, London Underground Ltd and Kodak Ltd. Our research is funded roughly 50:50 by the EPSRC and industry/EU.

The department's Research Assessment Excercise rating is 5. Our current research grant and contract funding exceeds £4.5 millon. Research facilities include clean rooms for fabricating power hybrid and thick film power electronics devices, and microwave devices, a 10-kW induction motor test rig for developing new AC drive strategies, two microwave anechoice chambers, a large network of Sun workstaions, and the superconducting and laser ablation facilities described below. We also have Wolfson units for computer-controlled thermal measurements on semiconductor devices and for development of underwater transducers and systems.

PhD study normally takes three years full-time (or part-time equivalent). MPhil(Eng) is approximately fifteen months.

Key facts

Type of Course: Doctoral research

Duration: PhD - 3 years full-time, MPhil - 1 year full-time

Start date: Registration for PhD and MPhil study can take place at the beginning of any month

Contents

We have a broad range of research specialisms:

* Biomedical Informatics
* Communications Engineering
* Electrical Power, Energy and Control Systems
* Emerging Device Technology
* Human Interface Technologies
* Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
* Multimodal Interaction Technologies
* Railway Systems

Requirements

The normal entrance requirements for MPhil (Eng) or PhD study are a first degree equivalent to at least a good UK upper second class honours standard. English language competence should be indicated (if English is not your first language) by a TOEFL score of 550 or more, or IELTS score of 6.0 or more. As scholarships are limited, it is recommended that applicants seek adequate financial support prior to applying.

The degree requirements allow also for entry based on comparable ability, as indicated by a good UK MSc performance or a lower first-defree performance plus substantial relevant experience. For UK/EU applicants, full funding from the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council or from other sources can usually be arranged through the school. Overseas applicants should seek financial support from sources in their home countries and schemes such as ORS; supplementary funding for ORS award holders can normally be provided.

Decisions on EPSRC studentships are usually made in July or August and for ORS is early April. Please note that a PhD offer is required by the end of January to be considered for ORS, even if the start date for the PhD is later in the year.

English Language Requirements

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa.

The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

Funding

For home/EU applicants, full funding from EPSRC or from other sources can usually be arranged through us; the closing date for EPSRC studentships is late June, please contact the School directly for more information.

International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

See the University of Birmingham Website for more details on fees and funding.