Electrical and Electronic Engineering PhD
Start in: September 2022
The School of Engineering offers postgraduate research degrees at PhD level in all of our major research areas.
Overview
Join us for your PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. You're encouraged to view our research group expertise for details of our research areas and opportunities. This will help you to develop research in a chosen subject.
Our research groups cover four areas of expertise:
Our research in this area includes:
- strained Si technology for high-speed low-power integrated circuits
- SiC for high-temperature, high-power electronics
- reliability of interconnects
- high-k dielectrics and developing novel electrical characterisation
- ferroelectric materials for tunable capacitance and integration with silicon technology
- biomedical devices
- sensors and electronics for hostile environments
- Si-based photovoltaics
- nm scale material characterisation
- diffusion in semiconductors
- atomic layer deposition
- device fabrication
- technology CAD
- molecular electronics
- integrative systems and applications
- first-principles simulation of defects in semiconductors
- theoretical modelling of the properties of materials
The group has many international collaborative research programmes. We have been successful in placing PhD students at other world-leading research laboratories. Including IMEC and SEMATECH for periods of three to nine months.
Our research in this area includes:
- asynchronous systems design and test
- design automation, synthesis and verification
- concurrent systems modelling and implementation
- metastability modelling and characterisation
- on-chip synchronisation
- dynamical systems methods in IC design
- networks-on-chip
- wireless sensor design
- secure IC design
- logarithmic scale computing
- self-timed FPGAs
- variability analysis and variation-tolerant IC design
- power scavenging and power elastic computing
- fault tolerant systems
- design for testability and testing
- biomedical interface electronics
- optical-electronic interface
- 3D stacked IC design
The group has international leadership in asynchronous systems design. We have a successful track record of research collaboration with industry. Including:
- multinational microelectronics giants
- EDA start-ups
- world-leading laboratories such as IMEC
The group's activity is principally directed in the renewable energy, aerospace, automotive and consumer product sectors. All aspects of power electronics and drive systems are covered. Including:
- stand-alone and grid-connected converters for renewable generation
- fault-tolerant machines and drives
- ultra-high-speed machines/low-cost drives
- exploitation of insulated, compacted iron-powder for novel and improved performance machines
- novel power converter topologies and thermal management
- novel energy storage systems
- sensors and drive controllers for safety-critical applications
- power semiconductors
- drive configurations
- advanced nonlinear modelling, control and optimisation strategies and applications
The group is recognised as one of the leading European research groups in this sector. Working in areas from 'blue sky' research to product applications. Projects may involve one or more of the following themes:
- electrical machines
- power electronics
- control engineering
Major research themes in the group fall into the following areas:
- communications and networks
- signal processing and applications
- sensor systems and applications
- biometrics and biomedical engineering
The group has an excellent track record for attracting overseas researchers and international visitors. We have rich national and international collaborative research programmes. We're active in world-class multidisciplinary research, balancing technology-driven and application-driven research.
Important information
We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption.
Given the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commitments outlined are subject to guidelines that may be in place from time to time.
View our COVID-19 Study page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2022-23.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information
How you'll learn
Postgraduate induction
The School of Engineering and the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE) run induction programmes for new postgraduates during the first few weeks of the academic year. They take place during your induction week and include:
- a general introductory talk
- a tour of the School
- a postgraduate reception
This event is open to all postgraduates and your supervisors. It is intended to be an opportunity to meet fellow students and staff.
Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:
- Thesis
- Viva
Our mission is to help you:
- stay healthy, positive and feeling well
- overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
- get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
- carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
- understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules
We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.
You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:
- research and professional skills
- careers support
- wellbeing
- health and safety
- public engagement
- academic development
Find out more about our postgraduate research student support
The Electrical and Electronic Engineering subject group page links to our specialist research areas. You'll be able to:
- explore possible research programmes
- find out more about staff working in these research areas
- identify a potential research supervisor
Your development
Postgraduate Annual Research Conference (ARC)
The postgraduate research conference is an annual event run by the School. It aims to:
- allow all postgraduates to become familiar with research projects in the school
- give all postgraduates experience of giving technical presentations
- produce a regular summary of the postgraduate research carried out in the school
- give experience of writing paper and poster presentations in a typical conference and journal format
The conference forms part of your progression through the programme, you'll be given training credits. All postgraduate researchers must give a presentation or a poster. The presentation is assessed and confidential feedback given, covering both presentation skills and technical content.
International conferences
You submit a technical paper to an international conference in the second year of your studies. Where possible, you'll attend the conference and present the paper. Your supervisors will give guidance on appropriate conferences and on paper preparation.
Journal papers
You're encouraged to submit one or more journal papers before the end of your studies. The most highly regarded journals are managed by professional institutions such as:
- the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
- the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
- the Institute of Physics (IOP)
These journals should form your main targets. Further details of the journal publications most suited to your area of research are available from your supervisors.
Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE) researcher development programme
Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:
- perform better as a researcher
- boost your career prospects
- broaden your impact
Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.
You’ll cover:
- techniques for effective research
- methods for better collaborative working
- essential professional standards and requirements
Your programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.
Find out more about the SAgE researcher development programme
Doctoral training and partnerships
There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:
- Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
- Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)
Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:
- they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
- you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
- they’re often interdisciplinary
- your PhD will normally be funded
Find out more about doctoral training and partnerships
If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.
The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:
Quality and ranking
All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Facilities
All four research groups carry out pioneering fundamental and applied research. We use specialist equipment housed in a purpose-built research laboratory. We regularly invest in updating our equipment in order to maintain a world-class facility.
Electrical and electronic engineering facilities
The School of History, Classics and Archaeology has high-quality facilities.
These include museums and archives such as:
- the Great North Museum: Hancock
- The Gertrude Bell Archive
Computing facilities with access to relevant databases. You can also access outstanding library facilities, on campus and around the city.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees for 2022 entry (per year)
Home fees
For 2022-23 entry, we will be aligning our standard Home research fees with those set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The standard fee will be confirmed in Spring 2022 by UKRI.
If your studies last longer than one year, your tuition fee may increase in line with inflation.
Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.
EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.
If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.
Scholarships
We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.
What you're paying for
Tuition fees include the costs of:
- matriculation
- registration
- tuition (or supervision)
- library access
- examination
- re-examination
- graduation
Some of our degrees involve additional costs which are not covered by your tuition fees.
Find out more about:
- additional costs
- living costs
- tuition fees, including how to pay them and available discounts
If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.
You can check this in the How to apply section.
If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.
For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.
Search for funding
Find funding available for your course
Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2022 entry.
Qualifications from outside the UK
English Language requirements
How to apply
Using the application portal
The applicant portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.
You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.
If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the applicant portal.
Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.
Apply Online
Open days and events
You'll have a number of opportunities to meet us throughout the year including:
- campus tours
- on-campus open days
- virtual open days
- webinars
Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually
Overseas events
We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.
Get in touch
Questions about this course?
If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:
Postgraduate Research Administrator
School of Engineering
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7340
Email: soe.pgr.eleceng@ncl.ac.uk
Online
For more general enquiries you could also complete our online enquiry form.
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You'll find our Ncl chatbot in the bottom right of this page.
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