Electrical and Computer Engineering

The PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering satisfies the demand in academia and industry for highly qualified personnel in the field of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Our PhD in Electrical Engineering program is directed to graduates from the existing Master’s in Engineering programs at Lakehead University and outstanding graduates at the post graduate level from other universities.

The objective of the program is to foster students’ scholarly skills and independent research abilities through a combination of formal course work and dissertation (research) work.

The general areas of specialization in the program are Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Control Systems, Robotics and Mechatronics.  

Admission Requirements for PhD

Applicants for admission must be graduates of a recognized university and show evidence of scholarly achievement. Except where otherwise stated in the Admission Requirements of a particular program, students must have a Masters degree or its equivalent with an academic average as specified by the academic unit. An applicant holding a degree other than one in the discipline area to which admission is sought will be considered on the basis of Master's courses taken and academic standing. 

Meeting the minimum requirements does not necessarily guarantee admission. No candidate will be admitted unless the academic unit recommends admission. All applicants will be advised in writing by the Office of Graduate Studies of their admission status.

In addition to the general admission requirements for PhD programs, applicants must also submit:

Program Specific Requirements

Candidates are accepted under the general University regulations governing the graduate degrees, provided that the requirements of the Faculty of Engineering are also satisfied.

The applicant must hold an MSc degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering or a closely-related area with at least a 70% average. Admission is dependent on the past academic history of the candidate and the assessment of the referees, the availability of space in the program and the availability and willingness of a suitable faculty member to supervise the applicant. A supervisor must be identified before the student is admitted to the program.

Graduate Funding

At Lakehead University, we realize the importance of financial support for graduate students.

Therefore, financial assistance opportunities are available in several forms and are generally awarded to students by individual programs on the basis of academic promise and financial need.

The different funding options available include:

For your convenience, a searchable database of graduate scholarships, bursaries, and awards is provided below. Award eligibility, criteria, and application procedures for graduate funding is indicated for each award. Please use the general search tool to find available funding by program. Alternatively, you may also click the advanced search link to specify available funding by program level, award category and/or award amount.

Although financial support cannot be guaranteed to all graduate students in all programs, we encourage you to inquire about financial assistance with your Graduate Coordinator in your program of study. You may also contact the Graduate Funding Officer in the Faculty of Graduate Studies to learn more about your graduate funding options.

Conditions of Graduate Awards

Graduate scholarships are based on academic merit. Graduate bursaries are based on financial need, although there may be a merit component to the bursary. Where the award designates that an application is required, only those students who have submitted the specified application by the deadline will be considered for those awards. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered. Only successful applicants will be notified.

Recipients of scholarships, awards and bursaries must be registered in order to receive funding. Graduate awards are applied to any outstanding balance on the student's account. Students are entitled to their awards only after their fees are paid in full. Only students with credit account balances will be refunded the balance of the overpayment. Overpayment refunds of these awards will be issued at the end of September, January and May each year.

The University reserves the right to make changes without prior notice to the terms, conditions and award values listed in this section and in the University Calendar.

The most up-to-date internal awards and applications are on our new award system MyAwards

Graduate Studies Funding Database

Required Application Documents

Applicants for admission must be graduates of an accredited university, college, or institute as well as show evidence of scholarly achievement. Except where otherwise stated in the admission requirements of a particular program, domestic degree students must have a four year bachelor's degree or its equivalent with at least (B) based on their last 20 half courses or equivalent. We recommend that International applicants have an overall standing of Second Class - Upper Division or higher.

Meeting the minimum application requirements does not guarantee admission. The Faculty of Graduate Studies will advise all applicants in writing of admission decisions once they are received from the program. Applicants are encouraged to regularly monitor their Lakehead University email and application portal for the most current information.

The first step in the application process is to complete the online graduate studies application form.

After you have submitted the online form along with the required $125 CAD application fee, you will be provided with an online account where you can complete the remaining steps of the application process which include uploading the required supporting documents and monitoring the status of your application.

Click here to Apply to Graduate Studies

After you have applied 

After you have submitted the online application form, you can access your account here. Any change in your application status will be reflected in this portal.

Graduate Studies Reference Form
  • An electronic reference form will be automatically sent by email to the references you identify on the graduate studies application form
  • This form is requested in support of the applicant's ability to undertake advanced study and research
Official Transcript
Proof of Degree
Program Specific Supporting Documents (If required)
  • For a list of program specific documents, please see this program's Additional Application Information section (if required, see above)
Official English Test Results (If required)
Additional Application Information

In addition to the general admission requirements for PhD programs, applicants must also submit:

For a list of potential supervisors and their research areas, please click the following link:

Next Steps

Registration Procedures

Before Registering!

Check to make sure all of your course selections are currently being offered by referring to the University Course Calendar and the University Course Time Tables.

University Graduate Studies & General Regulations & Policies