The Joint Ph.D. Programme between NUS and Ecole Superieure D’Electricite (Supelec) was launched in August 2004. Supelec is one of the prestigious Grandes Ecoles of France. This joint programme brings together synergistically two excellent study programmes that aims to attract high-calibre students to engage in research in the following five key areas and to prepare candidates for leadership roles in R&D -

• (1) Control,
• (2) Infocomms,
• (3) Microwaves and radio frequencies,
• (4) Microelectronics, and
• (5) Power systems

I. Admission Requirements

Candidates are admitted as full-time students by either NUS or Supelec, according to each university's prevailing admission criteria. For the initial phase, NUS will select suitable candidates from their current pool of Ph.D. students and students upgrading from Master's level research programme. In future, students who have completed their Bachelor degree (with at least a Second Class Upper Honours) will also be considered. For SUPELEC, students who have completed their Diplome d’Ingenieur (i.e. Master degree) will be considered.

II. Degree Requirements

The students will spend at least two semesters/terms at partner university, either undertaking research and/or reading modules. Modules completed at partner university must be pre-approved by home university and will be accredited as partial fulfillment of the Ph.D. degree.

Students must satisfy the prevailing graduation requirements of home university.
For Ph.D. students from NUS, the following requirements shall apply:

Coursework element

Research degree programme includes an element of coursework in the same or related fields. This provides a graduate-level foundation and prepares the student for research. The coursework component comprises not less than 24 MCs (typically 6 graduate modules) for Ph.D. students. All coursework modules and English language requirements (for international students) are to be taken and passed at an expected level of proficiency.

Doctoral Seminar

To cultivate a strong research culture among graduate students, Ph.D. students are required to obtain a satisfactory grade for the Doctoral Seminar module which requires them to attend 24 seminars and present 3 seminars by the 6th semester of their candidatures.

Ph.D. Qualifying Examination

A doctoral candidate must complete a prescribed set of modules before proceeding to the Ph.D. Qualifying examination (QE). The QE comprises a comprehensive examination and an oral defence of the Ph.D. thesis proposal. The comprehensive examination tests the general competence of the candidate in his/her discipline(s), while the oral defence ensures that the candidate is prepared to embark on his/her thesis research. The QE should usually be taken 12 to 24 months from the start of the candidature.

Research and Thesis component

Staff from both universities will be identified as supervisor for each candidate’s research/ A staff from home university will be identified as the students’ supervisor and a staff from partner university will be identified as the student’s co-supervisor.
At the end of the programme, candidates are required to complete a thesis based on the research conducted.

Oral Defence Examination

NUS students under the joint Ph.D. programme with Supelec need to undergo and pass only one oral defence at NUS, after the examination of the Ph.D. thesis.

III. Conferment of Degree

Successful candidates will be conferred a single degree/certificate jointly by NUS and Supelec.

For more information, please contact:

Ms Eunice Wong Yoke Cheng
Senior Administrative Officer (Research and Graduate Studies)
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
National University of Singapore
Telephone: 65-65163809
Email: eunicewong@nus.edu.sg