Graduate Resources - Doctor of Philosophy Degree

• Degree Requirements
• Post-M.S Option
• Direct Option
• Minor
• Foreign Language Requirement
• Draft Plan of Study
• Qualifying Exam
• Plan of Study
• ECE Written Comprehensive Exam
• Minor Written Comprehensive Exam
• Mid-Degree Review
• Oral Comprehensive Exam
• Dissertation Defense
• Conversion from Ph.D. Program
• Checklist for Satisfactory Academic Progress

This handbook only includes the additional policies and procedures that apply specifically to the ECE graduate program. Therefore, students must also refer to the documentation provided by the UA Graduate College for the policies and procedures that apply to all graduate students. In particular, please note that the Graduate College requires that students registered in a program of study must enroll continuously until the completion of the degree. Students who do not register for one or more semesters will have to reapply for admission into the program and may be subject to new admission requirements. There are two options in the Ph.D. program: the post-M.S. option and the direct option.

Degree Requirements

Post-M.S. Option

Major	36 units of graduate coursework* including at least 18 units beyond the master’s degree. At least 12 units beyond the master’s must be completed at the UA. The coursework beyond the master’s is subject to the following limitations: At least 9 units must be ECE courses that are not dual-numbered, not independent study, and not ECE 531. A maximum of 6 units of 4xx/5xx dual-numbered ECE coursework, including any dual-numbered ECE minor coursework beyond the master’s (must enroll in the 5xx section). A maximum of 3 units of ECE independent study. Non-ECE independent study is not allowed. A maximum of 3 units of non-ECE graduate coursework (must be in Engineering, Math, Physics, Computer Science, Optical Sciences, or other areas approved by the Graduate Studies Committee).
Minor	12 units of coursework* including at least 6 units beyond the master’s degree. At least 6 units beyond the master’s must be completed at the UA. The minor coursework is subject to the following limitations: At least 6 units must be non-ECE coursework (must be in Engineering, Math, Physics, Computer Science, Optical Sciences, or other areas approved by the Graduate Studies Committee). A maximum of 6 units of non-ECE coursework may be 4xx-level, but the 5xx section must be selected if dual-numbered as 4xx/5xx. Otherwise, all coursework must be graduate-level. ECE 501, ECE 502, and ECE 503 may not be included in the minor. See the major requirements above for restrictions on dual-numbered ECE coursework. Independent study is not allowed in the minor. Check with the minor department for possible additional restrictions.
Seminar**	1 unit of ECE 696A seminar (grades S & P are used in place of A & B, resp.), in addition to the master’s coursework. Also, must give at least one seminar presentation to ECE 696A.
Dissertation	18 units of dissertation (ECE 920).
ECE Written Comprehensive Exam	Must pass this exam, taken before the end of the second semester.
Minor Written Comprehensive Exam	Must pass this exam, taken after completing all minor coursework.
Oral Comprehensive Exam	Must pass this exam, taken after completing the Minor Comprehensive Exam and 12 units of the post-M.S. major coursework requirements.
Paper**	Must submit a total of at least two refereed journal papers (not counting papers submitted in the master's program), with an ECE faculty member as a co-author.
Thesis	18 units of dissertation (ECE 920).
Final defense	Must pass an oral defense of the dissertation.

* A cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 or higher must be maintained on all coursework taken for graduate credit. A grade of C or higher is required for a course to be used to satisfy the degree requirements. The Grade Replacement Option (GRO) cannot be used for ECE graduate courses.
** The seminar and paper submission requirements apply to new students whose first semester of enrollment is Fall 2003 or later (including current UA students who change degree status to the Ph.D. program in ECE effective Fall 2003 or later).

Direct Option

Major	33 units of graduate coursework*. At least 24 units must be completed at the UA. The coursework is subject to the following limitations: At least 24 units must be ECE courses that are not dual-numbered, not independent study, and not ECE 531. A maximum of 12 units of 4xx/5xx dual-numbered ECE coursework, including any dual-numbered ECE minor coursework (must enroll in the 5xx section). A maximum of 3 units of ECE independent study. Non-ECE independent study is not allowed. A maximum of 9 units of non-ECE graduate coursework (must be in Engineering, Math, Physics, Computer Science, Optical Sciences, or other areas approved by the Graduate Studies Committee).
Minor	12 units of coursework*. At least 6 units must be completed at the UA. The minor coursework is subject to the following limitations: At least 6 units must be non-ECE coursework (must be in Engineering, Math, Physics, Computer Science, Optical Sciences, or other areas approved by the Graduate Studies Committee). A maximum of 6 units of non-ECE coursework may be 4xx-level, but the 5xx section must be selected if dual-numbered as 4xx/5xx. Otherwise, all coursework must be graduate-level. ECE 501, ECE 502, and ECE 503 may not be included in the minor. See the major requirements above for restrictions on dual-numbered ECE coursework. Independent study is not allowed in the minor. Check with the minor department for possible additional restrictions.
Seminar	1 unit of ECE 696A seminar. Also, must give at least one seminar presentation to ECE 696A.
Dissertation	24 units of dissertation (ECE 920).
ECE Written Comprehensive Exam	Must pass this exam, taken before the end of the second semester.
Minor Written Comprehensive Exam	Must pass this exam, taken after completing all minor coursework.
Mid-Degree Review	Must pass this review, taken prior to completing 27 units of the major coursework. Must either (1) write a paper for journal submission and pass an oral defense of the paper, or (2) complete all M.S. degree requirements and pass an oral defense of the thesis, receiving an M.S. degree along the way.
Oral Comprehensive Exam	Must pass this exam, taken after completing the Mid-Degree Review and 27 units of the major coursework requirements.
Paper	Must submit a total of at least two refereed journal papers, and one additional refereed journal or conference paper, with an ECE faculty member as a co-author.
Final Defense	Must pass an oral defense of the dissertation.

* A cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 or higher must be maintained on all coursework taken for graduate credit. A grade of C or higher is required for a course to be used to satisfy the degree requirements. The Grade Replacement Option (GRO) cannot be used for ECE graduate courses.

2. Minor

In order to provide breadth in the study program, the plan of study must include a “minor.” In general, the Dept. of ECE allows split minors consisting of coursework from more than one department. In the case of a split minor, each sub-minor must consist of 6 units of coursework from the same department. However, students with a non-ECE minor may be required by the minor department to take all 12 units of the minor in that minor department. So, students should consult with the minor department to determine whether the minor department has any such requirements.

External (non-ECE) minors may be in another Engineering discipline, Math, Physics, Computer Science, Optical Sciences, or other areas approved by the Graduate Studies Committee.

An internal sub-minor is one that consists of graduate ECE coursework. In this case, the coursework of the internal sub-minor should be chosen so that it contributes to breadth in the study plan. At least 6 units of the minor must be non-ECE coursework.

Note that a cross-listed course with an ECE home department is considered to be an ECE course, regardless of the section in which the student is enrolled.

3. Foreign Language Requirement

There is no foreign language requirement for ECE students.

4. Draft Plan of Study

All students must consult with their Faculty Advisor and submit a Draft Plan of Study during the first semester of study. After being completed by the student, and recommended by the Faculty Advisor, the Draft Plan of Study must be submitted to the ECE Graduate Studies Office for approval by the Graduate Studies Committee. The form is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix. The Draft Plan of Study is an ECE form, which is used to facilitate an initial selection of courses by the student and Faculty Advisor. By seeking prior approval of the study plan, they will know whether the Dept. of ECE will allow the proposed courses to be counted toward the degree requirements. The student may submit a revised Draft Plan of Study for approval at any time. The study plan must also be approved by the Graduate College; this is the role of a subsequent form, the Plan of Study.

5. Qualifying Exam

There is no qualifying exam.

6. Plan of Study

All students must consult with their Faculty Advisor and submit a Plan of Study by the end of the third semester of study and prior to scheduling the Comprehensive Exam. After being completed by the student, and recommended by the Faculty Advisor, the Plan of Study must be submitted to the ECE Graduate Studies Office for approval by the Graduate Studies Committee and then by the Graduate College. The form is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix. Upon submittal by the student, this form is forwarded to the Graduate College for their approval. Revisions of the Plan of Study are possible, but discouraged.

7. ECE Written Comprehensive Exam

The ECE Written Comprehensive Exam shall be taken before the end of the student's second semester of study. Students with a non-ECE bachelor's degree are allowed a one-year delay in order to satisfy any deficiency requirements.

(Students enrolled prior to Spring 2008 are permitted to delay the exam, but must take the exam no later than Spring 2009. Also, students admitted for Spring 2008 or Fall 2008 may delay the exam, but must take the exam no later than Spring 2009.)

(Students enrolled prior to Spring 2008 may elect to take the old-style, written comprehensive exam administered individually by faculty on the student’s Comprehensive Exam committee. For such students, the oral Qualifying Exam is waived. See the old ECE Graduate Handbook, dated Jan. 25, 2006, for a description of the testing procedure for the old-style written exam. Students who opt for one format of the exam on their first attempt must use the same format on their second attempt.)

The exam will be administered by a committee of three tenure-track faculty members with regular or joint appointments in the ECE department, recommended by the student’s Faculty Advisor and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies. The student’s Faculty Advisor shall not be a member of the exam committee.

The student’s Faculty Advisor, in consultation with the student, selects a topic for the ECE Written Comprehensive Exam. The topic shall be significantly different from the student’s previous work. The requirements for the ECE Written Comprehensive Exam are as follows:

• Select three important journal papers on the selected topic (frequently cited papers, award-winning papers, etc.). The selected papers must be approved by the exam committee prior to writing the report.
• Write a report on the selected topic with the aid of the selected papers. The report may be up to 15 pages in total length and shall use a 12-point font size.
• The report must be written solely by the student, with no editing by others. Plagiarism is not permitted. For a discussion of how to avoid plagiarism, refer to resources such as the following UA Library tutorial: http://www.library.arizona.edu/help/tutorials/plagiarism.
• Give a 15-20 minute talk to the whole committee in order to discuss the details of the report. The talk/discussion period is limited to a maximum of 90 minutes.
• The report must be more than just a simple review of other people’s work, but should also include an in-depth discussion of the student’s own thoughts on what future research could or should be done on this topic.

Each examiner shall indicate a pass or fail result for the overall written exam. An abstention is counted as a negative vote, and two negative votes will result in failure. The result of the exam is reported on the ECE Written Comprehensive Exam form (available in the Doctoral Forms appendix), which is then submitted to the ECE Graduate Studies Office, along with a copy of the student’s report.

If the written exam is failed at the first attempt, then the student will be permitted a second attempt, but a third attempt will not be allowed. See the subsequent section, Conversion from Ph.D. Program, for further information. For the second attempt, the three-member committee will include one member from the first committee and two new members. The second committee will be given a copy of the student’s first report as well as the corresponding written assessment by the first committee.

8. Minor Written Comprehensive Exam

After completing the minor coursework and prior to the Oral Comprehensive Exam, each student must pass the Minor Written Comprehensive Exam. The exam is administered by the minor department. A student who fails the exam will be governed by the policies of the minor department. However, if the minor department defers to the Dept. of ECE, then the student may attempt the exam a second time, but a third attempt will not be permitted. See the subsequent section, Conversion from Ph.D. Program, for further information.

9. Mid-Degree Review

For the Direct Option, the student must pass a Mid-Degree Review, taken prior to completing 27 units of the major coursework requirements and prior to the Oral Comprehensive Exam. There are two methods for completing this requirement:

• Write a paper for journal submission and pass an oral defense of the paper. The Mid-Degree Review will be administered by a committee of at least three tenure-track faculty members, recommended by the student’s Faculty Advisor and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies, including at least two tenure-track faculty members with regular or joint appointments in the ECE department, and optionally including one tenure-track faculty member from another department. The student’s Faculty Advisor will chair the committee. Each committee member shall indicate a pass or fail result. An abstention is counted as a negative vote, and two negative votes will result in failure of the Mid-Degree Review. The result of the Mid-Term Review is reported on the Mid-Term Review form (available in the Doctoral Forms appendix), which is then submitted to the ECE Graduate Studies Office. A student who fails this review will be permitted a second attempt. See the subsequent section, Conversion from Ph.D. Program, for further information.
• Or complete all M.S. degree requirements (for details, see the chapter regarding the M.S. degree) and pass an oral defense of the thesis, receiving an M.S. degree along the way.

10. Oral Comprehensive Exam

For the Post-M.S. Option, the Oral Comprehensive Exam is taken as soon as possible after completing the Minor Written Comprehensive Exam and 12 units of the post-M.S. major coursework requirements. For the Direct Option, the exam is taken as soon as possible after completing the Mid-Degree Review and 27 units of the major coursework requirements. The exam will be administered by a committee of tenure-track faculty members, recommended by the student’s Faculty Advisor and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies, including three or four tenure-track faculty members with regular or joint appointments in the ECE department, and including one or two tenure-track faculty members from the external minor department(s). The Faculty Advisor will chair the committee.

The Application for Oral Comprehensive Examination for Doctoral Candidacy, which is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix, must be submitted to the ECE Graduate Studies Office at least three weeks before the oral exam. Along with this form, the student shall submit a one- or two-page summary of the expected dissertation research topic.

The student should meet with each examiner prior to the exam to discuss appropriate review topics. A brief (e.g., 15 minute) discussion of the proposed dissertation research may be included as part of the oral exam. As required by the Graduate College, in order to pass the exam, the student must demonstrate the professional level of knowledge expected of a junior academic colleague.

Each examiner shall indicate a pass or fail result for the oral exam. An abstention is counted as a negative vote, and two negative votes will result in failure. If the oral exam is failed at the first attempt, then the student will be permitted a second attempt during the next regular semester, but a third attempt will not be allowed. See the subsequent section, Conversion from Ph.D. Program, for further information.

After passing the Oral Comprehensive Exam, the student should apply for advancement to doctoral candidacy. The form is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix.

Refer to the documentation provided by the UA Graduate College for additional policies and procedures that may apply.

11. Dissertation Defense

A final oral defense of the dissertation will be administered by an exam committee recommended by the student’s Faculty Advisor and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies. The defense will be administered by a committee of at least three tenure-track faculty members, recommended by the student’s Faculty Advisor and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies, including at least three tenure-track faculty members with regular or joint appointments in the ECE department, and optionally including one or two tenure-track faculty members from another department.

The final draft of the dissertation should be submitted to the Faculty Advisor at least six weeks prior to the oral dissertation defense. Upon approval by the Faculty Advisor, and at least four weeks prior to the defense, the student must submit the Announcement of Final Oral Exam to the ECE Graduate Studies Office. The form is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix. At least three weeks prior to the defense, the student must submit a dissertation defense announcement, including the composition of the defense committee and an abstract of the dissertation, to the ECE Graduate Studies Office for approval by the Director of Graduate Studies. The form is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix. The student should submit the final draft of the dissertation, after it is has been approved by the Faculty Advisor, to the defense committee at least three weeks prior to the defense.

Each committee member shall indicate a pass or fail result. An abstention is counted as a negative vote. If the committee has only three members, then one negative vote will result in failure of the defense; otherwise, two negative votes will result in failure of the defense. The dissertation defense may be attempted only twice. The second attempt will be observed by a non-voting representative of the Graduate College. The result of the second attempt will be determined by secret ballot. See the subsequent section, Conversion from Ph.D. Program, for further information.

12. Conversion from Ph.D. Program

Failure to satisfy the stated coursework and exam requirements will be handled as follows. For a direct-option student, the degree status will be changed to the M.S. program; an M.S. degree will be awarded to the student, provided that the student completes at least 30 units of coursework (excluding seminar and dissertation) toward the Ph.D. requirements, including completion of all M.S. degree requirements except for the thesis (see the chapter regarding the M.S. program) and passes the Mid-Degree Review. Such a student is generally not eligible for subsequent admission into the Ph.D. program. For a post-M.S.-option student, the degree status will be changed to Non-Degree-Seeking.

13. Checklist for Satisfactory Academic Progress

Warning: All graduate students pursuing a Ph.D. degree in ECE must adhere to the following Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) guidelines. At the end of each semester, those students who have failed to comply with the SAP guidelines will receive a warning letter stating why they are in non-compliance. After receiving this warning letter, the student will have 30 days to submit in writing to the ECE Graduate Studies Office a plan for addressing their SAP non-compliance. Failure to submit an acceptable plan within the 30-day time limit will result in the issuance of a second SAP non-compliance warning letter to the student, with a copy of this letter also sent to their faculty advisor. If the student fails to fulfill the requirements for SAP within 30 days of receipt of the second non-compliance warning letter, then the non-compliant student will be reported to the Graduate College and may be switched to Provisional status or Non-Degree-Seeking (NDS) status. In order for an NDS student to be reinstated as an ECE student, that student will be required to reapply for admission and satisfy the admission requirements in effect at the time of reapplication. Bold text is used below to indicate information that must be submitted on time to the ECE Graduate Studies Office.

• Obtain an initial Faculty Advisor prior to or at the beginning of the first semester of study.


• During the first two weeks of the first semester of study, complete the ECE Graduate Student Entry Checklist, which is included in the General Forms appendix.


• Consult with the initial Faculty Advisor and submit a Draft Plan of Study to the ECE Graduate Studies Office during the first semester of study. The form is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix.


• Pass the ECE Written Comprehensive Exam before the end of the second semester of study. Option or during the second Fall semester for the Direct Option. Students with a non-ECE bachelor’s degree are allowed a one-year delay in order to satisfy the deficiency requirements.


• Obtain a dissertation Faculty Advisor by the end of the first semester of study and select a dissertation research project.


• Consult with the Faculty Advisor and submit the Plan of Study to the ECE Graduate Studies Office by the end of the third semester of study. The form is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix.


• Complete the minor coursework and then pass the Minor Written Comprehensive Exam.


• Complete the Mid-Degree Review upon completing the designated amount of coursework.


• Complete the coursework in a timely manner, typically within two years of full-time study for the Post-M.S. Option or three and a half years for the Direct Option.


• A cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 or higher must be maintained on all coursework taken for graduate credit. A grade of C or higher is required for a course to be used to satisfy the degree requirements. The Grade Replacement Option (GRO) cannot be used for ECE graduate courses.


• After completing the designated amount of coursework, take the Oral Comprehensive Exam. Consult with the Faculty Advisor to select a committee. The application form for the Comprehensive Exam is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix.


• After passing the Comprehensive Exam, apply for advancement to candidacy. The form is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix.


• Complete the dissertation research.


• Write the dissertation. The Graduate College has specific formatting requirements.


• Select committee members for the oral dissertation defense.


• The final draft of the dissertation should be submitted to the Faculty Advisor at least six weeks prior to the oral dissertation defense.


• Upon approval by the Faculty Advisor, and at least three weeks prior to the defense, the student must submit the Announcement of Final Oral Exam. The form is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix.


• At least three weeks prior to the defense, the student must submit a dissertation defense announcement, including the composition of the defense committee and an abstract of the dissertation, to the ECE Graduate Studies Office. The form is included in the Doctoral Forms appendix.


• The student should submit the final draft of the dissertation, after it is has been approved by the Faculty Advisor, to the defense committee at least three weeks prior to the defense.


• Pass the oral dissertation defense.


• Submit a copy of the final dissertation to the ECE Graduate Studies Office. The Graduate College also requires the student to submit two copies of the final dissertation to the Graduate Degree Certification Office.


• Submit a copy of the first page of the required journal papers, the name of the journal(s), and a copy of the submittal letters (with faculty signature) to the ECE Graduate Studies Office. The paper submission requirement applies to new students who first enroll after January 1, 2003 (including current UA students who change degree status to the Ph.D. program in ECE after January 1, 2003).


• Submit the ECE Graduate Student Exit Checklist, which is included in the General Forms appendix.