Overview of Graduate

Programs
MONIQUE WIMBERLY
ECE GRADUATE PROGRAM COORDINATOR
 Agenda
ECE Department by the Numbers
Graduate Catalog Overview
Program of Study
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Suggested Timeline of Degree Progression
 ECE Enrollment
ECE MS students
TOTAL
Graduate, Master's Special Graduate Doctoral 142 total
Advanced Materials
Engineering 9 0 0 9 47% of entire MS enrollment in College of
Adv Engineering
Manufacture/Enterprise 22 0 0 22
EGR
Biomedical Engineering
29 1 26 56
ECE Ph.D. students
Civil Engineering 69 total
53 1 0 54

Computer Engineering Largest enrollment in College of Engineering

39 1 0 40

Electrical Engineering
42% of entire PhD enrollment in College.
93 0 69 162

Environmental
Sci&Engineering 0 0 29 29

Mechanical Engineering
56 0 39 95

TOTAL 301 3 163 467

 ECE Enrollment
ECE MS & Ph.D. enrollment makes up 45% of the graduate student population in the College of
Engineering.
ECE Graduate Students- 211
CoE Graduate Students- 467

Processes take time. Please be patient!

Office Hours-
Monique: MWF- 9:30-11:30am; TR- 2:30-4:30pm
 Graduate Catalog Demystified
Rules about Grades, Change of Major, Probation/Dismissal, Degree Requirements
Follow the Graduate Catalog you were admitted under
EX: If you were admitted between Fall 2013-Spring 2015 you are in the 2013-2015 catalog. If you were
admitted for the Fall 2015 semester you will be in 2015-2017.
If you are unsure, you can find this information on ASAP.
You may change catalogs by submitting request in ASAP (Ph.D. students)

You may find the Graduate Catalogs online

Snippets from 2015-2017 catalog
EE & CpE have different core courses
EE has 5 core courses in different concentrations
(1 each)
CpE has 4 core courses
1 overlap between the two programs: EE 5123
Computer Architecture
EE specific project/thesis; CpE specific
project/thesis

Five Concentrations
All courses divided into concentrations

Ph.D. Timeline
POP QUIZ
 Which of the following is an actual rule from the
Graduate Catalog?
a) Students who wish to change their majors are required to submit a new Graduate School
application along with a nonrefundable application fee by the application deadline.
b) Students are responsible for seeking adequate academic advice, for knowing and meeting
degree requirements, and for enrolling in appropriate courses to ensure orderly and timely
completion of their degree programs.
c) Courses taken outside Electrical Engineering need to be approved by the Electrical Engineering
Graduate Program Committee/Graduate Advisor of Record
d) For more information on academic advising in their departments, graduate students should
contact the Graduate Advisor of Record or consult their friends.
e) A, B, and C only
 Program of Study
When is it needed?
Reduced Course Load requests
OPT requests
CPT requests
I-20 extension requests
Final PoS due in semester of graduation
Advising Appointments with Dr. Lin or Monique
Qualifying Exam Application (PhD)

Why is it needed?
Verification from ECE department that you are on-track and completing degree requirements
Program of Study

Look at degree requirements in Graduate

Catalog when filling it out
Courses you are currently enrolled in should
have IP in Grade Column
Courses you plan on taking should have the
semester in the last column
Check Discipline & Number
Program of Study

Available for
download on
ECE website
 Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Conditional Admission Thesis/Project/Dissertation Advisor must be
Notified via admission letter/ASAP from your selected concentration
Must be satisfied within first semester If not, need another faculty member from that
concentration as co-chair of committee
Contact Monique if you are unsure if you have
conditions Any grade below a C does not count towards
Normally, 3.0 (B letter grade in EACH core degree program
course)
Register prior to appropriate deadlines
Approved Electives outside ECE department
(MS & PhD)
Make sure to check if the course is approved
PRIOR to enrolling in the course
 Common Pitfalls Continued
ELAP holds cannot be removed by department
Enroll in EIS courses within first semester
Watch out for grades in semesters when you
are taking Research Seminar/Graduate Project
Both courses graded CR/NC, offer no points
towards GPA
Ph.D. continuous enrollment during long
semesters
Apply for leave of absence prior to leaving
You must be enrolled in
thesis/project/dissertation in the semester
you defend
F-1 Visa Requires students to be enrolled in 9
credit hours during the long semesters
RCL available under certain circumstances
Satisfactory Degree Progression required for I-
20 extension; If you arent making satisfactory
progress you will need to start using OPT.
POP QUIZ
 Name three instances when the Program
of Study is required
Reduced Course Load requests
OPT requests
CPT requests
I-20 extension requests
Final PoS due in semester of graduation
Advising Appointments with Dr. Lin or Monique
Qualifying Exam Application (PhD)

True or False- Core Course Conditions will be satisfied if the GPA for the three courses is a 3.0 overall.
Core Course Conditions will be satisfied if
the GPA for the three courses is a 3.0
overall
False. Core Course Conditions require a 3.0 (B letter grade) in each
course.
 MS Timeline
First Semester
Attend Orientation Events
Read Graduate Catalog cover to cover
Ok, not cover to cover but at least ECE degree requirements
Inquire about Admissions Conditions
Select coursework with special attention to conditions or
ELAP holds
Get to know faculty in your concentration
Second Semester
Select coursework with special attention to conditions or
ELAP holds
Consider thesis/project (speak with GAR if any questions)
Contact Monique to remove Admission Conditions
Third Semester
Fill out Program of Study to make sure you are completing
all requirements. If any outstanding requirements, you still
have 2 semesters to complete
Usually thesis students take 3 credits in this semester but
you can split it up anyway you want as long as you
complete 6 total credits
Fourth Semester
Apply for Graduation
Attend Final Semester Meeting (upcoming for Fall 2016)
Pay special attention to Moniques emails
Meet all deadlines for paperwork
Defend thesis/project/dissertation
Graduate
Celebrate
 PhD Timeline
Selection of Advisor
This is done very early in the candidates
doctoral career
Advisor should be in selected concentration
Cannot complete more than 6 credit hours of
research prior to QE
Completion of the Qualifying Exam
Check Graduate Catalog/consult GAR to
determine requirements
QE I & II only offered in long semesters
Application for Candidacy
Submitted after successful completion of the QE.
Completed by student & advisor in order to
establish that the student is ready to being
working on dissertation
Appointment of Doctoral Dissertation
Committee
If the student is using an outside committee
member, contact Monique ASAP as they may
need to submit an application.
 PhD Timeline
Dissertation Proposal Approval
Consult with Monique for reserving
room/paperwork required

Final Semester
Apply for Graduation
Consult with Monique about deadlines for
paperwork
Defend
Graduate
Celebrate
Questions?