A
student who wishes to obtain a Ph.D. degree in computer engineering must go
through three procedures: the qualifying exam (step 1: course evaluation), the
qualifying exam (step 2: proposal and advancement to candidacy) and the final
defense. If a student is denied in any of the steps of the qualifying exam,
then that is considered a denial for the whole qualifying exam. A student is
allowed two attempts to pass the qualifying exam.
This
step of the qualifier is also called “Prequalifier” in some documents. The goal
of this step is to ensure that the student has demonstrated the necessary
breadth and proficiency in their academic preparation to pursue a Ph.D. degree.
The qualifying exam (step 1) approval form can be downloaded in any of the
following formats:
For
html click http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~ljohn/phd/preQual.htm
here
For
Word click http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~ljohn/phd/preQual.doc
here
Fill out the form and submit it to
Melanie Gulick (ENS 101, melanie.gulick@mail.utexas.edu) along with a letter
from your supervisor. The form should be submitted within the first 3 weeks of
any long semester. The student should also submit a current transcript and a
recommendation letter from the supervisor. One may also submit the forms during
the last 2 weeks of a semester, but the evaluation will happen during the weeks
following the end of the semester. A student has to pass the qualifier-step 1
before taking the qualifying exam - step 2. The student must apply for the
qualifier-step 1 as soon as he or she has taken five graduate CE courses.
Students entering the CE graduate program with a Masters may apply for
Qualifying exam step 1, when they have finished 3 graduate CE classes. We also
recommend that the student apply for this procedure in the first three weeks of
the semester he or she is eligible. The list of CE courses is maintained here. http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~ljohn/phd/course-list.htm
The application for qualifier-step 1
is either approved or denied by the CE Ph.D. coordinator (currently, Prof. Lizy
K. John). There are 2 chances. In the case of denial after the second chance,
the student may appeal the decision to the ECE Graduate Studies Committee by
filing a written petition to the ECE GSC Chair.
You
can take the Qualifying exam (step 2) only if you have passed the
qualifier-step 1.
For
the Qualifying Exam, you need to form a committee of five members and get the
committee approved. The proposal for the committee must be submitted to Melanie
Gulick (ENS 101) at least 3 weeks in advance of the proposed qualifying exam
date. The guidelines for the composition of the committee are here. http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~ljohn/phd/committee.htm
The exam consists of a student
submitting his proposal to the committee members and making a 45-55 minute
presentation followed by questions from the committee members. The exam has two
parts - (1) the open room part in which non-committee members may be present
and may ask questions and (2) the closed room part in which all non-members are
required to leave the room.
The chairman of the qualifying exam
committee needs to fill the "report of the qualifying exam" and
submit it to Melanie Gulick (ENS 101, 232-4297) in the graduate student office.
This form is available online: click here http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~ljohn/phd/Report_of_Qual_Exam.doc
It is the decision of the supervisor
of the student whether the qualifying exam should be advertised for other
people to attend.
The application for qualifier-step 2
is either approved or denied by the qualifier committee. There are 2 chances.
In the case of denial after the second chance, the student may appeal the
decision to the ECE Graduate Studies Committee by filing a written petition to
the ECE GSC Chair.
When
your dissertation is ready you can defend it with your supervisor's approval.
You have to arrange for the room and the time when the committee members can
meet for your defense.
The format of the defense is similar
to the qualifying exam. A defense must be advertised so that other people can
attend the open exam part.
The graduate school has the following
guidelines about submitting a dissertation to committee members.
"Not less than four weeks before
the date on which the student intends to defend the dissertation, a copy of the
final draft of the dissertation, reviewed for technical and grammatical
correctness by the supervisor, should be submitted to each member of the
dissertation committee. Two weeks before the defense, a written request to hold
the final oral examination must be submitted to the Graduate School. This
request signifies the receipt of the doctoral dissertation for the purpose of
giving the examination. The committee's decision to examine a dissertation must
be unanimous." from page 32 of the UT Austin Graduate Catalog 2001-2003
Course
Requirements
In addition to above steps, a student
must also fulfill the course requirements. ECE guidelines for course
requirements for Ph. D students are here.
http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~ljohn/phd/phd-courses.htm