Electrical and Computer Engineering, PhD

Technical Qualifying Exam

The Technical Qualifying Exam (TQE) is an in-class written exam that tests knowledge of fundamental concepts in a particular technical area. Students select one of three topics for their TQE:

1. Topic 1: Signals and Systems
2. Topic 2: Digital Design and Computer Organization
3. Topic 3: Circuits, Electronics, and Devices

Students must take the Technical Qualifying Exam within the first year after they have entered the program. The TQE is typically offered in late August, prior to the start of the fall semester. Students who enter the PhD program in the spring semester may request to take the TQE in January; such a request must be filed by the end of the spring semester.

Research Qualifying Exam

The purpose of the Research Qualifying Exam (RQE) is to assess whether students can define a research problem, critically review the literature related to the problem, apply appropriate research methods to study the problem, and interpret and communicate their results. The RQE requires students to complete a short research project and to document their results in a written report and an oral presentation. The RQE topic is defined by a faculty advisor in consultation with the student. A committee of three faculty members (the advisor plus two additional members) evaluates the written report and the oral presentation. During the presentation the student is expected to answer questions about their project and about fundamental concepts related to the research.

Students who enter the program with an MS degree must take the RQE prior to completing 12 credits in the PhD program. Students who enter the program with a BS degree must take the exam prior to completing 30 credits in the program.

Evaluation

After a student has taken both the TQE and the RQE, the ECE PhD Committee reviews the exam results, the student’s transcript, and a letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor. Based on this information, the PhD Committee determines whether the student is qualified for the PhD program. If the student does not qualify on their first try, they may repeat one or both of the exams in the following year. The TQE and RQE may be repeated once. A student who fails to qualify on their second try is removed from the program.

Advisor, Dissertation Director, and Dissertation Committee

The process of finding a dissertation topic and dissertation director is governed by the university’s policies, as described in the Requirements for Doctoral Degrees in the Academic Policies  section of the catalog.   Upon admission to the program, each student is assigned an ECE faculty member as an academic advisor. After the student passes the qualifying exam, the student proposes and the ECE department chair appoints a dissertation director who must be a Mason graduate faculty member with a full-time appointment. The dissertation director becomes the student’s academic advisor. Normally, the dissertation director is a member of ECE department; however, a member of another department may be appointed if warranted by the dissertation research topic. A dissertation committee should be formed within a year after the student has passed the qualifying exam.  The dissertation committee consists of the dissertation director who acts as chair plus three or four additional members. All dissertation committees must include at least three members of the Mason graduate faculty, at least two of whom must be from the ECE Department.   At least one member of the dissertation committee must be from outside the discipline of electrical and computer engineering. The outside member may be faculty from another Mason department or, if justified by the research topic, a qualified scientist or engineer from outside the university. All committee members must have a doctoral level degree. The dissertation committee must be approved by the ECE department chair. The dissertation director, as academic advisor, and the ECE Department chair must approve all decisions concerning a student’s course requirements and dissertation.

Dissertation Proposal, Research Competency Exam, Advancement to Candidacy

The student prepares a written dissertation proposal outlining the proposed research and submits it to the dissertation committee for approval. After completing coursework requirements and preparing a proposal, the student takes a research competency exam to demonstrate their preparation for dissertation research. The exam consists of a presentation of the dissertation proposal followed by an oral exam. The exam is administered by the student’s dissertation committee. The purpose of the oral exam is to verify that the student is familiar with the relevant material related to their research. The student is advanced to candidacy when he or she passes the oral exam and the dissertation committee approves the proposal.

Dissertation Research and Defense

Students conduct dissertation research under the guidance of their dissertation director, with regular consultation with other members of the dissertation committee. During this period, students must present their research results at least once in the form of a department seminar. The dissertation must represent an achievement in research, must be a significant contribution to its field, and should be deemed publishable in refereed journals or at highly selective conferences. On completion of the dissertation the student may be asked, at the discretion of the dissertation committee, to present a predefense in the presence of the committee members. The dissertation committee and the department chair approve the student’s application for a public defense of the doctoral dissertation. A copy of the dissertation must be placed in the University Libraries four weeks prior to the public defense. After a successful public defense and completion of the final form of the dissertation, the dissertation committee recommends the candidate for the degree of doctor of philosophy.