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ECE Graduate Program Requirements

Information provided in this page includes graduate advisory committees, master of science degree programs for Plan I and Plan II, doctor of philosophy programs, qualifying exam procedures for Ph.D. students, requests for deviation from the requirements, and contact information for the ECE Graduate Program Coordinator.

Graduate Advisory Committees

Graduate students, M.S. and Ph.D., must form a graduate advisory committee and register a preliminary plan of study by the end of their second semester in the Department. A final plan of study must be submitted when students complete their coursework. For M.S. students, the advisory committee consists of at least three (3) faculty members, and at least one member must be from outside the Department.  For Ph.D. students, the advisory committee consists of at least five (5) faculty members, and at least one member must be from outside the department. In both cases, the chair of the committee is the student's advisor.

Master of Science Degree Plan-I Requirements

For completion of the M.S. degree Plan I (with thesis option), the plan of study must include a minimum of 32 credit hours. Twenty-four (24) credit hours of closely related coursework in the student's area of concentration are required. These hours must include:

  • At least 12 hours in the area of concentration,
  • Six (6) hours of mathematics (MATH or GES) courses
  • Six (6) hours in an approved elective area, and
  • Two (2) hours of graduate seminar.

At least 18 hours must be from courses numbered 500 and above. Up to six (6) hours may be courses at the 400 level. (Note: In order to receive degree credit, 400-level courses require written application and approval in advance of completing the course. Six (6) credit of thesis research is required. A student's curriculum and thesis must be approved by the student's graduate advisory committee. The student must pass a final comprehensive examination, which is typically a presentation and defense of the thesis.  In addition, the student must satisfy all the University of College of Engineering requirements defined in the current edition of The University of Alabama Graduate Catalog.

Master of Science Degree Plan-II Requirements

Master of Science: (30 hours) (Non-thesis option)

1. A minimum of 24 hours of electrical and computer engineering (ECE) designated courses. Constraints on this 24 hours shall include:

  • A maximum of 6 hours (2 courses) of ECE 400-level lecture courses (no 300-level or below). Using any 400-level course for graduate credit requires prior approval from the graduate school
  • A maximum of 3 hours of non-thesis research (ECE598)
  • A maximum of 3 hours of graduate seminar (1 credit per term maximum)

2. Six (6) hours of graduate committee approved graduate-level (500-level or above) courses taken from disciplines to include math, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, general engineering studies, and other engineering fields.

A graduate supervisory committee approved manuscript authored or co-authored by the candidate, and submitted to a refereed conference or journal shall constitute the University of Alabama Graduate School "culminating" or "capstone" experience requirement for an M.S. Plan II degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree Requirements

In the ECE Department, the Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of 48 hours of coursework. This must include 24 hours of closely related coursework closely in the student's area of concentration, with at least 18 hours of these area-of-concentration courses numbered 500 and above.  In addition, each student's program must include:

  • Twelve (12) hours in a minor electrical engineering or other approved area,
  • Twelve (12) hours in mathematics,
  • Two (2) hours of seminar at the 600 level, and
  • Twenty-four (24) hours of dissertation research.

A student's curriculum and dissertation must be approved by his/her graduate advisory committee. All Candidates must pass a qualifying examination, usually administered after the student completes most of his or her course work, and a final examination, which generally is a presentation and defense of the dissertation.

Qualifying Exam Procedures for Ph.D. Students

  • Each student's graduate advisory committee will prepare, administer, and evaluate the student's Qualifying Exam.
  • The Qualifying Exam will consist of both a written and oral component.
  • Students must take the written portion of the Qualifying Exam either during the semester in which all course requirements are satisfied or during the following term.
  • The written exam will consist of three separate exams:  one on the major field of electrical engineering, one on a minor field of electrical engineering, and one on a minor outside field, for example, in mathematics, physics, or computer science. Failure in any one of the three will result in failure overall. The student will, however, only be required to re-take the failed part(s). Major fields for the Qualifying Exam are communications, controls, computers, electromagnetics, electronics, materials, and power.
  • The written examination, which tests graduate-level material, provides a vehicle for the student to put together what the student has learned in various courses. In covering more than one specialization area of electrical engineering, this exam structure ensures that the student's course of study will provide sufficient depth so the student can work or teach in a second area.
  • A complete file of past Ph.D. qualifying exams is maintained in the ECE main office (317 Houser Hall), and these can be checked out by Ph.D. candidates.
  • The graduate advisory committee will meet at least one semester before the written exam will be taken to define the content, duration, and nature of each part of the written exam. The chair of the graduate advisory committee will submit a written statement defining the content, duration and nature of each part of the exam to the Department Head, each member of the committee and the student. All three parts must be completed within 60 days.
  • The graduate advisory committee will decide whether the student passed or failed the written exam. The chair of the graduate advisory committee will inform the student and the Department Head in writing of this result within two weeks of the completion of the written exam. Students may take this written exam only twice. The graded exam will become part of the student's academic file.
  • The oral component will be a presentation of a dissertation proposal to the graduate advisory committee. At least two weeks prior to this presentation, the student must submit a written proposal to the graduate advisory committee. When the student has presented a satisfactory proposal, the chair of the graduate advisory committee will inform the Department Head in writing that the student passed both the written and oral portion of the Qualifying Exam.
  • According to Graduate School regulations, this exam must be completed at least nine months before the degree is to be awarded.

Deviation from Requirements

The forum for any deviations from the M.S. and Ph.D. requirements described in The University's Graduate Catalog as expanded in the area-of-concentration sections of this Web site, will be a formal petition by the Chair of the student's Supervisory Committee to the ECE Graduate Committee. Deviations from the requirements may be considered for serious reasons only. For additional information about the ECE graduate program please contact:

Graduate Program Coordinator

Electrical and Computer Engineering
The University of Alabama
Box 870286
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0286