Electrical Engineering Graduate Handbook

2014-2015

Charles L. Brown Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

School of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Virginia

This handbook outlines the policies and procedures of the graduate program of
the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the
University of Virginia. It should be viewed as a supplement to the
University of Virginia Graduate Record, which summarizes the rules and
regulations of the University and the School of Engineering and Applied
Science (SEAS). http://www.seas.virginia.edu/advising/degreereq.php

Contacts: 434-924-6077 (Graduate Office)

ecegradoffice@virginia.edu

Contents

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES

5
7

RESPONSIBILITIES OF GRADUATE STUDENTS

MASTERS DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

11

DOCTORAL DEGREE PROGRAM

12

PHD QUALIFYING EXAMINATION

DOCTORAL DISSERTATION PROPOSAL

13

DISSERTATION DEFENSE

13

GRADUATE STUDENT REVIEW

14

OTHER GRADUATE COURSE REGULATIONS

15

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

16

MICELLANEOUS

17

Message from the Chairman

Electrical engineers continue to provide technological leadership for developments in all fields of society,
including computers, computer-aided engineering, telecommunications, automatic control, optics,
semiconductors, nanotechnology, and energy conservation. In addition, electrical engineers are being
challenged to supply technical expertise in many other fields such as energy management, transportation
systems, health care delivery, and public policymaking.
The Charles L. Brown Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, at the University of Virginia, is
one of the eight departments in the School of Engineering and Applied Science and offers undergraduate
and graduate study programs. Fields of research include control systems, machine vision, computer
engineering, VLSI systems, communications and information
theory, signal and image processing, semiconductor and superconductor electronics, nanoelectronics,
millimeter wavelength technology, pattern recognition and image processing, and network analysis and
synthesis. In addition interdisciplinary programs are offered in collaboration with the departments of
Systems Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering,
Biomedical Engineering, and Engineering Physics.
The Electrical and Computer Engineering program has established an excellent reputation with industry as
a source of outstanding engineers. The department faculty maintains this reputation by continually
updating curricula to reflect current scientific and technological advances and requirements and by
maintaining a vigorous research program designed to provide staff and graduate students with high-level
learning experiences relevant to the needs of our society.

With its excellent facilities and internationally recognized faculty, the Charles L. Brown Department of
Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Virginia has become a major player in the
development of cutting-edge technology and engineering personnel for the 21st century. We hope you like
what you see, and that you will contact us with any questions or comments that you may have.

John C. Lach,
Professor and Chair

General Academic Policies

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers programs of study leading to the M.E., M.S.
and Ph.D. degree. The academic requirements for the degrees are set by the faculty of the department. The
EE Graduate Committee acts on behalf of the faculty on matters relating to admission, implementation of
the graduate program procedures, and directing financial aid. Graduate students, together with their
advisor, are responsible for planning a course of study leading to a desired degree. The EE Graduate Office
and SEAS Graduate Office are charged with ensuring that the appropriate degree requirements are met.
The EE Graduate Committee is responsible for tracking your academic progress. The Graduate Office ensures
SEAS documentation is completed, disbursing GTA and GRA funds, assigning GTAs, graduate student
admissions, and other day-to-day support.
Students should refer to the SEAS Website for additional information, and for all forms mentioned in this
handbook: http://www.seas.virginia.edu/advising/degreereq.php
Student Status and Residency Requirements
Candidates for the Master of Science degree must complete at least one semester in residence as a fulltime student at the University of Virginia. Candidates for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must complete at
least three sessions (or the equivalent) of graduate study beyond the baccalaureate
degree, or two sessions (or the equivalent) after the masters degree. At least one session beyond the
masters degree must be in full residence at the University in Charlottesville (a session is two semesters not
including the summer semester).
A student receiving financial aid from the School of Engineering and Applied Science must be registered
full time, defined as at least 12 credit hours of lecture-laboratory courses and/or research per semester
during the academic year, must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0, and must maintain
satisfactory progress toward a degree. Graduate research assistants must register for a minimum of 6 credit
hours of research only during the summer. Students receiving financial aid are not permitted to have other
employment without prior approval of the Office of Associate Dean for Graduate Programs.
Probation and Dismissal Policies
A graduate student will be considered to be on probation if his/her cumulative GPA for graduate work is
less than 3.0 and will be notified of this situation by the Dean's Office. Graduate students on probation are
usually ineligible for financial aid. A graduate student will be subject to dismissal if the cumulative GPA is not
raised to 3.0 within one semester. Undergraduate courses and courses taken on a Pass/No Credit basis may
not be used to meet requirements for a graduate degree and will not be used in computing the GPA.
Time Limit for Degrees
The time limit for completion of the M.S. is five years after admission. The time limit for the M.E. is seven
years, and the Ph.D. is seven years after admission into the Ph.D. program.

Transfer of Credit
Master of Science candidates may transfer a maximum of 6 credits of approved graduate courses into
the program. Master of Engineering candidates may transfer 12 hours of graduate credit. Students in the
Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program (CGEP) may include up to 15 hours of credit with grades of
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C or better from participating institutions (an overall GPA of 3.0 must have been maintained at the
participating institution). Students not enrolled in the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program may
only transfer courses with a grade of B or better. Students should discuss courses acceptable for transfer of
credit with their advisor; the transfer credit form can be found on the SEAS website. This form is required
for transferring courses along with a catalog statement of course level and the grading system that justifies
classification of these courses as graduate-level courses. An official copy of the transcript from the
institution where the course(s) was taken is required.
Graduate Course Drop Deadline
The last date for dropping a graduate course is determined by the Registrars Office. Check the
academic calendar for the current list of deadlines. (When deadlines are missed, students may petition the
Dean's Office for a W or WP upon concurrence of their instructor and advisor).
Incomplete Grades and Repeated Courses
A 10-day period past the end of the semester (end of the examination period) is automatically allowed
to remove an incomplete. Maximum extension to the end of the following semester (e.g., following Fall for
a Spring class) may be granted by special request to the Dean's Office. If a course is repeated both grades
are used in the GPA calculation.
Articulation Requirements
Graduate level electrical and computer engineering research is a broad discipline that utilizes skills from
many diverse fields. Students entering the graduate ECE program from a nonelectrical background are
welcome within the UVA ECE department. All students should have completed undergraduate coursework
in at least three of the following electrical and computer engineering undergraduate topic areas. This
background capability is required by the faculty to 1) exhibit sufficient core knowledge associated with
graduate-degree electrical engineers, and 2) to provide adequate preparation for graduate classes and
research.
Circuit Analysis
Linear Systems
Electronics
Control Theory
Optoelectronics
Device Physics
Power
Quantum Physics

Logic Design
Communication Theory
Signal Processing
Electronic Materials
Computer Architecture
Electromagnetics
Software Engineering
Engineering Mathematics

These requirements may be satisfied in the following ways:

Relevant undergraduate course work for example, a physics course in electromagnetic fields.
Successful completion of an appropriate UVA undergraduate courses (B or better grade).
Independent study and examination. Students may take a proficiency examination and pass with a
B or better in an appropriate UVA undergraduate courses during the normally scheduled
examination period, or by special arrangement with the instructor.

Responsibilities of Graduate Students

As a graduate student in the University of Virginia you have been given a unique opportunity for intellectual
growth in a vibrant academic community. This opportunity comes with some responsibilities on your part as
a student, researcher, and teacher.
Academic Progress
The responsibility for your academic progress is largely your own. You must ensure that you are
completing the necessary documentation as you progress through the program. The EE Graduate Program
Director will be able to give you general guidance in meeting the academic regulations of the institution,
SEAS, and the department. Your own academic advisor will assist you in preparing a plan of study that fits
with the graduate-level courses.
Research Assistants
The award of a Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) and the stipend and tuition fee remission
associated with it is paid out of research-group funds. A GRA is not a grant to the student but is payment for
student contributions to the research program. GRA funds are awarded to the research group for the
completion of a project of research, the results of which will be reported back to the funding organization. If
you receive a GRA, then you are essentially an employee working on that particular project. Your
responsibility is to complete the assigned project tasks while maintaining your own academic progress. It is
possible that your GRA funding will come from a research project other than the one with which your
research work is connected. In this case, it is still your responsibility to maintain academic progress in both
research and coursework.
Teaching Assistants
The award of a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) and the stipend and tuition fee remission
associated with it is paid by institutional funds. As a teaching assistant, a graduate student carries
considerable responsibility as a representative of the University in the laboratory and the classroom. To be
appointed to a GTA position, an international graduate student must have passed the SPEAK Test or
completed the appropriate follow-up course work. This test is administered by the Center for American
English Language and Culture as part of the International Teaching Assistant Testing and Training Program.
This program scores the verbal communication skills of prospective GTAs and offers further training if the
score is not over the required 55-point proficiency level. This test is in addition to the TOEFL (required for
admission) and the VELPT (Virginia English Language Proficiency Test) required of all international graduate
students.
As a GTA, your primary responsibility is to the course instructor. Once selected for a GTA position you
should contact the instructor and clarify the duties expected of you. As a GTA laboratory assistant, your most
important task is to become familiar with the experiments. This involves discussing them with the instructor,
reading the laboratory manual, and performing the experiments before the scheduled day of the laboratory
class. You should expect ample support from the faculty supervisor for the class, so ask for more help if its
not adequate.
Scholarship
As a graduate student, a high level of scholarship is expected. You are required to maintain a B average
(cumulative) in your coursework. You will be engaged in narrow and sophisticated fields of research, yet you
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will be required to know (and possibly teach) broad fundamentals. You will be expected to know detailed
technical literature relevant to your project and know the fundamental concepts and breakthroughs that
brought your field to its current state of development. You will present your work in the form of project
reports, theses, dissertations, conference proceedings, and journal publications. You will give presentations
to faculty and students within the SEAS community and to wider audiences at conferences and colloquia.
These expectations will place your verbal, written, and technical communication skills under the
microscope. Before reviewers will take your work seriously, it must be free from spelling, grammatical,
typographical, and style errors. It must be readable and it must be presented according to the principles of
clear technical communication. To assist you in the continuous improvement of your communication,
mathematical, and scientific skills, the EE Graduate Committee strongly recommends the following:
1. Obtain a good dictionary (such as Websters Collegiate) and use it. Dont rely on your spellchecker.
2. Obtain a good technical grammar reference such as Science and Technical WritingA Manual of
Style, ISBN 0-415-92551-7.
3. Have access to a definitive reference on issues such as units, number usage, prefixes,
abbreviations, designations, and mathematical and scientific symbols. All of these items are
treated in the NIST publication: Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI). Have
access to a definitive reference for the symbols used in your field. Comprehensive symbols and
designations listings are available from the IEEE Standards Society.
4. Read at least one of the many texts available that review the procedure for writing technical
reports and scientific papers. Two very good works are:
5. How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper (SCI-ENG T11.D33)
6. How to Write and Publish Engineering Papers and Reports
(SCI-ENG T11.M14).
7. You may often need to review mathematical topics or look up an integral or identity. A good
mathematical reference for engineers is:
8. The Handbook of Mathematical Formulas and Integrals
(ISBN 0-12-382251-3).
Involvement
All graduate students should attend the annual graduate-student orientation activities at the beginning
of fall semester. This is a good opportunity to meet with your peers, meet new graduate students, and be
reminded of the academic policies and procedures.
Library
You should get to know the services available from the Charles L. Brown Science and Engineering Library
(Clark Hall). The library contains current periodicals, and has considerable holdings of back issues of the
major journals. An inter-library loan service is offered for prints and books. The library website
(www.lib.virginia.edu/science) contains a wealth of information relating to databases for engineering and
the electrical sciences. You can schedule a research tutorial (from the website) with one of the librarians,
and tailor this tutorial to your research activities. A liaison is assigned by the library to each academic
department. The ECE liaison is Fred OBryant.
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IEEE
Graduate student membership and participation in IEEE activities is strongly encouraged. A student
member may attend the Central Virginia Section monthly dinner meetings that rotate between
Charlottesville, Waynesboro, and Lynchburg. There is also an active Student Chapter of IEEE, which sponsors
technical talks on career choices, employment areas, plant visits, and some social events. A small
membership fee is required. Stop by the office of the faculty advisor, Professor Harry Powell, in E203
Thornton Hall, and pick up an application form.

Seminars
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering sponsors weekly seminars featuring UVa faculty
and visiting scholars. All graduate students are required to attend unless they have a conflict due to classes
or research travel. Talks are designed to inform the nonspecialist about current research on a wide variety
of science and engineering topics. Announcements of seminars are emailed to faculty and students.

Master's Degree Requirements

The department offers two master's degrees, a Master of Science (MS) that requires a thesis, and a Master
of Engineering (ME) that does not. Students receiving financial support from the department in the form of
a GRA, GTA, or a fellowship will generally be required to pursue the MS (thesis) option, unless approval is
obtained from the EE Graduate Committee. Students enrolled in the MS program must obtain the
agreement of an advisor to supervise a MS thesis.
English Language Proficiency Requirements: if applicable (see Special Graduate Course Requirements on
page 15 of this handbook).
Academic Advisor: Select an advisor and with his/her assistance, determine a plan of study (no form). When
properly completed and approved, it represents the course curriculum for the degree. The plan must include
31 graduate credits:
1 credit of ECE 6505: ECE Seminar (only offered in the Fall semester).
The MS requires 24 credits of graded coursework plus 6 credits of ECE 8999 Thesis.
The ME requires 30 credits of graded coursework, which may include 3 6 credits of ECE 6995/ECE
7995Masters Project.
A minimum of 12 credits must carry ECE designation, 3 credits of mathematics at, or above, 5000level are required for both MS and ME degrees, and may be taken from APMA, MATH, ECE 6711, ECE
7438, and SYS 6005.
No more than 9 credits of 5000-level courses are permitted.
No more than 6 credits of 5000-level courses may be in the ECE Dept.
No more than 3 credits of Independent Study (e.g. ECE 6993, ECE 7993) are permitted.
For both MS and ME degrees, undergraduate articulation courses may be required of students with
other than the traditional ECE background.

Final Examination
1) Student and advisor select an examining committee and date for the examination.

MS thesis examination requires a minimum of three UVA faculty members, one of whom will be the
thesis advisor. At least two members must be from SEAS. One research professional or faculty
member from outside UVA may be a fourth voting member on the committee, provided that his/
her qualifications are commensurate with that of a research faculty or equivalent rank.

Thesis advisor cannot chair the examining committee.

The committee chair must be from the ECE Department.

2) Prepare thesis for distribution and reserve room. Select a conference room for your examination and
check availability with the ECE Graduate Office.
3) Announce the oral examination of the thesis.

Obtain an example announcement format from the ECE Graduate Office.

Send e-mail copies of your announcement to eegradoffice@virginia.edu.

4) Conduct masters thesis examination as scheduled. The format of the oral defense is a presentation by
the student followed by a question and answer period. The student presentation portion of the
defense should not exceed 45 minutes. In the event of an unsuccessful thesis examination, a majority
of the examining committee may recommend a further examinationafter the student has been given
time to prepare.
5) Request Examining Committee 14 days before the examination date.
6) Return Report on Final Examination and Thesis Assessment and to Graduate Office.

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Doctoral Degree Program

English Language Proficiency Requirements: if applicable (see Special Graduate Course Requirements on
page 15 of this handbook).
Academic Advisor and Advisory Committee:
1) Select an advisor and, in consultation with the advisor, an advisory committee during the first semester
of doctoral study. The advisor normally is a faculty member in the students primary area of interest.
The advisory committee requires a minimum of four members. At least three should be SEAS faculty,
one of whom should represent minor interests and one must be from outside the ECE Department. The
chair of the advisory committee must be an ECE faculty member.
2) The student must meet with his/her advisory committee to determine a plan of study. Before this
meeting the student should meet with his or her advisor and prepare a preliminary academic outline
consisting of previous degrees, proposed Ph.D. major and minor areas of study, list of completed
graduate courses, a copy of a transcript of graduate and undergraduate courses, and a list of proposed
courses for the Ph.D. degree. The student must complete at least 24 hours of ECE 9999-Dissertation
Research and at least 12 hours of graduate-level graded coursework beyond the masters degree. The
student must also complete at least three hours of graduate-level mathematics beyond the bachelors
degree, the graduate teaching requirement, and the 1 credit of ECE 6505: ECE Seminar (offered in the
Fall semester) (see also Special Graduate Course Requirements in this handbook). These are the
minimum course hour requirements; the students advisory committee may require additional courses.
3) Ph.D. students who did their masters work elsewhere must fulfill the total Ph.D. course hour
requirement (as above) and the articulation requirement outlined in this handbook. Transfer credit
form is at the SEAS website cited earlier.
Summary: (minimum 72 hours total):
24 hours MS coursework
24 hours Dissertation Research ECE 9999
12 hours coursework beyond MS/ME
9 hours of coursework and/or research
3 hours Teaching Experience ECE 6996
1 hour of ECE 6505: ECE Seminar
4) While many Ph.D. students will complete a masters degree before entering the Ph.D. program, Ph.D.
seeking students may be admitted directly to the Ph.D. program from a baccalaureate program with the
approval of the Graduate Committee. Direct Ph.D. students must still complete the course-hour
requirements of a masters degree as part of their Ph.D. program.
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Ph.D. Qualifying Examination

Ph.D. students are required to pass a qualifying examination early in their graduate studies. The objective
of the exam is to assess the students potential to perform doctoral-level research.
Students enrolled in the masters program at the University of Virginia who wish to continue on for the
doctoral program must pass the qualifying examination before or within the first semester after their
masters degree. Students who have obtained a masters at another university must pass the examination
before completing their third academic semester in the doctoral program at the University of Virginia.
The qualifying examination is not based on a specified list of topics but rather will evolve from a short
research presentation by the student. This presentation (lasting no more than 20 minutes) can be based on
the students M.S. project work and/or the students research interests. The qualifying examination (lasting
no more than 2 hours) will begin with this presentation, which will serve as a starting point for, and be
followed by, questions from the qualifying examination committee. The questions can be in-depth or inbreadth, and may cover any topic logically connected to the presentation. The student should be wellgrounded in the fundamentals of topic areas related to the presentation.
A detailed set of guidelines for preparing the Ph.D. qualifying exam are available in the graduate office.
The qualifying examination committee requires four members. It will consist of three ECE professors
chosen by the graduate committee. The examining committee chair will have interests in an area related to
the students research, a second member will also be in a related area, and the third member will be from an
area not closely related to the students research topic. The students research advisor will also be present,
but may not ask questions or answer questions put to the student. The student should request appointment
of a examination committee from the Graduate Office. The student will be informed of his/her committee
membership as soon as the committee is assigned. The examining committee should be given a brief
technical paper before the presentation. The paper should be a summary of the work described in the oral
presentation, be in standard IEEE Transactions format, and is limited to three double-column single-spaced
pages, including figures and references.
Once the Graduate Committee has assigned the examining committee, it is the students responsibility to
schedule the examination with the committee members, arrange a room for the examination, and notify the
ECE Graduate Office. The examining committee will inform the student and his/her research advisor, in
writing, of the outcome within 72 hours after the qualifying examination, and submit to the Graduate Office
the PhD Examination Report and the Assessment form found at the SEAS website. The result will be a clearcut pass or fail; no remedial work will be allowed to alter the outcome. A student who fails the qualifying
exam on the first try may retake it during the following semester/summer. At least one faculty member from
the first examining committee will serve on the second examining committee. A student who fails the
examination twice will lose support and must leave the program at the end of that semester.
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Doctoral Dissertation Proposal

1) After a student has been admitted to Ph.D. study, the student should work with his/her advisor and
define a dissertation topic. A dissertation proposal based on this topic must be submitted to the students
advisory committee in advance and a public oral presentation of the proposal be made within two
semesters following successful completion of the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination, and at least one semester
prior to graduation.
2) The Proposal document submitted to the examining committee should be limited to 25 pages including
figures. Supplemental information should be placed in appendices to the proposal.
3) Obtain an example announcement format online or from the ECE Graduate Office. Announce the
presentation of the proposal by mailing the announcement to eeall@virginia.edu.
4) The proposal presentation should be limited to 45 minutes and will be followed by questions from the
audience and the examining committee. Successful completion of the dissertation proposal examination
will result in your being admitted to candidacy for the degree. You must complete at least one semester
as a candidate before the degree is awarded.

5) Publications and presentation of scholarly work is an expected part of any graduate level research
program. At a minimum, all Ph.D. candidates are required to submit an article related to their research to
a refereed journal, prior to completing their dissertation defense. If the students advisor is not a coauthor of the paper, the advisor must provide the graduate committee with a note indicating the
advisors approval of the paper. (Please supply the ECE Graduate Office with a copy for your file).
Dissertation Defense
1) Apply for doctoral degree by entering intended graduation in SIS. Observe the due dates ,
For ME, MCS, MEP and MMSE degrees: http://seas.virginia.edu/advising/graduation_procedure_ME.php
For MS and PhD degrees: http://seas.virginia.edu/advising/graduation_procedure_MS_PhD.php
2) A public oral defense is required by the department after the student has completed his/her dissertation
to the satisfaction of his/her advisor. The Final Dissertation Examining Committee must include a
minimum of 3 SEAS faculty, a minimum of 4 U.Va. faculty, and a minimum of 5 total members. One of the
U.Va. faculty members must be from outside the students home department. The purpose of the
member from outside of the students home department is to ensure consistency across the University,
to help ensure fairness to the student and to prevent conflict inside the department. The outside
member must be UVA faculty. Students must furnish biographies for non-tenure track faculty members
(outside of SEAS) and industry professionals to include the highest degree attained, the year and
institution, and any relevant experience or research which would provide expertise needed for sitting on
the committee.
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3) Prepare the dissertation for distribution and reserve room. The completed dissertation must be
delivered to each member of the examining committee at least 14 days prior to the defense.
Announce the final examination of the dissertation using the standard format. Obtain an example
announcement format from the ECE Graduate Office. Send electronic version of your announcement to
yvw3d@virginia.edu.
5) Conduct doctoral dissertation final examination as scheduled. The format of the oral defense is a
presentation by the student followed by a question and answer period when all participating people
(including the committee members and other students and faculty members) are present. The student
presentation portion of the defense should not exceed 45 minutes.
6) Submit Report on Final Examination and Thesis and Dissertation Assessment form and (PhD only) a
certificate of completion of the on-line Survey of Earned Doctorates found at: https://sed.norc.org/
showRegister.do to the Graduate Office.
The report on Dissertation Final Examination and accompanying assessment form 7 days before scheduled
examination date bring form partially completed by the candidate to the ECE Graduate Office. Please refer
to the Graduation Procedures at the SEAS Graduate Deans office Website. Consult the Office of the
Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in Thornton Hall, Room A108, for submission deadlines for graduation
within the current semester.

Graduate Student Review

The EE department will conduct an annual review of all graduate students pursuing a MS, ME or PhD
degree. Specific goals of this review include:
Promoting a culture of excellence and continuous improvement in the research being conducted in
the ECE Department
Providing feedback to give students an assessment of their current progress toward their degree
Providing feedback with specific suggestions for improving performance if needed
Providing a forum for students to discuss their questions or concerns with several faculty
This review can take one of two forms depending on the degree being pursued and the progress that
has been made to date.
For students pursuing a MS degree, an ME degree, or a PhD degree who have not formed their PhD
advisory committee, the annual review will consist of a written annual report from the student that
outlines academic and research performance. This report is due in early March of each year. Feedback
will be provided by early June.
For students pursuing a PhD and have formed their PhD Advisory Committee, the annual review will
consist of a face-to-face meeting with at least three (3) of the students PhD Advisory Committee members
during either March or April. The students PhD Advisory Committee will decide the format and
14

requirements for this review meeting. Each student will receive written feedback from their PhD Advisory
committee not later than two weeks after the meeting takes place.
All submission to this review will take place through a COLLAB site set-up for this purpose. Failure to
complete these reviews will result in a registration bar being placed on the students until the review has
been completed.

Other Graduate Course Regulations

English Language Proficiency
All new graduate students whose native language is not English are tested for English proficiency near the
beginning of their first semester at UVa. All non-native speakers of English take the Virginia Language
Proficiency Exam (administered by the Center for American English Language and Culture) at this time.
Students, in the EE Department, who began their graduate studies during or after fall 2002, and who are nonnative speakers of English, must also pass the SPEAK Test administered at UVA by CAELC. Students must pass
this test before:
i.
requesting a Ph.D. Qualifying Examination.
ii.
being appointed to a Graduate Teaching Assistant position (ECE 8897, 9897).
iii.
commencing a doctoral-program Graduate Teaching
Experience (ECE 6996).
iv.
applying for a graduate degree.
If a pass grade is not achieved on the SPEAK test, CAELC offers a program of courses of instruction in
preparation for a repeat test at a later date. If a student takes the SPEAK Test in the fall, portions of the
Virginia Language Proficiency Exam and the SPEAK Test are merged into a single composite exam.
Independent Study (ECE 6993, 7993)

Any student planning to study graduate course material on an independent basis under the supervision of
a faculty member must submit a syllabus for ECE 6993 or ECE 7993 to the ECE Graduate Office. This syllabus
may be in the form of a beginningofcourse memo and must be submitted no later than the beginning of
the semester in which the student registers for Independent Study. The syllabus must include textbooks and
references to be used during the study as well as a detailed outline of topics to be covered. Samples of
problems solved and/or copies of any reports written during the course must be provided for the student's
file along with the syllabus. All Independent Study courses must be completed within the period of the
normal semester, unless extenuating circumstances prevent the student from completing the work. No more
than one Independent Study course (3 credits) may be applied towards an M.S. or M.E. degree.
Master's Project (ECE 6995, 7995)
Subject to the approval of his/her advisor, an M.E. student may include three to six hours of project work
15

in their degree program. MS and Ph.D students cannot use 6995 or 7995 to fulfill degree course
requirements. A project proposal must be submitted to the students advisor. When the project has been
completed, a copy of the project report must be supplied to the ECE Graduate Office for inclusion in your
academic file.
Electrical and Computer Engineering Seminar (ECE 6505)
This one-hour weekly seminar course features presentations given by ECE faculty members, to introduce
various research areas, topics, and advances in Electrical and Computer Engineering. It is a one-credit course
required for all first-year ECE graduate (ME, MS and Ph.D.) students. This course is offered only the Fall
semester.
Supervised Graduate Teaching Experience (ECE 6996)
Ph.D. students in the ECE Department must pass one semester of a guided teaching experience. The
department will issue a list of possible teaching opportunities for each semester and students may apply for
one of these positions. The ECE Graduate Office will select the faculty supervisor for each student in this
course. The graduate student will be evaluated by the faculty supervisor and assigned a pass/fail grade as
appropriate. As with all graduate-teaching positions at UVa the student must have passed the SPEAK Test in
order to fulfill this graduation requirement. Students should apply to the ECE Graduate Office at least 10 days
before classes begin. They will be assigned a course to assist and the student should contact the instructor
of the course to get permission to register for ECE 6996 Supervised Graduate Teaching Experience.
It is the facultys belief that this experience is valuable for the professional development of our Ph.D.
students. In addition, the department and its undergraduates benefit from additional teaching support. It is
expected that such an assignment will require about ten hours per week and may be a combination of
laboratory support, office hours for tutoring, grading assistance, or a combination.
Note: This requirement may not be met by serving as a TA (ECE 8897/ECE 9897) in the department. No
additional compensation is provided for this
one-time experience.

Financial Support
Financial support may be provided by the department in the form of a Fellowship, Graduate Teaching
Assistantship (GTA) or Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA). The student should consider such support an
honor and make every effort to meet the requirements specified for such support. Financial aid may be
terminated at any time if the department or the project supervisor feels the student is not performing to the
professional standards expected of a graduate engineer.
A student receiving a department fellowship will typically be required to provide some type of service for
this financial assistance. This service may include such jobs as helping a faculty member develop a new
research area or working as a graduate teaching assistant. The student should meet with the faculty
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member and report progress on a regular basis. Fellowships are generally given to supplement GRA and
GTA awards. Fellowships are usually paid monthly in eight equal installments during the academic year.
Graduate teaching assistants are assigned to specific laboratory courses and are expected to prepare
adequately before each laboratory meeting. Some preliminary preparation may be required before the
beginning of the semester. At the end of the semester, the GTA should check with the faculty member in
charge of the laboratory to make sure that all duties have been completed. The member of faculty
responsible for the course will issue detailed instructions for GTAs. Generally, first year international
students are not eligible for a GTA position, unless they pass the English Proficiency Test and SPEAK Test.
Graduate Research Assistantship support is provided for assistance on sponsored research contracts or
grants. This work not only aids the research project but may also provide a topic for the students thesis or
dissertation. The student is expected to complete the work specified by the project supervisor in a
professional engineering manner. The project supervisor and the student should discuss what is to be
expected from the student during the employment period and the student should expect to make a progress
report (verbal or written) every week. Masters students receiving financial assistance will normally be
required to be enrolled in the M.S. (thesis) program. This is particularly true for students receiving a GRA.

Financial aid is not automatically renewable from one year to the next. It is the students
responsibility to make arrangements with the project supervisor of his/her research regarding the
possibility of continued employment for the next academic year. Students interested in a GTA position
should contact the ECE Graduate Office.
All students receiving financial assistance are responsible for providing withholding tax information and
Social Security Card to the Payroll Office and completing Federal Employment Eligibility Form I9. Please
report to the Budget Office for the School of Engineering and Applied Science in Room A205, Thornton Hall.
Failure to do so will preclude being placed on payroll. All male students must complete the Selective Service
Form: this form is required by the Commonwealth of Virginia and your employment will be terminated if it is
not completed on time.

Miscellaneous
The following policies have been established concerning the use of equipment, supplies, and materials.
Keys
Keys to the building and to the student offices are available from the ECE Office in Room C215.
Offices
Offices will normally be assigned by the EE Main Office, C215 Thornton Hall. The office must be kept
neat and clean as we often show visitors through the department. Do not use scotch tape on the walls as it
will damage the wallboard when removed. Remember that someone else will occupy your office after you
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leave, so try to keep it nice. Office space is extremely limited, and can normally only be provided to those
with research or teaching assistantships.

Telephones/Fax Machine
Telephones are provided in some graduate student office areas. Necessary research related long distance
calls are made with a forced authorization code (FAC). The FAC number allows the cost of the call to be
directly charged to the research contract. FAC numbers may be obtained from the faculty investigator of the
research project. University policy prohibits personal long distance calls to be made at University expense.
Personal long distance calls must be made collect, or by credit card, or charged to your home telephone
number. A fax machine is located in the department mailroom in C222. Proper usage of the fax machine is
dictated by the same policies that apply for telephones.
Office/Lab Supplies
You should contact the faculty investigator of your project regarding research supplies.
Copy Machines
The photocopy machine can only be used with the proper copy card. The department copy card is for
specific teaching assignments and departmental business only. Each research investigator typically has his/
her own copy card. The copy form login sheet located on the counter top in the main ECE office is only used
for departmental copying and not for laboratory or research copying. The photocopy machine is available
from 9am-5pm Monday through Friday only.
Email, Word Processing & Computing Facilities
The Division of Information Technology and Communication (ITC) provides general purpose computing
resources for the University of Virginia. Please obtain an account (http://its.virginia.edu/home.php) promptly
and read your mail daily, as these will be primary methods by which the department will communicate
important information to you.
*If you wish to send email to all ECE graduate students, address your message to eegrads@virginia.edu
Travel
Your advisor can advise and assist you concerning research or Department-related travel.
Reimbursements for travel expenses are done online at http://www.virginia.edu/~travel.
Address Changes
Please update SIS, of any changes in your address or telephone number. It is important that we have an
address at which you can be reached during the holidays and summer as well as the academic year. If you are
graduating, please leave a forwarding home or business address.
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Building Use and Security

We need your help and cooperation in deterring would be thieves! Please observe the following procedures:
- Keep your office door locked whenever it is unoccupied.
- Teaching assistants must not leave until all students have left the laboratory and must then secure all doors
and windows.
- If you see someone carrying equipment from the building on nights or weekends, call the University Police
(dial 911) and notify the department Chair or Graduate Director.
***Personal belongings are not covered under the University Insurance Policies. Check your home policy
to see if you are covered.
Conference Rooms
Conference rooms are available for oral and written exams, research meetings, and other course or
research functions. The department conference rooms C310 and C311 can be reserved through the ECE
Graduate Office located in C216.
Office Space
You will be assigned a shared office, either by your research group or by the department. It is important
that you follow some guidelines in the use of this space. Dont change offices without contacting the EE
Office first; dont move furniture in or out of your office; and remember to be considerate of the other
students with whom you share the room.

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