GRADUATE STUDY INFORMATION

IMPORTANT UPDATE!!   Immigration Regulations for All International Students:  The following updated information can be found on website http://www.sa.utah.edu/inter/isss/immigration.asp. Please review this website to make sure you are in compliance with your visa regulations.

The following requirements have been set by the Graduate School, the College of Engineering, and/or the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. Consult the General Catalog and Graduate Handbook  for more details.

Graduate Committee

Return to Table of Contents

Temporary Advisors

The following faculty members have agreed to act as temporary advisors for new graduate students wishing to specialize in their areas. These advisors are available to help incoming graduate students who do not yet have supervisory committees. Students should contact the temporary advisor in thier area if they have any questions about their program. Students should find a permanent academic advisorby the beginning of the second semester. Students who would like to consult with these faculty members may call them at the telephone numbers listed or contact them by email for an appointment.

 
Return to Table of Contents

Due Dates

Full-time graduate students:

Part-time graduate students:

Return to Table of Contents

Change of Degree Status

Graduate students who wish to change degree programs within the department must submit the following to the Graduate Committee for approval:

1. A letter to the Graduate Committee explaining the reason for the requested change of degree, including a description of the intended research area if the change is to study for a research degree.
2. A letter of recommendation in support of the application from a faculty member expressing willingness to serve as the chair of the student’s supervisory committee.
3. The completed Request for Supervisory Committee form for the requested degree.
4. The completed program of study for the requested degree. If a student wishes to change from a thesis to a non-thesis degree program, a separate sheet must be included indicating at least 12 hours of coursework to be taken after the change is approved.
5. A current University of Utah transcript.

Students cannot convert hours taken in thesis (ECE 6970/7970) to special studies (ECE 6950). ECE 6970/7970 hours cannot be used for the M.E. degree.

Please note that students who are studying for the M.E. degree cannot receive a tuition waiver for work they perform as a research assistant.

Return to Table of Contents

Conversion to Semester System

All colleges and universities in the Utah State system converted to semesters instead of quarters in Fall 1998. Graduate students who started their degrees in the quarter system may complete it in the semester system, with semester units worth 3/2 quarter units. Courses were identified by three-digit numbers in the quarter system and are identified by four-digit numbers in the semester system.

Return to Table of Contents

Correspondence/Home Study

Correspondence or home study courses are not eligible for graduate credit.

Return to Table of Contents

Credit/No Credit Courses

Graduate students are granted the option, subject to approval by the Department Graduate Committee and review by the Dean of the Graduate School, to enroll in some courses in which they will be graded on a credit/no credit (CR/NC) rather than on a letter-grade basis.

The intent of the CR/NC option is to free students to extend their studies to areas outside their major or specialty and to take classes they otherwise might not take if they had to compete with majors for a letter grade.

Students may not register for CR/NC courses in their major department unless a course in the major department is offered only on a CR/NC basis.

Consult the Graduate Handbook for further information on the CR/NC policy.

Return to Table of Contents

Students within the College of Engineering are not allowed to be candidates for a Master of Engineering degree and a research-oriented degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) simultaneously in any one department or in a combination of departments. Students who are candidates for research degrees outside of the College of Engineering cannot simultaneously be candidates for a Master of Engineering degree in the College of Engineering. Any exceptions must be approved by the student’s supervisory committee and by the dean or associate dean for academic affairs of the College.

Students wishing to pursue more than one graduate degree must have a separate supervisory committee and program of study for each degree. Courses may not be counted for credit for more than one degree.

Return to Table of Contents

Establishing Utah Residency for Tuition Purposes

1. maintain continuous Utah residency status while completing 60 (40 for graduate students) semester credit hours at a regionally accredited Utah higher education institution or an equivalent number of applicable contact hours at the Utah College of Applied Technology or maintain continuous Utah residency for three years regardless of the number of credit hours earned; and
2. demonstrate by additional objective evidence, including Utah voter registration, Utah drivers license, Utah vehicle registration, employment in Utah, payment of Utah resident income taxes, and Utah banking connections, the establishment of a domicile in Utah and that the student does not maintain a residence elsewhere.

The institution, through its residency officer, is authorized to require written documents, affidavits, verifications, or other evidence deemed necessary to determine why a student is in Utah. The burden of establishing that an individual is in Utah for other than educational purposes is upon the person requesting resident status.  Foreign nationals who are present in the United States on visitor, student, or other visas that have authorized only temporary presence in this country do not have the capacity to intend to reside in Utah for an indefinite period and therefore are classified as non-residents for tuition purposes. Foreign nationals who have been granted legal immigrant or permanent U.S. resident status are classified for purposes of resident status according to the same criteria applicable to U.S. citizens.

Further information may be found at the Admissions website.  Click here to download the application for Utah resident status.

ECE Proficiency Requirement

Every candidate for a graduate degree in the Electrical & Computer Engineering program must demonstrate proficiency in three basic areas within one year after enrollment in the program. Each student must show proficiency in Circuits and Electronics and in either Electromagnetic Fields or Systems. It is the responsibility of the student to complete the Fulfillment of Proficiency Requirement form and submit it to the Graduate Secretary in the ECE office. The Graduate Committee will be the sole judge of whether the requirements are satisfied. Proficiency may be demonstrated either by:

• By completing, with a grade of B or better, one of the undergraduate courses listed;.
• By taking all of the regular exams (including the final) in one of the undergraduate courses listed and completing the exams with an average grade of B or better;
• By completing an advanced course in the area and receiving a grade of B or better.

Return to Table of Contents

Faculty Consultation/Independent Study

Students studying for the M.E. degree may petition the ECE Graduate Committee for approval to register for ECE 6980, Faculty Consultation/Independent Study, for the following reasons, although approval is not guaranteed:

• A student needs 3 credit hours to bring their registration to 12 credit hours in a semester for which they are eligible for a full tuition waiver.
• A student needs to maintain continuous registration and would otherwise not be in residency.
• A student is not able to take regular courses to maintain residency during curricular practical training.

The petition form is available from the Graduate Secretary and must be submitted before the beginning of the semester for which the student would like to register for ECE 6980.

Faculty Consultation/Independent Study is a CR/NC course and does not count toward the fulfillment of the degree requirements. A student cannot apply for Faculty Consultation if they have enough credits for graduation.

Return to Table of Contents

Health Insurance

The Electrical & Computer Engineering faculty advises students to purchase health insurance. Health insurance coverage may be obtained through the University Student Health Insurance plan, a private plan, a spouse’s plan, an employer’s plan, or a parent’s plan (if the student qualifies).

University Student Health Insurance rates and benefits are available from the Student Health Insurance Coordinator. We recommend that students carefully review any plan they are considering to ensure that they will receive adequate coverage for unexpected medical expenses. Visit http://www.CampusCoverage.com to compare insurance plans available to students.

Beginning Fall 2004, the Graduate School is offering subsidized health insurance to eligible teaching and research assistants through the Graduate Student Health Insurance Benefit Program. The graduate student health insurance plan is also available for all students who are not TAs or RAs at the student’s own expense without subsidy. Visit the Graduate School website for more information

Return to Table of Contents

Leave of Absence

Students who do not plan to take classes during a fall or spring semester must complete a “Request for Leave of Absence” form and have it approved by the Department and the Graduate School in advance of the planned absence. Students who do not maintain continuous registration or make arrangements to take a leave of absence will be discharged from the program and will have to reapply for admission.

Return to Table of Contents

Nonmatriculated Credit

Up to nine hours of nonmatriculated coursework may be included on a student’s program of study if approved by the supervisory committee and the Department Graduate Committee.

Return to Table of Contents

Registration Requirements

The cumulative GPA on the courses listed on the program of study must be at least 3.0 with no grade lower than C-.

Full-time graduate students in Electrical & Computer Engineering are required to register for nine semester hours each semester. All students who are on visas must be registered for at least nine credit hours in every semester (excluding summer), including their final semester, unless they receive permission from the Department Graduate Committee prior to the beginning of the semester. Students being supported by research or teaching assistantships who qualify for the Tuition Benefit Program must register for 12 credit hours each semester. See the Tuition Benefit section for further details.

Students must maintain continuous registration until the completion of their degree requirements by registering for at least three hours per semester (excluding summer semester). Students who do not maintain continuous registration and who have not been granted a Leave of Absence by the Graduate School are inactivated and will have to reapply for admission. See the Graduate Handbook for details.

Students must be registered for at least three semester hours during the semester of an exam, even if the exam takes place during summer semester. This includes the comprehensive exam, Ph.D. qualifying exam, and the thesis defense.

Return to Table of Contents

Residency Requirement

Master’s students must complete at least 24 semester hours in resident study at the University of Utah.

Students studying for the Ph.D. or E.E. degree must spend at least one year of study in full-time academic work at the University of Utah (i.e., the student must enroll for a minimum of nine hours per semester for two consecutive semesters, summer optionally excluded).

Return to Table of Contents

SPEAK Test

All international graduate students (except Master of Engineering students) who have not earned a degree from an English-speaking country are required to take the SPEAK Test within the first semester of their studies in the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department. Students participating in the International Teaching Assistant Workshop may use the SET test to fulfill this requirement as this test is required for the workshop. The department will deregister students who have not taken one of these tests by the first week of the second semester of study.

A passing score of 50 is required. A student who receives a lower score may be required to take English courses to improve their English-language skills.

Return to Table of Contents

Special Studies

M.E. students may take no more than three semester hours of ECE 6950 (Special Studies). These hours will not count toward the ECE required hours but can be included in the total required hours.

M.S. students may take up to three semester hours of ECE 6950 (Special Studies). These hours will count toward the required 6-10 hours of thesis. Therefore, an M.S. student who takes three hours of Special Studies will take 6-7 hours of thesis.

Ph.D. students may take up to three semester hours of ECE 7950 (Special Studies) which will count toward the required 42 coursework hours.

Students must get permission from the Graduate Committee before taking any Special Studies courses. Permission is obtained by completing and filing the Special Studies Request form with the Graduate Secretary. The general guidelines state that for every hour of credit, a course generally requires two hours of study per week outside of class. Therefore, it will be understood that for every credit hour of Special Studies, the student will be expected to spend three hours per week on the activity. Special studies courses from other departments cannot be used for the program of study. Special Studies may not include the material of any class taught by the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department.

Return to Table of Contents

Transfer Credit

Graduate credit may be transferred from other institutions. Credits transferred from another institution may be used for only one degree. Credit cannot be used at the University of Utah if it was previously used for a degree at another institution. Up to six semester hours of transfer credit may be applied toward fulfillment of graduate degree requirements if they (1) are of high letter grade (A or B; “credit only” grades are unacceptable), (2) are recommended by the student’s supervisory committee, and (3) are taken within the prescribed time limit.

Return to Table of Contents

Undergraduate Petition for Graduate Credit

University of Utah students may be allowed to select certain graduate-level courses (5000 level or above) taken while enrolled as an undergraduate student for graduate credit. Such graduate credit is limited to six semester hours or two courses. Credit used to earn the undergraduate degree may not be counted toward a graduate degree. Students should seek advance approval of the Dean of the Graduate School on an Undergraduate Petition for Graduate Credit form.

Return to Table of Contents