Diagnostic Examination
The doctoral student is required to take the Diagnostic Examination during the first year in the doctoral program of study. Prior to taking this examination, a student must identify a faculty member who has indicated that he/she is willing to supervise the student's Research. The purpose of the Diagnostic Exam is to determine if the student has the necessary foundation in mathematics and electrical and computer engineering to undertake doctoral studies. The Diagnostic Examination is composed of two parts: Evaluation of basic knowledge and evaluation of Research skills.
The examination covers fundamental concepts and selected advanced topics in electrical engineering. It is administered by the Graduate Program Committee. Students must select two areas from the following list to be examined in, in addition to the exam in the area of engineering mathematics. A description of the material covered in each examination area and sample exam questions form previous years are available from the ECE Graduate Secretary.
Signals and Systems
Waves and Fields
Power Systems
Analog Circuits and Devices
Computers and Digital Electronics
Engineering Mathematics
This is a written examination and is given yearly in January. The results from the exam will be graded Pass, Conditional Pass, or Fail, but he Graduate Program Committee. Students who receive the grade of Conditional Pass must pass the exam or specified portions of the exam the following year. Students who receive the grade of Fail will not be permitted to retake the exam or any portion of the exam. No students will be permitted to take the exam or any portion of the exam more than twice.
Evaluation of Research Skills:
Upon passing the examination on basic knowledge of electrical engineering, satisfactory completion of one semester of directed Research under a prospective thesis advisor is required. Specific guidelines for both the Research Skills Proposal and the final Research Skills Summary Report are available from the department graduate coordinator.
Under no circumstances will a student be permitted to continue working toward the Ph.D. degree if he/she has failed either the written portion or Research portion of the Diagnostic Exam.
Area Examination:
The doctoral student is required to take the Area Examination before writing a dissertation. The examination, which deals with the student's Research area, is administered by a committee consisting of the student's major advisor and other experts in the area of the student's Research. Students who fail the examination may retake it at a later date with the approval of the ECE Graduate Program Committee. Upon passing both the Area and Diagnostic examinations, a student should make formal application for admission to candidacy. This application must be approved by the ECE Department and the Committee on Graduate Studies and Research at least eight months before the doctorate is to be granted.
Dissertation:
All students must complete and orally defend a dissertation prepared under the general supervision of the major advisor who must be a full-time faculty member of the ECE Department. The Research described in the dissertation must be original and constitute a contribution to knowledge in the major field of the candidate. The Dissertation Committee normally serves as the Defense Committee as ell and certifies the quality and originality of the dissertation Research, the satisfactory execution of the dissertation, and the preparedness of the defense. The Dissertation Committee consists of the major advisor(as committee chairperson) and at lest two additional faculty members whose expertise will aid the student's Research program. At least two members of the committee must be full-time WPI ECE Faculty and at least one member must be from outside the student's department. This committee will be selected by the student in consultation with his major advisor.
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