Graduate Handbook

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Electrical or Computer Engineering. Graduate students are able to conduct research in a wide variety of areas of Electrical Engineering including communications, electromagnetics, robotics, intelligent control, mixed-signal electronics, microelectronics, plasma engineering, power electronics and systems, and electric power systems. Research areas in Computer Engineering include computer architecture, networks, image processing, computer vision, VLSI system design, embedded systems, data fusion, data visualization, data structures and information systems.

As a graduate student in the M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Electrical & Computer Engineering at The University of Tennessee you are considered an educated, responsible adult pursuing the frontiers of these expanding horizons. Look for opportunities beyond the required course work and take advantage of the learning community you are in. Participate in professional groups and, if possible, technical conferences. In graduate school you have a relationship with faculty that is closer than before, and different - more like a colleague in learning and research. Your program will be more individualized, deeper, and less hurried. There will be chances to further develop your individual talents, be they basic research, analysis, synthesis, design, development, technical writing, or oral presentations. Research on the very frontiers of technology will be a major part of your program as you do a thesis or dissertation. There is also much more financial support available for graduate students.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, along with the College of Business Administration will be offering a dual MS-MBA program starting Fall 2005 semester. Students must be admitted by both the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and the Business Administration College.

This handbook is intended to help you gain as many benefits as possible from your studies, and to make the most of the opportunities we have to offer. It contains information on how the Department and The Graduate School work, the range and selection of courses available to you, and what to do should difficult situations arise. Please note that this handbook is purely advisory and that the material it contains is not intended to be a comprehensive statement of University policy.

We hope that it will become apparent to you that the staff, the faculty, and you the student are all here for the same purpose: your graduation with a M.S. or Ph.D. Degree leading to a successful career in advanced electrical engineering. We hope you find the excitement and deep satisfaction that can be yours in graduate study.

Your first step in seeking information should be to choose the general source. For matters pertaining generally to M.S. or Ph.D. Degrees from The University of Tennessee (e.g. application, admission, transfers, registration, loads, number and level of courses, residence, time limits), see The Graduate School. For matters pertaining to the technical content of your degree, see the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. For concerns of the Graduate School, see the first section of the Graduate Catalog and for concerns of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering see its section in the Graduate Catalog. For other campus matters such as housing, parking, sports, entertainment or food services, see the appropriate office in the front section of either the Faculty/Staff Directory, Student Directory, or in the Graduate Student Handbook from The Graduate School. We encourage you to become familiar with the wealth of information available on the various web sites listed in this manual.

Graduate Catalog - new editions become available about June 1 of each year.

Graduate School News - published each semester, with important dates/events and changes in The Graduate School policies/procedures.

Timetable of Classes - published by the University for each term, with class schedules and complete registration procedures. To view the timetable online visit their website at http://cpo.utk.edu.

GradSources - published annually by The Graduate School to identify sources of financial support.

Guide to Preparation of Thesis and Dissertations – updated by The Graduate School and available at web site: http://web.utk.edu/~thesis

Graduate Student Handbook - published by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Electrical Engineering Web Page - http://www.ece.utk.edu/

Hilltopics - a handbook of conduct for all UT students. Available at web site: http://web.utk.edu/~homepage/hilltopics/default.html.

Graduate Admissions:
Graduate Admissions and Records
218 Student Services Building
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-0200
Phone: (865) 974-3251 Fax: (865) 974-6541
Web: http://web.utk.edu/~gsinfo

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
414 Ferris Hall
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-2100
Phone: (865) 974-3461 Fax: (865) 974-5483
Web: http://www.ece.utk.edu/

International Student Affairs:
Center for International Education
The University of Tennessee
1620 Melrose Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37996-0620
Phone: (865) 974-3177 Fax: (865) 974-2985
Web: http://www/web.utk.edu/~globe/

The University of Tennessee Operator:
(865) 974-1000

A topic dear to all is financial support, and there is much more available for graduate students than for undergraduate students. Support for our graduate students come in many forms, such as assistantships in the Department as well as support from outside the Department.

One form of assistantships in the Department is the graduate teaching assistantship (GTA). Each GTA position currently pays tuition plus a monthly stipend. A Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with at least a 3.5 average is required. These are highly competitive, prestigious positions of responsibility; excellent office space and facilities are provided accordingly. The GTAs should take course loads prescribed under “Policy for the Administration of Graduate Assistantships” in the Graduate catalog, and engage only in the assistantship and their degree program. Applications are available in 414 Ferris Hall.

Another form of assistantship in the Department is the graduate research assistantship (GRA); at the present time there are approximately 35 GRAs. A GRA is paid through the University by a sponsor to do research on a sponsored project. The GRA’s are chosen by the faculty principal investigator as positions become available; they are generally half-time appointments with paid tuition and fees, plus a monthly stipend appropriate to the student’s level and the research project. A GRA is especially useful in the latter part of your program, because its research usually provides an excellent thesis or dissertation topic and facilities.

Note that among the procedures and regulations of The Graduate School are some regarding assistantships. For example, The Graduate School requires that the load of a half-time assistant (GA or GRA) be 6 to 11 hours. The Graduate School limits the time for holding an assistantship to 3 years for a M.S. student and 5 years for a Ph.D. student. The Graduate School requires the SPEAK Test for GTAs whose first language is not English, and may regulate their activities based on the results. For complete details see “Policy for the Administration of Graduate Assistantships” in The Graduate School section of the Graduate Catalog.

Other forms of support besides Departmental assistantships include: fellowships outside the Department, jobs on and off campus, and loans. Our students have often found jobs at the Computing Center and Computer Store, as well as other academic departments (such as Biology, Engineering Fundamentals Division, Psychology, Human Ecology and the Veterinary School) needing electrical engineering skills in their research. The Graduate School has competitively awarded travel grants which provide partial reimbursement of expenses for graduate students to make scholarly presentations at professional meetings. Application deadlines for each term are in the preceding term. Sometimes research contracts are also able to help fund graduate research assistants’ travel to professional meetings.

The Graduate School identifies sources of support in its annual publication, “GradSources” - for engineering the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense are particularly good sources. There are about 15 different national-level guides on support for graduate students available for use in the reference room of the main Library. Notices of financial aid received by the Department are posted for you on the various bulletin boards in Ferris Hall.

You should be active and early in pursuing the many sources of support open to you.

The Administrative Offices of the Department are located in Ferris Hall, Room 414, and serve as the focal point for undergraduate activities. Frequent reference will be found throughout this handbook to the services available there. The personnel in this office have detailed knowledge of the day-to-day operations of the Department and should be the first people you consult when difficulties arise. They also provide the office support required by the faculty in running the graduate and undergraduate programs.

The faculty (who teach the classes) and the staff (who provide the supporting services) are whom you might consider to be the permanent residents of Ferris Hall. A semi-permanent population of graduate students, many of whom you will encounter in labs and occasionally in classes, also have places of work in Ferris Hall.

The faculty of the Department are the people from whom you will receive most of your electrical and computer engineering instruction. They are reasonable people, very interested in helping you get through the BSEE or BSCpE degree program, especially if they sense that you are a serious student and doing all you can to help yourself. In addition to undergraduate teaching responsibilities, the faculty are involved in research and the oversight of graduate student research programs. The specific interests of the faculty, listed below, can help you determine where to go for further information on a particular aspect of electrical and computer engineering.

The staff is responsible for the smooth, orderly, day-to-day operation of the Department. The staff in FH 414 maintains advising files on all undergraduate students. These files contain semester grade reports, an academic history, other academic records, and comments from advisors where appropriate. The staff also keeps an up-to-date list of advisees for each faculty member, so this is the place to go to find out the name of your academic advisor. All substitution forms, student information sheets, and applications for admission to ECE 300 are processed through FH 414 in an orderly and timely fashion. Personnel in FH 414 are in frequent contact with faculty members and can therefore act as a good communications link between you and the faculty, arranging contacts convenient to both. They are also the principal source of information of a general nature concerning the Department and usually find themselves taking care of personal items that have been found, misplaced, or lost in or near Ferris Hall.

Another important component of the staff can be found in Technical Services. Located in FH 417, they make sure that all the laboratory and computer equipment is in working order, oversee use of the small machine shop in which students are able to build up the hardware needed for class projects, and operate a parts store, from which you can purchase most of the electronic components needed for project assignments.

The graduate students who are employed by the Department work in one of two capacities. Some are Graduate Research Assistants (GRA) and others are Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA). As an undergraduate you will not see much of the GRAs, but you will encounter many if not all of the GTAs, as they are given responsibilities for running the undergraduate laboratories and the grading or checking off of most laboratory work you will be doing.

Areas of Faculty Interest and Research
ECE Facilities

Graduate education and research are a major part of the mission of The University of Tennessee, its official mission statement states, “The University of Tennessee is Tennessee’s primary research institution, a campus of choice of the largest number of Tennessee’s best undergraduates and the State’s premier graduate institution.” Graduate Education began here in 1821; the M.S. in Electrical Engineering dates back to 1897, and the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering began in 1963. Today there are approximately 7,000 graduate students, 85 master programs, and 52 doctoral programs.

The Graduate School is located in P105 Andy Holt Tower, phone 974-2475, and Graduate Admissions is located at 218 Student Services Building, phone 974-3251. Be sure to notice the shelves of publications for graduate students to pick up just inside the door.

It is vital for each graduate student to understand that some rules, procedures, and forms originate from The Graduate School, and some come from the Department. The Department cannot waive rules or requirements of The Graduate School, but may add to them or have similar ones more stringent.

It is very important that you read and understand The Graduate School requirements and procedures applying to you in the first section of the Graduate Catalog, entitled “The Graduate School”. You should review this each semester and in each new catalog edition to stay current. Some of the most important items are Course Loads (defining full-time, half-time, etc.), Academic Honesty, Appeals, Transfer Credits, Graduate School requirements and procedures for each type of graduate degree, and Policy for the Administration of Graduate Assistantships, to name only a few. If you have any questions or problems with these, we in the Department can try to advise unofficially, but The Graduate School is the authority.

The Graduate Office administers the graduate programs. The Graduate Council is a body of approximately 55 representatives from the UT faculty and various colleges and other units, responsible for setting policies and making decisions on most graduate matters, including graduate curricula, admissions standards, financial support of graduate students, and approval of faculty to teach 600 level courses and to direct doctoral dissertation research.

Main Line - Receptionist - 974-3251
Admissions - Rose Ann Trantham - 974-3251
Transcript evaluation,Registration holds - Gayle Roberts - 974-1340
Residency classification - Carla Poore - 974-1338
Fellowships, academic Policies and procedures - Bonnie Hinds - 974-2475
Commencement, defence, diploma Application, final examination - Patti Sines - 974-1346
Admission to candidacy, Commencement, transfer coursework Approval, doctoral appointments - Catherine Cox - 974-1347
Thesis/Dissertation Preparation - Joan Dolence - 974-1337
Travel Grants - Dean of Students - 974-3179
Electronic contacts - Graduate School email - gsinfo@utk.edu

Obtain an advisor. (Go to 414 Ferris Hall to obtain a temporary advisor)
Read the Graduate School publications.
Obtain a UNIX computer account. (See “Computing Facilities” under “Opportunities” in this Handbook for instructions.)
Acquaint yourself with departmental requirements and course sequencing.
Register for next semester by phone or circle park on-line (CPO). Call 974-2101 if you need help getting started. Carry your ID at all times.
Pick up a student directory. (Available in October at the University Center.)
Read carefully the Graduate Catalog’s first section, “The Graduate School” for procedures and requirements of the Graduate School.
Read carefully the Graduate Catalog section about ECE departmental requirements and procedures.

Application for Admission (M.S. or Ph.D.)
Application for Readmission (M.S. or Ph.D., if not enrolled for a year)
Request for Change of Graduate Program (from non-degree to degree status, or changing departments)
Scan Form (for requesting courses for a given term if telephone registration is missed)
Schedule (list of officially scheduled classes for a given term)
Student Information Sheet (checked for personal data updates each registration)
Change of Registration (to add classes in a given term)
Late Registration/Withdrawal (registration in or withdrawal from a course after the change of registration deadline)
Doctoral Committee Appointment (to get approval of the faculty proposed for your Committee)
Admission to Candidacy Application (separate versions for M.S. and Ph.D.)
Application for Diploma
Recommended Arrangements for Final Examination (scheduling the defense of the thesis or dissertation)
Pass/Fail Form (reports results of Final Examination)
Thesis Card (submitted with thesis or dissertation)
Doctoral Packet (submitted with dissertation for recording and microfilming)

The majority of these forms can be found on the Graduate School web page.

In summary, you must work with both The Graduate School and the Department in your graduate studies. You will find both anxious to help you.

• UT Undergraduate Students
• Transfer of Graduate Credits
• International Students
• Registration for Classes Each Term
• Part Time Students
• Graduation Procedures Common to Both Degrees
• The Honor Code
• Appeals

The Graduate School is the complete contact for the applicant. All forms except recommendation letters and rating forms should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions and Records, not the Department. That office will consult the Department and supply all information that is needed. It will also advise the applicant of any items missing from the application, the final decision on the application and procedures for registering after successful admission.

The Department requires test scores as follows: the general GRE is required for all entering M.S. and Ph.D. students. The TOEFL is required for all those whose native language is not English, regardless of their immigration status or whether they have attended a U.S. school. There are no required scores for the GRE. The minimum TOEFL currently accepted by the Department is 550 on the written exam and 213 on the computer based.

The Department requires “Graduate School Rating Forms” from at least three references who know the applicant, preferably at least one professor from each school attended and each supervisor in any recent employment. Have these sent directly to the Department; although all other forms related to application go directly to Graduate Admissions and Records.

The Graduate School requires an official transcript from each institution of higher education attended and also requires a 2.7 overall or 3.0 in the senior year from U.S. undergraduate programs, or a 3.0 from U.S. graduate programs. The Graduate School requires a B average from foreign undergraduate programs, and a B+ average from foreign graduate programs. For Departmental grade requirements for admission, see the M.S. or Ph.D. program descriptions following this section.

Anyone wishing to transfer from another graduate program is subject to admission requirements and deadlines for new students. The Graduate School sets requirements and limits on transfer course credit (see the Graduate Catalog).

The Graduate School sets deadlines for applications. For international students, the deadlines are October 15 for the summer semester, February 1 for the fall semester, and June 15 for the spring semester. For U.S. citizens there is no stated deadline and applications are often accommodated near the beginning of each term.

Read very carefully “UT Knoxville Seniors” in the first section of the Graduate Catalog, entitled “The Graduate School” – The Graduate School is very firm on all details of this provision. We urge ECE seniors to get a “head start” on the Master’s degree, but be sure to get The Graduate School’s approval in advance for such courses and to register for graduate credit.

Since ECE seniors are already on campus, they may be eligible for assistantships earlier than usual, once they enter the Master’s program. The student should see the department for graduate assistantships and professors in his/her area for research assistantships.

If the student does not have a B.S. in Electrical or Computer Engineering he/she would usually not be able to obtain a graduate assistantship until he/she has completed the remedial undergraduate work required before the M.S. work.

Read carefully “Transfer Credits” in the first section, “The Graduate School”, of the Graduate Catalog. The Graduate School limits the amount of coursework transferable for graduate degrees at UT. The ECE Department must approve the content of any transfer courses, so it will expedite the process if a detailed syllabus of each course proposed for transfer, with the name of the text and other pertinent information, can be sent with the application or soon after. A catalog description of a course is usually not sufficiently detailed.

Read carefully “Admission of International Students” in the first section, “The Graduate School”, of the Graduate Catalog. The application deadlines given (about six months before each semester) are firm and The Graduate School makes no exceptions. The ECE Department currently requires a TOEFL score of at least 550 on the written exam or 213 on the computer-based, of anyone whose native language is not English, even if they attended a U.S. school. Experience shows that anyone with a TOEFL score below about 550 might have some difficulty with English, and it is recommended that he/she work hard to improve his/her English (especially spoken English) before coming.

Usually assistantships are not available until the international student has been on campus at least one or two semesters in the M.S. or Ph.D. program, and even then the number is quite small. No tuition waivers are available without an assistantship.

If an international student does not have a B.S. in Electrical Engineering equivalent to the B.S. in this Department, he/she must apply to be an undergraduate student in the program for the B.S. in Electrical Engineering here. After completing the remedial undergraduate courses with at least a “B” average, he/she may apply to the M.S. program. In doing this, the requirements for the B.S. degree from this Department might almost be met.

To register for classes each term, see The Graduate School for a “Timetable of Classes” and other instructions. This Timetable covers all undergraduate and graduate procedures and classes. It gives detailed instruction on how to register for each situation you might be in, as well as times and places of all classes. The normal procedure is to select classes via Web or telephone and pay by mail. These steps must be done well in advance, and if you are too late you must follow other procedures involving going to various offices.

Caution: be sure to register for each course for graduate credit, even if it has an undergraduate number. Only in this way can you count the course for a graduate degree. The only courses that might be in this category in your program are math courses. The Graduate Catalog includes descriptions of 4xx ECE courses in case graduate students outside this Department wish to take them, but they are not for your program.

It is practical to earn a Master’s degree as a part-time student if the student already has an acceptable B.S. in Electrical or Computer Engineering. Notice “Time Limit” in the first section of the Graduate Catalog, entitled “The Graduate School”. The student can register for evening courses as either a regular student or through the Evening School; in all cases, however, the Graduate School handles initial admission to the University.

If the student lacks a B.S. in electrical engineering, it is usually not practical to take undergraduate courses as a part-time student to become eligible for consideration in the M.S. program. This is because undergraduate courses are not available in the evenings and must be scheduled in proper sequence to satisfy prerequisite requirements.

It is usually not practical to pursue a Ph.D. entirely as a part-time student (with exception of those with assistantships on campus), except perhaps for some coursework in the early stages. The part-time status is not generally compatible with the level of commitment and intensity of the program, especially in the qualifying examination participation, the dissertation research, and The Graduate School’s residence requirement. However, anyone who is working, but is highly qualified and motivated for the Ph.D. should explore the possibilities with faculty in this Department. A minimum recommendation is that his/her employer should share the motivation and provide one of the letters of recommendation in support of the student’s application.

The Graduate School handles the graduation process. You should check with the Office of Graduate Admissions and Records by the beginning of the term before the term you will graduate. Some steps you will be given are the following:
Be fully aware of the many deadlines, given in the Graduate School News each term.
Place your name on the graduation list.
Apply for a diploma.
Pay a graduation fee.
Schedule the defense of your thesis or dissertation.
Complete your thesis or dissertation by certain deadlines, which are well before graduation. (If you complete all your requirements before a graduation, but after the deadline for that graduation, you will be placed in the graduation following that one).
The Honor Code

You are expected to adhere to the honor code in all matters. It is given below:
“An essential feature of The University of Tennessee is a commitment to maintaining an atmosphere of intellectual integrity and academic honesty. As a student of the University, I pledge that I will neither knowingly give nor receive any inappropriate assistance in academic work, thus affirming my own personal commitment to honor and integrity.”

Most graduate student grievances are resolved at the Departmental or College level. For appeals about academic matters you should usually appeal first to the Departmental Graduate Committee; further appeals would be directed to the faculty. For appeals about other matters, contact the Department Head.

If the appeal is not resolved at the Departmental level, you should confer with the Dean of Engineering and the Dean of The Graduate School. If that fails to resolve the matter, you may then initiate the Graduate Council appeal procedure. That will be heard by five faculty drawn from the Graduate Council Appeals Committee. The outline of this procedure can be obtained from the Graduate School.

Ultimately, students have the right to appeal to the Provost and to the President of the University.

The holder of the M.S. Degree from this Department should possess a strong and broad background in electrical engineering or computer engineering, with specialized study in at least two areas that will allow him/her to be a leader in advanced electrical engineering or computer engineering and development.
An Important Point

For any M.S. Degree from The University of Tennessee, there are various requirements and procedures of The Graduate School. Also, for that degree to be in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering, there are additional requirements and procedures from the Department. Therefore, you must be alert to both The Graduate School and the Department, and if you have any questions on a particular requirement or procedure you should see the source. This handbook does not supersede other sources or give a complete coverage of all requirements and procedures – it attempts to speed your discovery of these by pointing you to the most important ones. It is very important that you stay well informed of the procedures and requirements, of both the Graduate School and the Department, in the current Graduate Catalog. For a list of publications with which you should be familiar, see the section of this handbook, “Getting to Know The Graduate School”.

Applicants for admission to the M.S. degree program are expected to have completed a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering with an average of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 both overall and in the senior year. In addition, all applicants are required to submit scores from the General Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Applicants whose native language is not English, including those who have earned degrees at U.S. institutions must score at least 213 on the computer-based TOEFL exam or 550 on the written exam to be considered for admission to the program. For U.S. citizens the Department requires a B.S. in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering from an ABET – accredited school with an average of at least 3.0 (out of 4.0), both overall and in the senior year. Under special circumstances, citizens with averages very near 3.0 may be admitted as non-degree students; international students cannot be admitted that way.

Applicants without a B.S. in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering from an ABET-accredited curriculum (or similar program outside the U.S.) must first complete, or present the equivalent of, all the undergraduate courses in this Department at the 2xx and 3xx levels and two senior courses with an average of at least 3.0 before being considered for the Master’s program. (U.S. citizens can be non-degree graduate students while doing this remedial work; international students must register as undergraduates). The basic reason for this requirement is that the recipient of the EE or CpE Master’s degree must possess the electrical engineering or computer engineering capabilities that a B.S. holder has, as well as the additional capabilities provided in the Master’s program. Alternatives to this remedial undergraduate work include pursuing a second B.S. in EE / CpE or a M.S. in another department.

Candidates for the M.S. with a major in Computer Engineering are required to take at least two courses in the ECE 55x series as part of their curriculum. The Thesis-option M.S. degree plan is a minimum of 30 semester hours including: a) Six semester hours of mathematics at the 400 level* or above selected from a list approved by the graduate committee, or 6 semester hours of ECE courses at the 500 level or above, or 6 semester hours of non-ECE courses approved by the students master’s committee and the graduate committee. b) An additional 18 semester hours of 400-level* or above work in electrical and computer engineering, with at least 6 hours of 500-level or 600-level work in each o two areas of electrical and computer engineering. c) Master’s thesis, totaling 6 semester hours. d) A final oral examination covering the thesis and related coursework. The Non-Thesis Courses Only Option: Specific requirements of the non-thesis courses only option are a minimum of 30 semester hours including : a) Six semester hours of mathematics at the 400 level* or above selected from a list approved by the graduate committee, or 6 semester hours of ECE courses at the 500 level or above, 6 semester hours of non-ECE courses approved by the students master’s committee and the graduate committee. b) An additional 24 hours of 400-level* or above work in electrical engineering or computer engineer, with 18 of the hours at the 500-level or 600-level. Of the 18 hours required at the graduate level, at least 6 hours of work in each of two areas of electrical engineering or computer engineering and an additional 6 hours outside of the two areas. c) A final comprehensive written examination. This examination will be given in January and August. The Non-Thesis Project Option is a minimum of 30 semester hours including: a) six semester hours of mathematics at the 400 level* or above selected from a list approved by the graduate committee, or 6 semester hours of ECE courses at the 500 level or above, or 6 semester hours of non-ECE courses approved by the student’s master’s committee and the graduate committee. b) an additional 21 semester hours of 400-level* or above work in electrical engineering or computer engineering, with 15 of the hours at the 500-level or 600-level. Of the 15 hours, at least 6 hours of work in each of two areas of electrical engineering or computer engineering and an additional 3 hours of work outside of the two areas. c) ECE 501 (project in lieu of thesis) with a minimum grade of B. This course will be administered by the student’s master’s committee. A written project proposal describing what the student will do in the course must be submitted in advance for the graduate committee’s approval. A written final report and oral presentation is required and one copy of the final draft must be submitted to the graduate committee. d) a final written and oral examination covering the project and related coursework.

*NOTE: At least two thirds of the minimum required hours must be taken in courses numbered at or above the 500 level.
Math Requirement

The list of math courses accepted for the Master’s degree is available from the ECE Department. It includes most math courses of level 4xx and above. However, consult your advisor or committee for suggestions on what math would be most valuable for your particular program. Register in each math course for graduate credit regardless of its level, to use it for your M.S. degree.

Upon admission, you will usually be assigned a “temporary advisor”; otherwise you may request an advisor assignment any time after admission. As your interest becomes better defined you may request a change in your temporary advisor (in 414 FH) to one whose interests best match yours. During your first one or two semesters, you should identify a thesis topic and “Major Professor” who will supervise your thesis; the Major Professor would then become the advisor and help identify the other members of your committee. They should be acquainted with your thesis subject, not necessarily acquainted with you.

The temporary advisor is a Departmental function and is not registered in The Graduate School. The Major Professor fulfills a Graduate School function and it is registered with the Graduate School when you submit your Admission to Candidacy Application. Notice the Major Professor is not assigned; you must find one.

After you identify a Major Professor, you and your professor will form your Committee (Major Professor and two other faculty), your committee signs your “Admission to Candidacy Application” which is approved by the ECE Department and forwarded to The Graduate School. This identifies your Committee to The Graduate School and gives departmental approval to the entire Master’s program of study, so all courses and thesis hours in your program, including those yet to be taken, should be included on this form. The Graduate School will sign and return a copy to show its approval. That is usually done after one or two semesters, but The Graduate School requires that it be done at least one semester before graduation.

The M.S. thesis is represented on your record by at least 6 semester hours of credit in ECE 500. Usually one would register for ECE 500 for 3 hours per semester, for at least 2 semesters. In a semester when you are registered, but do not complete the thesis, your major professor will submit a grade of “P” (satisfactory progress) or “NP” (no progress or inadequate progress). The Graduate School requires that you be registered for 3 hours of thesis (ECE 500) the term that The Graduate School accepts the finished thesis.

It is your responsibility to find a good thesis topic and a Major Professsor who agrees to supervise it. Usually students find topics as spin-offs from graduate courses and in work on research assistantships, but sometimes a topic is originated solely by the student. The research assistantship is quite valuable in developing the topic, since the research generally is on the frontiers and the projects provides much of the necessary equipment or software.

Often a M.S. Student will prepare a thesis proposal with the guidance of his/her Major Professor. If you do so, give the written proposal to your Committee members to read and later you will give an oral presentation at which time they can ask questions. The proposal is a good idea because it acquaints your entire Committee with your work and provides you early feedback from your Committee.

The exact nature, depth, and length of a thesis are difficult to define in a few words. The thesis should be a well-written document on an original piece of research or development done by the student. All thesis’ done at UT are in the Library, and there one may examine many examples of thesis’ done in EE. Your professors can also help you.

Remember that both the Department and The Graduate School have procedures and requirements about most aspects of your program, and that certainly includes the thesis. The Departmental inputs come mainly from your Committee. When you near the time to start writing your thesis, contact The Graduate School for guidance. You must follow carefully the current “UT Guide to the Preparation of Thesis and Dissertations, available at web site: http://web.utk.edu/~thesis. The Graduate School has several steps, each with a deadline, for completing and submitting your thesis; see the Graduate School News. The Graduate School also has a thesis/dissertation consultant, currently Joan Dolence (974-3251) to work closely with you to satisfy The Graduate School requirements. There is also a non-thesis option requiring 33 hours. See the graduate catalog for details.

When your thesis is completed you will have a Final Examination, which will be conducted by your Committee with optional visitors. The Graduate School requires the exam cover, the thesis and coursework, and that you give copies of your completed thesis to your Committee at least two weeks before the exam. Your Committee determines the format, but usually it begins with your oral summary of the thesis, and the questions concern the thesis more than coursework.

Scheduling the Exam and other steps for submitting your thesis require special attention. The Graduate School has several associated deadlines, including those for scheduling the exam in The Graduate School, taking the Exam, reporting the exam results, and submitting the final copy of the thesis. You must start the steps early in the term you intend to submit your thesis and observe them all.

No 4xx level courses may be used toward the Master’s degree, unless it is explicitly required or is on the Department’s list of acceptable math courses. The Graduate School requires at least 2/3 of the hours in a Master’s program to be at the 5xx level or higher.

This department especially encourages outstanding M.S. students to go on for a Ph.D. degree, but each student is required to complete a Master’s degree first. You will find the requirements of the Ph.D. are written so the M.S. coursework generally counts toward the required Ph.D. coursework.

Master’s students may take 6xx level courses if they have the prerequisites.

All the M.S. coursework can be completed in two semesters of full-time study, but because of the thesis, the M.S. degree typically takes 12 months for a student going full-time, or longer for part-time students.

The recipient of a Ph.D. degree should possess a very broad background in electrical engineering and very deep knowledge in a few areas. He/she should be able to perform independent research, communicate effectively, and learn independently.

For any Ph.D. degrees from The University of Tennessee, there are various requirements and procedures of The Graduate School. Also, for that degree to be in computer engineering or electrical engineering, there are additional requirements and procedures from the Department. Therefore, you must be alert to both The Graduate School and the Department, and if you have any questions on a particular requirement or procedure you should see the source. This handbook does not supersede other sources or give a complete coverage of all requirements and procedures; it attempts to speed your discovery of these by pointing you to the most important ones. It is very important that you stay well informed of the procedures and requirements, of both The Graduate School and the Department, in the current Graduate Catalog. For a list of publications you should be familiar with, see the section of this handbook, “Getting to Know The Graduate School”.

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Exceptional students holding the bachelor’s degree may be admitted to the doctoral program without first obtaining a master’s degree. Candidates holding the MS must satisfy requirements 2 through 7 below while candidates holding only the BS must satisfy requirements 1 through 7. The general GRE is also required. The Department requires a TOEFL score of at least 550 on the written exam and 213 on the computer based. Generally it is expected that the student’s B.S. and Master’s degrees would be in electrical engineering, but each case is examined individually. The lack of a strong background equivalent to a B.S. and M.S. in electrical engineering, however, would generally make it unlikely that one would pass the Ph.D. Qualifying Examinations.

Specific departmental requirements for the PhD include:
1.For students holding only a BS, a minimum of 48 course hours is required. The first 24 course hours should satisfy: a.Six semester hours of mathematics at the 400 level or above selected from a list approved by the graduate committee, or 6 semester hours of ECE courses at the 500 level or above, or 6 semester hours of non-ECE courses approved by the student’s master’s committee and the graduate committee. b.An additional 18 semester hours of 400-level or above work in electrical and computer engineering, with at least 6 hours of 500-level or 600-level work in each of two areas of electrical and computer engineering.

In addition, the student must satisfy requirements 2 through 7 below.
2.For students holding an MS, a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework excluding research and dissertation credit or seminar courses must be taken at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. These hours must include: a.A minimum of 12 semester hours in electrical and computer engineering at the 500 and 600 levels. b.A minimum of 9 semester hours of 600-level coursework. At least 3 hours of this work must be in an area other than the student’s major area. c.A minimum of 6 hours of mathematics at the 500 level or above and approved by the departmental graduate committee.

3.Satisfactory performance on a qualifying examination. Separate qualifying examinations are offered for electrical engineering and for computer engineering. The qualifying examination is prepared by the Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty and consists of two 4-hour written examinations covering courses required in the undergraduate electrical and computer engineering curriculum through the junior level. The qualifying examination is offered twice each year (January and August), and a student is to take it the first time it is offered after the student enrolls in the program. A student who fails the qualifying examination must take and pass the examination the next time it is offered to remain in the program. A minimum of 12 hours of coursework must be completed after the student has taken the qualifying examination the first time.

4.Satisfactory performance on a comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examination is administered by the student’s committee; the exam results are reported to the graduate committee for approval; and the exam is filed in the department. The comprehensive exam is given when the student is ready to apply for admission to candidacy. The comprehensive examination consists of both written and oral parts. The written part consists of at least two sections: a complete review of the literature in the student’s dissertation topic, and a review of the major tools to be used in the dissertation work. The student’s committee may require additional written sections. The student must demonstrate a mastery of the dissertation area, ability to think analytically and creatively, skill in using academic resources, and ability to complete the dissertation satisfactorily. The oral part of the comprehensive examination consists primarily of the professional presentation of a proposal for dissertation work and its defense. The committee may cover additional topics in the oral part.

5.Participation in departmental seminars.

6.A minimum of 24 hours of doctoral dissertation.

7.Successful public defense of the dissertation by the student.

The Qualifying Examination must be taken early in the Ph.D. studies and represent a major challenge in that program. It is advisable to spend the equivalent of about 2 months full-time, or longer part-time, reviewing for this examination. A few months before each exam, a call will be issued to register for it. Several months before each Qualifying Examination, students registered for it may obtain copies of some previous Qualifying Examinations and a set of departmental statements defining the purpose, scope, and grading from the ECE Department (see Who to Contact, below).

The Qualifying Examinations will be given twice per year, each August and January. The format consists of two sessions, and the questions are only on undergraduate material through the junior year.

Each Ph.D. student is expected to take the Qualifying Exam early in his/her program. To emphasize this, the Faculty imposes the “18 hour rule”: each Ph.D. student must take 18 semester hours of his/her program after first attempting this exam.

The Graduate School requires that a written Comprehensive Exam be passed before Admission to Candidacy. The Department prescribes that the exam will consist of a written exam on the literature in the dissertation area and tools to be used in the dissertation, and an oral exam including a dissertation proposal defense. The Department requires that a copy of the proposal be submitted for its files. The Comprehensive Exam is usually taken after you have selected your Committee and are ready to begin serious work on your dissertation. The Comprehensive Exam then serves as your dissertation proposal. The Admission to Candidacy Application is filed at the time of completion of the Comprehensive Exam.

Usually upon admission, each EE graduate student will be assigned a “temporary advisor;” otherwise he/she may request an advisor any time after admission. As the student’s interest becomes better defined, he/she may request an advisor change to one whose interests best match his/hers.

During the first few semesters the student should identify a dissertation topic and “Major Professor” who will supervise the dissertation. The Major Professor will then become the advisor and help identify the other members of the student’s Committee, who should be well acquainted with the dissertation subject. The Graduate School has requirements for the Committtee’s structure. To set up your Committee, The Graduate School form “Doctoral Committee Appointment” must be submitted to get approval for the proposed members of your Committee. Your Major Professor, and all but one member of your Committee, must be approved by the Graduate Council to direct dissertation research; at this writing those approved in ECE are: Abidi, Birdwell, Blalock, Bouldin, Chiasson, Crilly, Djouadi, Elhanany, Fathy, Ferdjallah, Howlader, Islam, Koch, Kong, Lawler, Pace, Peterson, Qi, Roberts, Roth, Tolbert and Wu. Check in 414 FH for any changes.

The Comprehensive Exam is generally taken shortly before Admission to Candidacy, and it also serves as the dissertation proposal. See “Comprehensive Examination” above.

After you pass the Qualifying and Comprehensive Exams, your Ph.D. Committee signs your “Admission to Candidacy Application,” which is also signed by the Department Head and sent to The Graduate School – this gives Departmental approval for the entire program of courses and dissertation topic. This form contains all courses and dissertation hours of your program, even those yet to be taken, the date of passing the Comprehensive Exam, and an explanation of how you have satisfied the Residency Requirement (being on campus and full-time two consecutive terms). The Graduate School will return a signed copy to express its approval. This must be done at least two semesters before graduation.

The Comprehensive Exam serves as a dissertation proposal. See “Comprehensive Examination” above.

The Ph.D. dissertation is represented on your record by at least 24 semester hours of credit in ECE 600. Once you register for ECE 600, or have your dissertation proposal accepted, or you are admitted to Candidacy, you must register for at least 3 hours of ECE 600 every semester, including summer and the semester your dissertation is accepted by The Graduate School. In a semester when you are registered, but do not complete the dissertation, your Major Professor will submit a grade of “P” (satisfactory progress) or “NP” (no progress or inadequate progress).

It is your responsibility to find a good dissertation topic and a Major Professor who agrees to supervise it. Usually students find topics as spin-offs from graduate courses and in work on research assistantships, but sometimes a topic is originated solely by the student. The research assistantship is quite valuable in developing the topic, since the research generally is on the frontiers and the project provides much of the necessary equipment or software

The exact nature, depth, and length of a dissertation are difficult to define in a few words. The dissertation should be a well-written document on an original piece of research done by the student. All dissertations done at UT are in the Library, and there one may examine many examples of dissertations done in EE. Your professors can also show you examples.

The Department inputs about your dissertation come mainly from your Committee, initially. When you near the time to start writing your dissertation, contact The Graduate School for guidance. You must follow carefully the “UT Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations”. The Graduate School has several steps, each with a deadline, for doing and submitting your dissertation; see the Graduate School News. The Graduate School also has a thesis/dissertation consultant, currently Joan Dolence (974-1337), to work closely with you to satisfy The Graduate School requirements.

When your dissertation is completed, you will have a Final Exam. This will be an oral exam on your dissertation, conducted by your Committee with optional visitors. The Graduate School requires that you give copies of your completed dissertation to your Committee at least two weeks before the exam. Your Committee determines the exam format, but usually it begins with your oral summary of your dissertation.

Scheduling the exam and other steps for submitting your dissertation require special attention. The Graduate School has several associated deadlines, including those for scheduling the exam in The Graduate School, taking the exam, reporting the exam results, and submitting the final copy of the dissertation.

No 4xx level courses may be used for the Ph.D. degree, except for math courses approved by the student’s Committee. The 4xx ECE courses listed in the Graduate Catalog are only for graduate students outside ECE.
Closing

The Ph.D. degree will provide you with the breadth and depth to be a leader in electrical engineering, especially in research, advanced development, teaching, and technical communications. You must work closely with both the Graduate School and the Department to attain this. Both stand ready to help you.

Curriculum for Dual MS-MBA Computer Engineering Major or Electrical Engineering Major
August—First Year
Business Administration 511 MBA Core I - 3

Fall—First Year
Business Administration 512 MBA Core II -15
Mechanical Engineering 504 - 1

Spring
Business Administration 513 MBA Core III - 9
Mechanical Engineering 506 - 2
Mechanical Engineering 508 - 3

Summer
Internship -
Electrical and Computer Engineering 509 - 1

Fall - Second Year
Electrical and Computer Engineering 509 - 1
Departmental/Engineering Courses - 9

Spring
MBA Hub Course Elective - 3
Electrical and Computer Engineering 509 - 1
Departmental/Engineering Courses - 9
Electrical and Computer Engineering 594 - 3

Total 60

The electrical engineering graduate programs contain considerable research for the purpose of providing a genuine experience in real frontier research in the area of the student’s interest. The ECE Department has over 4 million dollars worth of research contracts, making it very active in research and one of the most active at UT. Graduate students should realize that the foremost reason for having this research is for their experience. Matching students to research is done carefully to meet our responsibilities to both the student and the sponsor, who expects completely professional results. Also, this research is obtained in a competitive environment and we must deliver quality work to maintain our excellent position. You should invest some time early in your program in talking with faculty and other graduate students about their research. In some cases they will have publications or seminars from which you can learn. To become part of a research project you generally must be hired by the faculty member who is the Principal Investigator on that project. Openings occur throughout the year as projects start or students leave them.

Be sure to look at the departmental graduate bulletin boards between rooms 403 and 404 for news on opportunities. To stay abreast of developments, you should visit the departmental web site at: http://www.ece.utk.edu/.

Research is a major component of the graduate program in electrical engineering. To become involved in research or to obtain financial support, you should be active and informed. See “Financial Support” for details.

There are many honor and professional societies on campus to which your special interest might lead you, but the four societies below especially pertain to electrical engineering.

The honor society Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) recognize superior academic performance in electrical engineering by inviting to its membership outstanding juniors and seniors, and certain graduate students with equivalent records. Inductions are normally held twice a year, and the activities of the UT Chapter center around service projects and participation in college-wide activities (such as Engineers’ Day).

The Student Branch of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is open to all students with an interest in electrical engineering. The UT Branch is especially active technically and socially. The IEEE holds technical meetings, participates in college-wide activities such as the College of Engineering’s Homecoming Picnic and Engineers’ Day, and competes well in the Annual IEEE Region 3 Student Conference and Hardware Design Competition. The Branch Counselor is Dr. Mongi Abidi.

The East Tennessee/Oak Ridge Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is quite active. Their monthly meetings provide programs on timely topics and contacts with local electrical engineers. Notices of their monthly meetings are available in the Department.

Tau Beta Pi is the national honor society for all engineering, and its national headquarters are located at UT in Dougherty Hall. There are several provisions for induction of graduate students, such as being in the top 20% of their graduating class, or nomination by a faculty member that they are worthy of membership. Membership is a worthy goal; inquire at the national headquarters in Dougherty.

Sigma XI is a national honorary society for those who have shown an extraordinary aptitude for and personal commitment to scientific and engineering research. Membership is achieved by nomination from senior faculty. Associate membership is conferred on graduate students who have shown an aptitude for research; full membership is conferred on those with an extraordinary aptitude and commitment for research, and who have (or are about to receive) their Ph.D. degree. At UT, the local chapter of Sigma XI meets in April for a banquet to induct new members. The local chapter holds a graduate student paper competition in late February or early March of each year; watch for notices on the bulletin boards. This is not only good practice for an oral exam and in speaking before a group, but is also a good resume builder if you win. Dr. J. R. Roth in our Department is a good contact for questions about Sigma XI.

In some courses you may be specifically directed to use one of the many computer systems available for student use on campus. Students can obtain their own personal account, known as a UNIX E-mail (formerly CAFE) account, which will remain in effect as long as the student is registered at UT. To register for an account you need to contact OIT.

http://oit.utk.edu/ OIT Support Lines 8:00AM - 5:00PM Monday-Friday
Students: (865) 974-9900
Walk-in Consulting at 104 Aconda Court - helpdesk@utk.edu

Many ECE computing resources are restricted to ECE faculty, staff, and students. This restriction depends on ECE department computer accounts, which should not be confused with University computer accounts.

Accounts for most students are created from class enrollment data. Accordingly, account information may be distributed during class at the beginning of each semester. Otherwise, students should see ECE IT Support in 417 Ferris Hall to obtain an account.

Students can create their resume on the web and register with Career Services at the same time. Simply access Career Services home page at: http://career.utk.edu. Select “Create Web Resume” and follow the instructions on the screen. Students are encouraged to use Career Services and the many features they offer.

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) represents the interest of graduate students in student government and University life in general. The GSA has three representatives on the Graduate Council. Elections of officers are held each spring.

The University Center offers many services, including three dining areas and a large modern Book and Supply Store. There you will find all textbooks, a large selection of other books, and supplies. Save your receipt from textbook purchases, in case you need to exchange a book early in a semester or sell the used book at the end of a semester.

The Knoxville area offers much more opportunities in cultural, social, and recreational opportunities than we can even begin to mention here. The Knoxville metropolitan area has a population of approximately 600,000 people, 25 post-high school educational institutions from technical schools to a comprehensive university, five general hospitals, 400 churches of 45 faiths and denominations, a daily newspaper, four television stations and cable TV, a symphony orchestra, an opera company, a choral society, a ballet, an art museum, a zoo, and two large shopping malls. The annual average temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit and total precipitation of 47 inches, with 13 inches of snow. The Smoky Mountains, 40 miles away, is the most-visited national park in the U.S. and has one ski area. Scenic mountains and lakes offer ample opportunity for camping, hiking, and boating.

The Knoxville area is also home to many engineers and others with graduate degrees. The Department has many close ties with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which is located about 30 miles from campus and has approximately 1,000 Ph.D’s with a research budget of about $500 million. The headquarters of the Tennessee Valley Authority are blocks away from campus, and the enormous plant of the Aluminum Company of America is about 15 miles from campus. Between the campus and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Pellissippi Parkway serves as a “Technology Corridor” home to numerous emerging high-technology companies. There is a shuttle between it and campus for graduate students participating in research and development there.

The campus offers a wide array of cultural and recreational activities. Facilities include two modern live theatres, a music hall, indoor/outdoor aquatic center, track, Nautilus gym, an indoor arena/assembly center seating 25,000 and a stadium seating over 100,000. The campus has one daily newspaper, one TV station, cable TV, and three radio stations. The Library and computing facilities are appropriate for a large modern university.
Be Active and Early

There are many opportunities for you to choose from, and many people ready to help you. In most cases, you must take the initiative and early action is often needed.

The Ph.D. is a strong and valuable degree. We wish you the greatest success in attaining it and stand ready to help you.

In the current job market there are many opportunities. You must learn about them and choose according to your preferences. To be in a good position to do this you must keep yourself well informed. Good ways to do so are to read professional publications, to become involved in professional societies, and to talk to faculty and other engineers about the profession. Seasoned engineers can attest to the joy that can be derived from being paid reasonably well for doing interesting and creative work. The opportunities for personal growth and for making lasting contributions to society will hopefully enrich you as an individual. There are further pleasures to be found in developing friendships with professional people who, like you, will be striving for excellence through lifelong learning. It is the Department’s wish that you will find joy and satisfaction in your electrical and computer engineering career.