Doctoral students in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department are required to take the qualifying exam in one major area and one minor area, both of which are chosen by the student before the exam is taken. Exams are open-book and open-notes. The only electronic devices allowed during the exams are department-issued calculators. Students must receive at least 80% in the major area and 60% in the minor area in order to pass the exam. Written exams will not be returned to the student. Students who fail either area of the exam must take the failed area(s) again. Students who fail the exam on their second attempt are subject to dismissal from the program. Students who pass conditionally on their second attempt are subject to a minimum of eight credit hours of additional coursework with a grade of B or better as stipulated by the ECE Graduate Program Committee.

The Qualifying Exam in ECE Math, which is available as a minor area, will include the following.

• Two problems in linear algebra
• Two problems in differential equations
• Two problems in probability
• Two problems in complex math

The student’s grade on the ECE Math Exam will be based on six of the eight problems. The student must clearly indicate on the exam which problems should be graded.