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Academic Program

Research Areas & Courses
Research Areas - Descriptions of the main research areas & recommended courses for each
Course Syllabi - Syllabi for all Electrical Engineering courses

M.S. Degree Requirements
The following is a summary of the degree requirements for the M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering.  See the Electrical Engineering section of the Graduate Catalog for a more complete description.

  1. A student who chooses the thesis option (writes a thesis) must complete 24 hours of graduate coursework.  This is in addition to at least 6 hours of thesis.  A non-thesis option student must complete at least 36 hours of graduate coursework.
  2. At least 12 hours of the graduate course work referred to above must be Electrical Engineering courses which are at the 5000 or 6000 level.  At least 15 hours (24 for non-thesis option students) of the graduate course work must be ELEG courses at some level.  No more than 6 hours of ELEG 588V may be counted.  The graduate course work must include ELEG 5801, which is graduate seminar.
  3. All students are required to take the M.S. Readiness Assessment exam during their first semester.  This exam is administered by the student's major professor and advisory committee, and is designed to assess the student's undergraduate preparation for his or her graduate work.  The student's advisory committee may require the student to take whatever undergraduate courses it deems necessary in addition to the graduate courses specified above.
  4. Attendance at graduate seminar is required for all graduate students every semester.

Summary of the Main Steps in Completing an M.S. Degree
The following is a summary of the main steps required for completing an M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering.  See the Electrical Engineering Graduate Student Handbook for a more complete description.

  1. Choose a major professor - You must choose a major professor before the end of your first semester of work.
  2. Choose an advisory committee - You must choose an advisory committee before the end of your first semester of work.  Your advisory committee will oversee your work, and will judge your thesis.  Your major professor is the chairman of your advisory committee, and will help select its members.
  3. Take the M.S. Readiness Assessment Exam - The M.S. Readiness Assessment Exam must be taken during your first semester of work.  This exam is administered by your major professor and advisory committee, and is designed to assess your undergraduate preparation for graduate work.  Your advisory committee may require you to take whatever undergraduate courses it deems necessary in addition to the graduate courses specified above.
  4. Fill out Schedule of Study - In cooperation with your major professor, and advisory committee, you will choose all of your courses for the entire M.S. degree.  You will choose them all during your first semester and submit a form to the Graduate Coordinator listing them.  This means that you must plan your entire degree program at the very beginning.  This planning ahead is needed in order to avoid missing important courses that are not offered every year.
  5. Give a Seminar - You must give one seminar as part of your degree program.  This is to teach you how to organize your thoughts and speak in public.
  6. Complete Thesis & Defend it - You must verbally present and defend your thesis in front of your committee.

Forms to Be Filled Out During M.S. Degree
The following forms must be filled out and submitted at the appropriate times during the course of your M.S. degree work.  Most of these forms can be found at Graduate Forms.  Be sure to check the links in the upper left corner as well as on the main part of the Graduate Forms web page.

  1. Advisory Committee Form - During first semester
  2. Thesis Committee form (The thesis committee is usually the same as the advisory committee) - This must be submitted at least 3 months before your thesis defense, but is usually submitted at the same time as the advisory committee form
  3. M.S. Readiness Assessment Form - During first semester
  4. Schedule of Study Form - During first semester
  5. Master's Thesis Title - At least 3 months before thesis defense
  6. Announcement of Oral Exam (announcement of thesis defense) - One week before thesis defense

Ph.D. Degree Requirements
The following is a summary of the degree requirements for the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering.  See the Electrical Engineering section of the Graduate Catalog for a more complete description.

  1. At least 48 hours of graduate course work are required for a Ph.D. degree.  A student who does not have an M.S. degree must take at least 48 hours of graduate coursework (excluding dissertation hours) beyond the bachelor's degree.  A student who already has an M.S. degree must take at least 48 hours of graduate coursework (excluding thesis and dissertation hours) in his or her M.S. & Ph.D. degrees combined.  Courses taken during the M.S. degree count as part of the 48 hours.
  2. At least 24 hours of the 48 referred to above must be taken after filing a declaration of intent to pursue the Ph.D. degree and completing the M.S. degree.  (This may change soon, but is still required.)
  3. At least 30 hours of the 48 referred to above must be at the 5000 or 6000 level, and at least 24 of these 30 hours must also be in Electrical Engineering.  Thus, a Ph.D. student needs at least 24 hours of Electrical Engineering courses at the 5000 or 6000 level in his or her combined M.S. & Ph.D. degrees.
  4. The 48 hours of graduate coursework must include at least 9 hours in a coherent set of courses in a single subject area approved by the student's advisory committee.  The subject area of the 9 hours must be different from the student's dissertation topic but related to it, and can be in Electrical Engineering if desired.
  5. The 48 hours must include graduate seminar (ELEG 6801).
  6. At least 30 hours of thesis and/or dissertation are required in the combined M.S. and Ph.D. programs.  This is in addition to the 48 hours of course work.  No more than 6 of these hours may be thesis.  The remaining 24 must be dissertation.
  7. Attendance at graduate seminar is required for all graduate students every semester.

Summary of the Main Steps in Completing a Ph.D. Degree
The following is a summary of the main steps required for completing a Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering.  See the Electrical Engineering Graduate Student Handbook for a more complete description.

  1. Choose an Advisory Committee - You must choose an advisory committee before the end of your first semester of work.  Your advisory committee will oversee your work, administer exams, and will judge your dissertation.  Your major professor is the chairman of your advisory committee, and will help select its members.
  2. Fill out Schedule of Study - In cooperation with your major professor, and advisory committee, you will choose all of your courses for the entire Ph.D.  degree.  You will choose them all during your first semester and submit a form to the Graduate School listing them.  This means that you must plan your entire degree program at the very beginning.  This planning ahead is needed in order to avoid missing important courses that are not offered every year.
  3. Take the Ph.D. qualifying exam - This is a two part exam which covers both your undergraduate courses and your overall preparation for beginning dissertation research.  Both parts of the exam must be passed in order to continue work on the Ph.D., and deficiency courses may be assigned as a result of the exam.  The qualifying exam is taken at the very start of work on the Ph.D.
  4. Take the Ph.D. candidacy exam - The candidacy exam is taken after you have completed nearly all of your coursework, but at least one year before completing the Ph.D. degree.  The candidacy exam tests your understanding of courses in the area of your dissertation research, and is designed to test whether you are qualified to do the dissertation work.  Your advisory committee will also review and critique your research plans at this time. 
  5. Give a Seminar - You must give one seminar as part of your degree program.  This is to teach you how to organize your thoughts and speak in public.
  6. Complete Dissertation & Defend it - The last step is to complete your dissertation & defend it in front of your committee.

Forms to Be Filled Out During Ph.D. Degree
The following forms must be filled out and submitted at the appropriate times during the course of your Ph.D. degree work.  Most of these forms can be found at Graduate Forms.  Be sure to check the links in the upper left corner as well as on the main part of the Graduate Forms web page.

  1. Advisory Committee Form - During first semester
  2. Dissertation Committee Form (The dissertation committee is usually the same as the advisory committee) - This must be submitted at least one year before your dissertation defense, but is usually submitted at the same time as the advisory committee form
  3. Schedule of Study - During first semester
  4. Dissertation Title Form - At least one year before dissertation defense
  5. Announcement of Final Exam (announcement of dissertation defense) - At least 10 days before dissertation defense.  This must be announced to both the Electrical Engineering Department and to the Graduate School.

Miscellaneous
Graduate Forms - Link to graduate forms in pdf format. (Be sure to check the links in the upper left corner of the web page as well as on the main part of the page.)
Graduate Catalog - This is the definitive source of information on all graduate degrees at the University of Arkansas.  Brief descriptions of all graduate courses offered at the University of Arkansas are included.
Graduate Student Handbook - This is the definitive source for information on the M.S. & Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering.

University of Arkansas - Department of Electrical Engineering - 3217 Bell Engineering Center
Fayetteville, AR 72701 - Phone: (479) 575-3009 - Fax: (479) 575-7967
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