ECE Graduate Milestones
When you are ready to submit any form(s) that needs a signature from Graduate Advisor, Graduate Chair or Graduate Coordinator please follow this procedure:
Make sure you get all required signatures before sending in the form. Once signatures are complete, email form to ecegradinfo@ucdavis.edu
Your form will be reviewed and signed by the appropriate person in the ECE department and forwarded onto Graduate Studies and your student file. You can find all forms in Forms and Documents page.
Academic and deadline dates are managed by the Registrar and Graduate Studies. Please review dates often Academic Calendar.
Ph.D. Milestones
- Submitting forms related to the Ph.D. Degree Requirement
- Electronically email completed documents to: ecegradinfo@ucdavis.edu.
- Declare a Major Professor -- Third Friday of October - First Year
- All students must select a major professor from the ECE Graduate Program directory. You must declare a major professor by completing the Declaration of a Major Professor/Co-Advisor form.
- Preliminary Examination -- Winter Quarter - First Year
- ♦ Preliminary Ph.D. Oral Examination
♦ Preliminary Exam Application
♦ Examination areas are in the following Electromagnetics, Physical Electronics, Active and Passive Circuits, Signals and Systems, Computer Systems and Software, Digital-Systems Design - Guidance Committee Selection -- First Friday of March - First Year
- Submit the Guidance Committee Selection form after passing the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination
♦ Committee provides guidance for the Ph.D. Program of Study
♦ The committee is chaired by the Major Professor and made up of at least two other members
♦ The majority of this committee must be members of the ECE Graduate Program committee - Program of Study -- Submit when all courses are completed - Second or Third Year
- The Program of Study is a list of completed courses for your research. The courses are approved by the Major Professor, Ph.D. Guidance Committee, the ECE Graduate Faculty Advisor and the ECE Graduate Study Committee.
- Qualifying Examination -- By the Ninth Quarter - Third Year
- Eligibility Criteria
♦ Passed the Preliminary Exam
♦ Program of Study approved with 3.5 GPA
♦ Remedial courses (if applicable) - Required for students without a degree in ECE
♦ Full-time status in the quarter in which the QE is taken
Preparing for the QE
♦ Submit the Qualifying Exam application at least one month prior to your exam date. The QE application has to be submitted with signatures to Gradsphere 30 days prior to the exam date.
♦ Graduate Studies - Qualifying Exam Regulations and Return to In-Person Qualifying Examinations
♦ Coordinate with your committee members to schedule an exam time
Reserve a room for your exam using COWS; Schedule at least 30 minutes of prep time prior to the exam.
♦ Research Proposal -- Must be submitted at least 10 days prior to the oral portion of the exam
Committee Members
♦ Five faculty members including the Major Professor
♦ Chair of the QE must be someone other than the Major Professor
♦ At least one member from the minor area
♦ The majority of this committee must be members of the ECE Graduate Program.
♦ At least one member from outside of the ECE Graduate Program
QE for a MS Plan II - For students without an MS in ECE
♦ The Doctoral Qualifying Examination may be used to fulfill certain requirements for the M.S. Plan II degree
♦ See the MS Plan II Milestones for details
♦ Complete the QE for Comprehensive Exam Agreement Form along with the MS Plan II degree requirements - Advance to Candidacy -- Submit Within 1 Month After the Successful Completion of the Qualifying Exam - Third Year
- ♦ Complete and submit the Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) - Plan B form.
♦ Candidacy fee must be paid at the Cashier's Office or online using the Form Store.
♦ Dissertation Committee Chair must sign the form prior to submitting document to Graduate Program Coordinator
♦ Submit to Graduate Program Coordinator for Graduate Program Advisor's and Graduate Program Coordinator's signatures - Exit Seminar -- Two Weeks Prior to Electronically Submitting Your Dissertation -- Fourth - Sixth Year
- File at least two weeks before you submit your dissertation. You may NOT submit your dissertation until you've completed your exit seminar.
Exit Seminar Notice
♦ The Exit Seminar can be open to the public
♦ At least three faculty who are members of the Ph.D. Dissertation Reading Committee or QE Committee must be in attendance
- Dissertation -- Fourth - Sixth Year
- ♦ Preparing and Filing Your Thesis or Dissertation
♦ Dissertation submitted electronically
♦ Check filing deadlines on Academic Calendar - Schedule an appointment with a Senior Academic Advisor in Graduate Studies -- Fourth - Sixth Year
- Take the following documents to Graduate Studies
♦ Exit Seminar Verification Form - Submit copy to Graduate Program Coordinator
♦ Filing Process
♦ Thesis/Dissertation Release Agreement
♦ One title page with original signatures in ink
Make an appointment with a Senior Academic Advisor. Be prepared to spend 10 - 15 minutes with Graduate Studies.
Master's Plan I Milestones
- Submitting forms related to the M.S. Plan I Degree Requirement
- Electronically email completed documents to: ecegradinfo@ucdavis.edu.
- Declare a Major Professor -- End of Winter Quarter - First Year
- All students must select a major professor from the ECE Graduate Program directory. You must declare a major professor by completing the Declaration of a Major Professor/Co-Advisor form.
- Program of Study -- End of Fall Quarter - Second Year
- The Program of Study a list of completed courses for your research. The courses are approved by the Major Professor, and the ECE Graduate Faculty Advisor.
- Advance to Candidacy -- End of Fall Quarter - Second Year
- ♦ Program of Study has been approved
♦ Complete the Candidacy for the Master's Degree - Thesis Plan I form.
♦ Complete payment at the Cashier's Office and get Thesis Chair's signature
♦ Submit the form to Graduate Program Coordinator for Departmental Approval - Thesis Committee Selection -- End of Fall Quarter - Second Year
- Submit the M.S. Thesis Committee application. The responsibility of this committee is to assist in the guidance of the student and to read and approve the thesis.
♦ Chaired by the major professor and made up of two other members
♦ The majority of this committee must be members of the ECE Graduate Program
- Thesis -- Second Year
- ♦ Preparing and Filing Your Thesis or Dissertation
♦ Dissertation submitted electronically
♦ Check filing deadlines on the Academic Calendar - Schedule an appointment with a Senior Academic Advisor in Graduate Studies -- Second Year
- Documents to Graduate Studies
♦ Filing Process
♦ Thesis/Dissertation Release Agreement
♦ One title page with original signatures in ink
Make an appointment with a Senior Academic Advisor. Be prepared to spend 10 - 15 minutes with Graduate Studies.
Master's Plan II Milestones
- Submitting forms related to the M.S. Plan II Degree Requirement
- Electronically email completed documents to: ecegradinfo@ucdavis.edu.
- Declare a Major Professor -- End of Winter Quarter - First Year
- All students must select a major professor from the ECE Graduate Program directory. You must declare a major professor by completing the Declaration of a Major Professor/Co-Advisor form.
- Program of Study -- End of Fall Quarter - Second Year
- The Program of Study a list of completed courses for your research. The courses are approved by the Major Professor, and the ECE Graduate Faculty Advisor.
- Advance to Candidacy -- Program of Study Approved - Second Year
- ♦ Program of Study has been approved
♦ Complete the Candidacy for the Master's Degree - Comprehensive Exam Plan II
♦ Use the approved Program of Study to complete the second page
♦ Complete payment at the Cashier's Office
♦ Submit the form to Graduate Program Coordinator for Departmental Approval - Comprehensive Examination Application -- Second Year
- Submit the M.S. Comprehensive Examination Application. The responsibility of this committee is to assist in the guidance of the student and to give the Comprehensive Exam and approve the final report.
♦ Chaired by the Major Professor and made up of one other member
♦ The majority of this committee must be members of the ECE Graduate Program - Comprehensive Examination -- Second Year
- The examination has two parts: an oral presentation and a written report.
Preparing for your Comprehensive Exam
♦ Coordinate with your committee members to schedule an exam time
♦ In-Person Meeting - Reserve a room for your exam using COWS; Schedule at least 30 minutes of prep time prior to the exam.
♦ Virtual Presentation - Work with your Major Professor to set-up for a Zoom meeting
♦ Verification of Completion of the Comprehensive Examination
♦ Master's Report Form Plan II
Submit the following documents to the Graduate Program Coordinator and or Gradsphere
♦ Verification of Completion of the Comprehensive Examination
♦ Master's Report Form Plan II
♦ IEEE format of your written report
♦ Filing Process
See Academic Calendar for filing deadlines