ECE Graduate Handbook

https://ece.montana.edu/grad/gradbook.pdf 1 October 2022

GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK

Electrical and Computer Engineering Department

Montana State University

This handbook provides guidelines for the electrical and computer engineering graduate programs at

Montana State University – Bozeman. In the event of an inconsistency, all Graduate School and Montana

State University policies take precedence. Applicants and students should refer to the

Graduate School webpage (http://www.montana.edu/gradschool/

https://ece.montana.edu/grad/gradbook.pdf 1 October 2022

Table of Contents

1 ECE Graduate Program at Montana State University ................................................................................... 1

1.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................................... 1

1.2 Degree options ............................................................................................................................................ 1

1.3 Admissions .................................................................................................................................................. 2

1.3.1 Minimum requirements ........................................................................................................................................ 2

1.3.2 Master’s Degree en route to Ph.D. ....................................................................................................................... 2

1.3.3 Converting admission status ................................................................................................................................ 3

1.3.4 Application deadlines and procedure ................................................................................................................... 3

1.3.5 Undergraduate degree not in Electrical or Computer Engineering....................................................................... 4

1.3.6 Transfer credit ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

1.4 Financial Support ....................................................................................................................................... 4

1.4.1 Research Assistantships (RAs) ............................................................................................................................ 5

1.4.2 Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) .......................................................................................................... 5

1.4.3 Graduate Fellowships .......................................................................................................................................... 6

1.5 Academic Standards and Retention ......................................................................................................... 6

2 EE Ph.D. Program Requirements and Procedures ......................................................................................... 7

2.1 Committee ................................................................................................................................................... 7

2.2 Program of Study ....................................................................................................................................... 7

2.3 Timeline ...................................................................................................................................................... 8

2.4 EE Ph.D. Examinations ............................................................................................................................. 9

2.4.1 Ph.D. Qualifying examination ............................................................................................................................. 9

2.4.2 Comprehensive examination ................................................................................................................................ 9

2.4.3 Dissertation defense ........................................................................................................................................... 10

2.5 Dissertation guidelines ............................................................................................................................. 11

3 MSEE Program Requirements and Procedures ............................................................................................ 12

3.1 M.S. in Electrical Engineering with Thesis (Plan A) ............................................................................. 12

3.1.1 Supervisory Committee ..................................................................................................................................... 12

3.1.2 Program of Study ............................................................................................................................................... 12

3.1.3 Timeline ............................................................................................................................................................. 13

3.1.4 MSEE Plan A Examinations .............................................................................................................................. 14

3.1.5 Thesis Guidelines ............................................................................................................................................... 14

3.2 M.S. in Electrical Engineering with Professional Paper (Plan B) ........................................................ 15

3.2.1 Supervisory Committee ..................................................................................................................................... 15

3.2.2 Program of Study ............................................................................................................................................... 15

3.2.3 Timeline ............................................................................................................................................................. 16

3.2.4 MSEE Plan B Examination ................................................................................................................................ 16

3.2.5 Professional Paper Guidelines ........................................................................................................................... 16

4 MSOP Program Requirements and Procedures ........................................................................................... 18

4.1 Supervisory Committee ........................................................................................................................... 18

4.2 Program of Study ..................................................................................................................................... 18

4.3 Timeline .................................................................................................................................................... 19

4.4 M.S. in Optics and Photonics Comprehensive Examination ................................................................ 20

4.5 M.S. in Optics and Photonics with Thesis (Plan-A) .............................................................................. 20

4.6 M.S. in Optics and Photonics with Professional Paper (Plan-B) .......................................................... 20

5 MENG Program Requirements and Procedures........................................................................................... 22

5.1 Supervisory Committee ........................................................................................................................... 22

5.2 Program of Study ..................................................................................................................................... 22

5.3 Timeline .................................................................................................................................................... 22

6 Tenure-Track Faculty ...................................................................................................................................... 24

1 ECE Graduate Program at Montana State University

1.1 Overview

Welcome to graduate study in the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) department at

Montana State University! We are a dynamic department with world-class faculty conducting

nationally and internationally recognized research in exciting, interdisciplinary fields that provide

superb graduate student research opportunities.

Montana State University (MSU) is in Bozeman, Montana, a vibrant small city in southwestern

Montana (45.7°N, 111.0°W), approximately 145 km (90 mi) north of Yellowstone National Park,

immediately adjacent to large regions of national forest and mountains. The Bozeman area

provides unparalleled opportunities for outdoor recreation, while also being home to numerous

optics, electronics, and software companies. Many of these have their roots in MSU graduate

research programs and interact closely with our students and faculty.

The purpose of this handbook is to orient you to the available graduate degree options and to guide

you through the process of obtaining a graduate degree in our department. Each student has the

responsibility of working with his or her graduate advisor to ensure that all requirements are met

in their degree program. The Graduate School policies prevail in the event of a conflict with the

policies described here unless it is stated explicitly that we have approval for a modified

requirement (MSU Graduate School policies:

https://www.montana.edu/gradschool/policy/index.html).

1.2 Degree options

The ECE department offers the following graduate degrees:

Doctor of Philosophy: Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (EE Ph.D.)

Master of Science: M.S. in Electrical Engineering, thesis or professional paper option (MSEE)

Master of Science: M.S. in Optics and Photonics, thesis or professional paper option (MSOP)

Master of Engineering: M.Eng. in Electrical Engineering, coursework-only degree (MENG)

The EE Ph.D. program leads to the Ph.D. degree, which is granted in recognition of advanced

accomplishment and original contribution to the field. The Ph.D. is the highest academic degree

and is a research-intensive program that requires completion of sixty (60) credits of research and

courses (including up to 30 credits counted from a previous master’s degree). The primary Ph.D.

requirement is to demonstrate an ability to conduct independent research, draw conclusions, and

communicate the results effectively in written and oral form. See Chapter 2 for details of the EE

Ph.D. program.

The MSEE and MSOP programs require 30 credits, including research experience reported in

either a thesis (plan-A) or a professional paper (plan-B). The plan-A option focuses more heavily

on research and plan-B on professional practice. Students in the EE Ph.D. program typically earn

a plan-A or plan-B Master of Science degree en route to the Ph.D. Plan-A requires twenty (20)

credits of approved courses and ten (10) credits of research reported in a thesis that is defended

orally before the student’s graduate committee and the public. Plan-B requires twenty-four or

twenty-seven (24 or 27) credits of approved courses and three or six (3 or 6) credits of project

work reported in a professional paper that is approved by the student’s advisor and presented to

the committee and the public. See Chapter 3 for details of the MSEE program, and Chapter 4 for

details of the MSOP program.

The MENG program leads to a terminal Master of Engineering degree. The program requires 30

credits of courses with no research paper or thesis. See Chapter 5 for details of the MENG program.

1.3 Admissions

1.3.1 Minimum requirements

Minimum requirements for admission to the ECE graduate programs are as follows (the majority

of admitted students have credentials in excess of these minimum values):

• undergraduate degree in ECE or related field;

• cumulative grade-point average (GPA) ≥ 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 for M.S. admission;

• graduate GPA ≥ 3.2 for Ph.D. admission after previous graduate studies;

• three (3) reference letters from professors and others qualified to assess the applicant’s

academic achievements and potential for success in research and graduate studies;

• one-page statement of purpose explaining the applicant’s research interests and

describing specific research programs at Montana State University in which the applicant

is interested (this is a very important component that is used to identify research

opportunities);

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) ≥ 90

or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) ≥ 7.0

(for applicants from countries where the official language is other than English).

Admission to the ECE graduate program requires meeting the published thresholds for grades, but

also depends heavily on other factors including reference letters, availability of a suitable graduate

advisor, a match between an applicant’s stated interests and ongoing research work, and the

relative supply and demand of students in various areas.

NOTE that GRE test scores are not required for admission consideration, but for students who

have taken the GRE, our score expectations are:

o Quantitative ≥ 155

o Verbal ≥ 150

o Analytical writing ≥ 3.5

1.3.2 Master’s Degree en route to Ph.D.

Ph.D. students who do not have a master’s degree will normally earn a master’s en route (as the

first step toward their Ph.D.). Depending on the preferences of the advisor and student and the

scope of the master’s and Ph.D. projects, the en route master’s degree can be plan-A or plan-B.

An advisor can allow the student to use up to the full 30 credits required for the master;s degree to

apply toward the Ph.D. (listed as “master’s degree credits to be considered toward the doctoral

degree” on the Program of Study form).

1.3.3 Converting admission status

The following procedures must be followed by students who wish to convert from one ECE

graduate degree program to another graduate program in our department.

1.3.3.1 Continuing to Ph.D. from Master of Science (MSEE or MSOP)

A student admitted to one of the Master of Science degree programs who wants to continue as a

Ph.D. student must submit a written request to the ECE Graduate Student Progress Committee,

describing their intended Ph.D. subject area and proposed advisor. This request must include a

copy of their Master’s degree transcripts, a recommendation letter from the Master’s thesis advisor,

and a letter from the proposed Ph.D. advisor. If a review of these materials leads to a decision to

admit the student to the Ph.D. program, the committee will authorize the student to submit a

Change in Graduate Status form (available online) to the Graduate School to officially change

their status from M.S. to Ph.D. Such students must pass the ECE graduate qualifying exam at the

Ph.D. level, either before or after entering Ph.D. studies.

1.3.3.2 Converting to Plan-B M.S.

With approval of the advisor, a student can convert to a plan-B master’s program from either a

Plan-A M.S. or Ph.D. program. The student can count three (3) or six (6) previously completed

credits of Doctoral Thesis (EELE 690) or Master’s Thesis (EELE 590 or OPTI 590) in place of

the required Professional Paper/Project (EELE 575 or OPTI 575) credits, but the paper must still

be completed. In this case the student submits a new Program of Study that lists all coursework,

the original EELE/OPTI 590 or EELE 690 credits, and one (1) additional credit of Professional

Paper (EELE/OPTI 575) or Independent Study (EELE 592) that is granted upon approval of their

professional paper (the purpose of this 1 credit is for the advisor to award a grade for the paper

once it is complete). The new plan-B Program of Study must be submitted to the Graduate School

along with a letter from the student’s advisor explaining the substitution of 590/690 plus 575/592

in place of 575. When converting from a Ph.D. to a master’s program, a student should use the

Change in Graduate Status form to notify the Graduate School of their choice.

1.3.3.3 Converting from M. Eng. to M.S. or Ph.D.

Students in the MENG program wishing to transfer to a Master of Science or Ph.D. program must

submit a new application to the ECE graduate program.

1.3.3.4 Converting to M.Eng.

Current M.S. and Ph.D. students may choose to transfer to the MENG program, but they are

encouraged to do so only in consultation with their graduate advisor (e.g., normally they would

then cease to be eligible for continuing financial support). A student who does not identify a viable

research project by the end of the 2

semester in residence will be transferred automatically to the

MENG program.

1.3.4 Application deadlines and procedure

Applicants should apply online at https://www.applyweb.com/msug/index.ftl. We accept

applications throughout the year, but for full consideration of admission with financial support,

complete applications from domestic and international students must be received by the following

priority deadlines:

Priority application deadline for admission in

January 15

Fall

September 15

Spring

Applications for admission in a semester for which the priority deadline has passed will be

considered on a space-available basis if received by the following university deadlines:

Domestic students International students

July 15 for fall May 15 for fall

December 1 for spring October 1 for spring

April 1 for summer February 1 for summer

Applicants will be evaluated for admission only after submitting a complete application and

application fee. We do not estimate an applicant’s probability of admission before an application

is submitted (but prospective students can and should communicate with faculty members

regarding the potential availability of research projects).

1.3.5 Undergraduate degree not in Electrical or Computer Engineering

We encourage well-qualified applicants with degrees in physics, optics, mathematics, computer

science, biological or chemical engineering, or other closely related fields to apply. Many of our

research programs cross traditional discipline boundaries and good students from allied fields do

very well in our program. All applicants, regardless of undergraduate discipline, are expected to

have completed mathematics courses including differential and integral calculus, multivariable

calculus, and differential equations, and at least two semesters of calculus-based physics.

Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology must apply to the

undergraduate program.

To be successful in the graduate program and for EE Ph.D. program students to pass the graduate

qualifying exam, students with non-ECE undergraduate degrees typically develop proficiency in

core areas of the ECE curriculum through individual study or by taking selected undergraduate

courses. Such students should consult with their advisor to determine the needed background

material and appropriate mechanism for learning it.

1.3.6 Transfer credit

A maximum of nine (9) credits of committee-approved courses from another institution can be

transferred to fulfill ECE graduate program requirements if the grade is B or better and the credits

have not been used to satisfy the requirements of another degree. This limit includes courses taken

as an undergraduate student and reserved for graduate credit, courses taken as a graduate student

in another department or at another university, and courses taken while in non-degree status. The

student’s supervisory committee also can approve up to 30 credits from a previously earned or en

route master’s degree to be counted on a Ph.D. Program of Study (note that this is different from

transfer credits).

1.4 Financial Support

The majority of graduate students in our program receive financial support through teaching

assistantships, research assistantships, and/or fellowships, which provide opportunities for

graduate students to participate in funded research projects and to develop and practice teaching

and research skills. All applicants to the M.S. or Ph.D. programs are considered for financial

support without submitting any additional application (Master of Engineering students are not

eligible for financial support).

1.4.1 Research Assistantships (RAs)

Research assistantships provide financial support to graduate students who work on externally

funded research projects. The funding for RAs comes directly from grants obtained by faculty

members through a competitive proposal process and is therefore available only for specific

projects. The level of financial support provided by an RA may vary according to available funds

on a specific project, but the RA generally pays a stipend, tuition, and fees.

Students are chosen by individual faculty members to receive RA support based on the project’s

needs and the student’s interests and capabilities. The sponsoring faculty member typically serves

as the advisor and supervisory committee chair for a student supported by their RA funds. Faculty

members may end RA support for a student for reasons that include, but are not necessarily limited

to, the grant ending, or insufficient research or academic progress by the student.

Work performed by students with RA support forms the basis of the student’s thesis or dissertation.

RAs are expected to follow the guidance of their advisor and to exercise independent motivation

in exploring the research topic by discussing the research with other project participants, exploring

relevant research literature, proposing alternate approaches to the project, carrying out modeling

and simulation efforts, conducting experiments, analyzing results, drawing conclusions, and

disseminating results through oral presentations and written publications. RAs may also work with

other students, faculty, and staff and help guide the learning and work of undergraduate students.

RA funds are not provided as payment for hourly work, but rather as support for a student whose

job it is to make satisfactory progress toward completion of their research project and the academic

requirements of their graduate degree. As a general guideline, a student should expect to work

approximately half time on their research project while taking classes (typically 6-9 credits each

semester) and to work full time on their research project when not taking classes (the latter also

applies to summer terms when the student is offered summer RA support). Graduate students’

course loads typically lessen in later years, to a point where they register only for thesis or

dissertation research credits by their final semesters. The time they spend on research should

increase accordingly.

1.4.1.1 Responsible Conduct of Research Training

All Graduate Research Assistants supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and

the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are legally required to complete training in the responsible

conduct of research (i.e. research ethics): http://www.montana.edu/orc/responsible-conduct.html.

1.4.2 Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs)

Graduate teaching assistantships provide financial support to graduate students who work with

faculty members to help teach classes, grade homework, supervise laboratory sessions, and

otherwise support the overall instructional effort. Ph.D. students are particularly encouraged to

spend some time during their graduate program as a GTA to obtain teaching experience. Graduate

TAs typically work half time and are provided a monthly stipend and tuition waiver during the

academic year (fees often must still be paid by the student).

To qualify for GTA support, international students must pass either the Test of English as a

Foreign Language internet-based (TOEFL IBT) with a minimum score of 90 or the International

English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 7.0. GTAs normally are

offered as short-term support while a student seeks a research project, finishes work on a thesis or

dissertation, or gains desired teaching experience.

1.4.3 Graduate Fellowships

A fellowship provides financial support to graduate students without a corresponding obligation

for teaching or separately-funded research responsibilities. Fellowships are generally merit-based

awards granted by internal or external sponsoring organizations to full-time students who are

productively engaged in their graduate course of study. Many government and private

organizations offer applications for fellowship support. Two prestigious examples are the U.S.

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP) program and the U.S.

National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship program. Students are

encouraged to search for fellowship opportunities, and to contact the departmental graduate

coordinator for more guidance.

1.5 Academic Standards and Retention

Each student should be familiar with the Graduate School policies, which can be summarized as a

requirement that the student maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA in their graduate program and to

achieve at least a 3.0 GPA each semester. For further detail, see the Graduate School policies:

https://www.montana.edu/gradschool/policy/index.html.

Students may lose financial support if their academic or RA performance is deemed unsatisfactory

by their advisor or if their TA duties are deemed unsatisfactory by the supervising faculty.

Academic misconduct by graduate students in the ECE department will be dealt with in accordance

with MSU policy. The published definition of academic misconduct includes the following items

of particular significance to graduate students: cheating; plagiarism; falsification; multiple

submissions; unauthorized access to, manipulation of or tampering with laboratory equipment,

experiments, computer programs without proper authorization; and misuse of research data in

reporting results.

2 EE Ph.D. Program Requirements and Procedures

2.1 Committee

Admission to the EE Ph.D. program requires sponsorship by a faculty member who serves as the

student’s advisor and chair of the supervisory committee. By the end of the second semester in

residence, the student must choose their supervisory committee members in consultation with their

advisor and file a Program of Study approved by the full committee. The Ph.D. supervisory

committee has overall responsibility for guiding the student toward successful completion of the

degree and for examining the student at several points throughout the degree program. Each

committee member participates in and judges the student’s performance in the comprehensive

examination and the dissertation defense and final examination.

The Ph.D. supervisory committee consists of at least four (4) members (including the chair) chosen

by the student and advisor and approved by the Graduate School. The committee chair is normally

the advisor, who must be a tenure-track faculty member in the ECE department at MSU-Bozeman.

The other three members can be chosen from the faculty of the ECE department and allied

departments related to the student’s research work, but at least half the committee must be from

the ECE tenure-track faculty. It is common for Ph.D. students to conduct interdisciplinary research,

in which case the committee can include a representative of the collaborating department. For a

committee member from outside the MSU faculty to be included on the committee, a vita and a

supporting letter from the ECE Department Head must be submitted to the Graduate School.

2.2 Program of Study

The Program of Study form must be completed by the student and approved by the supervisory

committee and the Graduate School by the end of the second semester in the graduate program.

Failure to meet this deadline constitutes lack of progress toward the graduate degree and is grounds

for probation, suspension of financial support, and possibly dismissal from the graduate program.

This form lists all courses to be taken by the student for their graduate degree (except additional

courses the supervisory committee requires to correct deficiencies). Ph.D. students should consider

including courses in their program of study from appropriate departments outside of ECE that are

relevant to their research.

A previously earned master’s degree should be listed on the first page of the Program of Study.

Up to thirty (30) credits can be used from a master’s degree (with a grade of B or higher) with the

advisor’s approval. The exact number is to be decided by the advisor and supervisory committee.

If the master’s degree was earned elsewhere, a Ph.D student is required to complete at least 9

course credits at Montana State University (this number is unique to the ECE Department by

Graduate School approval) and the supervisory committee may require more than 9 credits in

situations where it is important for the student’s program.

An EE Ph.D. program of study must include the following:

Total ≥ 60 credits

• ≤ 28 credits Dissertation (EELE 690), with minimum 18 credits.

• ≥ 32 course credits that include:

o 2 credits Science Communication and Proposal Development (ENGR 650), taken just

before Comprehensive Examination.

o ≥ 3 credits of math, numerical methods, or statistics.

o ≥ 27 advisor-approved credits with all graded credits having earned a B or better.

o ≤ 9 credits at 4xx level

All credits must also meet the following conditions:

• Regardless of how many credits are applied from a previously earned master’s degree,

the Ph.D. program of study must include at least 9 credits of major courses taken

at Montana State University (ECE-specific exception granted by Grad School).

• All Ph.D. credits no more than ten (10) years old at time of graduation (this limit does not

apply to courses counted from a previously earned master’s degree).

• ≤ 6 credits Independent Study (EELE 592).

• ≤ 3 credits pass/fail, excluding dissertation.

• ≤ 9 credits challenged.

• No credits of 488, 489, 490, 492, 494, 498, or 589 are allowed.

2.3 Timeline

During the second semester

Pass the qualifying examination (see section 2.4.1).

By the end of the second semester of Ph.D. enrollment

Select advisor and committee members and submit Program of Study form.

Within two years of the qualifying examination and after completing ~2/3 of coursework

Pass the comprehensive examination (must be registered for ≥ 3 credits in exam semester).

In the graduation term

• Register for ≥ 3 credits.

• Submit Application for Advanced Degree to the Graduate School by September 20 for Fall,

February 5 for Spring, or June 10 for Summer.

• Schedule Dissertation Defense (sufficiently early that all committee-required dissertation

edits can be completed after the defense and by the Graduate School deadline, typically

Dec. 1 for Fall, April 21 for Spring, and July 21 for Summer).

• Deliver completed dissertation to supervisory committee at least 2 weeks before defense.

• Pass Dissertation Defense and make dissertation corrections or modifications required by

committee by Graduate School deadline, typically Dec. 1 for Fall, April 21 for Spring, and

July 21 for summer.

• Submit electronic dissertation, Electronic Thesis/Dissertation Approval Form signed by all

committee members, and Thesis/Dissertation/Professional Paper Report signed by the

ECE department head, to the Graduate School by Graduate School deadlines referred to in

previous bullet.

Note that several items must be completed by Graduate School deadlines that are approximately

two weeks before the end of the graduation term, but there can be significant delays between

completing each item. For example, it typically takes one week or longer after the dissertation

defense before the dissertation can be submitted to the Graduate School; it also can take several

days to obtain Graduate School approval. In other words, it is essentially impossible to meet

graduation deadlines if the dissertation defense is held later than about three weeks before the end

of the term.

2.4 EE Ph.D. Examinations

There are three major examinations to be completed by a student in the EE Ph.D. program. The

objectives and procedures for these examinations are described here.

2.4.1 Ph.D. Qualifying examination

The Ph.D. Qualifying Exam is a written and oral exam taken in their second semester by students

admitted for Ph.D. studies. A student may retake the exam a second time in the event of a failed

first attempt.

2.4.1.1 Written qualifying exam

This is a 72-hour take-home exam with 2 questions covering basic concepts of math and electrical

engineering tailored to the student’s intended research area (e.g., biosystems, computer

engineering, signal processing, controls, power, and optics). The purpose is to assess the student’s

undergraduate training in those areas most directly relevant to their proposed research area.

2.4.1.2 Oral qualifying exam

This is a 1-hour oral exam with three faculty members and the student. The student gives a 10-

minute oral presentation about one research paper assigned by the faculty 1 week before the oral

exam and one related paper the student finds. Following the brief presentation of the papers, their

related methods and results, the faculty members will explore the student’s understanding of the

material, how the ideas flow in the papers, how the papers relate to each other, and the student’s

understanding and ability to clearly communicate the fundamental principles of the research area.

A student who does not pass the exam the first time will be offered a second opportunity to take

the exam the next time it is offered. A student who does not pass the Ph.D. Qualifying examination

at an acceptable level in two attempts will not be allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program, but

can elect to continue as an M.S. student.

2.4.2 Comprehensive examination

The comprehensive exam is a written and oral exam administered by the student’s doctoral

supervisory committee, with the following purposes:

• Require the student to delve deeply into the literature for their chosen research topic and

prepare a written and oral presentation that outlines their problem, its significance, the

history and status of research in the area, and their proposed research to address gaps in the

past research.

• The comprehensive exam written document is created in the form of an early version of

the student’s eventual dissertation introduction; it is distributed to the committee two weeks

prior to the exam.

• Test the student’s understanding of their chosen research problem, and how the proposed

work fits into the larger field.

• Assess the feasibility of the student’s planned research project and the likelihood that it

will result in publishable novel research.

• Give the student experience for what they will need to do at a successful dissertation

defense.

The timing of this exam is after the student has taken at least 2/3 of their courses and when they

are ready to define their dissertation project and move into the research-heavy phase of their Ph.D.

program. For a student earning an en route MS degree, this exam would normally occur following

their MS defense, approximately at the start of the third year in the graduate program.

The written exam is the document the student writes and submits to their committee (following

advisor approval) 2 weeks prior to the exam. It should contain a thorough literature review, an

outline of completed preliminary work, and a plan for the remaining research work to be

completed. It is evaluated according to a rubric distributed by the Graduate Student Progress

committee.

The oral exam is a public presentation based on their written document (similar to a thesis defense

presentation, but more as a discussion of what will be done and how and why), followed by private

oral questioning by the committee.

The student is allowed two (2) total attempts to pass the comprehensive examination. If the

comprehensive exam is failed on the first attempt, at least 6 calendar months must elapse before

the second attempt at the examination. Failure to pass the comprehensive exam on the second

attempt results in termination of graduate study and dismissal from the academic program.

Students who are dismissed from the program due to a second failed attempt are ineligible to

reapply to the same degree program.

2.4.3 Dissertation defense

The objective of the dissertation defense is to examine the student’s research accomplishments and

his or her ability to communicate their research results in a professional manner at the level of an

independent professional researcher. The dissertation defense is supervised by the student’s Ph.D.

committee chair and must be attended by the full supervisory committee.

The first part of the exam is held in a public meeting where the Ph.D. student gives an oral

presentation describing and summarizing the dissertation project. This public presentation should

not last more than one hour, including a question-and-answer period during which attendees may

ask questions about the presentation. The public presentation is followed by a private meeting with

the supervisory committee and student. The committee, the ECE department head, and the

Graduate School must approve the dissertation before the Ph.D. degree can be conferred.

The dissertation defense is held upon completion of all course work and preparation of a

dissertation that is deemed by the advisor as being ready for defense. The defense must be held

within 5 years of the comprehensive exam and at before the Graduate School deadlines (typically

2 weeks before the end of the semester of graduation). The comprehensive examination and the

dissertation defense cannot be held in the same semester.

2.5 Dissertation guidelines

The Ph.D. dissertation is a detailed report of original research conducted by the graduate student

with guidance from his or her advisor and supervisory committee. It must have significant scope,

depth, and novelty, such that at least selected results can be published in one or more peer-reviewed

archival journals. There is no mandatory number of publications required, but journal publications

must result from a Ph.D. project.

All dissertations at Montana State University are submitted in electronic form, so the student can

use color figures and even multimedia as appropriate. For details on format and submission

requirements, the student is referred to the Graduate School (specific format requirements are at

http://www.montana.edu/etd/ but each student chooses a reference style following the standards

of a journal in their field).

3 MSEE Program Requirements and Procedures

3.1 M.S. in Electrical Engineering with Thesis (Plan A)

The thesis-based Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (plan-A MSEE) is a research-

oriented degree intended to provide the student advanced education that goes deeper than the

undergraduate degree and experience working on a cutting-edge engineering research project. All

plan-A M.S. students must conduct a research project that is reported in a written thesis and

defended at the Comprehensive Oral Examination prior to graduation. Most plan-A M.S. students

conduct their research with support from a research assistantship provided by faculty research

funds.

3.1.1 Supervisory Committee

Each M.S. student is responsible for finding an appropriate research project and advisor. The

advisor usually is the faculty member whose research grant provides RA funding. By the middle

of their second semester in the graduate program, each student must choose their supervisory

committee members, in consultation with their advisor who serves as the committee chair and file

a Program of Study approved by all committee members. The M.S. supervisory committee has

overall responsibility for guiding the student toward successful completion of the degree and for

examining the student prior to graduation. Each committee member reads the thesis, attends the

thesis defense and oral comprehensive exam, and votes to pass or fail the student in their M.S.

program.

The M.S. supervisory committee consists of the chair (typically the advisor) and at least two (2)

additional members chosen by the student and his or her committee chair. The committee chair

must be a tenure-track faculty member in the ECE department at MSU-Bozeman. The other two

members can be chosen from the tenure-track and adjunct faculty of the ECE department and allied

departments or outside organizations, but the majority (half in the case of 4 members) of the

committee must be from the ECE tenure-track faculty. A committee member from outside the

MSU faculty must be approved by the Graduate School, following submission of a CV for the

nominated committee member and a letter of recommendation by the Department Head.

3.1.2 Program of Study

To remain in good standing, the student must complete the Program of Study form and have it

approved by the supervisory committee and the Graduate School before the end of their second

semester in the graduate program. This form lists all courses to be taken by the student for their

graduate degree. Students are encouraged to include courses in their program of study from

appropriate fields outside of ECE, such as mathematics, statistics, physics, and computer science.

For a plan-A M.S. EE degree, the program of study must include:

• 10 credits of Master’s Thesis (EELE 590)

[Note: a student who has taken Ph.D. Dissertation (EELE 690) credits may use them in

place of EELE 590 if earning a M.S. en route to Ph.D. or if converting from Ph.D. to M.S.

status.]

• 20 credits of coursework

o ≤ 10 credits at 400 level and all other course credits at 5xx or 6xx level (ECE-

unique exception provided by the Graduate School)

Further conditions on the distribution of course credits are as follows:

• All courses must be less than 6 years old at the time of graduation.

• ≤ 4 credits Independent Study (EELE 592) for plan-A M.S. degree

• ≤ 10 credits total of EELE 592 and graduate seminar courses (e.g., ENGR 650)

• ≤ 3 credits pass/fail (not counting thesis)

• ≤ 6 credits may be challenged

• No credits of 488, 489, 490, 492, 494, 498, 575, or 589 are allowed

3.1.3 Timeline

By middle of second semester

Assemble supervisory committee and file Program of Study form to the Graduate School for

approval (file any necessary changes to the program of study before the end of the affected term).

As early as possible

Present a thesis proposal to the supervisory committee.

In graduation term

• Register for ≥ 3 credits.

• Submit Application for Advanced Degree to the Graduate School by September 20 for Fall,

February 5 for Spring, or June 10 for Summer.

• Schedule Comprehensive Oral Exam and Thesis Defense sufficiently early that all

committee-required thesis edits can be completed after the defense and by the Graduate

School deadline, typically Dec. 1 for Fall, April 21 for Spring, and July 21 for Summer.

• Deliver completed thesis to supervisory committee at least 2 weeks before defense.

• Pass Thesis Defense and make thesis corrections or modifications required by committee

by Graduate School deadlines referred to above.

• Submit electronic thesis, Electronic Thesis/Dissertation Approval Form signed by all

committee members, and Thesis/Dissertation/Professional Paper Report signed by the

ECE department head, to the Graduate School by Graduate School deadlines referred to

above.

Note that several items must be completed by Graduate School deadlines that are approximately

two weeks before the end of the graduation term, but there can be significant delays between

completing each item. For example, it typically takes one week or longer after the thesis defense

before the thesis can be submitted to the Graduate School; it also can take several days to obtain

Graduate School approval. In other words, it is essentially impossible to meet graduation deadlines

if the thesis is not being written at the start of the graduation semester or if the defense is held later

than about three weeks before the end of the term.

3.1.4 MSEE Plan A Examinations

Students in the MSEE program only have one major examination, the comprehensive examination

and thesis defense (two names, one event). This is a culminating test of the student’s learning and

accomplishments. The written portion of this examination is the thesis itself, which must be

approved in format and content (including proper grammar and writing style) by the committee.

Because it is common for the committee to require thesis editing and modification following the

defense, the student must schedule their thesis defense early enough in the graduation term to have

sufficient time to make these changes and gain the approval of their committee before the Graduate

School thesis submission deadline. As an approximate guideline, obtaining final committee and

department approval of a successfully defended thesis often takes at least one week. The thesis

should not be given to the committee members before the advisor has read, edited, and approved

it for distribution. The advisor must grant approval for the student to schedule his or her thesis

defense and may do so in consultation with the student’s supervisory committee.

The oral comprehensive examination includes a public oral presentation by the student of their

thesis project, followed by a closed-door period during which the committee members ask

questions related to the thesis project and the student’s academic background (including courses

taken by the student and material expected to be known by a professional at this level in the field).

The oral examination and thesis defense are supervised by the advisor. For the student to pass this

examination, a majority of the committee must vote to pass. If a majority votes to fail, the student

fails the examination. The examination can be repeated once, no sooner than two months after the

failed attempt. A second failure results in suspension from the graduate program. If a thesis

requires other than minor revisions that can be completed within the one-week deadline for

reporting the outcome of the comprehensive examination and thesis defense, the student should be

failed. If the oral comprehensive examination is deemed acceptable, the supervisory committee

may choose to forego a second thesis defense presentation or oral examination and simply meet

with the student to review the revised thesis.

3.1.5 Thesis Guidelines

The M.S. thesis is a report of research performed by the student with guidance from their

supervisory committee. The thesis topic is approved early in the student’s degree program by the

committee, and typically arises as part of the advisor’s externally funded research program. The

project must involve a significant effort by the student and must generate results that are of

sufficient quality and significance to be reported in at least one national or international conference

presentation or paper.

All theses at MSU are submitted in electronic form, so the student can use color figures and even

multimedia as appropriate. For details on format and submission requirements, the student is

referred to the Graduate School (specific format requirements are available online at

http://www.montana.edu/etd/ but each student chooses a reference style following the standards

of a journal in their field). Each student must also submit an electronic copy of their thesis to the

ECE department before graduating.

3.2 M.S. in Electrical Engineering with Professional Paper (Plan B)

A plan-B Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (plan-B MSEE) is a practice-oriented degree

intended to provide the student advanced education that goes deeper and broader than the

undergraduate degree and to provide experience working on a professional engineering project.

All plan-B MSEE students must write a professional paper that is approved by their advisor and

pass an oral comprehensive examination with their supervisory committee.

3.2.1 Supervisory Committee

Each plan-B M.S. student must find an appropriate project and advisor and, by the end of their

second semester in the graduate program, choose their supervisory committee members (in

consultation with their advisor who serves as the committee chair) and file a Program of Study

form approved by all committee members. The M.S. supervisory committee has overall

responsibility for guiding the student toward degree completion and for examining the student

prior to graduation. The advisor reads and approves the professional paper, and each committee

member attends the comprehensive oral examination and votes to pass or fail the student in their

M.S. program.