Updated 8/2/2024
Table of Contents
Contents
1. WELCOME TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING (ECE)
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON 2
1.1. Message from the Department Chair 2
1.2. INTENTION / ROLE OF THE HANDBOOK 3
2. ECE DEPARTMENT INFORMATION 3
2.1. Introducon 3
2.2. Vision 3
2.3. Mission 3
2.4. Core Values 3
2.5. Strategic Priories 4
2.6. Stascs 4
2.7. Key Individuals and Roles 4
2.7.1. Department Administraon 4
2.7.2. Payroll and Financial Services 5
2.7.3. Graduate Student Services 5
2.8. Department Informaon, Services, and Resources 6
3. STUDENT SERVICES AND ADVISING 7
3.1. Graduate Student Services 7
3.1.1. Mission 7
3.1.2. Vision 7
3.1.3. Objecves 7
3.1.4. Staff 7
3.2. ECE Academic Advisor 8
3.3. Research Advisor 9
3.4. Choosing an Advisor 9
3.4.1. Sample Quesons to Ask of Prospecve Advisors 9
3.5. Changing Your Advisor 10
4. ADMISSIONS AND INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS 10
4.1. Graduate Studies in ECE at UW-Madison 10
4.2. Admission Requirements and Procedures 10
4.3. Re-entry Students 10
4.4. Special Students from UW-Madison 11
5. GETTING STARTED INFORMATION FOR NEW STUDENTS 11
5.1. Before Arriving on Campus 11
5.2. Upon Arrival to Campus 13
5.3. Further Suggesons 14
6. MENTOR-MENTEE EXPECTATIONS 14
6.1. Introducon 14
6.2. Expectaons of Research Advisors in the ECE Department (Mentors) 14
6.3. Expectaons of Graduate Students in the ECE Department (Mentees) 16
7. MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING, MACHINE LEARNING AND SIGNAL PROCESSING OPTION
18
7.1. Introducon to the Machine Learning and Signal Processing Opon 18
7.2. Expectaons and Policies 18
7.3. Degree Credit Requirement 19
7.4. Credit Loads 19
7.5. Curriculum 20
7.6. ECE 610 Requirement 21
7.7. Cooperave Educaon (Co-op) and Internships 21
7.7.1. Cooperave Educaon 21
7.7.2. Internships 22
7.8. ECE Course Requirement 22
7.9. Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement 22
7.10. Prior Coursework 22
7.11. Grades and GPA 23
7.11.1. ECE Courses 23
7.11.2. Non-ECE Courses 23
7.11.3. Independent Study Credits 23
7.11.4. Incomplete Grades 23
7.12. Graduaon Procedures and Checklist 24
7.13. Transfers to Other ECE MS Degree Programs 24
8. MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING: POWER ENGINEERING ONLINE OPTION 25
8.1. Introducon to the Power Engineering Online Opon 25
8.2. Expectaons and Policies 25
8.3. Degree Credit Requirement 25
8.4. Credit Loads 26
8.5. Curriculum 26
8.6. ECE Course Requirement 27
8.7. Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement 27
8.8. Prior Coursework 27
8.9. Grades and GPA 28
8.10. Graduaon Procedures and Checklist 29
8.11. Transfers to Other ECE MS Degree Programs 30
9. MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING, PROFESSIONAL OPTION 30
9.1. Introducon to the Professional Opon 30
9.2. Expectaons and Policies 30
9.3. Degree Credit Requirement 30
9.4. Credit Loads 31
9.5. Curriculum 31
9.6. ECE 610 Requirement 36
9.7. Cooperave Educaon (Co-op) and Internships 36
9.7.1. Cooperave Educaon 36
9.7.2. Internships 36
9.8. ECE Course Requirement 36
9.9. Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement 37
9.10. Prior Coursework 37
9.11. Grades and GPA 38
9.12. Graduaon Procedures and Checklist 38
9.13. Transfers to Other ECE MS Degree Programs 39
10. MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING, RESEARCH OPTION 39
10.1. Introducon to the Research Opon 39
10.2. Degree Credit Requirement 40
10.3. Degree Opons 40
10.3.1. Thesis Opon 40
10.3.2. Project Opon 41
10.4. Credit Loads 41
10.5. ECE 610 Requirement 41
10.6. Research Courses and Independent Studies 41
10.7. Cooperave Educaon (Co-op) and Internships 42
10.7.1. Cooperave Educaon 43
10.7.2. Internships 43
10.8. Prior Coursework 43
10.9. Grades and GPA 44
10.10. Department Funding 45
10.11. Graduaon Procedure and Checklist 45
10.12. Adding a Major Outside of ECE 46
10.13. Transfers to Other ECE MS Degree Programs 46
10.14. Connuing to ECE PhD. 46
11. DOCTORAL DEGREE 46
11.1. Introducon 46
11.2. Credit Requirement 46
11.3. Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement 47
11.4. Credit Loads 47
11.5. ECE 610 and ECE 611 Requirement 47
11.6. Primary ECE Coursework Requirements 48
11.7. Doctoral Minor 48
11.7.1. Opon A: Single Department 48
11.7.2. Opon B: Distributed 48
11.7.3. Opon C: Compleon of a Graduate/Professional Cerficate 49
11.7.4. Doctoral Minor Opon A for Non-ECE Students 49
11.8. Research Courses and Independent Studies 49
11.8.1. Research Courses: 49
11.9. Cooperave Educaon (Co-op) and Internships 50
11.9.1. Cooperave Educaon 50
11.9.2. Internships 51
11.10. Prior Coursework 51
11.11. Grades and GPA 52
11.11.1. ECE Courses 52
11.11.2. Non-ECE Courses 52
11.11.3. Research Courses and Independent Study Courses 52
11.11.4. Incomplete Grades 52
11.12. Department Funding 53
11.13. Research Readiness Assessment 53
11.14. Advanced Graduate Standing 55
11.15. Preliminary Examinaon 55
11.16. Dissertator Status 56
11.17. Final Oral Examinaon 57
11.18. Progress Report 58
11.19. Graduaon Procedures and Checklist 58
11.20. Adding a Major Outside of ECE 59
11.21. Earning an ECE Master’s Degree Along the Way 59
12. FUNDING AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION 59
13. INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 60
13.1. Internaonal Student Services (ISS) 60
13.2. Student Visas 60
13.3. Informaon for New Internaonal Students 60
13.4. Funding for Internaonal Students 60
13.5. ESLAT and ESL Requirements 60
13.6. SPEAK Test 61
13.7. Change of Educaon Level and Other ISS Forms 62
14. COURSE ENROLLMENT 62
15. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER PLANNING 62
15.1. Skill Idenficaon, Development, and Planning 62
15.2. Individual Development Plan 62
15.3. Development of Faculty and Future Faculty 63
15.4. Non-Academic Careers 63
15.5. Job Searches 63
16. OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT INVOLVEMENT 63
17. STUDENT HEALTH AND WELLNESS 63
17.1. Health and Wellness at UW-Madison 63
17.2. University Health Services (UHS) 64
17.3. Securing Health Insurance Coverage 64
17.4. Disability Informaon 64
17.5. Mental Health Resources On and Off Campus 64
18. ACADEMIC EXCEPTIONS, EXTENSIONS, AND APPEALS 65
18.1. Progress Requirements 65
18.2. Appeal of Previous Decisions 65
19. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS – ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS 66
19.1. Grades and GPA 66
19.2. Research Progress 66
19.3. Academic Progress 66
20. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS – CONDUCT EXPECTATIONS 67
20.1. Professional Conduct 68
20.2. Academic Misconduct 69
20.3. Non-Academic Misconduct 69
20.4. Research Misconduct 70
21. DISCIPLINARY ACTION AND DISMISSAL 71
21.1. Probaon 71
21.2. Discipline and Dismissal 72
22. IMPORTANT POLICIES 73
22.1. Sexual Harassment and Assault 73
22.2. Hosle and Inmidang Behavior 73
22.3. Parental Leave for Graduate Student Assistants 74
23. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES AND REPORTING MISCONDUCT AND CRIME 75
23.1. Grievance Procedures 75
23.2. Change of Advisor 75
23.3. Formal Wrien Complaint Process 76
23.4. Reporng Misconduct and Crime 76
23.4.1. Research Misconduct Reporng 76
23.4.2. Academic Misconduct Reporng 76
23.4.3. Sexual Assault Reporng 77
23.4.4. Child Abuse Reporng 77
23.4.5. Reporng and Response to Incidents of Bias/Hate 77
1. WELCOME TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING (ECE)
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
1.1. Message from the Department Chair
Welcome! We are delighted that you are joining our ECE
community as a graduate student, and we look forward to
working closely with you throughout your MS and/or PhD
degree program.
This handbook is intended to supplement the general
guidelines provided by the Graduate School about graduate
programs and services at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison. Here, you will find department-specific details about academic
requirements that need to be sasfied as well as a variety of related informaon that you may
find helpful as you pursue your MS and/or PhD graduate degree in ECE. This handbook should
also answer most of your day-to-day quesons concerning roune operaons in the ECE
Department.
The requirements listed in this version of the handbook are applicable to all ECE graduate
students. Graduate students who entered prior to Fall 2022 may peon the ECE Graduate
Commiee to have specific department requirements applied to their record should the
current requirements differ from those listed in previous versions of this handbook.
Our goal is to make degree requirements flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of
academic and research objecves. If you find that your individual situaon is not adequately
addressed in this handbook, or if for any reason you feel your case warrants consideraon of
an excepon to a parcular policy, the ECE graduate program staff at the Student Services
Center (see Secon 3 Student Services and Advising) can provide you with more details and
point you to the appropriate faculty or staff in ECE who can help with your situaon.
We hope you find your UW-Madison studies to be intellectually smulang and rewarding.
On, Wisconsin!
Sincerely,
Susan C. Hagness
Department Chair and
Philip Dunham Reed Professor
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1.2. INTENTION / ROLE OF THE HANDBOOK
This handbook is intended for graduate students who are pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees in Electrical and
Computer Engineering (ECE). It may also serve as a tool and resource for ECE Department faculty and staff. The
UW-Madison Graduate School is the ulmate authority for granng graduate degrees at the University. The ECE
Department administers these graduate programs under the authority of the Graduate School. The Graduate
School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essenal informaon regarding general University
requirements. The ECE Program faculty can set addional degree requirements beyond the minimum required by
the Graduate School. The policies described in this handbook have been approved by the program faculty and
encompass ECE policies and the most commonly applicable Graduate School policies. Degrees and course
requirements may change over me. Students must either meet the degree and course requirements in effect
when they entered the program or those in effect when graduang from the program. In addion, administrave
procedures and processes can change over me. Students are required to follow the procedures and
requirements listed in the current handbook, but may peon the ECE Graduate Commiee to have specific
department requirements applied to their record should the current requirements differ from those listed in
previous versions of this handbook. The informaon in this handbook should be supplemented by individual
consultaon with students’ advisors so that individual needs/interests and all degree requirements are met.
Addional informaon is available via the ECE Department’s external web page and internal Intranet site .
Students can find more informaon on the Graduate School GUIDE or Graduate School web page .
2. ECE DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
2.1. Introducon
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the UW-Madison has a long tradion of excellence in
educang, mentoring, and inspiring future leaders; conducng research that is of vital importance to society; and
serving Wisconsin, our naon, and the world through professional pursuits. Secons 2.2-2.5 describe the vision,
mission, core values, and strategic priories of the department.
2.2. Vision
To improve the world through bold research, educaonal excellence, effecve technology transfer, and impacul
service.
2.3. Mission
We foster a diverse and inclusive community that advances the froners of engineering, disseminates discoveries
and invenons, and prepares students to make the world a beer place for all.
2.4. Core Values
Our core values serve as the fundamental driving forces for how we strive to carry out our mission. They represent
our highest commitments guiding our research, teaching and service.
● Integrity and commitment to quality and professionalism
● An environment supporve of all members of a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff
● Excellence in educaon and research
● Student learning success and leadership development
● Culture of collaboraon and teamwork
● Broad impact beyond the boundaries of the classroom and the laboratory
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2.5. Strategic Priories
The following strategic priories are forward-looking and acon oriented. The priories go beyond our regular
operaon iniaves and create a pathway for the department’s sustained effecveness and future success. Our
priories are to:
● Prepare students to meet the technological demands of our rapidly changing world
● Increase and embrace diversity in our department
● Culvate a thriving and inclusive community that is welcoming, supporve, and respecul
● Promote research excellence, impact, and growth in areas of vital importance to society
● Communicate the value of our contribuons and breakthroughs to enhance the visibility of our
department
2.6. Stascs
Fall 2023 Enrollment (new, connuing, and readmied students)
● MS = 240
● PhD = 190
2022-2023 (summer 2022, fall 2022, spring 2023) Degrees Awarded
● MS = 114
● PhD = 30
2.7. Key Individuals and Roles
2.7.1. Department Administraon
Susan Hagness
Department Chair
2420 Engineering Hall (EH) | 608-265-5739 | [email protected]
Azadeh Davoodi
Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies
3625 EH | 608-265-1145 | [email protected]
Hongrui Jiang
Associate Chair for Graduate Studies (on sabbacal from 8/19/24 - 12/31/24)
3440 EH | 608-265-9418 | hongrui@engr.wisc.edu
Dan Ludois
Interim Associate Chair for Graduate Studies from 8/19/24 - 12/31/24
2557B EH | 608-262-8211 | [email protected]
John Gubner
Associate Chair for Operaons
TA Coordinator
3421 EH | 608-263-1471 | [email protected]
Kassem Fawaz
Associate Chair for Research
3611 EH | 608-890-0529 | kfaw[email protected]
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Katrina Olson
Department Administrator
2422 EH | 608-263-3468 | [email protected]
Delight Hensler
Assistant Department Administrator
2438 EH | 608-263-4279 | [email protected]
Ma Rodock
Academic Program Specialist
2533 EH | 608- 890-0805 | ma[email protected]
Annie Petras
Communicaons Specialist
2415 EH | 608-262-3840 | APetr[email protected]
Allyson Crowley
Communicaons Specialist
2436 EH | 608-262-1073 | allyson.crowle[email protected]
David Hanke
Computer Support
2359 EH | 608-262-0974 | support@ece.wisc.edu
Kelly Camp
WEMPEC Administrator
2559 EH | 608-262-3934 | kc[email protected]
Jessica Ellenbecker
Administrave Assistant
2559 EH | 608-262-3934 | jaellenbeck[email protected]
2.7.2. Payroll and Financial Services
Lisa Harrington
Payroll & Benefits Specialist
2442 EH | 608- 890-2512 | payroll@ece.wisc.edu
Galyua Yang
Payroll & Benefits Specialist
2442 EH | 608-263-6484 | payroll@ece.wisc.edu
Kathy Hall
Financial Specialist Senior
2414 EH | 608-265-5738 | kathy[email protected]
Mira Kwiecien
Financial Specialist
2557 EH | 608-262-6926 | [email protected]
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2.7.3. Graduate Student Services
For more informaon on Graduate Student Services, see Secon 3 STUDENT SERVICES AND
ADVISING.
Vacant
Graduate Student Services Coordinator
(MS Research and PhD)
Chrisna Ma
Graduate Student Services Coordinator
(MS Professional and MS MLSP Programs)
3180 ME | 608-890-2879 | chris[email protected]
Libby Miller
Graduate Advisor in Engineering Professional Development
(Online Power MS)
432 N. Lake St. | studentservices@interpro.wisc.edu
2.8. Department Informaon, Services, and Resources
Informaon about other specific department services and resources is provided below in alphabezed categories.
Address Changes
It is extremely important to keep your contact informaon up to date. Address changes should be made in your
MyUW account. Internaonal students must check with the Internaonal Student Services for any addional
address (or change of address) reporng requirements that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security may
require.
Building Access and Keys
Building keys for offices are issued to graduate students who have been assigned desk or lab space. All keys must
be returned or renewed each semester. Students requesng keys should see staff in 2415 Engineering Hall (EH)
aer their advisor has requested access on the student’s behalf. EH is open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday, and 7:00 a.m. to noon on Saturday. EH is closed on Sundays and football Saturdays.
Maintenance Requests
Report any maintenance problems in Engineering Hall to the Administrave Assistant. Please be sure to include
informaon about the problem and the room number. In case of an emergency, dial 911 .
Desk Space
Students should contact their faculty advisor for informaon on desk space.
ECE Copy Center
ECE operates copy machines in 2415 Engineering Hall. This facility and service is managed by the ECE
Administrave Assistant. The ECE Copy Center is used exclusively for department administraon, instrucon, and
research. These copy machines are not for personal use! Only students who have research assistantships or
teaching assistantships are given copier access upon request. Other students must use local photocopy shops or
copiers in the libraries.
ECE Directory
6
Students in ECE can be included in the online department website directory. Students can submit their
informaon to be added to those websites here: MS Students - PhD Students
Email
All ECE communicaon will be sent to students’ WiscMail accounts. Students are responsible for maintaining their
email account and responding to messages in a mely manner.
Parking and Transportaon Services
For parking informaon, visit the Transportaon Services website. Transportaon Services’ website has
informaon about commung, using the bus, biking, SAFEwalk, accessible opons, as well as an interacve
campus map.
Public Transportaon
Some campus bus routes are free (80, 81, 82, and 84). Addionally, all UW-Madison graduate students qualify for
a free Madison Metro Bus Pass .
3. STUDENT SERVICES AND ADVISING
3.1. Graduate Student Services
3.1.1. Mission
The Graduate Student Services Center within the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
provides support to both graduate students and graduate faculty. Student Services staff support graduate students
in the College of Engineering regarding policies and procedures related to admissions through graduaon.
3.1.2. Vision
The vision of the Graduate Student Services Center within the College of Engineering at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison is to: (1) be, and be recognized as, an effecve and efficient student services center for both
the students and the academic programs that we serve; (2) provide quality academic advising in partnership with
the student’s faculty advisor; and (3) connually ask ourselves “is this good for our students?”
3.1.3. Objecves
The Graduate Student Services Center within the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
will strive to aain its vision by:
● creang a welcoming, inclusive, and supporve learning environment for students
● providing services of the highest quality that help students to develop and enrich their academic abilies,
personal aspiraons, and professional goals
● facilitang students’ entry into and success within graduate programs
● connually improving the recruitment and retenon of engineering students by enhancing the COE’s
interacon with: (1) UW-Madison students, programs, and student service organizaons and (2)
prospecve students
● supporng and collaborang with the student organizaons that serve students
● recruing, supporng, and retaining the best graduate students, especially women and
underrepresented groups
● collaborang with faculty and the appropriate advising and curriculum commiees within each program
to help students achieve their academic goals; providing student feedback to the faculty and appropriate
commiees within each program; and streamlining administrave processes amongst COE departments.
3.1.4. Staff
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Graduate Student Services Center Main Office
3182 Mechanical Engineering
Vacant
Graduate Student Services Coordinator
(MS Research and PhD)
Chrisna Ma
Graduate Student Services Coordinator
(MS Professional and MS MLSP Programs)
3180 ME | 608-890-2879 | chris[email protected]
Libby Miller
Graduate Advisor in Engineering Professional Development
(Online Power MS)
432 N. Lake St. | studentservices@interpro.wisc.edu
ECE Graduate Admissions (On-Campus Programs)
ecegradadmission@engr.wisc.edu
3.2. ECE Academic Advisor
A student’s ECE academic advisor serves a dual role: first, to assist the student in acquiring the highest level
possible of knowledge and competence in their field; and second, to chair the commiee that will determine
whether the student has performed acceptably at each of their degree milestones. Academic advisors play a role
in tracking the student’s progress toward degree compleon, assisng with course selecon and academic
planning, and helping students idenfy possible research mentors, commiee members, and opportunies. Oen
the ECE academic advisor and research advisor are the same person, but this is not required. In contrast, Graduate
Coordinators help students navigate policies and procedures, connect with resources on campus, and serve as a
first point of contact for quesons.
The advisor/student relaonship is one of mutual agreement, which may be terminated by either party at any
me (see Secon 3.5 Changing Your Advisor). Students should discuss roles and expectaons with their advisor or
prospecve advisors. Both the student and the advisor have a responsibility to make their expectaons clear to
each other. Communicaon is crical to a successful advisor/student relaonship. Please see Secon 6 for a
detailed descripon of the nature of the Mentor/Mentee relaonship.
All ECE graduate students must have an ECE academic advisor at all mes! If a student does not have an advisor,
the Graduate School may suspend them from further graduate study at UW–Madison. Students may have
temporary advisors while in transion.
All ECE students must have an academic advisor who is a current ECE faculty member or current ECE affiliate. If a
student’s sole advisor resigns their ECE appointment, leaves UW-Madison, reres, or becomes emeritus, that
faculty member can serve as the student’s sole academic advisor for up to one year aer leaving the ECE
Department or University. Aer one year, the faculty member can connue to serve as a research advisor, but the
student must also obtain a current ECE faculty member as their academic advisor.
Students are also allowed to have more than one advisor. Advisor roles can be equal or set up as primary and
secondary. A student may have more than one current ECE advisor, but at least one is required. As long as a
student has one current ECE faculty member as an academic advisor, any addional advisor(s) can be from outside
of the ECE Department, faculty from a department without a graduate program, academic staff, emeritus faculty,
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vising faculty, faculty from another instuon, sciensts, research associates, or other individuals deemed
qualified by the ECE Graduate Commiee.
The academic advisor is expected to m eet with the student periodically, advise the student on ECE policies and
requirements including milestone ming, and remain familiar with the student’s research. The academic advisor is
responsible for annual reporng on the student’s progress, such as GOAALS, and serves as chair of the preliminary
and final oral examinaon commiees. In recognion of this relaonship, the student is expected to enroll in at
least one credit of ECE 790/890/990 with the academic advisor each semester.
Incoming students in the Machine Learning and Signal Processing, Professional, or Power Engineering Online MS
programs will be assigned a faculty advisor in their area aer admiance and before course enrollment. Students
in a research-based degree program will be admied with a prospecve research and academic advisor, but must
confirm their permanent research advisor by the end of the first year of graduate study.
3.3. Research Advisor
Research advisors are specifically responsible for monitoring and advising students on their research. Research
credits are taken in the research advisor’s course secon number.
A student’s research advisor is oen the same person as their academic advisor, but this is not required. Research
advisors can be faculty members that are not affiliated with ECE or can be emeritus faculty members.
If a student’s research advisor is different from their academic advisor, their academic advisor must agree with the
choice of research advisor. Research credits are taken in the appropriate course in the research advisor’s
department. Addionally, if a student’s research advisor is different from their academic advisor, the student must
also take at least one credit of ECE 790, 890, or 990 with their academic advisor. The research advisor counts as a
non-ECE member of the preliminary and final examinaon commiees and may be listed as a co-advisor on
warrants. The research advisor is expected to follow the principles of the ECE Mentor/Mentee Expectaons
described in Secon 6.
The research advisor should be a faculty member whose experse and project/research interests match closely
with those that the student intends to acquire. Students are encouraged to gather informaon from courses,
faculty and student seminars, the program website, and publicaons to help idenfy faculty with matching
interests.
It is the responsibility of the student to seek out a research advisor if pursuing a research-based degree program.
3.4. Choosing an Advisor
When choosing a research advisor, students should seek out faculty members with experse and research in the
student’s area of interest. Likewise, to receive the most appropriate academic planning advice, students should
connect with a faculty member who is experienced and knowledgeable about industry and research related to the
student’s area of interest. Please see Secon 3.2 ECE Academic Advisor, Secon 3.3 Research Advisor, and Secon
3.5 Changing Your Advisor.
3.4.1. Sample Quesons to Ask Prospecve Advisors
Below is a list of quesons that students can ask prospecve advisors when choosing an appropriate advisor.
Students should spend me thinking about what is most important to them in their graduate training, and come
up with their own quesons to ask as well. Many of these quesons are complex and may take me for advisors
to respond to. However, any advisor should be willing to discuss these important issues with students. Students
may also want to discuss these issues with any students that are currently in the prospecve advisor's group/lab.
● What thesis projects would be available to me if I were to join your group?
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● Would these projects expose me to a variety of different approaches?
● In general, how available will you be to answer quesons I might have?
● What is your philosophy regarding the amount of guidance the advisor should provide to a student
during preparaon of the thesis proposal, literature, presentaons, thesis, etc.?
● What are your expectaons for the amount of me I should spend each day/week in your group/lab?
● What regularly scheduled acvies (e.g., group meengs, joint group meengs, and research clubs) does
your group parcipate in that provide an opportunity to get outside input on my (research) project and
to hear about the work of other students and postdocs?
● Do you encourage your students to aend seminars and journal clubs, including those that may be
outside of their narrow field of interest/research?
● Do students in your group/lab have the opportunity to aend professional meengs where they can
interact with colleagues/researchers from other instuons?
● Do you include your graduate students in professional acvies that will familiarize them with their field
of interest/research, such as reviewing manuscripts and meeng with vising speakers?
● How long do you think it should take me to get my degree?
● What are your former graduate students (if any) doing now?
● What is your general philosophy of graduate training and what goals do you have for your graduate
students?
3.5. Changing Your Advisor
Before selecng or changing advisors, students are recommended to discuss the change with both their new and
current faculty advisor. If the student is uncomfortable discussing a change with their current advisor, they should
discuss the change with the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies or the College of Engineering Assistant Dean for
Graduate affairs. Aer discussing the situaon, students need to nofy their ECE Graduate Coordinator by email
about the change. The student’s new advisor needs to email a confirmaon of the change to their ECE Graduate
Coordinator. Once their ECE Graduate Coordinator receives the necessary email confirmaons, the change will be
made official in the system.
4. ADMISSIONS AND INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
4.1. Graduate Studies in ECE at UW-Madison
ECE Department graduate programs are designed to cater to changing industry needs and research developments.
ECE students can fast-track their professional knowledge and skills, parcipate in cung-edge research, and
collaborate with exceponal students and faculty who are leaders in their field.
The ECE Department offers four different MS degrees and the PhD degree.
4.2. Admission Requirements and Procedures
ECE MS Degree .
ECE PhD Degree .
If you have any admissions quesons, please contact the ECE Graduate Admissions team
at ecegradadmission@engr.wisc.edu .
4.3. Re-entry Students
Per Graduate School policy, if graduate students do not connuously enroll during a fall or spring semester, they
are required to apply for readmission to the Graduate School through the online applicaon . The readmission
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process accomplishes two goals: (1) assures the Graduate School that graduate students are in good standing with
their academic program; and (2) reacvates their enrollment eligibility.
Graduate degrees are awarded, in part, for compleon of current coursework. Students who break enrollment
from their graduate program may risk losing all credits earned prior to their absence. Master’s and doctoral
students who have been absent for ten or more consecuve years, lose all credits that they have earned before
their absence. Per the Graduate School , credits earned ten or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree
or doctoral degree are not allowed to sasfy requirements.
A returning student who is compleng another same level degree within five years must comply with double
degree requirements , including the 25% overlap rule.
Students wishing to apply for re-entry are encouraged to first reach out to ECE Graduate Admissions
( ecegradadmission@engr.wisc.edu ). Re-entry students must apply via the Graduate School online applicaon.
Beyond the Graduate School’s applicaon requirements, ECE addionally requires applicants to upload a
CV/Resume, Statement of Purpose, and unofficial transcripts of all previous higher educaon instuons, with
excepon of UW-Madison. If an applicant has been absent for four semesters (fall and spring) or more up to the
desired start term, then three Leers of Recommendaon are also required. If an applicant is unable to upload
the addional documents in the online applicaon, they should email the documents directly to ECE Graduate
Admissions. Recommenders must email leers directly to ECE Graduate Admissions.
Re-entry applicants are able to apply for a fall start term. Re-entry applicaons for fall term are due by June 1.
However, re-entry applicants are encouraged to apply earlier than the deadline. Re-entry applicants applying for
spring or summer must contact ECE Graduate Admissions before applying.
Re-entry applicants should contact ECE Graduate Admissions with any quesons.
4.4. Special Students from UW-Madison
Students enrolled as University Special students are considered non-degree candidates and pay tuion and fees at
the designated special student rate. Students may not be simultaneously enrolled as a graduate student and as a
University Special student.
Aer admission to a graduate program, the student’s program may decide to accept University Special student
credits as fulfillment of the graduate degree, or minor credit requirements. Students can refer to the Prior
Coursework secon for the specific ECE graduate program details. Special Students of UW-Madison wishing to
apply to a graduate program in ECE must apply online as a new student through the Graduate School applicaon
system . Special students should contact ECE Graduate Admissions with any quesons.
5. GETTING STARTED INFORMATION FOR NEW STUDENTS
Newly admied students, who have received official acceptance leers from the Graduate School, should follow
the checklists below in preparaon for arriving and transioning to campus.
5.1. Before Arriving on Campus
○ Acvate your NetID .
○ Read the current ECE Graduate Student Handbook.
○ Communicate with your faculty advisor to discuss your degree requirements, course selecon, and
funding opportunies (if applicable/desired).
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○ Receive an “Invitaon to Enroll” email message from the Office of the Registrar containing important
informaon about your enrollment appointment me for the upcoming semester. Your enrollment
appointment me should also be listed in your Student Center (accessed through your MyUW).
○ Enroll in courses aer consulng with your faculty advisor. See Secon 14 Course Enrollment.
○ Acvate your WiscMail Email Account . You must be enrolled to do this step. Get used to your WiscMail
account and get in the habit of checking it daily. All UW-Madison communicaon will be via your
WiscMail account.
○ Check your MyUW Applicaon Portal for any messages from the Graduate School.
○ If your official transcripts submied during the applicaon process did not include your final semester
grades and/or degree verificaon, you will need to submit final official transcripts, and potenally show
your degree cerficate, to the Graduate School by the third week of classes. Transcripts and degree
verificaon documents can be mailed to the Graduate School (UW-Madison Graduate Admissions, 232
Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706), emailed securely ( transcripts@grad.wisc.edu - if
your previous instuon allows for such process), or brought in person.
○ Get familiar with your MyUW and organize your widgets.
○ Get familiar with your Student Center (accessed through your MyUW).
○ If you have a need related to a disability, contact the McBurney Disability Resource Center . For
addional informaon see Secon 17.4 Disability Informaon.
○ Research and plan necessary vaccinaons and health insurance coverage (See Secon 17 Student Health
and Wellness):
● University Health Services recommends some immunizaons and describes the
process of geng them before and aer arriving on campus.
● Flu shots will be available for students throughout the fall semester. Check the UHS
website for more informaon.
● Health insurance informaon and SHIP informaon for domesc students.
● Under federal law, all internaonal students with F-1 and J-1 visas are required to have
health insurance.
○ When an internaonal student arrives on campus, they are issued a SHIP
(Student Health Insurance Plan) to ensure they have health insurance
coverage. SHIP members must use University Health Services (UHS) for all
available primary, urgent, and prevenve care. Most UHS services are fully
covered for SHIP members with no out-of-pocket expense. Visit
hps://www.uhs.wisc.edu/ for more informaon. The main UHS clinic is
located at 333 East Campus Mall, 608-265-5600.
● When an internaonal or domesc student receives funding and accepts
appointment(s) totaling a minimum of 33% FTE, we offer State Group Health
Insurance. The student has 30 days aer the start date of the appointment to enroll
and select coverage online through their MyUW portal for health insurance and other
benefits.
● When an internaonal student enrolls in State Group Health Insurance, they must
complete and send a Waiver to SHIP before the deadline set by SHIP. The purpose of
the waiver is to provide SHIP with proof of other insurance. Upon receipt of the waiver
and proof of other insurance, SHIP will terminate the SHIP health insurance plan.
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● SHIP is an opon for students without appointments; however, State Group Health
Insurance is a less expensive opon for students with appointments totaling a
minimum of 33% FTE.
● Contact our Payroll and Benefits Specialists with quesons at
payroll@ece.wisc.edu .
○ Health and safety informaon for internaonal students provided by ISS.
○ Pay your tuion and fees (specific due dates may be aer arriving on campus, but students should
familiarize themselves with the details sooner rather than later).
● Pay your segregated fees even if you have an appointment and are receiving tuion
remission.
● Tuion Informaon
● Frequently Asked Quesons about Tuion
● Tuion Rates (choose "Graduate or most Capstone Cerficates" from drop-down
menu)
● Tuion Payment Methods
● Student Loans for Tuion Purposes
5.2. Upon Arrival to Campus
○ Internaonal students must check in with ISS within 1-2 days of arrival
○ Get your UW-Madison Photo ID (WisCard) . You must be enrolled to receive your WisCard. You must
bring photo idenficaon, such as a valid driver’s license or passport. It can take up to a week aer
enrolling to have access to campus resources.
○ Pick up your free Madison Metro Bus Pass . You must be enrolled and already have your WisCard to
receive your bus pass.
○ Verify/update your mailing address, email address, and other contact informaon in your Student Center
(accessible through your MyUW).
○ Submit final transcripts and degree verificaon to the Graduate School, if necessary. Check your MyUW
Applicaon Portal messages for more informaon.
○ Aend all necessary orientaons
● Informaon and details about orientaons will be emailed to students.
● All students are recommended to aend the Graduate School’s New Student
Welcome Event.
● All ECE students are required to aend the ECE Graduate Student Orientaon.
● Internaonal students are required to aend an Internaonal Student Orientaon.
● Students with Teaching Assistantships must aend COE’s New Educator’s Orientaon
(NEO).
○ All internaonal students who are non-nave speakers of English must take the ESLAT before the start of
the semester, unless they qualify for an exempon. See Secon 13.5 ESLAT and ESL Requirements.
○ When a student receives funding for an appointment, the Payroll and Benefits Specialists will send the
student an offer leer to accept or decline and return to payroll@ece.wisc.edu .
● Upon receipt of the accepted offer leer, the Payroll and Benefits Specialists will
enter the appointment into the payroll system.
● The student will receive a welcome email with instrucons for I-9 compleon,
Criminal Background Check, W-4, Direct Deposit, Personal Informaon updates,
Glacier for internaonal students, and payroll calendars.
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○ Students are encouraged to check in with their ECE Graduate Coordinator.
○ All students must check in with their academic advisor.
○ Acvate your Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) Account . Typically, you must have had your WisCard for
about a week in order to acvate your CAE account.
● Geng Started informaon is available.
● Contact the CAE Help Desk with any quesons or for addional help: 608-262-5349,
Room 170 Computer Aided Engineering, 1410 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI.
○ Complete the required Online Sexual Violence Prevenon Program . The deadline for compleon is
usually two weeks into the term. You will not be able to enroll in future terms unl this is completed.
5.3. Further Suggesons
We recommend students to explore the following resources.
○ Read the Graduate Student Life guide at the UW-Madison website wrien by several graduate students
and published by the Graduate School. It covers informaon about the city of Madison, student services,
finances, employment, housing, transportaon, shopping, local services, recreaon, and healthy living.
Highlights include:
● a Welcome Video from Dean Karpus;
● a meline on when new students can access certain campus services;
● advice for partners of graduate students ;
○ Get involved in the ECE Graduate Student Associaon .
○ Download the Wisconsin App (the logo is the crest of UW-Madison) on your phone for all sorts of
campus informaon, including a campus map, bus routes, directory, and athlecs updates.
○ Connect with ECE on Social Media: ECE Facebook - ECE Twier - ECE Instagram - LinkedIn
6. MENTOR-MENTEE EXPECTATIONS
6.1. Introducon
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is commied to fostering a diverse and inclusive
community that is welcoming, safe, and secure for all students, staff, and faculty. Like the enre University of
Wisconsin-Madison (UW) campus, the ECE Department is commied to providing equal opportunity and equal
access, and to complying with all applicable federal and state laws and regulaons and University of Wisconsin
System and university non-discriminaon policies and procedures.
To promote a posive relaonship between students and their research advisors, the ECE Department has
developed the Expectaons document below as a set of broad guidelines for the mentor-mentee relaonship.
This document should be used:
● To describe community standards for the mentor-mentee relaonship in the ECE Department
● As part of the orientaon for new graduate students and faculty
● As a starng point for discussions between students and research advisors about the issues addressed
herein
● As part of a regular and ongoing discussion between students and research advisors
Mentors and mentees should review and discuss this document when they begin working together. Individual
research groups may have addional or more specific guidelines/requirements. Such group-specific guidelines
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should be consistent with those arculated here and be reviewed by mentors and mentees similarly to this
document.
Secon 6.2 Expectaons of Research Advisors in the ECE Department (Mentors) and Secon 6.3 Expectaons of
Graduate Students in the ECE Department (Mentees) describe expectaons of mentors and mentees, respecvely.
6.2. Expectaons of Research Advisors in the ECE Department (Mentors)
Educaon and Degree Progress
Advisors are commied to priorize their students’ educaon. They:
● Support students’ success in their coursework
● Do not ask students to perform tasks or personal favors that are unrelated to their training program,
research, professional development, and/or appointment.
Advisors review their students’ progress towards their degree and provide regular, mely feedback and
goal-seng advice. They:
● Respect students’ privacy and abide by the Federal Educaonal Rights Privacy Act (FERPA) in reviewing
progress and providing feedback
● Enter annual evaluaons in the College of Engineering's Graduate Online Assessment and Achievement
Learning System (GOAALS) and review the evaluaon, individually, with each student
● Bring concerns about progress to students’ aenon in a mely manner.
Advisors are commied to students’ research projects. Advisors work with students to help plan and guide
research projects, set reasonable and aainable goals, and establish melines for compleon of projects.
Advisors encourage input from PhD Preliminary Examinaon Commiee and Final Defense Commiee members.
They:
● Advise students on selecng commiees that meet departmental and university policies
● Acknowledge that the funcon of these commiees is to help students develop and complete research
requirements
● Respect the ideas and suggesons of their colleagues on the commiees.
Advisors help guide students through the requirements and deadlines of the graduate program and the UW as
described in the ECE Graduate Student Handbook and UW Guide.
Advisors are commied to seeking and providing financial resources, as appropriate and according to ECE
Department and UW guidelines, for students to conduct their thesis/dissertaon research.
Professional Development
Advisors encourage students to aend and present their research at scienfic/professional meengs and make an
effort to secure and facilitate funding for such acvies. Advisors also provide opportunies for students to
discuss science and their research findings with colleagues and fellow sciensts within the instuon and broader
scienfic community.
Advisors promote training of students in professional skills needed for a successful career. They:
● Promote training in oral and wrien communicaon, grant wring, the peer review process,
management and leadership, collaborave research, responsible conduct of research, teaching, and
mentoring
● Encourage students to seek opportunies to develop skills in other areas relevant to their professional
development, even if not specifically required by the program
● Encourage students to seek career and professional development advice from mulple mentors.
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Advisors create an environment in which students can discuss and explore career opportunies and paths that
match their skills, values, and interests and are supporve of their career path choices. They:
● Are accessible to give advice and feedback on career goals
● Work with students on an individual development plan to help define career goals and idenfy training
milestones
● Provide leers of reference for students’ subsequent phases of professional development in a mely
manner or discuss with the students why such a leer would not be in the students’ best interest
● Connue interest and involvement as students move forward into careers.
Research Environment
Advisors promote an environment that is intellectually smulang, respecul, emoonally supporve, equitable,
healthy, collegial, and free of harassment throughout students’ me in the research advisors’ groups. They:
● Foster students’ professional confidence and encourage intellectual development, crical thinking,
curiosity, and creavity
● Set expectaons for sharing of responsibilies amongst group members, such as cleaning and ordering
supplies
● Provide access to appropriate safety training for students
● Provide guidelines for collaborave use of supplies, facilies, and equipment
● Review data management, storage, and record-keeping policies and procedures with students.
Advisors demonstrate respect for all students as individuals without regard to gender, race, naonal origin,
religion, disability or sexual orientaon, and culvate a culture of tolerance among the enre research group.
Advisors respect disability accommodaons approved by the McBurney Disability Resource Center.
Scienfic Integrity
Advisors discuss intellectual-property policy issues regarding disclosure, patent rights, and publishing research
discoveries with students.
Advisors discuss authorship policies regarding papers with students. Advisors acknowledge students’ scienfic
contribuons to the work in the research group and provide assistance to publish students’ work in a mely
manner.
Work-Life Balance
Advisors discuss any planned absences with students well in advance and apprise students of any unexpected
absences due to illness or other issues. They work with students to develop plans for minimizing disrupons due
to travel, sabbacals, or other absences.
Advisors respect and work to encourage healthy work-life balance. They:
● Support regular periods of downme, including weekends, holidays, and outside of dayme business
hours, for students to pursue non-academic acvies. During such downme periods students are not
expected to respond to email, cellular, or other forms of communicaon
● Normally hold group meengs during dayme business hours on weekdays, typically between 8 am and 6
pm
● Give students advance noce of paper submission or other deadlines that will occasionally necessitate
communicaon or interacon on weekends or evenings.
Advisors maintain group standards consistent with university policies on work hours, medical leave, and vacaon.
6.3. Expectaons of Graduate Students in the ECE Department (Mentees)
Educaon and Degree Progress
16
Students are commied to the successful compleon of their degree. They:
● Acknowledge they have the primary responsibility for their own educaon
● Are commied to graduate educaon and demonstrate this responsibility in the classroom, the research
environment, and all other related academic and professional acvies
● Exhibit a high level of professionalism, self-movaon, iniave, engagement, scienfic curiosity,
scienfic integrity, and ethical standards
● Understand that meeng program academic requirements will involve effort beyond the minimum
requirements associated with an appointment.
Students keep research advisors informed on the progress and results of course work, research, and professional
and career development acvies. They:
● Are responsive to the advice and construcve cricism from their advisor
● Discuss ming of external acvies requiring advisor input, such as fellowship applicaons or
paper/conference submissions, well in advance of corresponding deadlines.
Students work with research advisors to develop a thesis/dissertaon project. They:
● Establish a meline for each phase of their work
● Keep engaged with the work, discuss experimental findings and any pialls, while working to meet
established goals and deadlines.
PhD students work with research advisors to select a PhD Preliminary Examinaon Commiee and take PhD
Preliminary Examinaons within three semesters of receiving Advanced Graduate Standing. They discuss progress
and are responsive to the advice and construcve cricism from commiee members.
PhD students work with research advisors to complete and defend their PhD thesis in a mely manner according
to ECE Department expectaons.
Students are knowledgeable of the policies and requirements of their graduate program, graduate school, and
instuon as described in the ECE Graduate Student Handbook and UW Guide.
Professional Development
Students are commied to developing their careers. They:
● Acknowledge that they have the primary responsibility for the development of their careers
● Explore career opportunies and paths that match and develop their individual skills, values, and
interests to achieve desired career goals
● Understand that there are tools such as the individual development plan that help define career goals
and develop training plans
● Parcipate in training on research ethics
● Seek career planning guidance throughout their graduate educaon from their research advisor(s),
career counseling services, thesis/dissertaon commiee, and other mentors and resources.
Students aend and acvely parcipate in research group meengs, seminars, and journal clubs that are part of
their educaonal program. Students oen seek out other enrichment opportunies, such as teaching,
parcipaon in professional organizaons and meengs, membership on commiees, and departmental events to
further enhance research, leadership, and professional skills.
Research Environment
Students are good cizens, take part in shared responsibilies and use resources responsibly. Students:
● Maintain a safe and clean workspace
● Are respecul of and work collegially with all research group personnel and fellow students
● Contribute acvely to all team efforts and collaboraons while respecng the individual contribuons of
others
17
● Contribute to an environment that is safe, equitable, and free of harassment
● Bring problems that arise to advisors’ aenon in a mely manner.
Students maintain detailed, organized, and accurate research records.
Students acknowledge that ownership of original notebooks, digital files, data, and tangible research materials
may be subject to sponsored research agreements and/or UW policies. They:
● Understand these materials typically remain with the research group aer finishing their
thesis/dissertaon so that other individuals can reproduce and carry-on related research
● Maintain archival versions of code and data for use by other individuals
● Follow advisor and UW policy on making and accessing copies of research notebooks, digital files, and
other tangible research materials for their own use.
● Students are knowledgeable of and comply with all UW research policies, including safety pracces,
animal use, and human-research policies.
● Parcipate in the UW Responsible Conduct of Research Training Program and follow the guidelines
presented therein while conducng research
● Seek input on and comply with instuonal policies regarding research design and data analysis.
Scienfic Integrity
Students consult with advisors to learn what research results may be discussed or shared with any enes outside
the group prior to publicaon. They:
● Keep informaon about problems they or others in the group are working on confidenal
● Obtain prior permission before discussing results not in the public knowledge with anyone outside the
group.
● Students discuss policies on authorship and aendance at professional meengs with research advisors.
● Adhere to agreed-upon meframes for preparing dras of manuscripts and presentaons
● Work with advisors to disseminate relevant research results in a mely manner before compleon of
degree requirements.
Students understand that fabricaon, falsificaon, and plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research
will result in severe consequences under UW research misconduct policies.
Students comply with intellectual property, invenon disclosure, and export control policies.
Work-Life Balance
Students follow university policies on work hours, medical leave, and vacaon.
● Students discuss any planned absences with advisors well in advance and apprise advisors of any
unexpected absences due to illness or other issues. They work with fellow research group members and
advisors to develop a plan for minimizing disrupons due to any absences.
7. MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING, MACHINE LEARNING AND
SIGNAL PROCESSING OPTION
7.1. Introducon to the Machine Learning and Signal Processing Opon
The Machine Learning and Signal Processing MS degree program leads to a Master’s degree in Electrical and
Computer Engineering specializing in Machine Learning and Signal Processing (MLSP). It is an
accelerated/condensed, course-based program designed to prepare students to be successful in the workforce. It
is designed to be a terminal degree and not meant for students intending to connue to a PhD or further
research.
18
Aer compleng this program, students will receive a diploma stang “Master of Science-Electrical and Computer
Engineering.” Students’ transcripts will state “Master of Science-Electrical and Computer Engineering, Major:
Electrical and Computer Engineering, Opon: Machine Learning and Signal Processing.”
GUIDE informaon on the Machine Learning and Signal Processing MS degree plan .
7.2. Expectaons and Policies
Graduate students in the MLSP program are expected to understand and follow a specific set of policies:
● This is a 30 credit, accelerated (12-16 months) course-based, terminal MS degree opon.
● Students are expected to complete the degree requirements and graduate within 3 academic semesters.
● Students will be required to enroll in at least nine credits per semester of relevant MLSP courses chosen
from i) a list of courses inside the department, ii) or relevant courses outside the department with faculty
advisor approval as specified in the first two bullet points of Secon 7.5 Curriculum . In the final semester,
students only need to enroll in enough credits to graduate.
● Enrollment in the summer term is required.
● Students enrolled in the MLSP program may not change their degree goal to a different MS program or a
PhD without formally applying to and being accepted into the new program. See Secon 7.13 Transfers to
Other ECE MS Degree Programs.
● Students enrolling in the MLSP program cannot simultaneously enroll in another graduate program at
UW-Madison.
● Students in this program are not eligible for tuion remission that is typically part of the compensaon
package for graduate assistantship. Students are discouraged from pursuing posions as Project
Assistants, Teaching Assistants, or Research Assistants during their me in this program, as the rigor and
accelerated nature of this program may not accommodate those work me commitments.
● Students can be placed on probaon for failure to meet these expectaons or failure to adhere to these
policies.
● Note: see Secon 18 ACADEMIC EXCEPTIONS, EXTENSIONS, AND APPEALS.
7.3. Degree Credit Requirement
The accelerated MS degree in Machine Learning and Signal Processing requires a minimum of 30 credits subject to
the following constraints:
● A minimum of 21 credits of ECE courses level 400-level or above.
● A maximum of nine credits at the 300-level or above in other departments, provided these courses are
approved in wring (including email) by a faculty advisor. The nine-credit limit may be exceeded by a
poron of the credits associated with one course; however, the excess credits cannot be counted towards
any other requirement. For example, two 3-credit and one 4-credit courses may be taken (a total of 10
credits), but the extra credit cannot be used to sasfy any other requirement.
● One credit of ECE 610 required.
● A maximum of three credits of independent study (ECE 699 and ECE 999, and the comparable courses in
other departments) with wrien faculty advisor approval. ECE 699 (content generally corresponds to 500
or 600 level coursework) or 999 (content generally corresponds to 700 and higher-level coursework)
should provide students with opportunies to learn course materials that are not available as regularly
scheduled courses or new topic areas to facilitate research acvies.
● A maximum of three credits of ESL courses 300-level or above.
● A maximum of three credits of ECE 702 CPT/internship.
● A maximum of three credits of ECE 901 (special topics courses) with wrien faculty advisor approval.
● Students are expected to follow the curriculum listed in Secon 7.5 Curriculum.
● Some credits taken as an UW-Madison undergraduate may be eligible as described in Secon 7.10 Prior
Coursework.
19
● Some credits taken as an undergraduate or graduate student at a previous instuon may be eligible as
described in Secon 7.10 Prior Coursework.
The following categories of courses may not be used to sasfy the 30-credit requirement.
● Audited courses.
● Courses taken Pass-Fail.
● ECE 611.
● Research credits (ECE 790 or similar courses).
7.4. Credit Loads
The MLSP program has an accelerated curriculum and students are expected to complete the required 30 credits
within 16 months. During fall and spring semesters, the maximum credit load for a graduate student is 15 credits.
Exceeding this limit is not advisable and cannot be made without department approval. A sample credit load per
term is provided below:
Semester
Credits
Notes
First Fall Semester
10-13
Including 1 credit of ECE 610
Spring Semester
9-12
Summer
1-5
ECE 702 CPT/Internship or ECE 697
Second Fall semester
0-9
7.5. Curriculum
Students in the MLSP program are expected to adhere to the following curriculum:
● A minimum of 15 credits from the list of ECE MLSP courses below:
● ECE 431 (3 credits): Digital Signal Processing
● ECE 436 (3 credits): Communicaon Systems I
● ECE 437 (3 credits): Communicaon Systems II
● ECE 524 (3 credits): Introducon to Opmizaon
● ECE 532 (3 credits): Matrix Methods in Machine Learning
● ECE 533 (3 credits): Image Processing
● ECE 539 (3 credits): Introducon to Arficial Neural Networks
● ECE 561 (3 credits): Probability and Informaon Theory in Machine Learning
● ECE 570 (3 credits): Ethics of Data for Engineers
● ECE 601 (3 credits): Special Topics in ECE (as approved by faculty advisor)
● ECE 717 (3 credits): Linear Systems
● ECE 719 (3 credits): Opmal Systems
● ECE 729 (3 credits): Informaon Theory
● ECE 730 (3 credits): Probability and Random Processes
● ECE 734 (3 credits): VLSI Array Structures for Digital Signal Processing
● ECE 735 (3 credits): Signal Synthesis and Recovery Techniques
● ECE 736 (3 credits): Wireless Communicaons
● ECE 738 (3 credits): Advanced Digital Image Processing
● ECE 760 (3 credits): Machine Learning
● ECE 761 (3 credits): Mathemacal Foundaons of Machine Learning
● ECE 766 (3 credits): Computer Vision
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● ECE 778 (3 credits): Machine Learning in Ultrasound Imaging
● ECE 817 (3 credits): Nonlinear Systems
● ECE 826 (3 credits): Theorecal Foundaons of Large-Scale Machine Learning
● ECE 830 (3 credits): Esmaon and Decision Theory
● ECE 861 (3 credits): Theorecal Foundaons of Machine Learning
● ECE 888 (3 credits): Topics in Mathemacal Data Science
● ECE 901 (3 credits): Special Topics in ECE (as approved by faculty advisor)
● A maximum of 9 credits can be taken outside of the ECE department. These should be relevant MLSP
courses 300-level or above. Please obtain wrien (email) communicaon of approvals from your faculty
advisor. Examples of courses that may be applicable include:
● Relevant MLSP courses in Computer Science, Math, or Stascs courses
● Relevant courses in EPD (Engineering Professional Development)
● Required in fall semester – ECE 610 (1 credit). See Secon 7.6 ECE 610 Requirement for details.
● A minimum of one course (3 credits) sasfying the Machine Learning requirement from the following list:
ECE 532, ECE 539, ECE 561, CS 760, ECE 761 or ECE 861
● A minimum of one course (3 credits) sasfying the Signal Processing requirement from the following list:
ECE 431, ECE 533, ECE 734, ECE 735 or ECE 738
● Hands-on Project Requirement (choose one of the following, completed during the summer term):
● ECE 702 (1-2 credits): Graduate Cooperave Educaon Program (CPT/internship
credits). See Secon 7.7 Cooperave Educaon (Co-op) and Internships for details.
● ECE 697 (5 credits): Capstone Project in Machine Learning and Signal Processing
● Note the graduate coursework 50% requirement, as outlined in Secon 7.9 Graduate Coursework (50%)
Requirement, when choosing courses.
7.6. ECE 610 Requirement
All MLSP graduate students must enroll in ECE 610 (1 credit) during their first semester of graduate studies.
Students with a course conflict with ECE 610 should discuss with their faculty advisor about how to resolve the
problem.
The purpose of ECE 610 is to prepare students for success in graduate school and expose them to areas within ECE
as well as related fields outside of ECE, such as biotechnology, physics, computer science, mathemacs, or
business. Electrical and Computer Engineering is interdisciplinary in nature, and it is important for students to be
aware of advanced research and development in areas other than their own.
7.7. Cooperave Educaon (Co-op) and Internships
Through the Engineering Career Services Co-op and Summer Internship programs, students gain valuable “real
world” engineering experiences working with a variety of industries and governmental agencies.
All students in these programs have the opportunity to work full-me, be compevely paid, complete
engineering assignments, and work under the supervision of an engineer.
Students parcipang in a co-op or internship will enroll in ECE 702. ECE 702 can be used toward the MLSP
curriculum and graduaon requirements. See Secons 7.3 Degree Credit Requirement and Secon 7.5 Curriculum
for more informaon. Students that have completed two MLSP courses at UW-Madison prior to the start of the
program may be eligible to enroll in ECE 702 the summer before the start of the program with advisor approval.
Eligible domesc students parcipang in a co-op assignment may extend their MS MLSP program an addional
semester beyond 16 months with advisor approval.
21
Obtaining work experience prior to compleng your degree requirements typically increases employment
opportunies and starng salaries aer graduaon.
Any quesons regarding Cooperave Educaon and Internships should be directed to Engineering Career Services.
7.7.1. Cooperave Educaon
Co-op students work full-me in an engineering posion from January-August or May-December. The co-op
provides 26-28 weeks of full-me, paid engineering work experience. Alternang assignments are also an opon.
F-1 students are not eligible to parcipate in full-me internships during the fall and spring semesters.
Cooperave educaon is an academic opon as part of your engineering educaon. Students who parcipate in
co-op complete assignments and receive academic credit toward graduaon. For MLSP students, co-op is an
opon aer compleng the second semester of coursework. While on a co-op, students are considered full-me
students and are eligible to maintain family or UW health insurance.
The advantage of a co-op over an internship is the increased level of responsibility received due to the longer
duraon of the work term. Students in co-ops can work on larger and more complex projects that require more
me to complete.
Students parcipang in a co-op assignment may extend their MS MLSP program an addional semester beyond
16 months with advisor approval.
7.7.2. Internships
The Summer Internship is for students seeking engineering employment during the summer months. A summer
internship is possible aer compleng the second semester of coursework in the program. These 12-14 week,
full-me assignments provide students exposure to engineering while enabling the employer to fill short-term
project needs.
For Internaonal students, review the Curricular Praccal Training ( CPT) Process .
7.8. ECE Course Requirement
A least 21 of the 30 credits used to sasfy the degree requirement must be taken in the ECE Department. Please
keep in mind that only ECE courses 400-level and above can count toward this master’s degree.
7.9. Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement
The Graduate School minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement states that at least 50% of credits applied
toward the program’s graduate degree credit requirement (15 of 30 credits) must be courses designed for
graduate work as designated in Guide .
7.10. Prior Coursework
Students may count a maximum of seven (7) credits of prior coursework towards their degree requirements.
These seven credits may come from one or more of the following categories under the condions specified:
Graduate Work from Other Instuons: With program approval, students may count a maximum of seven credits
of graduate coursework from other instuons (post-baccalaureate) toward the minimum graduate degree credit
requirement and the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement. No credits from other instuons may
be counted toward the minimum graduate residence credit requirement. To request evaluaon of prior
coursework from a different instuon, please submit a Graduate Course Equivalency Request Form to the
Graduate Student Services Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
UW–Madison Undergraduate: With program approval, up to seven credits from UW–Madison numbered 400 or
above can be counted toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement, or ECE courses numbered 700 or
22
above can be counted toward the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement. Paral credits from a course
may be used to reach seven credits. No credits can be counted toward the minimum graduate residence credit
requirement. To request evaluaon of prior coursework, please contact the Graduate Student Services
Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
Undergraduate credits earned at other instuons: With program approval, up to seven credits from any
instuon numbered 300 or above outside of ECE or 400 level or above within ECE can be counted toward the
minimum graduate degree credit requirement. Transfer credits from other instuons must be equivalent to the
rigor of UW-Madison courses numbered 300 and above. Prior coursework transfers will be assessed on a
case-by-case basis by the ECE MS or PhD Commiee. These credits cannot count toward the 50% graduate
coursework minimum nor the minimum graduate residence credit requirement. To request evaluaon of prior
coursework, please contact the Graduate Student Services Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements
and rules below.
UW–Madison University Special Student Courses: With program approval, students are allowed to count a
maximum of seven credits of coursework numbered 400 or above taken as a UW–Madison University Special
student toward the minimum graduate residence credit requirement, and the minimum graduate degree credit
requirement. Courses numbered 700 or above taken as a UW–Madison Special student can count toward the
minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement. Paral credits from a course may be used to reach seven
credits. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
Addional requirements and rules apply to prior coursework credits in all of the categories listed above:
● All prior coursework credits for any of the categories must have been earned with a grade of B or beer.
● Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission into a UW-Madison Master’s degree program is
not allowed to sasfy requirements.
● Prior coursework will not count toward the student’s graduate GPA.
7.11. Grades and GPA
The Graduate School requires that students maintain a graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 (on a 4.00
scale) for all graduate courses (excluding research) to receive a degree.
Courses taken for audit (S/NR), credit/no credit (CR/N), or pass/fail do not affect the GPA. Research courses
graded on a Sasfactory/Unsasfactory (S/U) basis do not impact GPA, but also do not count toward MLSP
program requirements. Independent study credits graded on a Sasfactory/Unsasfactory (S/U) basis do not
impact GPA, but U grades are monitored by the Graduate School for sasfactory progress. A Permanent
Incomplete (PI) grade does not impact the GPA. A No Report (NR), if not for audit, or Incomplete (I) grade does not
impact the GPA, but these are temporary grades, indicang the instructor has not yet submied a final grade.
Incomplete (I) grades are monitored for sasfactory progress purposes.
The following grade and GPA requirements must be sasfied for courses to count toward your degree
requirements:
7.11.1. ECE Courses
● Grades of B or beer are always acceptable.
● BC grades are acceptable if the cumulave GPA for ECE classroom courses is equal to or
greater than 3.
● Grades of C or lower are not acceptable.
7.11.2. Non-ECE Courses
● Grades of B or beer are always acceptable.
● BC and C grades are acceptable if approved by the ECE Graduate Commiee by way of an appeal.
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● Any grade lower than a C is not acceptable.
7.11.3. Independent Study Credits
● S grades are acceptable, while U grades are not.
● If it is leer-graded, only grades of B or beer are acceptable.
7.11.4. Incomplete Grades
An Incomplete may be reported for a student who has carried a subject with a passing grade unl near the end of
the semester and then, because of illness or other unusual and substanated cause beyond their control, has
been unable to take or complete the final examinaon, or to complete some limited amount of term work. An
Incomplete is not given to a student who stays away from a final examinaon unless the student proves to the
instructor that they were prevented from aending as indicated above. The student must resolve the incomplete
grade by the end of the following term in which they are enrolled. Please note that instructors may impose an
earlier deadline. If the incomplete grade is not resolved by the respecve deadline, the student is considered in
“bad academic standing” by the Graduate School. Students may be placed on probaon or suspended by the
Graduate School for failing to complete the work and receive a final grade in a mely fashion. Outstanding
incompletes must be resolved before a degree is granted. An unresolved I grade lapses to a grade of PI
(“Permanent Incomplete”) aer five years. Please see the Graduate School Policy on Incomplete Grades .
7.12. Graduaon Procedures and Checklist
The ECE Graduate Coordinators will send out an e-mail at the beginning of each term requesng the names of
students who plan to graduate as well as with instrucons and deadlines for subming final degree forms and
degree warrant requests. Students should also indicate their plans for graduaon during their final semester in
their MyUW Student Center if planning to aend commencement and have their name listed on the program.
During the final semester prior to graduaon (graduaon term), the following must be completed:
○ Must be enrolled in at least two credits during graduaon term (Note: must also sasfy any other
enrollment requirements, for example as required by internaonal student status).
○ Apply to Graduate in the Student Center.
○ Nofy your ECE Graduate Coordinator and payroll@ece.wisc.edu of plans to graduate via email (include
name, campus ID, degree, and faculty advisor’s name).
○ Thoroughly read the Graduate School’s page Compleng Your Master’s Degree and complete all the
respecve tasks.
○ Confirm all final grades entered, with excepon to the current semester (no incomplete, unreported, or
Progress grades).
○ Complete the Master’s Degree Survey , which you will also receive by email from the Graduate School.
○ Work with your faculty advisor to idenfy an instructor of a graduate-aribute course that will fill out the
Graduate Learning Outcome Report. This report must be submied online prior to turning in the MS
Degree Requirement Approval Form.
○ Turn in the MS Degree Requirements Approval Form with faculty advisor’s signature to your ECE
Graduate Coordinator by the deadline stated in the email.
○ Turn in the MS Degree Warrant Request Form to your ECE Graduate Coordinator by the deadline stated
in the email.
○ Degree warrants are signed electronically. Your ECE Graduate Coordinator will send an email noficaon
to your faculty advisor. You should follow up with your faculty advisor to sign off on your degree warrant.
24
○ Make sure the “diploma” / “mailing” address is up to date in the Student Center to receive a diploma.
○ Review Diploma and Degree Posng informaon.
○ Aer the degree conferral date is posted on a student’s transcript, students may request a Degree
Compleon Leer to prove their degree prior to receiving their diploma.
○ Review UW-Madison and the College of Engineering commencement informaon.
○ To learn more about services that will connue to be available to you and those that will be deacvated,
visit: hps://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=78565 .
7.13. Transfers to Other ECE MS Degree Programs
Students desiring to transfer from one ECE MS degree program to another, e.g., MLSP to Research, must formally
apply for a transfer. Your Graduate Student Services Coordinator must receive your applicaon materials no later
than October 1 for transfers effecve the following spring semester and March 1 for transfers effecve the
following summer or fall term. Transfer requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis in summer. The applicaon
form, which also lists all the required materials, can be found on the ECE Intranet site . MLSP students may also
apply to change to the ECE PhD program via this same process.
8. MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING: POWER ENGINEERING
ONLINE OPTION
8.1. Introducon to the Power Engineering Online Opon
The Master of Science Electrical and Computer Engineering: Power Engineering program is an online degree
designed for electrical and computer engineers to complete part-me while working full-me. This specialized
degree prepares students for leading-edge posions in industry in the areas of electric power systems, power
electronics, motor drives, and electric machines.
This degree provides students both theorecal and praccal knowledge in power electronics, electric machines,
and controls, including alternave energy, using a combinaon of classroom and laboratory-based courses, and, in
some cases, research acvies. This is directly applicable to a career in industry and is suitable for new or recent
graduates, as well as experienced professionals who seek the necessary (re)training to change or advance their
careers.
Aer compleng this program, students will receive a diploma stang “Master of Science-Electrical and Computer
Engineering.” Students’ transcripts will state “Master of Science-Electrical and Computer Engineering, Major:
Electrical and Computer Engineering, Opon: Power Engineering.”
Guide informaon on the Power Engineering Online Opon .
8.2. Expectaons and Policies
Graduate students in the Power Engineering program are expected to understand and follow a specific set of
policies:
● It is recommended that students complete the Capstone Cerficate in Power Conversion and Control
prior to admiance into the Master of Science: Electrical and Computer Engineering program, but it is
not required.
● This is a 30-credit, part-me, online MS degree opon.
● There are two-degree compleon opons (more details in Secon 8.3 Degree Credit Requirement):
course and research. All students start with the course opon, which is based on 30 credits of classroom
25
instrucon. Students that find a faculty member who agrees to supervise a research project may pursue
the research opon. It is the student’s responsibility to secure an appropriate advisor to supervise a
research project. The student then enrolls in 3-9 research or independent study credits in lieu of the
same number of classroom credits to complete the degree. The number of research advisors is limited
and students should not assume they will be able to pursue the research opon.
● Students enrolled in the Power Engineering program may not change their degree goal to another MS
program or a PhD without formally applying to and being accepted into the program.
● Students enrolling in the Power Engineering program cannot simultaneously enroll in another graduate
program at UW-Madison.
● Students in this program will not receive the tuion remission that is typically part of the compensaon
package for a graduate assistantship. Students may apply on their own for external fellowships and/or
scholarships. Many students pursue tuion benefits through their employers.
8.3. Degree Credit Requirement
The Power Engineering program requires a minimum of 30 credits subject to the following constraints:
● If the Capstone Cerficate in Power Conversion and Control is completed all courses for this cerficate
are transferable to the MS program. Courses for this cerficate program are described in Secon 8.5
Curriculum and count towards the 6 credits of 400-level course requirement as well as the 21 credits
within ECE at the 400-level and above requirement.
● Compleon of 6 credits of 400-level courses, 3 credits of a 500-level course and 6 credits of 700+ level
courses from the MS Power Curriculum Path as described in Secon 8.5 Curriculum. For those students
interested in a laboratory experience ECE 504 or ECE 512 are offered during alternang summers during
the three-week summer semesters online and are recommended to enhance your overall experience.
● ECE courses must be 400-level or above.
● A maximum of nine credits at the 300-level or above in other departments, provided these courses are
approved in wring (including email) by a faculty advisor.
● For students compleng the research opon:
● a maximum of nine credits of independent study or research (ECE 790 or ECE 999) with wrien faculty
advisor approval and
● a minimum of 15 credits of 700+ level courses are required.
● Students are expected to follow the curriculum listed in Secon 8.5 Curriculum.
● Some credits taken as an UW-Madison undergraduate may be eligible as described in Secon 8.9 Prior
Coursework.
● Some credits taken as a graduate student at a different (non-UW) instuon may be eligible as described
in Secon 8.9 Prior Coursework.
The following categories of courses may not be used to sasfy the 30-credit requirement.
● Audited courses.
● Courses taken Pass-Fail.
8.4. Credit Loads
The Power Engineering program is part-me, and students typically take one three-credit class per semester.
8.5. Curriculum
Students in the Power Engineering program are expected to adhere to the following curriculum.
Of the 30 credits, a minimum of 21 must be in the ECE department at a level of 400 or above. Also, a minimum of
15 credits must be from the Power Engineering MS Curriculum path as described below. At least three of those
26
credits must be from 500-level courses and six of those from 700+ level courses. Note that the Graduate School
minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement states that at least 50% of credits applied toward the
program’s graduate degree credit requirement (15 of 30 credits) must be courses designed for graduate work as
designated in Guide . Addional restricons depend on the chosen Master’s Opon:
Thesis or Project Opon:
Of the 30 credits, a minimum of 3 credits must be in ECE 790 (Master’s Research or Thesis). No more than 9
credits from any combinaon of ECE 699, 790, or 999 may be applied toward the degree. A minimum of 15 credits
of 700+ level courses are required. These 700-level and higher ECE courses count towards the required minimum
of 21 ECE department credits at 400-level or above as stated in the preceding paragraph.
Course Opon:
Of the 30 credits, a maximum of 3 credits in ECE 699 and a maximum of 3 credits in ECE 999 are allowed towards
the 30 credits. ECE 790 or similar research courses may not be used to sasfy the 30-credit requirement.
Course Requirements:
Courses available in the Power Engineering MS curriculum (at least 3 credits from 500-level courses and at least 6
credits from 700+ level courses must be taken):
● ECE 411 (3 credits): Introducon to Electric Drive Systems
● ECE 412 (3 credits): Power Electronic Circuits
● ECE 427 (3 credits): Electric Power Systems
● ECE 504 (3 credits): Electric Machine and Drive Systems Lab
● ECE 511 (3 credits): Theory and Control of Synchronous Machines
● ECE 512 (3 credits): Power Electronics Lab
● ECE/COMP SCI/ME 532 (3 credits): Matrix Methods in Machine Learning
● ECE 713 (3 credits): Electromagnec Design of AC Machines
● ECE 714 (3 credits): Ulity Applicaon of Power Electronics
● ECE/ME 732 (3 credits): Dynamics of Controlled Systems
● ECE/ME 733 (3 credits): Advanced Computer Control of Machines and Processes
● ECE/ME 739 (3 credits): Advanced Automaon and Robocs
● ECE/ME 759 (3 credits): High-Performance Compung for Applicaons in Engineering
● ME 446 (3 credits): Automac Controls
● ME 447 (3 credits): Computer Control of Machines and Processes
● ECE 699 (variable credits): Independent Study
● ECE 711 (3 credits): Dynamics and Control of AC Drives
● ECE 712 (3 credits): Solid State Power Conversion
● ECE 790 (variable credits): Master’s Research and Thesis
● ECE 901 (variable credits): Special Topics in ECE (as approved by faculty advisor)
● ECE 999 (variable credits): Advanced Independent Study
Graduate-level courses from Engineering Professional Development and graduate-level courses from other
departments must be approved by your faculty advisor. Please keep wrien communicaons as proof of approvals
from your faculty advisor.
8.6. ECE Course Requirement
27
At least 21 of the 30 credits used to sasfy the degree requirement must be taken in the ECE Department. ECE
courses 400-level and above can count toward this master’s degree.
8.7. Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement
The Graduate School minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement states that at least 50% of credits applied
toward the program’s graduate degree credit requirement (15 of 30 credits) must be courses designed for
graduate work as designated in the course descripon in Guide .
8.8. Prior Coursework
Students may count a maximum of seven (7) credits of prior coursework towards their degree requirements.
These seven credits may come from one or more of the following categories under the condions specified:
● Graduate Work from Other Instuons: With program approval, students may count a maximum of
seven credits of graduate coursework from other instuons (post-baccalaureate) toward the
minimum graduate degree credit requirement and the minimum graduate coursework (50%)
requirement. No credits from other instuons may be counted toward the minimum graduate
residence credit requirement. To request evaluaon of prior coursework from a different instuon,
please submit a Graduate Course Equivalency Request Form to the Graduate Student Services
Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
● UW–Madison Undergraduate: With program approval, up to seven credits from UW–Madison numbered
400 or above can be counted toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement, or ECE courses
numbered 700 or above can be counted toward the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement.
No credits can be counted toward the minimum graduate residence credit requirement. To request
evaluaon of prior coursework, please contact the Graduate Student Services Coordinator. Also, refer to
the addional requirements and rules below.
● Undergraduate credits earned at other instuons: With program approval, up to seven credits from
any instuon numbered 300 or above outside of ECE or 400 level or above within ECE can be counted
toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement. Transfer credits from other instuons must
be equivalent to the rigor of UW-Madison courses numbered 300 and above. Prior coursework transfers
will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the ECE MS or PhD Commiee. These credits cannot count
toward the 50% graduate coursework minimum nor the minimum graduate residence credit
requirement. To request evaluaon of prior coursework, please contact the Graduate Student Services
Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
● UW–Madison University Special Student Courses: With program approval, students are allowed to count
a maximum of seven credits of coursework numbered 400 or above taken as a UW–Madison University
Special student toward the minimum graduate residence credit requirement, and the minimum graduate
degree credit requirement. Courses numbered 700 or above taken as a UW–Madison Special student can
count toward the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement. Paral credits from a course may
be used to reach seven credits. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
Addional requirements and rules apply to prior coursework credits in all of the categories listed above:
● All prior coursework credits for any of the categories must have been earned with a grade of B or beer.
● Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission into a UW-Madison Master’s degree program is
not allowed to sasfy requirements.
● Prior coursework will not count toward the student’s graduate GPA.
8.9. Grades and GPA
The Graduate School requires that students maintain a graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 (on a 4.00
scale) for all graduate courses (excluding research) to receive a degree.
28
Courses taken for audit (S/NR), credit/no credit (CR/N), or pass/fail do not affect the GPA. Research courses
graded on a Sasfactory/Unsasfactory (S/U) basis do not affect the GPA. However, U grades are monitored by the
Graduate School for sasfactory progress. A Permanent Incomplete (PI) grade does not affect the GPA. A No
Report (NR) or Incomplete (I) grade does not affect the GPA, but in a graded course this is a temporary grade,
indicang the instructor has not yet submied a final grade.
The following grade and GPA requirements must be sasfied for courses to count toward your degree
requirements for ECE Courses:
● Grades of B or beer are always acceptable.
● BC grades are acceptable if the cumulave GPA for ECE classroom courses is equal to or greater than 3.0.
● Grades of C or lower are not acceptable.
The following grade and GPA requirements must be sasfied for courses to count toward your degree
requirements for Non ECE Courses:
● Grades of B or beer are always acceptable.
● BC and C grades are acceptable if approved by the ECE Graduate Commiee.
● Any grade lower than a C is not acceptable.
The following grade and GPA requirements must be sasfied for courses to count toward your degree requirements
for Independent Study Courses:
● S grades are acceptable, while U grades are not.
● If ECE 699 or 999 was leer-graded, only grades of B or beer are acceptable.
Incomplete Grades
An Incomplete may be reported for a student who has carried a subject with a passing grade unl near the end of
the semester and then, because of illness or other unusual and substanated cause beyond their control, has
been unable to take or complete the final examinaon, or to complete some limited amount of term work. An
Incomplete is not given to a student who stays away from a final examinaon unless the student proves to the
instructor that they were prevented from aending as indicated above. The student must resolve the incomplete
grade by the end of the following term in which they are enrolled. Please note that instructors may impose an
earlier deadline. If the incomplete grade is not resolved by the respecve deadline, the student is considered in
“bad academic standing” by the Graduate School. Students may be placed on probaon or suspended from the
Graduate School for failing to complete the work and receive a final grade in a mely fashion. Outstanding
incompletes must be resolved before a degree is granted. An unresolved I grade lapses to a grade of PI
(“Permanent Incomplete”) aer five years. Please see the Graduate School Policy on Incomplete Grades .
8.10. Graduaon Procedures and Checklist
The Student Services Specialist will send out an e-mail at the beginning of each term requesng the names of
students who plan to graduate along with instrucons and deadlines for subming final degree forms. Students
must also indicate their plans for graduaon during their final semester in their MyUW Student Center.
During the final semester prior to graduaon (graduaon term), the following must be completed:
○ Must be enrolled in at least two credits during graduaon term
○ Complete Apply to Graduate in the Student Center.
○ Nofy the Student Services Specialist of plans to graduate via email
○ Thoroughly read the Graduate School’s page Compleng Your Master’s Degree and complete all of the
stated tasks.
○ Confirm all final grades entered, with excepon of the current semester grades. Any incomplete,
unreported, or progress grade must be resolved.
29
○ Complete the Master’s Degree Survey , which you will also receive by email from the Graduate School.
○ Work with your faculty advisor to idenfy an instructor of a graduate-aribute course that will fill out the
Graduate Learning Outcome Report. This report must be submied online prior to turning in the MS
Degree Requirement Approval Form .
○ Turn in the MSEE Course Approval Form to the Student Services Specialist at the start of their final
semester.
○ Make sure “diploma” / “mailing” address is up-to-date in Student Center in order to receive diploma
○ Review Diploma and Degree Posng informaon.
○ As soon as the degree conferral date has passed, students may request a Degree Compleon Leer prior
to receiving their diploma in order to prove that their degree has been completed.
○ Review UW-Madison and the College of Engineering commencement informaon.
8.11. Transfers to Other ECE MS Degree Programs
Students desiring to transfer from one ECE MS degree program to another, e.g., Power to Research, must formally
apply for a transfer. Applicaons must be received by the Graduate Student Services Coordinator no later than
October 1 for transfers effecve the following spring semester and March 1 for transfers effecve the following
summer or fall semester. Transfer requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis in summer. The request should
include: a current transcript, brief reason for the change, and (oponally) an updated statement of purpose.
Requests for transfers into the Research program require a leer from a faculty member indicang their
willingness to supervise your research project.
9. MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING, PROFESSIONAL OPTION
9.1. Introducon to the Professional Opon
The Professional opon of the Master of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering is a course-only,
accelerated curriculum to be completed within a me frame of 16 months or less. It is designed to develop
advanced technical capabilies in students that seek to pursue a professional career in industry upon graduaon.
This program affords students the flexibility to customize a technical emphasis and parcipate in professional
development acvies, such as industry-sponsored summer internships.
Aer compleng this program, students will receive a diploma stang “Master of Science-Electrical and Computer
Engineering.” The transcript will state,” Master of Science-Electrical and Computer Engineering, Major: Electrical
and Computer Engineering, Opon: Professional.”
GUIDE informaon on the Professional MS degree plan .
9.2. Expectaons and Policies
Graduate students in the Professional program are expected to understand and follow a specific set of policies:
● This is a 30 credit, accelerated (12-16 months) course-based, terminal MS degree opon.
● Students will be required to enroll in at least nine credits per semester from a specific list of courses
offered by the department. In the final semester, students only need to enroll in enough credits to
graduate.
● Students enrolled in the Professional program may not change their degree goal to a different MS
program or a PhD without formally applying to and being accepted into the new program. See Secon
9.13 Transfers to Other ECE MS Degree Programs.
30
● Students enrolling in the Professional program cannot simultaneously enroll in another graduate program
at UW-Madison.
● Students in this program are not eligible for tuion remission that is typically part of the compensaon
package for graduate assistantship. Students are discouraged from pursuing posions as Project
Assistants, Teaching Assistants, or Research Assistants during their me in this program, as the rigor and
accelerated nature of this program may not accommodate those work me commitments.
● Students can be placed on probaon for failure to meet these expectaons or failure to adhere to these
policies.
9.3. Degree Credit Requirement
The accelerated Professional opon Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering degree requires a
minimum of 30 credits subject to the following constraints:
● ECE courses must be 400-level or above.
● A maximum of nine credits at the 300-level or above in other departments, provided these courses are
approved in wring (including email) by a faculty advisor. The nine-credit limit may be exceeded by a
poron of the credits associated with one course, however, the excess credits cannot be counted towards
any other requirement. For example, two three-credit and one four-credit courses may be taken (a total
of 10 credits), but the extra credit cannot be used to sasfy any other requirement.
● One credit of ECE 610 required.
● A maximum of three credits of independent study (ECE 699 and ECE 999, and the comparable courses in
other departments).
● A maximum of three credits of ESL courses 300-level or above.
● A maximum of three credits of ECE 702 CPT/internship.
● A maximum of three credits of ECE 601 and ECE 901 (special topics courses) with wrien faculty advisor
approval.
● Some credits taken as an UW-Madison undergraduate may be eligible as described in 9.10 Prior
Coursework.
● Some credits taken as an undergraduate or graduate student at a previous instuon may be eligible as
described in Secon 9.10 Prior Coursework .
The following categories of courses may not be used to sasfy the 30-credit requirement.
● Audited courses.
● Courses taken Pass-Fail.
● ECE 611.
● Research credits (ECE 790 or similar courses).
9.4. Credit Loads
The Professional program has an accelerated curriculum and students are expected to complete the required 30
credits within 16 months. During fall and spring semesters, the maximum credit load for a graduate student is 15
credits. Exceeding this limit is not advisable and cannot be made without department approval. A sample credit
load per term is provided below:
Semester
Credits
Notes
First Fall Semester
10-13
Including 1 credit of ECE 610
Spring semester
9-12
Summer
0-2
ECE 702 CPT/Internship
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Second Fall semester
2-11
9.5. Curriculum
Students in the Professional opon are expected to adhere to the following curriculum:
● Required in first fall semester – ECE 610 (1 credit). See Secon 9.6 ECE 610 Requirement.
● Twelve credits in a specified curriculum path approved by the faculty advisor in wring or email. Course
lists associated with example curricular areas are given below.
● Fieen credits must sasfy the graduate coursework (50%) requirement as designated in Guide . Nine of
these fieen credits must be ECE courses. See Secon 9.10 Prior Coursework for specifics.
● Students are strongly encouraged to parcipate in one of the following professional development
opportunies:
● ECE 702 (1-3 credits): Graduate Cooperave Educaon Program (CPT/internship
credits). See Secon 9.7 Cooperave Educaon (Co-op) and Internships for details.
● InterEGR 601 (3 credits, offered in summer): Introducon to Interdisciplinary Design
and Innovaon
● ECE 699 (content generally corresponds to 500 or 600 level coursework)/999 (content
generally corresponds to 700 and higher-level coursework) (1-3 credits): Advanced
Independent study (or a comparable course in a different department) being
co-supervised by an advisor working in industry (choice of industry advisor is subject
to program approval). This course should provide students with opportunies to learn
course materials that are not available as regularly scheduled courses or new topic
areas to facilitate research acvies.
● At least two of the online, one-credit “Foundaons of Professional Development”
courses, each of which are eight weeks long:
● EPD 701: Wring for Professionals
● EPD 702: Professional Presentaons
● EPD 704: Organizaonal Communicaon and Problem Solving
● EPD 706: Change Management
● EPD 708: Creang Breakthrough Innovaons
● EPD 712: Ethics for Professionals
● EPD 782: Markeng for Non-Markeng Professionals
● EPD 783: Leading Teams
● EPD 784: Project Management Essenals
● EPD 785: Effecve Negoaon Strategies
Courses in Example Curricular Areas
Students may take courses from a combinaon of areas to create a custom degree that is well-aligned with their
professional goals. Wrien advisor approval is required for custom course selecons.
Computer Engineering Tracks (CMPE)
Track 1: CAD for Digital Electronic Systems
Descripon: This track offers praccal insight into the field of computer-aided design (CAD) for modeling and
fabricang semiconductor chips. It will prepare you to use design tools and develop algorithms and
methodologies for simulang, synthesizing, and verifying digital electronic systems.
Core course set (select at least 12 credits):
● ECE 551 (3 credits): Digital System Design and Synthesis
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● ECE 553 (3 credits): Tesng and Testable Design of Digital Systems
● ECE 555 (3 credits): Digital Circuits and Components
● ECE 556 (3 credits): Design Automaon of Digital Systems
● ECE/CS 755 (3 credits): VLSI Systems Design
● ECE/CS 756 (3 credits): Computer-Aided Design for VLSI
Track 2: Embedded Systems
Descripon: This track offers praccal insight into the field of embedded systems and will prepare you to
develop low-level programs, tool chains and run-me systems and design and simulate low-power hardware
for embedded processors.
Core course set (select at least 12 credits):
● CS 537 (4 credits): Introducon to Operang Systems
● ECE 551 (3 credits): Digital System Design and Synthesis
● ECE/CS 552 (3 credits): Introducon to Computer Architecture
● ECE 555 (3 credits): Digital Circuits and Components
● ECE/CS 750 (3 credits): Real-Time Compung Systems
● ECE 751(3 credits): Embedded Compung Systems
● ECE 753(3 credits): Fault-Tolerant Compung
Track 3: Networking and Security
Descripon: This track offers praccal insight into the fields of networking and security and will prepare you
to implement protocols and applicaons for mobile and wireless networking, as well as assess security
threats and apply defenses and best pracces for secure hardware and soware.
Core course set (select at least 12 credits):
● ECE 537 (3 credits): Communicaon Networks
● CS 537 (4 credits): Introducon to Operang Systems
● CS 642 (3 credits): Introducon to Informaon Security
● ECE/CS 707 (3 credits): Mobile and Wireless Networking
● ECE 751 (3 credits): Embedded Compung Systems
● ECE 753 (3 credits): Fault-Tolerant Compung
● CS 763 (3 credits): Security and Privacy for Data Science
● ECE/CS 782 (3 credits): Advanced Computer Security and Privacy
Track 4: Computer Architecture
Descripon: This track offers praccal insight into the field of computer architecture and will prepare you to
write microprograms, develop parallel applicaons and design and simulate hardware components for
mulprocessors, caches and memory systems.
Core course set (select at least 12 credits):
● CS 537 (4 credits): Introducon to Operang Systems
● ECE 551 (3 credits): Digital System Design and Synthesis
● ECE/CS 552 (3 credits): Introducon to Computer Architecture
● ECE 553 (3 credits): Tesng and Testable Design of Digital Systems
● ECE/CS 752 (3 credits): Advanced Computer Architecture I
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● ECE/CS 755 (3 credits): VLSI Systems Design
● ECE 757 (3 credits): Advanced Computer Architecture II
● CS 758 (3 credits): Advanced Topics in Computer Architecture
● ECE 759 (3 credits): High Performance Compung for Applicaons in Engineering
E&M Fields and Waves
Core course set (select at least 12 credits):
● ECE 447 (3 credits): Applied Communicaon Systems
● ECE 545 (3 credits): Advanced Microwave Measurements for Communicaons
● ECE 547 (3 credits): Advanced Communicaons Circuit Design
● ECE 740 (3 credits): Electromagnec Theory
● ECE 742 (3 credits): Computaonal Methods in Electromagnecs
● ECE 744 (3 credits): Theory of Microwave Circuits and Devices
● ECE/Physics 748 (3 credits): Linear Waves
● ECE/NE/Physics 749 (3 credits): Coherent Generaon and Parcle Beams
● ECE 841 (3 credits): Antennas
● ECE/Physics 848 (3 credits): Nonlinear Waves
Energy and Power Systems Tracks
Track 1: Electric Machines and Drives
Descripon: This track offers praccal insight into the field of electrical machines and drives. This knowledge
prepares you for career opportunies in the design and control of electric machines for tracon, drone, and
other propulsion systems as well as electric generators for wind, high-speed turbines, and other renewable
energy systems.
Core course set (select at least 12 credits):
● ECE 411 (3 credits): Introducon to Electric Drive Systems
● ECE 412 (3 credits): Power Electronics Circuits
● ECE 427 (3 credits): Electric Power Systems
● ECE 504 (2-3 credits): Electric Machines and Drive System Lab
● ECE 511 (3 credits): Theory and Control of Synchronous Machines
● ECE 711 (3 credits): Dynamics and Control of AC Drives
● ECE 713 (3 credits): Electromagnec Design of AC Machines
Track 2: Power Electronics
Descripon: This track offers praccal insight into the field of power electronics. This knowledge prepares
you for career opportunies in the design and control of power electronics hardware for propulsion,
renewable energy and charging systems.
Core course set (select at least 12 credits):
● ECE 411 (3 credits): Introducon to Electric Drive Systems
● ECE 412 (3 credits): Power Electronics Circuits
● ECE 427 (3 credits): Electric Power Systems
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● ECE 512 (3 credits): Power Electronics Lab
● ECE 711 (3 credits): Dynamics and Control of AC Drives
● ECE 712 (3 credits): Solid State Power Conversion
● ECE 714 (3 credits): Ulity Applicaon of Power Electronics
Track 3: Power Systems
Descripon: This track offers praccal insight into the field of electrical power systems. You will explore the
construct of the electric ulity as well as power flow control and stability through a variety of modeling and
simulaon exercises and projects, including emerging grid technologies from microgrids to large-scale power
systems dominated by renewable energy sources and power electronics.
Core course set (select at least 12 credits):
● ECE 411 (3 credits): Introducon to Electric Drive Systems
● ECE 412 (3 credits): Power Electronics Circuits
● ECE 427 (3 credits): Electric Power Systems
● ECE 511 (3 credits): Theory and Control of Synchronous Machines
● ECE/CS/ISyE 524 (3 credits): Introducon to Opmizaon
● ECE 714 (3 credits): Ulity Applicaon of Power Electronics
● ECE 723 (3 credits): On-Line Control of Power Systems
● ECE 731 (3 credits): Advanced Power System Analysis
Solid State/Photonics
Track 1: Semiconductor Device and Fabricaon Technology
Descripon: This track offers praccal insight into the field of electronic device operaon and fabricaon. You
will learn the basic principles of electronic devices, solid state physics, and learn industry relevant simulaon
technologies such as TCAD and Layout. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to experience (hands-on
in a cleanroom) how semiconductor devices are fabricated.
Core course set (select at least 12 credits):
● ECE 445 (3 credits): Semiconductor Physics and Devices
● ECE/NE 528 (3 credits): Plasma Processing and Technology
● ECE 542 (3 credits): Introducon to Microelectromechanical Systems
● ECE 548 (3 credits): Integrated Circuit Design
● ECE 549 (3 credits): Integrated Circuit Fabricaon Laboratory
● ECE 745 (3 credits): Solid State Electronics
● ECE 845 (3 credits): Transport in Semiconductor Devices
Track 2: Photonics Technology
Descripon: This track offers praccal insight into the field of photonics. You will learn the basic principles of
optoelectronic/photonics devices such as LEDs, LASERs etc. You will also get hands-on experience with
industry relevant praccal simulaon methodologies for photonics applicaons.
Core Course Set (select at least 12 credits):
35
● ECE 434 (3 credits): Photonics
● ECE 466 (3 credits): Electronics of Solids
● ECE 536 (3 credits): Integrated Opcs and Optoelectronic Devices
● ECE 742 (3 credits): Computaonal Methods in Electromagnecs
● ECE 747 (3 credits): Nanophotonics
9.6. ECE 610 Requirement
All Professional program students must enroll in ECE 610 (1 credit) during their first fall semester of graduate
studies. Students with a course conflict with ECE 610 should discuss with their faculty advisor about how to
resolve the problem.
The purpose of ECE 610 is to prepare students for success in graduate school and expose them to areas within ECE
as well as related fields outside of ECE, such as biotechnology, physics, computer science, mathemacs, or
business. Electrical and Computer Engineering is interdisciplinary in nature, and it is important for students to be
aware of advanced research and development in areas other than their own.
9.7. Cooperave Educaon (Co-op) and Internships
Through the Engineering Career Services Co-op and Summer Internship programs, students gain valuable “real
world” engineering experiences working with a variety of industries and governmental agencies.
All students in these programs will get the opportunity to work full-me, be compevely paid, complete
engineering assignments, and work under the supervision of an engineer.
Students parcipang in a co-op or internship will enroll in ECE 702. ECE 702 can be used toward the Professional
curriculum and credit requirements. See Secons 9.3 Degree Credit Requirement and Secon 9.5 Curriculum for
more informaon.
Eligible domesc students parcipang in a co-op assignment may extend their MS Professional program an
addional semester beyond 16 months with advisor approval.
Obtaining work experience prior to compleng your degree requirements typically increases employment
opportunies and starng salaries aer graduaon.
Any quesons regarding Cooperave Educaon and Internships should be directed to Engineering Career Services.
Make sure to menon that you are a graduate student.
9.7.1. Cooperave Educaon
Co-op students work full-me in an engineering posion from January-August or May-December. The co-op
assignment provides 26-28 weeks of full-me, paid engineering work experience. Alternang assignments are also
an opon.
F-1 students are not eligible to parcipate in full-me internships during the fall and spring semesters.
Cooperave educaon is an academic opon as part of your engineering educaon. Students who parcipate in
co-op complete assignments and receive academic credit toward graduaon. While on a co-op, students are
considered full-me students and are eligible to maintain family or UW health insurance.
The advantage of a co-op over an internship is the increased level of responsibility received due to the longer
duraon of the work term. Students in co-ops can work on larger and more complex projects that require more
me to complete.
9.7.2. Internships
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The Summer Internship is for students seeking engineering employment during the summer months. These 12-14
week, full-me assignments provide students exposure to engineering while enabling the employer to fill
short-term project needs.
For Internaonal students, see instrucons on the Curricular Praccal Training ( CPT) Process .
9.8. ECE Course Requirement
A least 21 of the 30 credits used to sasfy the degree requirement must be taken in the ECE Department.
Please keep in mind that only ECE courses 400-level and above can count toward this accelerated
master’s degree.
9.9. Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement
The Graduate School minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement states that at least 50% of credits applied
toward the program’s graduate degree credit requirement (15 of 30 credits) must be courses designed for
graduate work as designated in Guide .
9.10. Prior Coursework
Students may count a maximum of seven (7) credits of prior coursework towards their degree requirements.
These seven credits may come from one or more of the following categories under the condions specified:
● Graduate Work from Other Instuons: With program approval, students may count a maximum of
seven credits of graduate coursework from other instuons (post-baccalaureate) toward the
minimum graduate degree credit requirement and the minimum graduate coursework (50%)
requirement. No credits from other instuons may be counted toward the minimum graduate
residence credit requirement. To request evaluaon of prior coursework from a different instuon,
please submit a Graduate Course Equivalency Request Form to the Graduate Student Services
Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
● UW–Madison Undergraduate: With program approval, up to seven credits from UW–Madison numbered
400 or above can be counted toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement, or ECE courses
numbered 700 or above can be counted toward the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement.
Paral credits from a course may be used to reach seven credits. No credits can be counted toward the
minimum graduate residence credit requirement. To request evaluaon of prior coursework, please
contact the Graduate Student Services Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules
below.
● Undergraduate credits earned at other instuons: With program approval, up to seven credits from
any instuon numbered 300 or above outside of ECE or 400 level or above within ECE can be counted
toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement. Transfer credits from other instuons must
be equivalent to the rigor of UW-Madison courses numbered 300 and above. Prior coursework transfers
will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the ECE MS or PhD Commiee. These credits cannot count
toward the 50% graduate coursework minimum nor the minimum graduate residence credit
requirement. To request evaluaon of prior coursework, please contact the Graduate Student Services
Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
● UW–Madison University Special Student Courses: With program approval, students are allowed to count
a maximum of seven credits of coursework numbered 400 or above taken as a UW–Madison University
Special student toward the minimum graduate residence credit requirement, and the minimum graduate
degree credit requirement. Courses numbered 700 or above taken as a UW–Madison Special student can
count toward the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement. Paral credits from a course may
be used to reach seven credits. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
Addional requirements and rules apply to prior coursework credits in all the categories listed above:
● All prior coursework credits for any of the categories must have been earned with a grade of B or beer.
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● Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission into a UW-Madison Master’s degree program is
not allowed to sasfy requirements.
● Prior coursework will not count toward the student’s graduate GPA.
9.11. Grades and GPA
The Graduate School requires that students maintain a graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 (on a 4.00
scale) for all graduate courses to receive a degree.
Courses taken for audit (S/NR), credit/no credit (CR/N), or pass/fail do not affect the GPA. Research courses
graded on a Sasfactory/Unsasfactory (S/U) basis do not impact GPA, but also do not count toward the
Professional opon requirements. Independent study credits graded on a Sasfactory/Unsasfactory (S/U) basis
do not impact GPA, but U grades are monitored by the Graduate School for sasfactory progress. A Permanent
Incomplete (PI) grade does not impact the GPA. A No Report (NR), if not for audit, or Incomplete (I) grade does not
impact the GPA, but these are temporary grades, indicang the instructor has not yet submied a final grade.
Incomplete (I) grades are monitored for sasfactory progress purposes.
Grades and GPA are taken into consideraon for sasfactory progress evaluaon.
The following grade and GPA requirements must be sasfied for courses to count toward your degree
requirements:
ECE Courses
● Grades of B or beer are always acceptable.
● BC grades are acceptable if the cumulave GPA for ECE classroom courses is equal to or greater than 3.0.
● Grades of C or lower are not acceptable.
Non-ECE Courses
● Grades of B or beer are always acceptable.
● BC and C grades are acceptable if approved by the ECE Graduate Commiee by way of an appeal.
● Any grade lower than a C is not acceptable.
Independent Study Credits
● S grades are acceptable, while U grades are not.
● If it is leer-graded, only grades of B or beer are acceptable.
Incomplete Grades
An Incomplete may be reported for a student who has carried a subject with a passing grade unl near the end of
the semester and then, because of illness or other unusual and substanated cause beyond their control, has been
unable to take or complete the final examinaon, or to complete some limited amount of term work. An Incomplete
is not given to a student who stays away from a final examinaon unless the student proves to the instructor that
they were prevented from aending as indicated above. The student must resolve the incomplete grade by the end
of the following term in which they are enrolled. Please note that instructors may impose an earlier deadline. If the
incomplete grade is not resolved by the respecve deadline, the student is considered in “bad academic standing”
by the Graduate School. Students may be placed on probaon or suspended from the Graduate School for failing to
complete the work and receive a final grade in a mely fashion. Outstanding incompletes must be resolved before a
degree is granted. An unresolved I grade lapses to a grade of PI (“Permanent Incomplete”) aer five years. Please
see the Graduate School Policy on Incomplete Grades .
9.12. Graduaon Procedures and Checklist
The ECE Graduate Coordinators will send out an e-mail at the beginning of each term requesng the names of
students who plan to graduate as well as with instrucons and deadlines for subming final degree forms and
38
warrant requests. Students must also indicate their plans for graduaon during their final semester in their MyUW
Student Center.
During the final semester prior to graduaon (graduaon term), the following must be completed:
○ Must be enrolled in at least two credits during graduaon term (Note: must also sasfy any other
enrollment requirements, for example as required by internaonal student status).
○ Apply to Graduate in the Student Center.
○ Nofy your ECE Graduate Coordinator of plans to graduate via email (include name, campus ID, degree,
and faculty advisor’s name).
○ Thoroughly read the Graduate School’s page Compleng Your Master’s Degree and complete all the
respecve tasks.
○ Confirm all final grades entered, with excepon to the current semester (no incomplete, unreported, or
Progress grades.
○ Complete the Master’s Degree Survey which you will also receive by email from the Graduate School.
○ Work with your faculty advisor to idenfy an instructor of a graduate-aribute course that will fill out the
Graduate Learning Outcome Report. This report must be submied online prior to turning in the MS
Degree Requirement Approval Form.
○ Turn in the MS Degree Requirements Approval Form with faculty advisor’s signature to your ECE
Graduate Coordinator by the deadline stated in the email.
○ Turn in the MS Degree Warrant Request Form to your ECE Graduate Coordinator by the deadline stated
in the email.
○ Degree warrants are signed electronically. Your ECE Graduate Coordinator will send an email noficaon
to your faculty advisor. You should follow up with your faculty advisor to sign off on your degree warrant.
○ Make sure “diploma”/ “mailing” address is up to date in Student Center in order to receive diploma
○ Review Diploma and Degree Posng informaon.
○ Aer the degree conferral date is posted on a student’s transcript, students may request a Degree
Compleon Leer in order to prove their degree prior to receiving their diploma.
○ Review UW-Madison and the College of Engineering commencement informaon.
○ To learn more about services that will connue to be available to you and those that will be deacvated,
visit: hps://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=78565 .
9.13. Transfers to Other ECE MS Degree Programs
Students desiring to transfer from one ECE MS degree program to another, e.g., Professional to Research, must
formally apply for a transfer. Applicaons must be received by the Graduate Student Services Coordinator no later
than October 1 for transfers effecve the following spring semester and March 1 for transfers effecve the
following summer or fall term. Transfer requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis in summer. The applicaon
form, which also lists all the required materials, can be found on the ECE Intranet site . Professional students may
also apply to transfer to the ECE PhD program via this same process.
10. MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING, RESEARCH OPTION
10.1. Introducon to the Research Opon
39
The Research opon Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering is a tradional research-oriented,
two-year degree program, emphasizing the enhancement of professional knowledge and research techniques
within Electrical and Computer Engineering. A student enrolled in the Research opon must engage in a graduate
level research project under supervision of a faculty member and is required to submit a Master’s Thesis (Thesis
opon) or a Project Report (Project opon) before graduaon.
Upon compleon of the required 30 credits of coursework and a research project, students will receive a diploma
stang “Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering.” The transcripts will state “Master of
Science-Electrical and Computer Engineering, Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Opon: Research.”
GUIDE informaon on the Research MS degree plan .
10.2. Degree Credit Requirement
The Research opon Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering degree program requires a
minimum of 30 credits subject to the following constraints:
● All ECE courses must be 400-level or higher.
● At least 15 credits must be ECE courses.
● At least 15 credits must be 700-level or above, including ECE courses and courses from other
departments. ECE 790 counts toward this requirement.
● At least three credits must be ECE 790 (or the comparable course in a different department).
● One credit of ECE 610 required.
● A maximum of nine credits of research (ECE 790) or independent study courses (ECE 699 and ECE 999)
may be used. Students should enroll in their research advisor’s secon number.
● Research or independent study courses taken in other departments are subject to the
nine-credit limit. For example, if a student takes nine credits of ECE independent study
or research courses (any combinaon of ECE 699, 790, and 999) and three credits of a
Computer Science independent study course, only nine of these twelve credits can be
counted toward the degree requirements.
● A maximum of three credits of ESL courses 300-level or above.
● Some credits taken as an undergraduate or graduate student at UW-Madison or at a previous instuon
may be eligible as described in 10.8 Prior Coursework.
The following categories do NOT count toward degree requirements:
● Audited courses.
● Courses taken Pass-Fail.
● ECE 611.
● ECE 702 co-op/internship credits.
Students can take more than 30 credits with advisor approval.
10.3. Degree Opons
Students enrolled in the Research opon Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering degree
program must choose one of two opons: the thesis opon or the project opon. Both opons have idencal
degree credit requirements as detailed in Secon 10.2 Degree Credit Requirement. In both opons, students must
perform research work under the supervision of a faculty member. The prime disncon of these opons is the
scope of research work and the way the research report will be formaed and deposited.
10.3.1. Thesis Opon
Each student who elects the Thesis Opon is required to perform research under the supervision of a research
advisor. The student and advisor may decide whether to hold a formal oral defense. If the thesis is formally
defended, then a thesis commiee of at least 3 members, 2 of whom must be graduate faculty or former graduate
40
faculty up to one year aer resignaon or rerement. The commiee must be chaired by the student’s advisor. If
the student has mulple advisors, all advisors must be on the commiee. If there is no formal defense, the thesis
only needs to be approved by the student's graduate faculty advisor.
At the conclusion of the research program, a thesis must be prepared. If required by the master’s thesis
commiee or faculty advisor to be submied to MINDS@UW, the thesis must: 1) conform to Graduate School and
library formats; 2) be deposited into the MINDS@UW Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Thesis
Collecon (see the Graduate School’s web page on compleng your master’s degree).
The MINDS@UW system will provide a permanent URL, safe long-term archiving, and is indexed by Google,
Google Scholar, and other specialty academic search engines. In order to deposit the master’s thesis, students
should fill out ECE’s MINDS@UW Submission form , including obtaining their advisor’s signature, and submit the
form along with a pdf copy of their thesis to the ECE Graduate Student Services Coordinator by the degree
deadline.
10.3.2. Project Opon
Students choosing the project opon will submit a typewrien project report describing their research project, for
approval by their advisor. As an opon, project reports can be submied to MINDS@UW in paper format by
subming ECE’s MINDS@UW Submission form , pdf of project, and abstract to your ECE Graduate Coordinator.
10.4. Credit Loads
Graduate students usually enroll in eight to twelve credits in fall and spring terms, although students with specific
appointments may enroll in fewer credits per term. Graduate students cannot enroll in more than 15 credits in the
fall and spring terms without prior approval. Summer term enrollment is only required in some circumstances.
Quesons regarding your credit load should be brought to your ECE Graduate Coordinator and/or your faculty
advisor.
10.5. ECE 610 Requirement
All graduate students must enroll in ECE 610 (1 credit) during their first semester of graduate studies. Students
with a course conflict with ECE 610 should discuss with their faculty advisor as to how to resolve the problem.
The purpose of ECE 610 is to prepare students for success in graduate school and expose them to areas within ECE
as well as related fields outside of ECE, such as biotechnology, physics, computer science, mathemacs, or
business. Electrical and Computer Engineering is very interdisciplinary in nature, and so it is important for
students to be aware of advanced research and development in areas other than their own.
10.6. Research Courses and Independent Studies
The MS Research course ECE 790 involves structured research projects that may lead to new knowledge,
technology, or invenon, which will ulmately contribute to the final MS Thesis or MS Project Report.
Independent study courses (ECE 699, ECE 999) provide students opportunies to learn course materials/content
that are not available as a regularly scheduled course or the opportunity to learn a new topic area in order to
facilitate research acvies. The disncon between different course levels is explained as follows:
Research Courses:
ECE 790: Master’s Research or Thesis
● For MS Research opon students.
● For PhD students geng an MS along the way to a PhD
● Students may take the comparable course in a different department.
ECE 890: Pre-Dissertator’s Research
● Only for PhD students who have not yet taken their preliminary examinaon
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● Does not count toward MS degree requirements.
ECE 990: Dissertator’s Research or Thesis
● Only for dissertators, PhD students that have already passed their preliminary examinaon
● Does not count toward MS degree requirements.
Independent Study Courses:
● ECE 699 course content generally corresponds to 500- or 600-level coursework.
● ECE 999 course content generally corresponds to 700-level or higher coursework.
● Students may take the comparable courses in a different department.
Students must enroll individually under the specific secon number of the research advisor/instructor for all
research and independent study courses. Research courses and independent study courses are variable-credit
courses; students must agree upon and confirm the number of credits with their research advisor/instructor.
Students whose research advisors are not ECE faculty or faculty affiliates must have an ECE academic advisor. Such
students are expected to register for research courses in the research advisor’s home department. They are also
expected to register for at least 1 credit of ECE 790/890/990 each semester under the academic advisor to reflect
the academic advisor's role in staying familiar with the student’s research progress and serving as chair of the
preliminary and final oral exam commiees.
Instructor consent is always required for research courses, although in different forms for different situaons. For
research courses, ECE graduate students may enroll aer directly receiving consent of the research advisor.
Non-ECE graduate students wishing to enroll in ECE graduate research courses must first obtain consent from the
research advisor and then email their ECE Graduate Coordinator in order to have the permission officially entered
in the system. Their ECE Graduate Coordinator will need to see the consent from the research advisor via email.
All students, ECE and non-ECE alike, require instructor consent and the administrave permission to enroll in
independent study courses. Please have your instructor email your ECE Graduate Coordinator with their
confirmaon of allowing you to enroll in their secon number. Aer receiving such an email, your ECE Graduate
Coordinator will grant the necessary permission in the system for the student to be able to enroll.
If enrolling in research or independent study courses in other departments, please contact the respecve
department’s Graduate Coordinator.
10.7. Cooperave Educaon (Co-op) and Internships
Through the Engineering Career Services Co-op and Summer Internship programs, students gain valuable “real
world” engineering experiences working with a variety of industries and governmental agencies. All students in
these programs will get opportunies to work full-me, be compevely paid, complete engineering assignments,
and work under the supervision of an engineer.
Students parcipang in a co-op or internship will enroll in ECE 702. While ECE 702 cannot be applied to the
Research opon curriculum requirements, co-ops and internships can provide very valuable experiences.
Obtaining work experience prior to compleng your degree requirements typically increases employment
opportunies and starng salaries aer graduaon.
Any quesons regarding Cooperave Educaon and Internships should be directed to Engineering Career Services.
Make sure to menon that you are a graduate student.
10.7.1. Cooperave Educaon
Co-op students work full-me in an engineering posion from January-August or May-December. The co-op
provides 26-28 weeks of full-me, paid engineering work experience. Alternang assignments are also an opon.
42
Cooperave educaon is an academic opon as part of your engineering educaon. Students who parcipate in
co-op complete assignments and receive academic credit but cannot count the credits toward degree
requirements. While on a co-op, students are considered full-me students and are eligible to maintain family or
UW health insurance.
The advantage of a co-op over an internship is the increased level of responsibility received due to the longer
duraon of the work term. Students in co-ops can work on larger and more complex projects that require more
me to complete.
For Internaonal students, see instrucons for the Curricular Praccal Training ( CPT) Process .
10.7.2. Internships
The Summer Internship is for students seeking engineering employment during the summer months. These 12–14
week, full-me assignments provide students exposure to engineering while enabling the employer to fill
short-term project needs.
10.8. Prior Coursework
Students may count a maximum of seven (7) credits of prior coursework towards their degree requirements.
These seven credits may come from one or more of the following categories under the condions specified:
● Graduate Work from Other Instuons: With program approval, students may count a maximum of
seven credits of graduate coursework from other instuons (post-baccalaureate) toward the minimum
graduate degree credit requirement and the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement. No
credits from other instuons may be counted toward the minimum graduate residence credit
requirement. To request evaluaon of prior coursework from a different instuon, please submit a
Graduate Course Equivalency Request Form to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator. Also, refer to
the addional requirements and rules below.
● UW–Madison Undergraduate: With program approval, up to seven credits from UW–Madison numbered
400 or above can be counted toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement, or ECE courses
numbered 700 or above can be counted toward the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement.
Paral credits from a course may be used to reach seven credits. No credits can be counted toward the
minimum graduate residence credit requirement. To request evaluaon of prior coursework, please
contact the Graduate Student Services Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules
below.
● Undergraduate credits earned at other instuons: With program approval, up to seven credits from
any instuon numbered 300 or above outside of ECE or 400 level or above within ECE can be counted
toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement. Transfer credits from other instuons must
be equivalent to the rigor of UW-Madison courses numbered 300 and above. Prior coursework transfers
will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the ECE MS or PhD Commiee. These credits cannot count
toward the 50% graduate coursework minimum nor the minimum graduate residence credit
requirement. To request evaluaon of prior coursework, please contact the Graduate Student Services
Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
● UW–Madison University Special Student Courses: With program approval, students are allowed to count
a maximum of seven credits of coursework numbered 400 or above taken as a UW–Madison University
Special student toward the minimum graduate residence credit requirement, and the minimum graduate
degree credit requirement. Courses numbered 700 or above taken as a UW–Madison Special student can
count toward the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement. Paral credits from a course may
be used to reach seven credits. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
Addional requirements and rules apply to prior coursework credits in all the categories listed above:
● All prior coursework credits for any of the categories must have been earned with a grade of B or beer.
43
● Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission into a UW-Madison Master’s degree program is
not allowed to sasfy requirements.
● Prior coursework will not count toward the student’s graduate GPA.
10.9. Grades and GPA
The Graduate School requires that students maintain a graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 (on a 4.00
scale) for all graduate courses to receive a degree.
Courses taken for audit (S/NR), credit/no credit (CR/N), or pass/fail do not affect the GPA. Research and
independent study courses graded on a Sasfactory/Unsasfactory (S/U) basis do not impact GPA. However, U
grades are monitored by the Graduate School for sasfactory progress purposes. A Permanent Incomplete (PI)
grade does not impact the GPA. A No Report (NR), if not for audit, or Incomplete (I) grade does not impact the
GPA, but these are temporary grades, indicang the instructor has not yet submied a final grade. Incomplete (I)
grades are monitored for sasfactory progress purposes.
Grades and GPA are taken into consideraon for sasfactory progress evaluaon. For more informaon on
sasfactory progress, see Secon 19 SATISFACTORY PROGRESS – ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS .
In order for courses to count toward your master’s degree, students must sasfy the following grade and GPA
requirements:
ECE Courses
● Grades of B or beer are always acceptable.
● BC grades are acceptable if the cumulave GPA for ECE classroom courses is equal to or greater than 3.0.
● Grades of C or lower are not acceptable.
Non-ECE Courses
● Grades of B or beer are always acceptable.
● BC and C grades are acceptable if approved by the ECE Graduate Commiee by way of an appeal.
● Any grade lower than a C is not acceptable.
Research and Independent Study Credits
● S grades are acceptable, while U grades are not.
● If it is leer-graded, only grades of B or beer are acceptable.
Incomplete Grades
An Incomplete may be reported for a student who has carried a subject with a passing grade unl near the end of
the semester and then, because of illness or other unusual and substanated cause beyond their control, has
been unable to take or complete the final examinaon, or to complete some limited amount of term work. An
Incomplete is not given to a student who stays away from a final examinaon unless the student proves to the
instructor that they were prevented from aending as indicated above. The student must resolve the incomplete
grade by the end of the following term in which they are enrolled. Please note that instructors may impose an
earlier deadline. If the incomplete grade is not resolved by the respecve deadline, the student is considered in
“bad academic standing” by the Graduate School. Students may be placed on probaon or suspended from the
Graduate School for failing to complete the work and receive a final grade in a mely fashion. Outstanding
incompletes must be resolved before a degree is granted. An unresolved I grade lapses to a grade of PI
(“Permanent Incomplete”) aer five years. Please see the Graduate School Policy on Incomplete Grades .
10.10. Department Funding
Assistantship appointments totaling a minimum of 33.3% FTE are eligible for tuion remission. Please refer to
Secon 12 FUNDING AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION for more informaon on department funding.
44
10.11. Graduaon Procedure and Checklist
The ECE Graduate Student Services Coordinator will send out an e-mail at the beginning of each semester
requesng the names of students who plan to graduate as well as with instrucons and deadlines for subming
final degree forms and warrant requests. Students must also indicate their plans for graduaon during their final
semester in their MyUW Student Center.
In students’ final semester (graduaon term), the following must be completed:
○ Must be enrolled in at least two credits during graduaon term (Note: must also sasfy any other
enrollment requirements required by funding or internaonal student status).
○ Apply to Graduate in Student Center.
○ Nofy your ECE Graduate Coordinator of plans to graduate via email (include name, campus ID, degree,
whether or not connuing to PhD, and faculty advisor’s name).
○ Thoroughly read “ Compleng Your Master’s Degree ” and complete all the respecve tasks.
○ Confirm all final grades entered, with excepon to the current semester (no incomplete, unreported, or
Progress grades
○ Complete the Master’s Degree Survey , which you will also receive by email from the Graduate School.
○ Ask your faculty advisor to complete the Graduate Learning Outcome Report. This report must be
submied online prior to turning in the MS Degree Requirement Approval Form.
○ Turn in the MS Degree Requirements Approval Form with faculty advisor’s signature to your ECE
Graduate Coordinator by the deadline stated in the email.
○ Turn in the MS Degree Warrant Request Form to your ECE Graduate Coordinator (ECE Graduate Student
Services) by the deadline stated in the email or three weeks from the thesis defense date, whichever is
sooner.
○ Degree warrants are signed electronically. Your ECE Graduate Coordinator will send an email noficaon
to your faculty advisor. You should follow up with your faculty advisor to sign off on your degree warrant.
○ Make sure “diploma” / “mailing” address is up to date in Student Center in order to receive diploma
○ Review Diploma Informaon .
○ Review Cerfied Electronic Diploma Informaon .
○ Review Official Conferral Dates .
○ Review Posng of Degrees .
○ Aer the degree conferral date is posted on a student’s transcript, students may request a Degree
Compleon Leer in order to prove their degree prior to receiving their diploma.
○ Review UW Commencement Informaon and College of Engineering Commencement Informaon .
○ To learn more about services that will connue to be available to you and those that will be deacvated,
visit: hps://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=78565 .
10.12. Adding a Major Outside of ECE
Students wishing to add or change to a major (MS or PhD) in another department must submit an applicaon for
an Add/Change/Disconnue Program Request in the Grad Portal. It is advisable to check-in with the other
department before compleng the request, as they may require or suggest addional applicaon materials.
See the Graduate School’s Addion/Change of Program, Plan, or Named Opon policy.
45
10.13. Transfers to Other ECE MS Degree Programs
Students desiring to transfer from one ECE MS degree program, e.g., Professional to MLSP, must formally apply for
a transfer. Applicaons must be received by the Graduate Student Services Coordinator no later than October 1
for transfers effecve the following spring semester and March 1 for transfers effecve the following summer or
fall semester. Transfer requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis in summer. The applicaon form, which also
lists all the required materials, can be found on the ECE Intranet site .
10.14. Connuing to ECE PhD
Students who wish to enter the ECE PhD program that were not originally admied to the ECE PhD program must
complete an internal applicaon. The applicaon form, which also lists all the required materials, can be found on
the ECE Intranet site . Applicaons will be reviewed by the ECE Graduate Admissions Commiee.
The applicaon deadline is October 1 for addions effecve for spring semester, and March 1 for addions
effecve for fall term. Requests to add the ECE PhD program are reviewed on a case-by-case basis for the summer
term. Students must apply in the semester before planning to enroll in the PhD program. It is strongly
recommended that students apply in or before their second semester of graduate studies to sasfy the
requirements of the PhD Research Readiness Assessment. Applying for the PhD does not obligate you to enter the
program.
11. DOCTORAL DEGREE
11.1. Introducon
The Doctorate Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD ECE) is a research degree emphasizing
creavity and original approaches to problem-solving in electrical and computer engineering.
PhD students must sasfy the UW-Madison Graduate School credit requirements and pursue Primary and Minor
fields of study in consultaon with a faculty advisor. A PhD student must pass the PhD Research Readiness
Assessment, usually in the 3rd semester, and be awarded Advanced Graduate Standing (AGS) status by the ECE
PhD Graduate Commiee, usually in the 4th semester. Aer compleon of all course requirements in the Primary
and Minor fields of study, a PhD student with the AGS status will advance to the dissertator status when they pass
a preliminary examinaon administered by their PhD advisory commiee. The preliminary examinaon must be
taken no later than three semesters aer receiving AGS status. Upon compleon of the proposed research work, a
dissertator will submit a PhD dissertaon to their PhD advisory commiee and present the work in a public oral
defense. The expected me from entry to compleon of the program is five years. With the approval of the PhD
advisory commiee, the dissertator will be awarded a doctorate degree tled “PhD in Electrical and Computer
Engineering”.
11.2. Credit Requirement
The PhD degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering requires a minimum of 51 credits subject to the following
constraints:
● ECE courses must be 400-level or above.
● Non-ECE courses must be 300-level or above.
● Research credits (ECE 790, 890, or 990) and independent study courses (ECE 699 and 999) may be used,
although:
● Research and independent study credits cannot count toward primary and minor
requirements.
● Up to three credits of independent study courses may be used to meet Opon C minor
requirements as described in Secon 11.7.3.
46
● ESL courses 300-level or above are applicable but cannot be used to meet primary and minor
requirements.
● ECE 702 CPT/internship credits are applicable but cannot be used to meet primary and minor
requirements.
● Some credits taken as an undergraduate or graduate student at UW-Madison or at a previous instuon
may be used as described in Secon 11.10 Prior Coursework.
The following categories of courses may not be used to sasfy the 51-credit requirement.
● Audited courses.
● Courses taken Pass-Fail.
Students are allowed to take more than 51 credits but are expected to graduate within a reasonable me.
11.3. Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement
The minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement states that at least 50% of credits applied toward the
program’s graduate degree credit requirement (26 of 51 credits) must be courses designed for graduate work (this
includes but is not limited to online, thesis/research, independent study, and praccum/internship credits).
Courses 700-level and above will always sasfy the (50%) requirement. Courses below the 700-level idenfied
with the graduate course aribute (G50%) in the University’s Course Guide and Class Search also meet the (50%)
requirement.
11.4. Credit Loads
Students are expected to sasfy minimum enrollment requirements (see Secon 19 Sasfactory Progress –
Academic Expectaons for more details). Graduate students usually enroll in 8-12 credits in fall and spring terms,
although students with specific appointments may enroll in fewer credits per term. Graduate students cannot
enroll in more than 15 credits in the fall and spring terms without approval. Summer term enrollment is only
required in some circumstances. Quesons regarding your credit load should be brought to the ECE Graduate
Student Services Coordinator (Graduate Student Services) and/or your faculty advisor.
11.5. ECE 610 and ECE 611 Requirement
All doctoral students must enroll in ECE 610 (1 credit) during their first semester of graduate studies and in ECE
611 (2 credits) during their second semester of graduate studies. Students with a course conflict with ECE 610 or
ECE 611 should discuss with their faculty advisor as to how to resolve the problem.
Electrical and Computer Engineering is interdisciplinary in nature, and it is important for students to be aware of
advanced research and development in areas other than their own. The purpose of ECE 610 is to prepare students
for success in graduate school and expose them to areas within ECE as well as related fields outside of ECE, such
as biotechnology, physics, computer science, mathemacs, or business. ECE 611 will emphasize research
experiences and methodologies to prepare students to pursue PhD research work.
11.6. Primary ECE Coursework Requirements
All ECE PhD students must take 12 credits of graduate-level ECE courses approved by their PhD advisors.
Of these, 9 credits must be at 700 level or above.
● Research, independent study, or seminar credits (e.g., ECE 610, 611, 699, 790, 890, 990, 999, 922)
may not be used to sasfy this requirement.
● ECE courses used to sasfy minor requirements may not be used to sasfy this requirement.
● Any cross-listed courses can count toward this requirement regardless of instructor.
A cumulave grade point average of 3.3 or higher must be achieved for the primary ECE coursework. Courses used
to fulfill the primary ECE requirements cannot be used to fulfill other PhD course requirements.
47
Students should complete and turn in their PhD course forms (Primary ECE Coursework and Minor forms) at the
beginning of the last semester of which they are taking a classroom course required for PhD coursework. Both
forms should be submied together. Forms should be turned into your ECE Graduate Coordinator, who will verify
the student’s grades and pass the forms to the ECE Graduate Commiee for approval. Before subming the PhD
course forms, all temporary grades must be resolved. All incomplete grades and progress grades, for example,
must be changed to final grades.
11.7. Doctoral Minor
The doctoral minor is meant to serve as a supplementary body of work to the major ECE field of study. All ECE
PhD students must complete the doctoral minor course requirement. Typical doctoral minor fields for ECE
students include, but are not limited to, other Engineering disciplines, Computer Science, Mathemacs, Physics,
Physiology, and Stascs. The minor is designed to represent a coherent body of work and should not simply
involve an aer-the-fact raficaon of a number of courses.
Students should complete and turn in their PhD course forms (Primary ECE Coursework and Minor forms) two
months before their Preliminary Exam. Both forms should be submied together. Forms should be turned into
their ECE Graduate Coordinator (Graduate Student Services), who will verify the student’s grades and pass the
forms to the ECE Graduate Commiee for approval. Before subming the PhD course forms, all temporary grades
must be resolved. All incomplete grades and progress grades, for example, must be changed to final grades.
Students have three opons to sasfy the doctoral minor requirement: a minor in a single department (Opon A),
a distributed minor in two or more departments, including ECE (Opon B), or the compleon of a
graduate/professional cerficate (Opon C).
11.7.1. Opon A: Single Department
To sasfy Opon A, a student must sasfy the minor course requirements as dictated by a single department
outside of ECE. Most single department minors require 9-12 credits. Students should confirm the requirements
with the minor department before taking courses. Minor requirements of other departments can be found on the
Graduate GUIDE .
A cumulave grade point average of at least 3.0 must be achieved for the minor. Courses used to fulfill the minor
requirements cannot be used to fulfill other PhD course requirements. Approval of the courses for the Opon A
minor is cerfied by the minor department.
11.7.2. Opon B: Distributed
To sasfy Opon B, a student must earn at least nine credits in two or more departments. Of the nine credits,
three credits must be 700 level or above in Department A, three credits must be 700 level or above in Department
B and the remaining three credits may be 400 level or above in any department. One of the departments can be
ECE. It is recommended that a Distributed Minor explore courses outside of a student's research area. Courses
used to fulfill the minor requirements cannot be used to fulfill other PhD course requirements. A cumulave grade
point average of at least 3.0 must be achieved for the doctoral minor. Approval of the courses for the Opon B
minor is cerfied by the ECE Graduate Commiee. Graduate-level courses offered by external department(s) that
are designated by the offering department as being equivalent to a 700-level course for the purpose of a PhD
minor can be counted as 700 level. If a student wishes to count an ECE cross-listed course as if it were external to
ECE, this requires wrien approval from the DGS and/or PhD Commiee. The Opon B minor form may only be
submied to the student’s file aer all approved courses are sasfactorily completed.
11.7.3. Opon C: Compleon of a Graduate/Professional Cerficate
48
To sasfy Opon C, a student must complete a Graduate/Professional Cerficate in a program outside of
Electrical and Computer Engineering. The Graduate School’s minimum course requirements for the doctoral minor
and Graduate/Professional cerficate to meet the breadth requirement include:
● An average GPA of 3.00 on all coursework;
● Coursework must be graded courses numbered 300 or above; no audits or pass/fail;
● Coursework may not be double counted for major requirements;
● Maximum 3 credits of independent study (e.g., 699, 799, 899, 999);
● Research and thesis cannot be used to sasfy the minor or Graduate/Professional cerficate (e.g., 790,
890, 990);
● No more than 5 credits of coursework completed more than 5 years prior to admission to the doctoral
program; coursework taken 10 years ago or more may not be used.
A student cannot earn a doctoral minor and a Graduate/Professional cerficate of the same name.
11.7.4. Doctoral Minor Opon A for Non-ECE Students
PhD students from other UW-Madison graduate programs who wish to earn a minor in ECE are required to
complete a minimum of nine credits of ECE courses numbered 400-level or above. At least three of these nine
credits must be earned in courses numbered 700-level or above. Students must earn a B or beer in all courses
used for the minor. At most, one course cross-listed with the student’s major department may be counted toward
the minor requirement, provided the course was taught by a faculty member whose primary affiliaon is ECE.
Students minoring in ECE can transfer up to 3 credits of prior graduate coursework toward the 9-credit
requirement with course equivalency approval . Courses used to fulfill the minor requirements cannot be used to
fulfill other PhD course requirements. A student who has earned an MS Research degree in Electrical and
Computer Engineering will be considered to have fulfilled the minor requirements of ECE. Approval of the courses
for the Opon A minor of non-ECE students is cerfied by the ECE Graduate Commiee. In order to obtain minor
approval from the ECE Department, students must complete the Opon A Minor Approval Form , get it signed by
their faculty advisor, and turn the form into their ECE Graduate Coordinator (COE Graduate Student Services).
11.8. Research Courses and Independent Studies
Research courses (ECE 790, ECE 890, and ECE 990) are structured research projects that may lead to new
knowledge, technology, or invenon. The expected outcomes are a Master’s thesis, Masters project report, or PhD
dissertaon. Independent study courses (ECE 699, ECE 999) provide students opportunies to learn course
materials that are not available as regularly scheduled courses or new topic areas to facilitate research acvies.
The disncon between different course levels are:
11.8.1. Research Courses:
ECE 790: Master’s Research or Thesis
● For MS Research opon students
● For PhD students geng an MS along the way to a PhD
ECE 890: Pre-Dissertator’s Research
● Only for PhD students who have not yet taken their preliminary examinaon
● Does not count toward MS degree requirements.
ECE 990: Research or Thesis
● Only for dissertators, who are PhD students that have already passed their preliminary examinaon
● Does not count toward MS degree requirements.
Independent Study Courses:
● ECE 699 course content generally corresponds to 500 or 600 level coursework.
49
● ECE 999 course content generally corresponds to 700 and higher-level coursework.
Students must enroll individually under the specific secon number of the research advisor/instructor for all
research and independent study courses. Research courses and independent study courses are variable-credit
courses; students agree upon the number of credits with their research advisor/instructor.
Students whose research advisors are not ECE faculty or faculty affiliates must have an ECE academic advisor. Such
students are expected to register for research courses in the research advisors home department. They are also
expected to register for at least 1 credit of ECE 790/890/990 each semester under the academic advisor to reflect
the academic advisor's role in staying familiar with the student’s research progress and serving as chair of the
preliminary and final oral exam commiees.
Instructor consent is always required for research courses and independent studies. For research courses, the
student may enroll aer receiving consent of the research advisor. Non-ECE graduate students wishing to enroll in
ECE graduate research or independent study courses must contact the ECE Graduate Coordinator(s) or COE
Graduate Student Services for permission to do so.
All students require administrave permission to enroll in independent study courses. Please have your instructor
email your ECE Graduate Coordinator their confirmaon of allowing you to enroll in their secon. Aer receiving
such an email, your ECE Graduate Coordinator will grant the necessary permission in the system for the student to
enroll.
11.9. Cooperave Educaon (Co-op) and Internships
Through the Engineering Career Services Co-Op and Summer Internship programs students gain valuable “real
world” engineering experiences working with a variety of industries and governmental agencies.
All students in these programs can work full-me, be compevely paid, complete engineering assignments, and
work under the supervision of an engineer.
Students parcipang in a co-op or internship will enroll in ECE 702. ECE 702 can be used toward the PhD degree
requirements but cannot be used to sasfy primary area or minor course requirements. See Secon 11.2 Credit
Requirement.
Obtaining work experience prior to compleng your degree requirements typically increases employment
opportunies and starng salaries aer graduaon.
Any quesons regarding Cooperave Educaon and Internships should be directed to Engineering Career Services.
Make sure to menon that you are a graduate student.
11.9.1. Cooperave Educaon
Co-op students work full-me in an engineering posion from January-August or May-December. The co-op
provides 26-28 weeks of full-me, paid engineering work experience. Alternang assignments are also an opon.
Cooperave educaon is an academic opon as part of your engineering educaon. Students who parcipate in
co-op complete assignments and receive academic credit toward graduaon. While on a co-op, students are
considered full-me students and are eligible to maintain family or UW health insurance.
The advantage of a co-op over an internship is the increased level of responsibility received due to the longer
duraon of the work term. Students on co-ops are able to work on larger and complex projects that require more
me to complete.
For Internaonal students, see instrucons on the Curricular Praccal Training ( CPT) Process .
11.9.2. Internships
50
The Summer Internship is for students seeking engineering employment during the summer months. These
full-me assignments provide students exposure to engineering while enabling the employer to fill short-term
project needs.
11.10. Prior Coursework
Students may count prior coursework toward their doctoral degree under the following circumstances:
●
Graduate Work from Other Instuons: With program approval, students may count graduate
coursework from other instuons (taken post-baccalaureate) toward the minimum graduate degree
credit requirement and the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement. No credits from other
instuons may be counted toward the minimum graduate residence credit requirement. To request
evaluaon of prior coursework from a different instuon, please submit a Graduate Course Equivalency
Request Form to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements
and rules below.
●
UW–Madison Undergraduate: With program approval, up to seven credits from UW–Madison numbered
400 or above can be counted toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement, or ECE courses
numbered 700 or above can be counted toward the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement.
Paral credits from a course may be used to reach seven credits. No credits can be counted toward the
minimum graduate residence credit requirement. To request evaluaon of prior coursework, please
contact the Graduate Student Services Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules
below.
●
Undergraduate credits earned at other instuons: With program approval, up to seven credits from
any instuon numbered 300 or above outside of ECE or 400 level or above within ECE can be counted
toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement. Transfer credits from other instuons must
be equivalent to the rigor of UW-Madison courses numbered 300 and above. Prior coursework transfers
will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the ECE MS or PhD Commiee. These credits cannot count
toward the 50% graduate coursework minimum nor the minimum graduate residence credit
requirement. To request evaluaon of prior coursework, please contact the Graduate Student Services
Coordinator. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
● UW–Madison University Special Student Courses: With program approval, students are allowed to count
up to nine credits of coursework numbered 400 or above taken as a UW–Madison University Special
student toward the minimum graduate residence credit requirement, and the minimum graduate degree
credit requirement. Courses numbered 700 or above taken as a UW–Madison Special student can count
toward the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement. Paral credits from a course may be used
to reach nine credits. Also, refer to the addional requirements and rules below.
Addional requirements and rules apply to prior coursework credits in all of the categories listed above:
● All prior coursework credits for any of the categories must have been earned with a grade of B or beer.
● Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission into a UW-Madison Doctoral degree program is
not allowed to sasfy requirements.
● Prior coursework will not count toward the student’s graduate GPA.
11.11. Grades and GPA
The Graduate School requires that students maintain a graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 (on a 4.00
scale) for all graduate courses (excluding research) to receive a degree.
Courses taken for audit (S/NR), credit/no credit (CR/N), or pass/fail do not affect the GPA. Research courses
graded on a Sasfactory/Unsasfactory (S/U) basis do not impact GPA. However, U grades are monitored by the
Graduate School for sasfactory progress. A Permanent Incomplete (PI) grade does not impact the GPA. A No
Report (NR), if not for audit, or Incomplete (I) grade does not impact the GPA, but in a graded course this is a
temporary grade, indicang the instructor has not yet submied a final grade.
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In order for courses to count toward your doctoral degree, students must sasfy the following grade and GPA
requirements:
11.11.1. ECE Courses
● Grades of B or beer are always acceptable.
● BC grades are acceptable if the cumulave GPA for ECE classroom courses is equal to or greater than 3.0.
● Grades of C or lower are not acceptable.
● Sasfactory/unsasfactory (S/U) grades are only acceptable for research and independent study courses
(e.g., ECE 790, 890, 990, 699, and 999)
11.11.2. Non-ECE Courses
● Grades of B or beer are always acceptable.
● BC and C grades are acceptable if approved by the ECE Graduate Commiee.
● Any grade lower than a C is not acceptable.
● Sasfactory/unsasfactory (S/U) grades are only acceptable for research and independent study courses
(e.g., courses that are equivalent to ECE 790, 890, 990, 699, and 999 at other departments)
11.11.3. Research Courses and Independent Study Courses
● S grades are acceptable, while U grades are not.
● If ECE 699 or 999 was leer-graded, only grades of B or beer are acceptable.
11.11.4. Incomplete Grades
An Incomplete may be reported for a student who has carried a subject with a passing grade unl near the end of
the semester and then, because of illness or other unusual and substanated cause beyond their control, has
been unable to take or complete the final examinaon, or to complete some limited amount of term work. An
Incomplete is not given to a student who stays away from a final examinaon unless the student proves to the
instructor that they were prevented from aending as indicated above. The student must resolve the incomplete
grade by the end of the following term in which they are enrolled. Please note that instructors may impose an
earlier deadline. If the incomplete grade is not resolved by the respecve deadline, the student is considered in
“bad academic standing” by the Graduate School. Students may be placed on probaon or suspended from the
Graduate School for failing to complete the work and receive a final grade in a mely fashion. Outstanding
incompletes must be resolved before a degree is granted. An unresolved I grade lapses to a grade of PI
(“Permanent Incomplete”) aer five years. Please see the Graduate School Policy on Incomplete Grades .
11.12. Department Funding
Please refer to Secon 12 FUNDING AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION for more informaon on department funding
and consult with your advisor.
11.13. Research Readiness Assessment
The PhD Research Readiness Assessment (RRA) is a general assessment that places emphasis on a
student’s ability to reason, formulate and solve problems, apply basic engineering and analycal skills,
and communicate effecvely.
All ECE students intending to pursue a doctoral degree are required to take the RRA. Students must
complete at least one semester of full-me graduate coursework before taking the RRA.
Students must take the RRA no later than the third semester aer entering the ECE graduate program
(summers not included). If a second aempt is required, it must occur no later than the fourth semester
aer entering the program. No student can take the RRA more than twice. If a student leaves the
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department (i.e., to work between MS and PhD degrees), the me spent away from study will not
count as part of the four semesters. In addion, one extra semester will be alloed for every two
semesters the student is away, accumulang to at most three semesters aer returning to take the
exam for the first me. These rules apply to every graduate student, including those who inially set out
to pursue only the MS degree. It is the student’s responsibility to take the RRA on me. If a student
does not take the RRA within the me required, the student may be requested to leave the ECE PhD
degree program. Reasonable accommodaons will be made by the PhD Graduate Commiee for
students that enter the program via an atypical route or ming.
Objecves: The primary role of this assessment is to help the student become a successful researcher.
In this assessment the student will demonstrate the ability to:
• summarize technical ideas in wring and in an oral presentaon
• crically evaluate scienfic literature
• answer quesons and engage in scienfic discussion
The focus of the assessment is the presentaon and discussion of a single, coherent topic based on
the materials included in one or more published papers (up to a maximum of 5). Choosing one paper is highly
recommended and students are strongly encouraged to not select a paper from their advisor’s group. The advisor
should assist the student in selecng the paper(s) and developing understanding and interpretaon of them. The
paper(s) should represent a research topic of collaborave interest to the student and advisor and must be
approved by the advisor.
The student is fully responsible for understanding the content of the chosen paper(s), including
relevant references and background source material. In addion to understanding the technical
content, the student should be able to answer queries about why the paper(s) is important, how the
authors may have decided on their approach, why the result maers, how the results compare to
related work, and what could be improved.
The student is not expected to propose specific research direcons or demonstrate any of their
own inial research results.
Structure: The detailed structure of the PhD RRA is as follows:
1. Students receive email from the ECE Department near the beginning of the semester about
registering for the RRA. When registering the student shall submit citaons for the one to five
papers they plan to use for the RRA, four possible commiee members, and advisor approval to
the PhD Graduate Commiee.
2. Upon registraon for the RRA, the ECE PhD Graduate Commiee selects three examiners for
each parcipang student:
a. The advisor is a member of the commiee. If a student has more than one advisor, only
one of the advisors can serve on the commiee.
b. Usually, the two remaining commiee members will be chosen from the list of four
possible commiee members recommended by the student. Load balancing amongst
faculty and availability are examples of situaons in which student recommendaons may
not be followed.
c. The PhD Graduate Commiee appoints a chair of the student’s commiee. The chair
will not be the advisor.
3. The oral poron of the RRA will be held within a two-week period specified by the ECE Graduate
Commiee.
4. The student must contact the commiee members and arrange a convenient me for taking the
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oral poron within the specified period. The student is responsible for making the necessary
room reservaons.
Format:
1. The student submits a wrien summary of the chosen topic to the commiee at least 24 hours prior to the
scheduled assessment me. The wrien summary is limited to one page (1-inch margin all sides, single
spaced, minimum 10-point font).
2. The oral assessment will be limited to 45 minutes. During that me, the student will give a
presentaon and the commiee members will ask quesons about various aspects of the
selected paper(s) and related background material. The expectaon is that the presentaon will
focus on a single, coherent topic that can be based on the materials included in one or more of
the chosen published papers (up to a maximum of 5). The student must leave ample me in their
presentaon for quesons and answers. Typically, this will involve keeping the presentaon to
less than 20 minutes, if given uninterrupted.
a. The quesons should address the student’s competency in the relevant area background
material.
b. The quesons may address the student’s review of the paper(s), but are not limited to the
paper(s).
3. The commiee will also assess the student’s communicaon skills.
a. Students who have difficulty conversing in English are advised to take the necessary
steps toward improvement in spoken English prior to taking the RRA.
b. As the student may be presenng to a mixed audience of experts and non-experts in the
field, the presentaon should include sufficient high-level overview so that non-experts
can understand the importance and basic approach of the work.
4. The student poron of the oral assessment will not exceed 45 minutes. The commiee will
discuss the student’s performance following the student’s departure and provide
recommendaons for improvement.
5. The advisor may not speak during the student poron of the assessment.
6. Each commiee member independently grades the assessment, turning in a grade of either
Excellent, Pass, Marginal, or Fail. The students will not learn the grades, only the
recommendaons for improvement. Students should not ask about grades.
7. Assessment grades are tabulated for each student at the end of the assessment period and are
forwarded to the ECE PhD Graduate Commiee. The ECE PhD Graduate Commiee decides
whether the student passes the RRA.
11.14. Advanced Graduate Standing
Advanced Graduate Standing is the departmental designaon for official permission to pursue a PhD degree in
ECE. The ECE Graduate Commiee grants AGS.
The process of evaluaon for AGS is disnct from the decision about whether a student passes the Research
Readiness Assessment. Passing the Research Readiness Assessment does not ensure AGS will be granted. AGS
evaluaon is based on:
1. The student's performance on the PhD Research Readiness Assessment.
2. The student’s performance in graduate courses. Although a cumulave grade point average of 3.3 is the
minimum requirement for sasfacon of the primary ECE course requirement, a substanally higher
overall GPA in graduate coursework is usually required before AGS is granted.
3. The leer of recommendaon from the student's research advisor.
4. The student’s submied plan for meeng all course requirements.
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Any addional supporng materials, such as publicaons, that the student wishes to provide are also welcomed.
Each student is evaluated for AGS in the 4th semester. Noficaon of the outcome of the review is made via email.
If a student is turned down aer the first AGS review, they are nofied of the reasons with an indicaon of how
and to what extent the student's chances of receiving AGS at the subsequent evaluaon can be improved.
Students not receiving AGS at the inial review are evaluated for AGS a second me by the end of the semester
following the first review. No student is reviewed for AGS more than twice. A student who is turned down for AGS
a second me will be required to leave the ECE PhD program.
11.15. Preliminary Examinaon
The Preliminary Examinaon is a detailed examinaon covering the proposed research leading to the PhD thesis.
The purpose of the exam is to ascertain the capability of the student to perform the proposed research and the
quality and appropriateness of the project. Upon successful compleon of the Preliminary Examinaon and PhD
requirements (except the compleon of the dissertaon), students are classified as dissertators.
Every PhD student is required to pass the Preliminary Examinaon. Before taking the Preliminary Examinaon, the
student must first achieve Advanced Graduate Standing (AGS) and sasfy the English Competency Requirement.
There is no limit to the number of mes a student may take the Preliminary Examinaon. The Preliminary
Examinaon must be taken for the first me no later than three semesters aer receipt of Advanced Graduate
Standing.
The preliminary exam is intended to be a proposal - not a nearly completed thesis. The goal is to present your
plans for your thesis to a commiee and receive feedback at an early stage in your research.
The examinaon is generally oral and is administered by a commiee convened by the student with the approval
of the student's research advisor. The commiee consists of no less than three members, but preferably four
members, at least two of which must be selected from the ECE Department. It is recommended that the
commiee sasfy all the requirements of the Final Oral Examinaon commiee (see Secon 11.17) and that the
Preliminary Examinaon Commiee be selected with the intenon of also serving as the Final Oral Examinaon
commiee. Some minor departments require that a representave from their department serve on the
commiee. If a student has an Opon A minor in a single other department, the student should check with the
minor department to confirm if a minor department commiee member is necessary. For detailed informaon,
see Doctoral Commiees .
Commiee members from the following categories must be approved by the PhD Commiee: faculty from a
department without a graduate program, academic staff (including emeritus faculty), vising faculty, faculty from
other instuons, sciensts, research associates, and other individuals deemed qualified by the PhD Commiee.
To seek approval, students should prepare a 2-4 sentence wrien explanaon of why an individual should be
allowed to serve on the commiee. This explanaon is due to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator(s) no
later than 1 month before the student’s preliminary exam date.
The format of the exam typically involves public presentaon of selected research conducted to date by the
student and a descripon of the proposed research to be completed for the PhD degree. Quesons may be asked
at any point in the presentaon. Aer the presentaon, the chair of the commiee will ask any public aendees
to leave the room and the commiee will ask further quesons of the student. Then the student will be asked to
leave so the commiee can discuss the student’s performance and form recommendaons to be shared with the
student.
There are no departmental documentaon requirements for the preliminary exam. However, students should
consult with their advisors for advice on how to best communicate their current/to-date and proposed work to
the commiee. Typically, students will prepare a wrien report and a presentaon. A detailed wrien report is
strongly encouraged, as it provides a document the student and commiee can refer to later.
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Students are not permied to bring refreshments for the commiee and audience members.
At least two months prior to the Preliminary Examinaon, students are required to turn in their PhD course forms
with their advisor’s signature to their ECE Graduate Coordinator.
Before a Preliminary Examinaon Warrant can be requested, a student’s PhD course forms must be approved by
the ECE Graduate Commiee. Their ECE Graduate Coordinator will verify the student’s grades and pass the forms
to the ECE Graduate Commiee for approval. Students should complete and turn in their PhD course forms at the
beginning of the last semester of which they are taking a classroom course required for PhD coursework. Before
subming the PhD course forms, all temporary grades must be resolved. All incomplete grades and progress
grades, for example, must be changed to final grades.
Once a student’s PhD course forms have been approved, they may submit the Preliminary Examinaon Warrant
Request form. This form should be submied at least four weeks prior to the date of the examinaon.
11.16. Dissertator Status
As soon as a student has completed and passed all the requirements of the PhD degree, with excepon of the
compleon of the dissertaon, a student is classified as a dissertator. Specifically, a student must:
1) have completed 32 graduate credits at UW-Madison;
2) have sasfied the Primary ECE course requirements;
3) have sasfied the Doctoral Minor course requirements;
4) have sasfied the English Competency Requirement;
5) have successfully completed ECE 610 and ECE 611;
6) have passed the Preliminary Examinaon; and
7) have a cumulave graduate GPA of 3.0.
Dissertator status is achieved by turning in the signed and dated Preliminary Examinaon Warrant to their ECE
Graduate Coordinator by the dissertator eligibility deadline. Dissertator status is effecve at the start of the
semester following the compleon of all dissertator requirements for the doctoral degree except for the
dissertaon. Students will receive a confirmaon email from the Graduate School once dissertator status is
applied to the student’s record.
Dissertators must be enrolled in exactly three credits each term unl the PhD is conferred according to Graduate
School policy. Usually, a dissertator enrolls in three credits of ECE 990 in the secon of their research advisor.
Enrollment must be maintained every academic semester, regardless of whether the student is performing
research on or off campus.
A dissertator who enrolls for more (or fewer) than 3 credits will be removed from dissertator status for the fall or
spring term in which the enrollment is not exactly 3 credits. During the summer, however, an enrolled dissertator
may ask their advisor to request an overload of 1-2 addional credits in a short session and sll retain dissertator
fee status, if the course is related to dissertaon research or professional training that is not offered in regular
semesters. If a dissertator chooses to pursue a graduate degree or cerficate in another area, the dissertator fee
status will be disconnued, and regular graduate fees will be assessed.
Students considering the removal of their dissertator status should contact their ECE Graduate Coordinator
immediately.
For more informaon about dissertator status, please refer to the Graduate School policy:
hps://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1247 .
11.17. Final Oral Examinaon
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The final oral examinaon (oen called “defense”) normally covers a student’s dissertaon and areas of study.
Students may not take the final oral examinaon unl they have sasfied all other requirements for their degree.
A final oral examinaon is required of all PhD students. There is no limit to the number of mes a student may
take the final oral examinaon.
Doctoral students are expected to take their inial final oral examinaon within five years of entering the ECE PhD
program. For example, students entering in Fall 2022 should schedule their inial defense prior to the end of the
Summer 2027 session. Students have a maximum of five years from the date of passing their Preliminary
Examinaons to pass their final oral examinaon and submit their dissertaon.
The final oral examinaon is administered by a commiee chosen by the student and their research advisor and
approved by the Graduate School. The commiee is chaired by the student’s academic advisor. If the student has
mulple advisors, all advisors should be on the commiee. The commiee must consist of at least four members.
At least three members of the commiee must be current UW-Madison graduate faculty or former UW-Madison
graduate faculty up to one year aer resignaon or rerement. Two members, at minimum, must be from within
the ECE Department. The commiee must have at least one member whose primary appointment is not within
the ECE department. Students must designate at least three members of their commiee to be readers of their
dissertaon. For detailed informaon, see Doctoral Commiees .
Commiee members from the following categories must be approved by the PhD Commiee: faculty from a
department without a graduate program, academic staff (including emeritus faculty), vising faculty, faculty from
other instuons, sciensts, research associates, and other individuals deemed qualified by the PhD Commiee.
To seek approval, students should prepare a 2-4 sentence wrien explanaon of why an individual should be
allowed to serve on the commiee. This explanaon is due to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator(s) no
later than 1 month before the student’s Defense.
The format of the defense typically involves public presentaon of selected research conducted to fulfill the
requirements of the PhD degree. Quesons may be asked at any point in the presentaon. Aer the presentaon,
the chair of the commiee will ask any public aendees to leave the meeng and the commiee will ask further
quesons of the student. Then the student will be asked to leave so the commiee can discuss the student’s
performance and whether to recommend or require changes to the PhD thesis.
Students are not to bring refreshments for the commiee and audience members.
A student must provide a copy of their PhD thesis to the defense commiee members at least two weeks prior to
the scheduled defense.
If it is not possible for all commiee members to aend the same defense me, students may conduct the
defense mulple mes. However, it is strongly recommended that students never complete their defense
one-on-one with a commiee member. The student’s commiee chair should be present at all defense mes to
best support the student. Likewise, students may conduct their defense using teleconference technology such as
Zoom.
At least four weeks prior to the defense date, students must turn in the Final Oral Examinaon Warrant Request
Form to their ECE Graduate Coordinator.
11.18. Progress Report
Students that are unable to hold their defense within five years must submit a progress report to the Graduate
Commiee. The progress report should be prepared in consultaon with the advisor and include the following:
● Date of the progress report
● Name of the student and matriculaon date
● Name of the advisor
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● Accomplishments to date (300 words or less)
● Extenuang circumstances, if any
● Plans and meline for degree compleon, including a planned defense date
● A list of papers published, in press or submied, include authors
● Leer from the advisor supporng the plans to complete the degree
Progress reports are emailed to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator(s).
11.19. Graduaon Procedures and Checklist
Their ECE Graduate Coordinator will send out an e-mail at the beginning of each term requesng the names of
students who plan to graduate as well as with instrucons and deadlines for subming final degree forms and
warrant requests. Students should also indicate their plans for graduaon during their final semester in their
MyUW Student Center.
In students’ final semester (graduaon term), the following must be completed:
● Must be enrolled in at least three credits.
● Apply to Graduate in the Student Center for student’s name to be on the commencement program.
● Nofy your ECE Graduate Coordinator and payr[email protected] of plans to graduate via email (include
name, campus ID, degree, faculty advisor’s name, and approximate date of defense).
● Thoroughly read the Graduate School’s Guide to Preparing Your Doctoral Dissertaon and complete all
the respecve tasks.
● Confirm all final grades entered, with excepon to the current semester (no incomplete, unreported, or
Progress grades
● Schedule and complete a Pre-check Appointment with the Graduate School to answer formang
quesons, embargo/delayed release quesons, and/or quesons related to the degree granng process
(oponal, but highly encouraged)
● Confirm defense me with commiee members (Note: defense date and me can change as long as it is
within the same semester, but commiee members need to stay the same)
● Request final oral examinaon warrant at least four weeks prior to defense date by turning in the final
oral examinaon warrant request form to your ECE Graduate Coordinator
● Send thesis to commiee members at least two weeks prior to defense date
● Pay Dissertaon Deposit Fee .
● Complete the Doctoral Exit Surveys . You must complete the surveys before subming your dissertaon,
so plan accordingly as it can take at least 15-30 minutes.
● Degree warrants are signed electronically. Your ECE Graduate Coordinator will send an email noficaon
to your commiee members. You should follow up with your commiee members to sign off on your
degree warrant. Once signatures are all received, you can download your final PhD degree warrant by:
1. Log into my.grad.wisc.edu
2. Click on “My Student Informaon”
3. Navigate to the Final PhD warrant. Click on the signed warrant pdf to download.
● Your faculty advisor, aer consulng with the PhD defense commiee members, must submit the
graduate learning outcomes report. This is done online and should be completed on the day the student
defends their PhD.
● Deposit dissertaon with Electronic Copy of Warrant in ProQuest.
● Schedule and complete Graduate School Final Review appointment (oponal).
● Make sure “diploma” “mailing” address is up to date in Student Center to receive diploma
● Review Diploma Informaon .
● Review Cerfied Electronic Diploma Informaon .
● Review Official Conferral Dates .
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● Review Posng of Degrees .
● If a student needs proof of degree sooner than the degree conferral date, they should make sure all
grades are submied prior to making this request and reach out to their ECE Graduate Coordinator on
the next steps.
● Aer the degree conferral date is posted on a student’s transcript, students may request a Degree
Compleon Leer in order to prove their degree prior to receiving their diploma.
● Review UW Commencement Informaon and College of Engineering Commencement Informaon .
● To learn more about services that will connue to be available to you and those that will be deacvated,
visit: hps://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=78565 .
11.20. Adding a Major Outside of ECE
Students wishing to add or change to a major (master’s or PhD) in another department must apply for an
Add/Change/Disconnue Program Request in the Grad Portal. It is advisable to check-in with the other
department before compleng the request, as they may require or suggest addional applicaon materials.
See the Graduate School’s Addion/Change of Program, Plan, or Named Opon policy.
11.21. Earning an ECE Master’s Degree Along the Way
Students admied to the ECE PhD program are encouraged to pursue a Master’s degree along the way. Students
must sasfy all MS-Research degree requirements as described in Secon 10 MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL
AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING, RESEARCH OPTION. Students pursuing a Master’s degree along the way should
add the degree through MyGradPortal.
12. FUNDING AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Students enrolled in the Machine Learning and Signal Processing, Professional, and Power Engineering Online MS
degree opons do not receive tuion remission associated with teaching assistantship, project assistantship, or
research assistantship appointments. All students are eligible to apply for scholarships, external funding, and
financial aid.
● Financial Aid informaon for domesc students
● Free, online financial wellness program for all graduate students: GradReady
● On-campus Student Jobs
● Student Jobs informaon for internaonal students
Students in the Research opon MS degree and the PhD degree programs are eligible for UW-Madison financial
support, including fellowships and assistantships (research, teaching, or project), as well as any scholarships,
outside funding, financial aid, or on-campus jobs. The ECE Department is able to award a limited number of
fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and grader posions each term/year to graduate
students.
Research assistantship (RA) appointments are determined by individual faculty members. Students are
encouraged to contact faculty for informaon about available research assistantships, even before and during the
admissions process. Students that have accepted a teaching assistantship (TA) appointment are not allowed to
switch to an RA appointment within four weeks of the start date of the upcoming term.
The ECE TA/Grader Applicaon is used to apply for TA and grader posions in ECE. Students are able to have RA,
TA, and/or grader appointments in other departments on campus and should contact the respecve department
with any quesons. In addion to reaching out to faculty and other departments, students are able to search for
and apply for assistantship posions through the UW-Madison student job database . Usually, students secure TA
and PA appointments once on campus or in midsummer leading up to the fall semester.
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ECE fellowship decisions are made by the Graduate Fellowship, Admissions, and Recruing Commiee. The
procedure to apply for fellowships varies; some applicaons require nominaon by a faculty member, while others
may involve open applicaons. Students are nofied of any fellowship opportunies when they become available.
All Research MS and PhD degree program applicants are evaluated for departmental financial support at the me
of admission. However, applicants are encouraged to reach out to individual faculty members ahead of me.
Funding is limited and Research MS degree program students should be prepared to pay for the cost of their
educaon.
13. INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
13.1. Internaonal Student Services (ISS)
Internaonal Student Services (ISS) is the main resource on campus for internaonal students and has advisors to
assist students with visa, social, and employment issues. Aend their walk-in advising hours or schedule an
appointment with an Internaonal Student Advisor.
13.2. Student Visas
ISS issues the federal I-20 form for inial F-1 visa procurement and the inial J-1 visa document (DS-2019). To issue
an I-20, ISS will request proof of adequate financial resources to cover expenses for the duraon of a student’s
studies at UW-Madison. If a student is funded by an appointment, this may completely or parally serve as
financial proof.
13.3. Informaon for New Internaonal Students
New internaonal students must meet addional requirements before and aer arriving on campus. Please see
Secon 5 GETTING STARTED INFORMATION FOR NEW STUDENTS for more informaon.
13.4. Funding for Internaonal Students
Internaonal students most oen need to prove adequate financial resources for immigraon purposes during the
admissions process. For more informaon regarding the proof of funding requirement, please review
Requirements for Admission and Internaonal Applicant Financial Informaon .
13.5. ESLAT and ESL Requirements
According to ECE policy, all internaonal students who are not nave speakers of English must take the
ESLAT (English as a Second Language Assessment Test) immediately upon arriving on campus, unless they qualify
for an exempon as stated below. The ECE Department requires students to take the ESLAT regardless of their
TOEFL/IELTS scores and whether or not the Graduate School requires students to take the ESLAT. Students must
take the ESLAT upon arriving on campus before the start of the semester. To remain in the program, it is crical
that students follow ECE's ESLAT policy.
More informaon can be found about ESLAT Placement and ESLAT Tesng Informaon .
An internaonal student who is a non-nave speaker of English is exempt from taking the ESLAT if one of the
following applies to them:
● English is the exclusive language of instrucon at the undergraduate instuon (verificaon from their
ECE Graduate Coordinator required);
● the student earned a degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university not more than 5 years
prior to the start term; or
● the student has completed at least two full-me semesters of graded coursework, excluding ESL courses,
at a U.S. college or university, or at an instuon outside the U.S. where English is the exclusive language
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of instrucon, not more than five years prior to the start term, with verificaon from their ECE Graduate
Coordinator required.
A student’s ESLAT score will not affect their status in the program. However, based on ESLAT performance, specific
ESL courses may be recommended. These courses must be taken and passed within 12 months of the ESLAT. If the
recommended courses are not taken and passed within a year, the student will not be permied to enroll in
courses for their third semester in the graduate program. The recommended ESL courses are a requirement for
graduaon according to ECE policy.
13.6. SPEAK Test
UW System policy requires non-nave English speakers to demonstrate proficiency in spoken English before they
are assigned classroom dues as teaching assistants. Non-nave speakers of English may be required to take the
SPEAK Test before being able to work as a TA. This requirement is not intended to be punive, but rather is
necessary to ensure that both TA's and students are a part of a successful, posive learning experience.
Different departments have different requirements regarding the SPEAK Test requirement. If a student has a TA
appointment in a department other than ECE, the student should confirm the SPEAK Test requirement of the
other department.
ECE requires all non-nave speakers of English to take the SPEAK Test unless they are exempt for one of the
following reasons:
● they scored a 26/30 or higher on the speaking secon of the iBt TOEFL test;
● they scored an 8.0 or higher on the speaking secon of IELTS; or
● they were exempt from taking the ESLAT per ECE policy.
● they appealed to the ECE Graduate Commiees and the exempon was granted.
Students are only allowed to take the SPEAK Test once in a three-month period. The SPEAK test has several Test
Dates throughout every semester.
Students with a TA appointment, or expected appointment, in ECE need to register for the SPEAK test by filling out
this Google Form .
Students with TA appointments in a different department should inquire with the other department about how to
register for the SPEAK Test .
13.7. Change of Educaon Level and Other ISS Forms
It is crically important that internaonal students keep ISS updated with their student status. If a student
changes their educaon level, would like to apply for a Reduced Course Load, or has another immigraon
noficaon, the student must fill out the appropriate forms and paperwork with ISS. Their ECE Graduate
Coordinator can assist in filling out ISS forms as necessary.
14. COURSE ENROLLMENT
The Graduate School considers full-me enrollment to be 8-15 graded credits (taken at 300-level or above,
excluding pass/fail and audit credits) during the fall and spring semesters, and 4-12 credits during the summer
term. Dissertators are considered full-me at three credits for fall, spring, and summer terms. Students with
teaching or project assistantships may have less credits required for full-me status. See the Graduate School’s
enrollment requirements policy for more detailed informaon. Please note that departments can require their
graduate assistants to adhere to stricter enrollment requirements; ECE follows the Graduate School policy.
Students are required to maintain full-me student status for fall and spring semesters for a variety of reasons:
visa eligibility, fellowships, assistantships, financial aid, external funding agencies, and ECE sasfactory progress
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requirements. See Secon 19 SATISFACTORY PROGRESS – ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS for more informaon.
Students may be required to enroll full-me during the summer. For informaon, please see the Graduate School’s
enrollment requirements policy.
Internaonal students have strict enrollment requirements and should consult with an advisor from Internaonal
Student Services via Terra Doa with any quesons about their visa regulaons.
All students must be enrolled in a minimum of two credits during the term in which they graduate.
It is important to recognize that some university services and facilies, like University Health Services and
RecSports, are only available to currently enrolled students. If a student is not enrolled over the summer, they may
have the opon to pay an addional fee for these services and facilies.
In order to enroll in courses, students use the Course Search & Enroll App. Enrollment informaon, including dates
and deadlines, Course Search & Enroll App help, and enrollment informaon is available on the Office of the
Registrar’s website.
15. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER PLANNING
There are a wide range of professional development and career planning resources offered through the Graduate
School Office of Professional Development, through collaborators across campus, and in conjuncon with naonal
organizaons.
15.1. Skill Idenficaon, Development, and Planning
DiscoverPD is a competencies framework and planning tool built by the Graduate School for UW–Madison
master’s and doctoral students. Features include a skills self-assessment and acvity tracker, customized reports
and recommendaons, and a database of 400+ in-person and online opportunies. DiscoverPD helps students
idenfy and arculate transferable skills and provides scaffolding and recommendaons for planning professional
development. Login to the tool at my.grad.wisc.eu/DiscoverPD and watch a 3-minute overview
at youtu.be/jz1KoblmaBk .
15.2. Individual Development Plan
myIDP is a long-standing career planning tool tailored to meet the needs of MS and PhD students and postdocs in
the STEM disciplines. Features include: exercises to examine skills, interests, and values; twenty scienfic career
paths matched to users’ skills and interests; a tool for seng strategic goals, with oponal reminders; and career
exploraon arcles and resources.
15.3. Development of Faculty and Future Faculty
Key campus partners have teamed up to coordinate and cross-promote robust support for graduate students
preparing to enter the tenure track. Sponsors include: The Center for the Integraon of Research, Teaching and
Learning; the Delta Program in Research, Teaching and Learning; the Graduate School Office of Professional
Development; the Office of Postdoctoral Studies; the Wring Center; and the UW-Madison Postdoctoral
Associaon. Take advantage of the For Future Faculty Series .
UW–Madison has an instuonal membership to the Naonal Center for Faculty Development and Diversity
(NCFDD), an independent organizaon that provides professional development, training, and a mentoring
community to graduate students, postdocs, and faculty members. The site offers advice on developing a daily
wring pracce, dealing with stress and rejecon, navigang department polics, and much more. Acvate your
individual account through the UW–Madison instuonal membership, sponsored by the Division of Diversity,
Equity and Educaonal Achievement, to take advantage of these resources at no cost to you.
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15.4. Non-Academic Careers
The Graduate School has a valuable professional development series for non-academic career preparaon:
Beyond Graduate School, for MS students, Beyond the Professoriate PhD Career Training Plaorm and other
resources. For a full list of opportunies, check out the Graduate School’s Professional Development page.
15.5. Job Searches
Engineering Career Services coordinates co-op and internship opportunies, career fairs, interviews, and provides
job search advice. The university uses Handshake to idenfy employment openings. Over 2,700 job posngs are
currently tagged as relevant to master’s degree holders and 1,200 to doctoral. You may login and explore
Handshake .
16. OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
The ECE Department Graduate Student Associaon GSA is a student-run group engaging in social and service
acvies. You may connect with the GSA through their Facebook page or Google site . The ECE GSA also maintains
an ECE Graduate Student Lounge open to all graduate students: Engineering Hall 2548. It is a great place to eat
lunch, take a break, study, or talk with your fellow graduate students. If the door is locked, contact
gsa@ece.wisc.edu to gain access.
Addionally, the College of Engineering has more than fiy Student Organizaons that span a wide range of
acvies and interests, not to menon the other opportunies across campus.
17. STUDENT HEALTH AND WELLNESS
17.1. Health and Wellness at UW-Madison
Maintaining good health, physically and emoonally, is extremely important for student success. Our campus
provides a wealth of resources to support students, including through University Health Services , other groups on
campus, and the ECE Department.
17.2. University Health Services (UHS)
Students who pay segregated fees are eligible for University Health Services . There is no charge to students for
many basic services, including counseling sessions, because services are paid through tuion and fees. Personal
health and wellness services are also available in addion to medical services. Flu shots are typically available for
students throughout the fall semester.
UHS provides many resources specifically for graduate students and engineering students, including targeted
Group Counseling and Let’s Talk sessions. Let’s Talk is an opportunity for students to have walk-in, anonymous
counseling.
It is strongly encouraged that students review the UHS website early in their first semester to ensure they are
aware of all UHS has to offer.
17.3. Securing Health Insurance Coverage
Under federal law, all internaonal students with F-1 and J-1 visas are required to have health insurance.
When an internaonal student arrives on campus, they are issued a SHIP (Student Health Insurance Plan) to
ensure they have health insurance coverage. SHIP members must use University Health Services (UHS) for all
available primary, urgent, and prevenve care. Most UHS services are fully covered for SHIP members with no
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out-of-pocket expense. Visit uhs.wisc.edu for more informaon. The main UHS clinic is located at 333 East
Campus Mall, 608-265-5600.
When an internaonal or domesc student receives funding and accepts appointment(s) totaling a minimum of
33% FTE, we offer State Group Health Insurance . The student has 30 days aer the start date of the appointment
to enroll and select coverage online through their MyUW portal for health insurance and other benefits.
When an internaonal student enrolls in State Group Health Insurance, they must complete and send a Waiver to
SHIP before the deadline set by SHIP. The purpose of the waiver is to provide SHIP with proof of other insurance.
Upon receipt of the waiver and proof of other insurance, SHIP will terminate the SHIP health insurance plan.
SHIP is an opon for students without appointments; however, State Group Health Insurance is a less expensive
opon for students with appointments totaling a minimum of 33% FTE.
Contact our Payroll and Benefits Specialists with quesons at payroll@ece.wisc.edu .
● Health insurance informaon and SHIP informaon for domesc students.
● SHIP for Internaonal Students .
● Health and safety informaon for internaonal students provided by ISS.
17.4. Disability Informaon
Students with disabilies, physical, learning, or other, have access to disability resources through UW-Madison’s
McBurney Disability Resource Center. As an admied student, you should first go through the steps to Apply for
Accommodaons .
Addional [non-academic] disability campus resources (not found through the McBurney Center) can be found at:
● Transportaon
● Housing
● Personal Care
● Policies and Grievances
● Campus Accessibility Resources
17.5. Mental Health Resources On and Off Campus
University Health Services (UHS) is the primary mental health provider for students on campus. UHS Counseling
and Consultaon Services offers a wide range of services to the diverse student populaon of UW-Madison. They
offer immediate crisis counseling, same day appointments, and ongoing treatment, as well as Let’s Talk sessions
and group counseling. UHS service costs are covered for students through tuion and fees.
Also, there are many mental health resources throughout the Madison community, but UHS Counseling and
Consultaon Services is the best resource for referrals to off-campus providers. Call 608-265-5600 for assistance in
finding an off-campus provider.
18. ACADEMIC EXCEPTIONS, EXTENSIONS, AND APPEALS
Peons for excepons to academic requirements are considered on an individual case-by-case basis. Excepons
that are granted do not constute a precedent. Deviaons from established policies are strongly discouraged, but
certain extenuang academic and personal circumstances may warrant excepons. Peons for course
excepons/substuons, excepons to the Sasfactory Progress Expectaons (academic or conduct), or other
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policy excepons shall be directed to the ECE Graduate Commiee, and in some circumstances to the appropriate
program coordinator. The following procedures apply to all peons:
● Student must first consult with their advisor(s).
● Student is advised to also consult with an ECE Graduate Student Services Coordinator for addional
advice.
● If student is appealing due to medical issue, the student needs to provide medical documentaon
● Student and advisor(s) must both submit wrien documentaon requesng and explaining the peon
to an ECE Graduate Student Services Coordinator:
● Idenfy the specific requirement/rule/expectaon pernent to the peon;
● Explain the raonale for peon and why it should be granted;
● Advisor(s) must support the peon.
The ECE Graduate Student Services Coordinator will forward the peon to the ECE Graduate Commiee and
appropriate program coordinator for adjudicaon. Student and advisor(s) will be nofied of the ECE Graduate
Commiee’s decision and the note will be placed in the student’s file.
Please note that peons for excepons to clearly defined program rules are rarely approved by the ECE Graduate
Commiee.
18.1. Progress Requirements
The ECE Graduate Commiee may grant extensions to normal progress requirements in circumstances such as
childbirth, adopon, significant responsibilies with respect to elder or dependent care obligaons, disability or
chronic illness, or circumstances beyond one’s personal control. Peons for extensions should provide evidence
of plans and ability to return to conformance with program expectaons and to acceptably complete the program.
Extensions beyond one semester will be granted only in the event of highly extraordinary circumstances.
Extensions will be recorded with a note of explanaon placed in the student’s file.
Students desiring confidenality of their circumstances should consult with the Associate Chair for Graduate
Studies.
18.2. Appeal of Previous Decisions
Appeals of ECE Graduate Commiee decisions may be pursued regarding any academic issue, including excepons
to program requirements, progress requirements, AGS and Research Readiness Assessment decisions. Appeals will
only be considered if the student provides new informaon that was not available to the ECE Graduate Commiee
at the me the original decision was made. Appeals must be submied within one month of the date the student
was nofied of the ECE Graduate Commiee acon being appealed.
If the student believes their appeal was not appropriately handled or resolved by the ECE Department, the
student may further appeal to the College of Engineering by contacng the Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs.
Such appeals must be submied within one month of the date the student was nofied of the ECE Graduate
Commiee denial.
19. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS – ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS
Connuaon in the Graduate School and ECE is at the discreon of a student’s program and the Graduate School.
Permission for an MS or PhD student in ECE to connue in the Graduate School and ECE is conngent upon
progress toward a degree at a rate that is sasfactory to the Department of ECE and the Graduate School. These
requirements apply to all graduate students pursuing research-based degrees, with or without appointments.
Progress requirements for non-research-based MS degrees are described in the corresponding chapter of this
handbook. Part-me study is only permied with advance permission of the ECE Graduate Commiee. Requests
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for part-me study must include a proposed meline for meeng degree milestones and be signed by both
student and advisor.
A student may be placed on probaon or suspended from the ECE graduate program for low grades, for failing to
resolve incompletes in a mely fashion, or for failing to meet sasfactory academic progress requirements as
outlined below. All students without a research advisor are automacally placed on probaon and are expected to
find an advisor by the end of the subsequent semester to connue in the program.
19.1. Grades and GPA
The Graduate School requires that students maintain a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 across all courses taken as a
graduate student (excluding research, audit, credit/no credit, and pass/fail courses), unless probaonary
admission condions require higher grades. The Graduate School also considers Incomplete (I) grades to be
unsasfactory if they are not removed during the subsequent semester of enrollment; however, the instructor
may impose an earlier deadline.
While a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 is required to avoid probaon, students in the PhD program are expected
to maintain a significantly higher GPA to demonstrate sasfactory academic progress. For example, granng of
Advanced Graduate Standing requires a minimum GPA of 3.3 in the primary ECE course requirement.
19.2. Research Progress
Sasfactory progress in research is defined by the student’s research advisor. If a student is not making
sasfactory progress, the advisor will first discuss the situaon with the student and then provide a wrien
descripon of 1) specific expectaons not being met by the student, 2) a descripon of acons the student must
demonstrate to remedy the deficiency, 3) the date by which the student must demonstrate full remedy, and 4)
consequences for not meeng the expectaons prior to the deadline. The student is required to confirm receipt of
the wrien communicaon from the advisor within one week. Students will have a minimum of sixty days from
the date of the advisor’s wrien communicaon to meet the expectaons outlined in the wrien noce. The
advisor and student are expected to meet at least twice per month during the evaluaon period so the advisor
can provide input and student concerns can be addressed. If the advisor determines the student is not meeng
expectaons by the specified deadline, they may choose to not renew the student’s research assistantship at the
end of the current appointment and cease to serve as the student’s research advisor.
19.3. Academic Progress
The following plan summarizes the minimum sasfactory academic progress for a graduate student entering with
only a B.S. degree and pursuing either an MS Research or a PhD degree. These guidelines represent the minimum
standard for progress.
1st Calendar Year of Study (12 consecuve months)
● Complete the ECE Seminar requirements ECE 610 (MS and PhD) and ECE 611 (PhD only).
● Take any ESL courses recommended per the ESLAT.
● Complete 16 credits of advisor-approved graduate coursework with acceptable grades.
2nd Calendar Year of Study
● Complete 16 graduate credits with acceptable grades.
● Complete the MS degree.
● Take the PhD Research Readiness Assessment.
3rd Calendar Year of Study
● Achieve Advanced Graduate Standing.
● Complete addional graduate credits with acceptable grades.
● Sasfy the PhD primary ECE course requirement.
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4th Calendar Year of Study
● Complete addional graduate credits with acceptable grades.
● Sasfy the PhD minor requirement.
● Take Preliminary Examinaon within three semesters of receiving AGS.
5th Calendar Year of Study
● Enroll as a dissertator for exactly three graduate credits each term and connue PhD thesis research.
● Schedule the Final Oral Defense Examinaon before the end of the fih year
Students that are not able to schedule their Final Oral Defense Examinaon before the end of the fih year must
file a progress report with the ECE Graduate Commiee as described in Secon 11.17 Final Oral Examinaon.
Permission to connue in the Graduate School may be denied if the ECE Graduate Commiee determines that it is
unlikely that the student can finish the PhD degree in a reasonable period of addional study.
The ECE Graduate Commiee may permit departures from this schedule upon recommendaon from the
student’s faculty advisor. In special cases the Graduate School and ECE can permit students who do not meet
these minimum standards to connue on probaon upon recommendaon and support of their faculty advisor.
PhD Students are expected to complete the GOAALS student assessment every spring semester.
20. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS – CONDUCT EXPECTATIONS
The ECE Department, the Graduate School, and the Division of Student Life all uphold the UW-System policies and
procedures for academic and non-academic misconduct. Unprofessional behavior toward clients/subjects, faculty,
staff, peers, and public are significant issues in the evaluaon and promoon of students. In turn, we hold
expectaons for the highest level of academic integrity and expect professional, ethical, and respecul conduct in
all interacons. In addion, graduate students are held to the same standards of responsible conduct of research
as faculty and staff.
Students may be disciplined or dismissed from the graduate program for misconduct or disregard for professional,
academic, non-academic, or research conduct expectaons regardless of their academic standing in the program.
Separate and apart from a violaon of conduct, a student may face University disciplinary acon with regard to
the same acon. Students are responsible for reading the informaon here as well as the informaon published
on all the relevant websites. Lack of knowledge of this informaon does not excuse any infracon.
20.1. Professional Conduct
All students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of professional behavior and ethics. Students should
avoid even an appearance of improper behavior or lack of ethical standards while in Graduate School at
UW-Madison, in all professional sengs, and in their personal lives. Students should conduct themselves
according to the standards expected of members of the profession to which the student aspires. Concerns about
infracons of Professional Conduct may be effecvely handled informally between the instructor/advisor and the
student. If a resoluon is not achieved, a graduate program representave may be included in the discussion.
Furthermore, students may be disciplined or dismissed (Secon 22 DISCIPLINARY ACTION AND DISMISSAL ) from
the graduate program if behavior is severe or does not improve.
● Professional Ethics: Students shall show respect for a diversity of opinions, perspecves and cultures;
accurately represent their work and acknowledge the contribuons of others; parcipate in and commit
to related opportunies; aim to gain knowledge and contribute to the knowledge base of others;
understand the UW Student Code of Conduct; represent their profession and the program; strive to
incorporate and pracce disciplinary ideals in their daily lives; and create resumes/CVs with accurate
informaon.
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● Honesty and Integrity: Students shall demonstrate honesty and integrity as shown by their challenging
of themselves in academic pursuits; honesty and ethics in research and IRB applicaons—including
honesty in interpretaon of data, commitment to an unbiased interpretaon of academic and
professional endeavors; and the need to document research acvies, protect subject/client
confidenality and HIPAA regulaons. Students shall follow-through and pull their weight in group
acvies and understand where collaboraon among students is or is not allowed; not plagiarize others
or past work (self-plagiarism), cheat, or purposefully undermine the work of others; and avoid conflicts of
interest for the duraon of their me in the program. As a professional, honesty and integrity also extend
to personal behavior in life outside of the academic seng by realizing that students are representaves
of the program, UW-Madison, and the profession as a whole.
● Interpersonal and Workplace Relaonships: Students shall interact with peers, faculty, staff and those
they encounter in their professional capacity in a manner that is respecul, considerate, and
professional. This includes, but is not limited to, aending all scheduled meengs, honoring agreed upon
work schedules, being on-me and prepared for work/meengs, contribung collaboravely to the team,
keeping the lines of communicaon open, offering prompt response to inquiries, and employing
respecul use of available equipment/technology/resources. Chronic or unexplained absences are
unprofessional in the workplace and could be grounds for terminaon or removal of funding. To facilitate
the free and open exchange of ideas, any cricism shall be offered in a construcve manner, and the right
of others to hold different opinions shall be respected.
● Commitment to Learning: Students are expected to meet their educaonal responsibilies at all mes.
Students should always come to class ready to acvely parcipate and for quesons and answers. It is the
responsibility of the student to be on me for every class and always show courtesy during class or if
leaving class early. If possible, students should nofy the instructor at least one day in advance of a
planned absence. Students who are unable to aend class are responsible for finding out what occurred
that day and should not expect instructors to give them individual instrucon. Recognizing that the
pursuit of knowledge is a connuous process, students shall show commitment to learning by
persevering despite adversity and seeking guidance in order to adapt to change. Students shall strive for
academic excellence and pursue and incorporate all criques, both posive and negave, in the
acquision of knowledge in order to understand and respect the community in which they work.
● Professional Appearance: Students shall convey a posive, professional appearance in order to
represent the program in a dignified manner. Appearance includes a person’s dress, hygiene, and
appropriate equee/protocols for the environment (including safety protocols and protecve clothing
in environments that require them).
20.2. Academic Misconduct
According to UW System policy (UWS 14.03(1)), Academic Misconduct is an act in which a student:
● seeks to claim credit for the work or efforts of another without authorizaon or citaon;
● uses unauthorized materials or fabricated data in any academic exercise;
● forges or falsifies academic documents or records;
● intenonally impedes or damages the academic work of others;
● engages in conduct aimed at making false representaon of a student's academic performance; or
● assists other students in any of these acts.
Examples of Academic Misconduct include, but are not limited to:
● cung and pasng text from the Web without quotaon marks or proper citaon;
● cung and pasng code from the Web without creding the source or when such use is not allowed;
● paraphrasing from the Web without creding the source;
● using notes or a programmable calculator in an exam when such use is not allowed;
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● using another person's ideas, words, or research and presenng it as one's own by not properly creding
the originator;
● stealing examinaons or course materials;
● posng course materials, such as exercises, assignments, or exams on the internet, or subming course
materials to a third-party service for posng on the internet;
● changing or creang data in a lab experiment;
● altering a transcript;
● signing another person's name to an aendance sheet;
● hiding a book knowing that another student needs it to prepare for an assignment;
● collaboraon that is contrary to the stated rules of the course; or
● tampering with a lab experiment or computer program of another student.
Addional informaon regarding Academic Misconduct can be found at the various links:
● Graduate School Policy & Procedure: Misconduct, Academic .
● Dean of Students Office: Informaon for Students Review Academic Integrity for Students and Dean of
Students Office: Academic Misconduct Flowchart .
● University of Wisconsin System: Chapter UWS 14: Student Academic Disciplinary Procedures
20.3. Non-Academic Misconduct
The university may discipline a student in non-academic maers in the following situaons:
● for conduct which constutes a serious danger to the personal safety of a member of the university
community or guest;
● for stalking or harassment;
● for conduct that seriously damages or destroys university property or aempts to damage or destroy
university property, or the property of a member of the university community or guest;
● for conduct that obstructs or seriously impairs university-run or university-authorized acvies, or that
interferes with or impedes the ability of a member of the university community, or guest, to parcipate
in university-run or university-authorized acvies;
● for unauthorized possession of university property or property of another member of the university
community or guest;
● for acts which violate the provisions of UWS 18, Conduct on University Lands;
● for knowingly making a false statement to any university employee or agent on a university-related
maer, or for refusing to idenfy oneself to such employee or agent;
● for violang a standard of conduct, or other requirement or restricon imposed in connecon with
disciplinary acon.
Examples of non-academic misconduct include, but are not limited to:
● engaging in conduct that is a crime involving danger to property or persons, as defined in UWS
18.06(22)(d);
● aacking or otherwise physically abusing, threatening to physically injure, or physically inmidang a
member of the university community or a guest;
● aacking or throwing rocks or other dangerous objects at law enforcement personnel, or incing others
to do so;
● selling or delivering a controlled substance, as defined in 161 Wis. Stats., or possessing a controlled
substance with intent to sell or deliver;
● removing, tampering with, or otherwise rendering useless university equipment or property intended for
use in preserving or protecng the safety of members of the university community, such as fire alarms,
fire exnguisher, fire exit signs, first aid equipment, or emergency telephones; or obstrucng fire escape
routes;
● prevenng or blocking physical entry to or exit from a university building, corridor, or room;
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● engaging in shouted interrupons, whistling, or similar means of interfering with a classroom
presentaon or a university-sponsored speech or program;
● obstrucng a university officer or employee engaged in the lawful performance of dues;
● obstrucng or interfering with a student engaged in aending classes or parcipang in university-run or
university-authorized acvies;
● knowingly disrupng access to university compung resources or misusing university compung
resources.
Addional informaon regarding Non-Academic Misconduct can be found at the various links:
● Graduate School Academic Policies & Procedures: Misconduct, Non-Academic
● Dean of Students Office: Non-Academic Misconduct Standards Statement
University of Wisconsin System: Chapter UWS 17: Student Non-Academic Disciplinary Procedures
● University of Wisconsin System: Chapter UWS 18: Conduct on University Lands
20.4. Research Misconduct
Much of graduate educaon is carried out not in classrooms, but in laboratories and other research venues, oen
supported by federal or other external funding sources. Indeed, it is oen difficult to disnguish between
Academic Misconduct and cases of Research Misconduct. Graduate students are held to the same standards of
responsible conduct of research as faculty and staff. The Graduate School is responsible for invesgang
allegaons of Research Misconduct. This is oen done in consultaon with the Division of Student Life as well as
with federal and state agencies to monitor, invesgate, determine sancons, and train about the responsible
conduct of research. For more informaon, contact the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Policy, 333 Bascom
Hall, (608) 262-1044.
Addional informaon regarding Research Misconduct can be found at the various links:
● Graduate School Policies & Procedures: Responsible Conduct of Research
● Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Educaon’s - Office of Research Policy:
Introducon & Guide to Resources on Research Ethics
● Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Educaon’s Office of Research Policy: Policies,
Responsibilies, and Procedures: Reporng Misconduct
● Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Educaon’s Office of Research Policy: Policies,
Responsibilies, and Procedures: Responsible Conduct of Research Resources
21. DISCIPLINARY ACTION AND DISMISSAL
Failure to meet the program’s academic or conduct expectaons can result in disciplinary acon including
immediate dismissal from the program. If a student is not making sasfactory progress in regard to academic or
conduct expectaons, the advisor will consult with the Graduate Commiee to determine if disciplinary acon or
dismissal is recommended.
The status of a student can be one of three opons:
Good Standing : The student is considered to be making sasfactory progress toward their degree. No further
acon will be taken and students will not receive any noficaon.
Probaon : The student is considered to not be progressing toward their degree according to sasfactory progress
policies and expectaons See Secon 19 SATISFACTORY PROGRESS – ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS and Secon 20
SATISFACTORY PROGRESS – CONDUCT EXPECTATIONS for more informaon. The student may have also been
admied on probaon. The student is permied to enroll in the subsequent semester on probaon. Probaonary
terms are agreed upon by the student’s advisor and the ECE Graduate Commiee. Probaonary terms may
include, but are not limited to, required grades, coursework, credit loads, improvements in research,
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predetermined meengs, confirming an advisor, and ulizing recommended resources. Probaon is typically used
in circumstances of inadequate grades or cumulave GPA, not compleng coursework in a mely manner, and
transioning advisors. Students may not earn a degree while on probaon.
Dismissal : The student has failed to sasfy probaonary terms, follow established deadlines (i.e. Research
Readiness Assessment or Preliminary Exam melines), or has been found guilty of significant misconduct.
Dismissal may follow a probaon status or be immediate. The student is not allowed to enroll in subsequent terms
in the ECE Department. Students dismissed from the PhD program may or may not be allowed to finish with a MS.
21.1. Probaon
Students with marginal or quesonable undergraduate records are somemes admied on probaon. Students
placed on probaon will be placed on probaon for one semester and will be reviewed by the Graduate
Commiee following the probaonary semester. Students placed on probaon may be dismissed or allowed to
connue based upon review of progress during the probaonary semester.
A student is placed on probaon at the end of any semester or summer session in which his or her graduate
cumulave grade point average falls below 3.0. Removal from probaon takes place when the cumulave grade
point average equals or exceeds 3.0. While on probaon, a PhD student is not eligible to take the Preliminary
Examinaon or the Final Oral Examinaon. Unusual situaons can be handled by appeal to the Associate Chair for
Graduate Studies. All students on probaon must earn a grade point average at or above 3.0 every semester or
summer session. The Graduate Commiee will recommend that any student who is on probaon and does not
meet these standards during a semester or summer be dismissed from the ECE graduate program.
ECE 790 or 890 is not considered for the purpose of academic probaon determinaon. ECE 699 or 999 (Advanced
Independent Study) is considered for probaon determinaon only if a grade of BC or lower is aained in that
course. Audit courses or pass/fail courses may not be used to sasfy the full load requirement of probaonary
students. Students cannot graduate while on probaon.
PhD students must always have a research advisor. Students without research advisors will be placed on probaon
and must find a research advisor before the end of the next semester or summer session. The Graduate
Commiee will recommend that any student who does not find a research advisor before the end of the next
semester or summer session be dismissed from the ECE graduate program.
Students that do not remove themselves from probaon in the semester (or summer) following their placement
on probaon will not be eligible for connued funding from the department at the end of their current
appointment.
21.2. Discipline and Dismissal
Any graduate student who fails to meet the program’s expectaons during two consecuve semesters (not
including summer) will be dismissed from the program at the end of the subsequent semester. Any student who
fails to meet the program’s expectaons because of failure to pass any required exams and procedures within
designated me limits will be dismissed from the program at the end of the subsequent semester.
Students may be disciplined or dismissed from the graduate program for any type of misconduct (academic,
non-academic, professional, or research) or failure to meet program expectaons regardless of their academic
standing in the program. Separate and apart from a violaon of Professional Conduct, a student may face
University disciplinary acon with regard to the same acon. Concerns about infracons of the Professional
Conduct may be effecvely handled informally between the student and the advisor/faculty member. However, if
a resoluon is not achieved, the issue may be advanced for further review by the program.
Discipline may include one or more of the following acons:
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● Wrien reprimand
● Denial of specified privilege(s)
● Imposion of reasonable terms and condions on connued student status
● Removal of funding
● Probaon
● Restuon
● Removal of the student from the course(s) in progress
● Failure to promote
● Withdrawal of an offer of admission
● Placement on Leave of Absence for a determined amount of me
● Suspension from the program for up to one year with the spulaon that remedial acvies may be
prescribed as a condion of later readmission. Students who meet the readmission condion must apply
for readmission and the student will be admied only on a space available basis. See the Graduate School
Academic Policies & Procedures: Readmission to Graduate School .
● Suspension from the program. The suspensions may range from one semester to four years.
● Dismissal from the program
● Denial of a degree
Depending on the type and nature of the misconduct, the Division of Student Life may also have grounds to do
one or more of the following:
● Reprimand
● Probaon
● Suspension
● Expulsion
● Restuon
● A zero or failing grade on an assignment on an assignment/exam
● A lower grade or failure in the course
● Removal from course
● Enrollment restricons in a course/program
● Condions/terms of connuing as a student
22. IMPORTANT POLICIES
22.1. Sexual Harassment and Assault
Sexual harassment is a community concern. When sexual harassment occurs, it degrades the quality of work and
educaon at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It erodes the dignity and producvity of the individuals
involved and diminishes the quality, effecveness, and stature of the instuon. It can occur in any university
seng (an office, a classroom, a university program). Each of us has a collecve responsibility not to harass others
and to act responsibly when confronted by the issue of sexual harassment, thereby promong an environment
that beer supports excellence in teaching, research, and service.
What is Sexual Harassment?
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature
constute sexual harassment when: submission to such conduct is a condion of employment, academic progress,
or parcipaon in a university program; submission to or rejecon of such conduct influences employment,
academic, or university program decisions; the conduct interferes with an employee's work or a student's
academic career; or when it creates an inmidang, hosle, or offensive work, learning, or program environment.
Key Points about Sexual Harassment:
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● Differences in power or status can be a significant component in sexual harassment. A person who seems
to acquiesce to sexual conduct may sll experience tangible acon harassment or hosle environment
harassment if the conduct is unwelcome.
● Harassment can occur between men and women or between members of the same gender.
● Sexual harassment may or may not involve a tangible injury (e.g., economic loss, lowered grades). A
sexually harassing environment, in and of itself, may constute a harm.
● Individuals in posions of authority are responsible for ensuring that employees, students, and others do
not harass. In an academic or program seng, offenders can be faculty, instructors, lecturers, teaching
assistants, coaches, tutors, or fellow students or program parcipants.
● The person filing a sexual harassment charge does not have to be the person harassed but could be
anyone significantly harmed by the harassing conduct.
● Some behavior that is not in violaon of university policy may, nonetheless, be unprofessional under the
circumstances. Consequences of such unprofessional behavior may include poor performance
evaluaons or possible discipline.
What to do if you feel you’ve been sexually harassed:
● Seek advice. Consult your department chair, another divisional resource person, the Office of Equity and
Diversity , or another campus resource to discuss opons for resoluon.
● You may choose to seek informal resoluon or file a Sexual Harassment Complaint .
For more informaon and other resources on discriminaon against students: Discriminaon Complaints Policies
& Procedures .
22.2. Hosle and Inmidang Behavior
Hosle and inmidang behavior, somemes known by the shorthand term “bullying,” is defined in university
policy as “unwelcome behavior pervasive or severe enough that a reasonable person would find it hosle and/or
inmidang and that does not further the University’s academic or operaonal interests.”
Hosle and inmidang behavior (HIB) can occur in the university seng. Even individual instances of such
behavior can have a significant effect on the person it’s aimed at, and can take a physical and emoonal toll,
reducing the effecveness of a person’s work or learning. It is a significant reason for unhealthy workplace climate
and culture and should be addressed immediately. Hosle and inmidang behavior is prohibited by university
policy.
What is Hosle and Inmidang Behavior?
Hosle and inmidang behavior is defined as unwelcome behavior pervasive or severe to the extent that it
makes the condions for work inhospitable and impairs another person’s ability to carry out their responsibilies
to the university, and that does not further the University’s academic or operaonal interests. A person or a group
can perpetrate this behavior. The person need not be more senior than or a supervisor to the target.
Unacceptable behavior may include, but is not limited to:
● Abusive expression (including spoken, wrien, recorded, visual, digital, or nonverbal, etc.) directed at
another person in the workplace, such as derogatory remarks or epithets that are outside the range of
commonly accepted expressions of disagreement, disapproval, or crique in an academic culture and
professional seng that respects free expression;
● Unwarranted physical contact or inmidang gestures; Conspicuous exclusion or isolaon having the
effect of harming another person’s reputaon in the workplace and hindering another person’s work;
● Sabotage of another person’s work or impeding another person’s capacity for academic expression, be it
oral, wrien, or other;
● Abuse of authority, such as using threats or retaliaon in the exercise of authority, supervision, or
guidance, or impeding another person from exercising shared governance rights, etc.
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Repeated acts or a paern of hosle and/or inmidang behaviors are of parcular concern. A single act typically
will not be sufficient to warrant discipline or dismissal, but an especially severe or egregious act may warrant
either.
What to do if you feel you’ve been the target of hosle and inmidang behavior
Undesired consequences of hosle and inmidang behavior can be avoided or minimized when the problem is
addressed early on, but vicms are oen hesitant to pursue a formal process before the impact is severe.
Educaonal opportunies and campus resources have been implemented with the intent of aiding all employees
and students in defusing situaons before they become severe. These resources, including trained personnel who
can advise and mediate, comprise the “informal process.” It is possible that situaons will connue to arise in
which informal intervenons are not effecve, and the “formal process” has been designed to address those
situaons.
You are encouraged to seek out advice and consultaon aer the first instance of hosle and inmidang
behavior: consultaon is not escalaon. Discussing what’s happened in a mely way can oen prevent connued
bullying. Here are some ways to do this:
● Seek advice from a trusted colleague;
● You may choose to seek informal resoluon by approaching the individual yourself or with an
intermediary;
● Consult your advisor, human resources representave, department chair, director, dean, or any campus
resource to discuss opons for resoluon;
● Keep notes of what happened, when, where, and who was present. Retain copies of any correspondence.
Graduate Students somemes experience hosle and inmidang behavior from faculty members. If you are a
student who is experiencing such behavior, you are entled to support as a university employee through the
Ombuds office, the Dean of Students office, and (if a grad student) the Graduate School. Graduate student
workers should also consult with their Graduate Coordinators, TAA Stewards, and/or the Graduate School.
ECE graduate students with concerns may contact the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, the ECE Grievance
Advisor, or the College of Engineering Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs . Addional campus informaon on
hosle and inmidang behavior is available at hps://hr.wisc.edu/hib/ .
22.3. Parental Leave for Graduate Student Assistants
The College of Engineering (CoE) and the Department are fully commied to providing a climate of support
for graduate students who choose to have children during their graduate studies. The goal of this parental
leave policy is to reduce academic and financial hardships for a) graduate students during the late stages of their
pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods, and b) any graduate student who is a new parent.
All CoE graduate students with current research, teaching, or project assistantships in CoE are eligible to request a
parental leave under this policy. This applies to all graduate students of all genders, all sexual orientaons, and all
family structures. Upon request, graduate students who are pregnant will be provided with 12 weeks of
paid accommodaon me for childbirth. Other new parents (non-gestaonal) will, upon request, be provided with
6 weeks of paid accommodaon me. There will be no research or teaching expectaons of the student during
the leave.
Students should ideally nofy their department (through the Department Administrator or Department Chair) six
months prior to the expected birth or adopon to request the leave. Students should alert their research advisor
or TA coordinator at that me as well to ensure that the ongoing research and teaching environment is safe for
the student who is pregnant. It is recognized that each case will be unique in terms of the ming of the pregnancy
or adopon relave to the academic calendar, and that creave and supporve soluons will be required on the
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part of advisors, chairs, TA coordinators, etc.
The leave will ordinarily begin at the me of birth or adopon, but other proposals will be considered.
Departments – both advisors and chairs – are expected to provide flexibility in working out the details of the leave
and to adjust the meline of the leave as needed to accommodate any unexpected medical issues that arise
during pregnancy (e.g. doctor-ordered bed rest).
All academic requirement deadlines (e.g., Research Readiness Assessment) will be extended for the student
requesng the leave, consistent with department academic melines.
23. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES AND REPORTING MISCONDUCT AND CRIME
23.1. Grievance Procedures
The ECE Department, College of Engineering, and University of Wisconsin offer mulple avenues to resolve unfair
or inappropriate treatment by faculty, staff, or another student. This includes hosle and inmidang research
group climate, authorship disputes, unreasonable expectaons, and disrespecul behavior. The manner in which
the grievance is handled depends on the nature of the issue and specific concerns of the aggrieved student.
Graduate Assistants in TA, PA and/or RA appointments may ulize the Graduate Assistantship Policies and
Procedures (GAPP) grievance process to resolve employment-related issues. Examples of maers appropriate for
the GAPP grievance process include allegaons of excessive work hours, violaons of sick days or vacaon policies,
or disputes regarding the assignment of dues.
In some cases, the best approach is for the aggrieved student to discuss their concern directly with the person
responsible for the objeconable acon.
If the student is uncomfortable making direct contact with the other individual or desires a confidenal
consultaon about their concern, they may contact the ECE Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, the ECE
Grievance Advisor Professor Mikhail Kats, or the College of Engineering Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs. These
individuals work to resolve the concern while being sensive to student confidenality.
23.2. Change of Advisor
Students who believe they are in a research environment that fails to meet ECE and College of Engineering
standards for climate and culture should contact the ECE Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, the ECE Grievance
Advisor, or the College of Engineering Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs for addional consultaon. They will
work with the student to explore alternate advising arrangements and ensure connuity of financial support
should the student need to leave the research group. Note that immigraon status is NOT ed to a specific
research advisor.
23.3. Formal Wrien Complaint Process
Issues that are not resolved to the student’s sasfacon may be pursued at the student’s discreon by subming
a wrien complaint to the ECE Grievance Advisor. The steps described below are based on the Definion and
Procedure secon of the Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedure s (GAPP) Grievance Procedure.
Step One : The grievant must file a wrien statement with the ECE Grievance Advisor specifying the grievant’s
name, a clear and concise statement of the grievance and the issue(s) involved, the date(s) the incident or
violaon took place and the specific departmental, college, or university policies involved, and the relief sought.
The grievance shall be signed and dated by the grievant(s) and representave (if any).
Within twenty (20) days of receipt of the wrien grievance, the ECE Grievance Advisor will meet with the grievant
and their representave (if chosen) to hear the grievance and will return a wrien answer to the grievant and
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their representave (if chosen) no later than ten (10) days aer this meeng. This answer will include a copy of
the grievance procedure appeal process meline, a list of resources and relevant contact informaon for future
steps.
Step Two: If the decision in Step One is not accepted by the grievant, the grievant shall have 10 days from receipt
of the answer in Step One to file an appeal with the College of Engineering Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs.
The Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs will meet with the grievant and their representave (if chosen) within
twenty (20) days from receipt of the appeal of Step One and aempt to resolve the grievance. The Assistant Dean
for Graduate Affairs will provide the grievant and their representave (if chosen) with a wrien response to the
grievance no later than ten (10) days aer this meeng.
Step Three : If the decision in Step Two is not accepted by the grievant, the grievant shall have 10 days from the
receipt of the answer in Step Two to file an appeal with the Graduate School as described in Grievances and
Appeals .
23.4. Reporng Misconduct and Crime
The campus has established policies governing student conduct, academic dishonesty, discriminaon,
and harassment/abuse, as well as specific reporng requirements in certain cases. If you have a grievance
regarding unfair treatment toward yourself, please reference the procedures and resources idenfied
above. If you learn about, observe, or witness misconduct or other wrongdoing, you may be required to
report that misconduct or abuse. Depending on the situaon, it may be appropriate to consult with your
advisor, Graduate Program Coordinator, or other campus resources.
23.4.1. Research Misconduct Reporng
The University of Wisconsin-Madison strives to foster the highest scholarly and ethical standards among its
students, faculty, and staff. Graduate students and research associates are among the most vulnerable groups
when reporng misconduct because their source of financial support and the progress in their careers may be at
risk by raising quesons of wrongdoing. They are also oen the closest witnesses to wrongdoing when it occurs
and therefore must be appropriately protected from the consequences of reporng wrongdoing and be informed
of their rights .
23.4.2. Academic Misconduct Reporng
If you know a classmate is cheang on an exam or other academic exercise, nofy your professor, teaching
assistant, or proctor of the exam. As a part of the university community, you are expected to uphold the standards
of the university. Also, consider how your classmate's dishonesty may affect the overall grading curve and integrity
of the program.
23.4.3. Sexual Assault Reporng
UW-Madison prohibits sexual harassment, sexual assault, dang violence, domesc violence, and stalking. These
offenses violate UW-Madison policies and are subject to disciplinary acon. Sancons can range from reprimand
to expulsion from UW-Madison. In many cases, these offenses also violate Wisconsin criminal law and could lead
to arrest and criminal prosecuon.
Students who experience sexual harassment, sexual assault, domesc violence, dang violence, and/or stalking
have many opons and services available to them on and off campus, including mental health counseling, vicm
advocacy, and access to the criminal and campus disciplinary systems.
Faculty, staff, teaching assistants, and others who work directly with students at UW-Madison are required by law
to report first-hand knowledge or disclosures of sexual assault to university officials for stascal purposes. In
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addion, disclosures made to certain university employees, such as academic advisors or university
administrators, may be forwarded to the campus Title IX Coordinator for a response.
23.4.4. Child Abuse Reporng
As a UW-Madison employee (under Wisconsin Execuve Order #54), you are required to immediately report child
abuse or neglect to Child Protecve Services (CPS) or law enforcement if, in the course of employment, the
employee observes an incident or threat of child abuse or neglect, or learns of an incident or threat of child abuse
or neglect, and the employee has reasonable cause to believe that child abuse or neglect has occurred or will
occur. Volunteers working for UW-Madison sponsored programs or acvies are also expected to report suspect
abuse or neglect .
23.4.5. Reporng and Response to Incidents of Bias/Hate
The University of Wisconsin-Madison values a diverse community where all members are able to parcipate fully
in the Wisconsin Experience. Incidents of Bias/Hate affecng a person or group create a hosle climate and
negavely impact the quality of the Wisconsin Experience for community members. UW-Madison takes such
incidents seriously and will invesgate and respond to reported or observed incidents of bias/hate .
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