Admission to Candidacy Examination (A Exam)

Students are eligible to schedule their A Exam after Two (2) Semesters of registration have been completed in the ECE Ph.D. Program.

The A Exam must be taken PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING of a Student’s Seventh Semester of registration.

The format of the A Exam is up to the discretion of the Student’s Special Committee Membership. In general, it is an oral examination. The Student will present the topic that has been chosen to devote his/her dissertation to.

Scheduling the Admission to Candidacy Examination (A Exam)

The Student will need to schedule the A Exam at a time that is convenient for both them and their Special Committee Membership.

Reserving a Room for the A Exam

Once a date and time have been confirmed, the Student should reserve a Conference Room where the A Exam will be held. There are Conference Rooms of varying size available in Phillips Hall, Rhodes Hall and Duffield Hall that can be reserved. You will need to work with the ECE Administrative Staff in order reserve a Conference Room.

Schedule A Examination and Research Compliance Form

Filling It Out, Obtaining Online Approvals, Submitting the Form, Deadline for Submission

  • The Student will need to go online and fill out the Schedule A Examination and Research Compliance Form. It can be found on the Graduate School's Forms Page listed under "Exams and Research." 
  • The Student will fill out the form completely before submitting it for the necessary approvals of their entire Committee Membership, the ECE Director of Graduate Studies and the ECE Assistant Director of MEng/PhD Programs (listed as "Graduate Field Assistant" on the form). 
  • The Student will be responsible for obtaining the completion of all required online approvals in order for the form to be submitted to the Graduate School. 
  • Once all online approvals have been submitted, an automated email will be sent by the Graduate School confirming the scheduling of the Student's A Exam. 

The completed Schedule A Examination and Research Compliance Form must be submitted to the Graduate School a minimum of Seven (7) Calendar Days prior to the date of the scheduled examination.

There are no exceptions to this rule. Late submission of the Schedule A Examination and Research Compliance Form will result in the examination having to be re-scheduled.

The Date, Time and Location of the Student’s A Exam will be posted on the ECE Events Calendar Page. 

Results for Admission to Candidacy (A Exam) Form

Filling It Out, Obtaining Online Approvals, Submitting the Form, Deadline for Submission

  • The Student will need to go online and fill out the Results for Admission to Candidacy (A Exam) Form. It can be found on the Graduate School's Forms Page listed under "Exams and Research." 
  • The Student will fill out the form completely before submitting it for the necessary approvals of their entire Committee Membership, the ECE Director of Graduate Studies and the ECE Assistant Director of MEng/PhD Programs (listed as "Graduate Field Assistant" on the form). 
  • The Student will be responsible for obtaining the completion of all required online approvals in order for the form to be submitted to the Graduate School. 
  • Once all online approvals have been submitted, an automated email will be sent by the Graduate School confirming the receipt of the Student's Results for Admission to Candidacy (A Exam) Form. 

The completed Results for Admission to Candidacy (A Exam) Form must be submitted to the Graduate School within Three (3) Days of the completion of the A Exam.

There are no exceptions to this rule. Late submission of the Results for Admission to Candidacy (A Exam) Form will result in the results of the Student’s A Exam not being accepted.

Master of Science without Thesis Degree

All Students who successfully complete their A Exam are eligible to earn a Master of Science (M.S.) without Thesis Degree. The Student may only be awarded the M.S. Degree if their Committee Membership deem it appropriate.

The Student should discuss this option with their Special Committee Membership in advance of participating in their A Exam.

When the Student's Committee Chair / Advisor submits their online approval for the Results for Admission to Candidacy (A Exam) Form, he/she should then indicate if the Student should be receiving the Non-Thesis MS and continuing on in the ECE PhD Program. 

Be aware that the Graduate School will only award the Non-Thesis MS degree if it is clearly indicated on the results for Admission to Candidacy (A Exam) Form. The Graduate School will NOT retroactively award the Non-Thesis MS Degree if it was not specifically indicated at the time of the submission of the Results for Admission to Candidacy Examination (A Exam) Form.