2.1 Admission

Admission to the Graduate School requires the submission of a completed on-line application, two (2) up-to-date transcripts of undergraduate and graduate records (send one to the graduate School and the other directly to ECE), three recommendations sent directly to ECE from people familiar with the student's academic and/or work background, and a nonrefundable application fee of $45.00. After all completed application materials are received, the Admissions Committee (or its representative) can make recommendations concerning admission. Departmental guidelines for making these recommendations are detailed in the next section. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE-general test including the verbal, quantitative, and analytic) is required of all applicants (other than the BS/MS applicants and Virginia Tech students in ECE earning a BS degree in ECE with a 3.5 or higher GPA, or those students who take the exam prior to a change in status and special categories of excellence for Commonwealth Campus Program students).

All application materials should have been received by December 31 preceding the date of enrollment (usually in the Fall semester of the same year).

All international students whose native language is not English and who have not earned a bachelor or masters degree from an American, Canadian, or British institution are required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Exam as well as the GRE. Their applications will not be acted upon until both the TOEFL and the GRE test scores have been received.

Deferral and Reconsideration

Students with Non-EE/CpE Backgrounds (or switching between EE and CpE)

Students from programs such as physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering technology, engineering (other than electrical or computer), and other programs usually lack background in areas of work required of electrical and computer engineering students.

Each student's make-up needs in course work must be assessed on an individual basis. The exact nature of courses which a student may need should be decided by the student and his or her interim advisor, and approved by the ECE Assistant Department Head for Graduate Education. Students crossing from CpE to EE or EE to CpE may also require additional undergraduate (or MS level) coursework. Recommendations are typically made as part of the admissions process. Typical needs are the following:
 

If a student makes up courses in the group areas, such courses will not count as credit toward the advanced EE/CpE degree. However, these courses, if taken at Virginia Tech, will be counted by the Graduate School toward a student's grade point average (GPA). These make-up courses may be taken concurrently with graduate level EE/CpE courses, assuming prerequisites are met. The courses used to meet these entry requirements will be entered as supporting courses on the plan of study.

Students seeking a graduate degree in ECE with a Bachelor's degree in a discipline other than EE or CpE (or changing form EE to CpE or CpE to EE) should have or obtain a background equivalent to the following Virginia Tech undergraduate courses.
 

Students Applying for the PhD Program

Students holding or expecting a master's degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering may apply for the PhD degree program. The expected MS GPA for entry into the PhD program is 3.5 (out of 4.0) as computed by VT.

Admission Requirements for Direct-PhD and PhD Programs

1. The applicant will have received the Master of Science Degree from an accredited (or Virginia Tech technically recognized) college or university and will rank high in his or her class academically (U.S. standard: GPA 3.5 or above on work beyond the B.S. as computed by Virginia Tech). A highly qualified student without an M.S. degree may be admitted into the direct-Ph.D. program. Such students generally shall have a BS degree in electrical/computer engineering from a peer university, or a Bachelor's Degree of acceptable quality from an institution of higher learning that is recognized by the Department. Entry into the program of such students shall be predicated upon minimal standards, including a GPA of at least 3.5 on the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate work (as computed by Virginia Tech). Required standardized test scores may also be used in the admission process. The GRE general test and TOEFL (for International students) test are generally required for admission.
2. The applicant must indicate a field of specialization and be acceptable to the Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty within this field.
3. Those students who are currently enrolled in the MS program at Virginia Tech, and desire to continue their studies toward a Ph.D. degree, must formally request admission into the Ph.D. program during the last semester of their MS Degree work. The request should be made by submitting a readmission form to the ECE Graduate Advising Office. This request must be accompanied by information as follows: (1) A letter from an ECE faculty member testifying to the student's ability to perform independent research. This letter must also include a brief summary of the student's past academic performance (coursework, examinations, etc.); (2) A letter from the student with a discussion of career goals and proposed area of study; (3) A letter from the student's MS advisor (if different from the member above) commenting on the student's performance and potential in the Ph.D. program. A student is expected to have at least a 3.5 GPA on the MS degree at Tech. The student's file and the above letters may be circulated to faculty in the area of interest just as a new student would be reviewed (see below). Acceptance is not automatic; the willingness of a faculty member to be the student's PhD advisor is also required.
4. A student coming from another MS (or equivalent) program must submit an electronic application to the Graduate School. This application will be routed via the ECE Graduate Advising Office to the interest area most closely aligned with the student's desired field of specialization. Faculty in that interest area will make recommendations to the ECE Graduate Advising Office regarding admission into the Ph.D. program and possible financial support. A student who has not written a thesis or an equivalent research paper may be considered for admission into the Ph.D. program upon the recommendations of at least three faculty members who can comment on the student's research and writing abilities. Funding for students is on a competitive basis based on the particular needs of the faculty and/or department. Students wishing funding should have met the funding deadline for applications.
5. Final decisions regarding admission into the Ph.D. Program will be made by the ECE Graduate Advising Office or appointed representative.
6. All applicants to the Ph.D. program, whether holders of an MS degree or a BS (or equivalent) degree, shall be registered as joint MS/Ph.D. students for the first 21 credit hours of regular courses or for the first three semesters after they have actually commenced studies at Virginia Tech as Ph.D. students --whichever of these conditions is first met. Students accepted into the program with an MS or equivalent degree will be allowed to continue as Ph.D. students after this stage is reached. A decision to admit holders of degrees other than an accredited (or equivalently recognized) MS degree --e.g. graduates with a BS degree-- directly into the Ph.D. program at this stage shall be made subject to the following conditions:
   1. So-called "direct" entry into the Ph.D. program shall be contingent upon a GPA average of at least 3.5 over the first 21 credit hours of regular courses, as well as having had a GPA average of 3.5 over the last 60 hours of his/her undergraduate degree. Thus these first 21 hours must have been completed within the first three semesters.
   2. The direct-PhD student must have established a relationship with at least one faculty member of the Department who agrees to be the student's dissertation advisor.
   3. The decision to accept direct entry into the Ph.D. program shall be made by ECE Graduate Advising Office.

2.2 Graduate Student Status

The admissions officer may consider an admission status which deviates from the above policy if circumstances warrant. Factors which enter into such decisions include the institution where the student studied, the specific courses taken and grades earned (e.g., grades in technical courses may be weighted more heavily), work experience in industry or government laboratories, and recommendations from professors and/or work supervisors.

Commonwealth Campus Program

Individuals may apply for the Commonwealth Campus Program administered by the University. The ECE application deadline for admittance into the Commonwealth Campus Program is two weeks prior to semester requesting entrance. This program is designed for individuals that are currently employed and taking courses upon advisement of employer.

Upon completion of 9 to 12 credit hours, students may apply for Regular Admission in EE or CpE. The maximum enrolment of course credit hours per semester is 6 and no more than 12 may be taken under the Commonwealth Campus Program.

Dual Status

B.S./M.S. Status

Exchange (Non-Degree) Status

2.3 Registration

Registration for courses in succeeding semesters is processed electronically on the Hokie Spa during the university course registration period. Once enrolled in a course, the student may chose to drop it at any time before the university drop deadline. Exceptions to the drop deadline are only given in extenuating circumstances with approval of the ECE Graduate Committee.

ECE requires full-time graduate students to enroll in 12 to 18 credit hours per semester. Students may enroll in ECE 5944, Thesis, or ECE 7994, Dissertation to fulfill the requirement. Assistantship and fellowship appointments will be withdrawn if enrollment falls below the 12 credit hour minimum.

Once an applicant registers the application materials become part of the student’s education record. With approval from the ECE Graduate Advising Office, faculty and staff within ECE are allowed to access graduate students’ educational files for consideration of advising and research funding. Under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, a student has the right to waive this access so to do so please comply in writing to the ECE Graduate Advising Office.

2.4 The Interim Advisor

Interim advisors give new students helpful information in selecting courses for the first one or two semesters of work, assist students in becoming familiar with research opportunities, and help students select permanent advisors.

2.5 Readmission