Oct 31, 2024  
2012-2013 Graduate Catalog 
    
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2012-2013 Graduate Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: CONTENT MAY NOT BE CURRENT. USE THE DROP DOWN ABOVE TO ACCESS THE CURRENT CATALOG.

Electrical Engineering & Mathematical Science Dual Ph.D/M.S.

 The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UNLV offers a program leading to the Ph.D. degree in Engineering in the Field of Electrical Engineering. Specific major areas of study currently available include: communications, computer engineering, control systems, electromagnetics and optics, mixed signal electronic design, power systems, signal processing, and solid state materials and devices. Applicants can be admitted to the Electrical Engineering Ph.D Program through one of three options, the Conventional Ph.D. Program Option, the Direct Ph.D. Program Option, or the Fast Track Ph.D. Program Option.  Further, a Dual Electrical Engineering Ph.D. and Mathematical M.S. degree option is also available. 

Program Entrance Requirements and Admission Deadlines
The Conventional Ph.D. Program Option requires that the applicant has completed an M.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a closely related field before entering the program. The Direct Ph.D. Program Option allows applicants who have a B.S. in an Electrical or Computer Engineer and outstanding undergraduate academic backgrounds to enter the Ph.D. program without having to complete an M.S. Degree. The Fast Track Ph.D. Program allows applicants who have a B.S. in Electrical or Computer Engineer from UNLV, have outstanding undergraduate academic backgrounds, and have applied at least 6 credits of graduate courses towards their B.S. degrees, to complete their Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering program with 6 fewer credits than students in the Direct Ph.D . Option. All remaining requirements leading to a Ph.D. are still required beyond the B.S. Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering excluding the completion of a Master’s thesis.

Completed applications need to be submitted prior to the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department’s admission deadline which may be found on UNLV’s admissions web page; http://web.unlv.edu/admissions/ . If applying for a Teaching Assistantship, applications deadlines are February 1st for admission in the fall semester of the same year and October 1st for admission in the spring semester of the subsequent year.

Admission: Conventional Ph.D.

Applications are considered on an individual basis. Applicants can be admitted on a regular or provisional status. Qualified applicants who are not admitted can take UNLV graduate courses as a non-degree-seeking student; however, only 15 UNLV credits taken as a graduate non-degree-seeking student can be applied towards the degree.

To be considered for admission to the Conventional Ph.D. program, an applicant must:

  1. Have a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering or a closely allied field and have complete an M.S. thesis. The M.S. thesis must be completed prior to admission. Potential candidates applying to the program based on a course only option or a project option will not be admitted.
  2. Have a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.20 (A = 4.00) for their M.S. degree and a 3.00 for their B.S. degree.
  3. Submit GRE scores to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and have obtained the following minimum relative percentile comparison rank of 75 in the Quantitative section. Please note that GRE scores will only be considered valid if taken within five years prior to the time of admission as recognized by the GRE examination board. Official scores must be obtained from GRE. The GRE requirement can be waived under the circumstances listed in the GRE Waiver section.
  4. Submit a completed application form and official transcripts of all college level work to the Graduate College. In addition, submit a one page written statement of purpose indicating the applicant’s interests, motivations, and objectives and three letters of recommendation (signed and dated) concerning the applicant’s potential for succeeding in the graduate program directly to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. If the student received a M.S. degree in electrical or computer engineering at UNLV, then only one letter of recommendation is required, and it must come from the candidate’s faculty advisor who should be the student’s thesis committee chair. If the applicant has attended a university or is currently enrolled in a program beyond the M.S. degree, then at least one letter of recommendation should be solicited from that university or program and two from the university in which the M.S. degree was received. One of the three letters should be written by your thesis advisor commenting on your background and your thesis research. If the applicant has been out of school for an extended period of time, then letters should be solicited from the professional community who can comment on the applicant’s technical background and/or from the applicant’s most recent academic institution. Letters of recommendation written beyond a six-month period prior to applying for admission to our graduate program will not be accepted. Strong letters of recommendation illustrate technical talent and professional accomplishments beyond the grade point average or course grade. We are interested in your technical, conceptual, verbal, ethical and social skills and your ability to perform research with evidence to substantiate claims made. Note that letters from professors that casually know you will not help you in the admission process. Applicants are required to account for all time beyond the B.S. degree indicating how they have developed professionally. Applicants transferring from other graduate programs without obtaining an M.S. degree must justify why they are leaving that program to join our graduate program. Applicants receiving grades less than B in a graduate course elsewhere may not be admitted to the graduate program without a well justified explanation. Poor performance in course work in the program that the student is transferring from can be a cause for denial of admission. It will be the graduate committee’s discretion whether to allow or deny admission.

Applicants from the following institutions will be considered for admission based on the memorandum of understanding with the respective institutions along with admission requirements:

  1. Politechnika Wroclawska, Poland
  2. IIT, India

Admission: Direct Ph.D. Program
Applications are considered on an individual basis. To be considered for admission to the Ph.D. program, an applicant must:

  1. Have a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering or a closely allied field.
  2. Have a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 (A = 4.00) for their B.S. degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering a closely allied field;
  3. Submit GRE scores to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and have obtained the following minimum relative percentile rank of 75 in the Quantitative section. Please note that GRE scores will only be considered valid if taken within five years prior to the time of admission as recognized by the GRE examination board. Official scores must be obtained from GRE. The GRE requirement can be waived under the circumstances listed in the GRE Waiver section.
  4. Submit a completed application form and official transcripts of all college level work to the Graduate College. In addition, submit a one page written statement of purpose indicating the applicant’s interests, motivations, and objectives and three letters of recommendation (signed and dated) concerning the applicant’s potential for succeeding in the graduate program directly to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. If the student received a M.S. degree in electrical or computer engineering at UNLV, then only one letter of recommendation is required, and it must come from the candidate’s faculty advisor who should be the student’s thesis committee chair. If the applicant has attended a university or is currently enrolled in a program beyond the M.S. degree, then at least one letter of recommendation should be solicited from that university or program and two from the university in which the M.S. degree was received. One of the three letters should be written by your thesis advisor commenting on your background and your thesis research. If the applicant has been out of school for an extended period of time, then letters should be solicited from the professional community who can comment on the applicant’s technical background and/or from the applicant’s most recent academic institution. Letters of recommendation written beyond a six-month period prior to applying for admission to our graduate program will not be accepted. Strong letters of recommendation illustrate technical talent and professional accomplishments beyond the grade point average or course grade. We are interested in your technical, conceptual, verbal, ethical and social skills and your ability to perform research with evidence to substantiate claims made. Note that letters from professors that casually know you will not help you in the admission process. Applicants are required to account for all time beyond the B.S. degree indicating how they have developed professionally. Applicants transferring from other graduate programs without obtaining an M.S. degree must justify why they are leaving that program to join our graduate program. Applicants receiving grades less than B in a graduate course elsewhere may not be admitted to the graduate program without a well justified explanation. Poor performance in course work in the program that the student is transferring from can be a cause for denial of admission. It will be the graduate committee’s discretion whether to allow or deny admission.

Admission: Fast-Track Ph.D. Program


Applications are considered on an individual basis. To be considered for admission to the Ph.D. program, an applicant must:
 

  1. Have a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering from UNLV.
  2. Have a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 (A = 4.00) for their B.S. degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering;
  3. Have completed at least 6 credits of graduate courses that were applied towards the student’s B.S. degree. The graduate courses must have been completed with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 (A = 4.00).
  4. Submit GRE scores to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and have obtained the following minimum relative percentile comparison rank of 75 in the Quantitative section. Please note that GRE scores will only be considered valid if taken within five years prior to the time of admission as recognized by the GRE examination board. Official scores must be obtained from GRE. The GRE requirement can be waived under the circumstances listed in the GRE Waiver section.
  5. Submit a completed application form and official transcripts of all college level work to the Graduate College. In addition, submit a one page written statement of purpose indicating the applicant’s interests, motivations, and objectives and three letters of recommendation (signed and dated) concerning the applicant’s potential for succeeding in the graduate program directly to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. If the student received a M.S. degree in electrical or computer engineering at UNLV, then only one letter of recommendation is required, and it must come from the candidate’s faculty advisor who should be the student’s thesis committee chair. If the applicant has attended a university or is currently enrolled in a program beyond the M.S. degree, then at least one letter of recommendation should be solicited from that university or program and two from the university in which the M.S. degree was received. One of the three letters should be written by your thesis advisor commenting on your background and your thesis research. If the applicant has been out of school for an extended period of time, then letters should be solicited from the professional community who can comment on the applicant’s technical background and/or from the applicant’s most recent academic institution. Letters of recommendation written beyond a six-month period prior to applying for admission to our graduate program will not be accepted. Strong letters of recommendation illustrate technical talent and professional accomplishments beyond the grade point average or course grade. We are interested in your technical, conceptual, verbal, ethical and social skills and your ability to perform research with evidence to substantiate claims made. Note that letters from professors that casually know you will not help you in the admission process. Applicants are required to account for all time beyond the B.S. degree indicating how they have developed professionally. Applicants transferring from other graduate programs without obtaining an M.S. degree must justify why they are leaving that program to join our graduate program. Applicants receiving grades less than B in a graduate course elsewhere may not be admitted to the graduate program without a well justified explanation. Poor performance in course work in the program that the student is transferring from can be a cause for denial of admission. It will be the graduate committee’s discretion whether to allow or deny admission.
     

GRE Waiver
The GRE entrance requirement will be waived for students entering the Ph.D. program if ALL of the following are satisfied:

  1. The candidate receives a MS degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at UNLV.
  2. The candidate’s BS GPA equals or exceeds 3.0.
  3. The candidate’s MS GPA equals or exceeds 3.6.
  4. The candidate shows evidence that a paper pertaining to his/her research has been published in a refereed conference (minimum requirement). A published article in a refereed journal exceeds this minimum requirement. In all cases, the candidate must be the first author of the publication. Galley proofs along with a letter of acceptance may be used as minimum evidence that a paper will be published.
  5. The candidate is not seeking a teaching assistantship.
  6. One letter of recommendation from the major professor indicating the student’s ability for higher education.

International Applicants

Before international applicants can be considered for admission, the Graduate College requires that all international applicants take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and obtain a minimum score of 550 or take the Michigan Test and obtain a minimum score of 85. Students whose first language is not English may be required to take the English as a Second Language Placement Test upon arrival at UNLV. If necessary, they will be required to take English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at UNLV. These courses will not count toward their graduate degree.

Requirements for Electrical Engineering Ph.D. Program

 Regardless of the program or track selected, candidates in the Electrical Engineering Ph.D. program must maintain an overall minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.20 (B) and a minimum GPA of 3.20 (B) each semester. Candidates who do not maintain an overall GPA of 3.20 (B) and a GPA of 3.20 (B) each semester will either be placed on probation or expelled from the program. The Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Committee and/or the Graduate College will determine the terms of the candidate’s probation in accordance with the rules of the Graduate College.

All regular status Ph.D. candidates must file an approved program form before the completion of their second semester. The candidate’s faculty advisor and the graduate coordinator must approve this program. All regular and provisional status Ph.D. candidates must show satisfactory progress towards completion of their degree by completing at least six credits of their approved program per calendar year. If progress towards their degree program is not satisfactory, candidates will either be placed on probation or expelled from the program.

Specific requirements for the Ph.D. degree are:

  1. Satisfy the Ph.D. degree program admission requirements and be admitted to the Ph.D. program on a regular status.
  2. Pass the Qualifying Exam within 2 semesters of being admitted to the Ph.D. program on a regular status. The Qualifying Exam is offered once every Ffall semester and once every Sspring semester. This exam cannot be taken more than twice.
  3. During the first semester, a Ph.D. student must select a faculty advisor. The faculty advisor does not have to be the one to whom the student was assigned upon entering the Ph.D. program. In coordination with the faculty advisor, the student must also form a doctoral advisory committee. A doctoral advisory committee is composed of at least five members of the UNLV Graduate Faculty. Three of the faculty must be from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the fourth from a relevant supporting field, and the fifth is appointed by the Graduate College.
  4. Beyond the M.S. degree, a Ph.D. student must complete a minimum of 27 credits of graduate level courses with an overall minimum GPA of 3.20 and a minimum GPA of 2.70 (B-) in each class applied towards the 27 credits. Candidates in the Direct Ph.D. program must complete a minimum of 51 (24 MS + 27 Ph.D. )credits of course work beyond the B.S. degree.
    • Conventional Ph.D. Program Option : Candidates who have been admitted into the Conventional Ph.D. Program Option must complete a minimum of 27 credits beyond their M.S. degree. Of the 27 required credits, a minimum of 18 credits must be in 700-level courses excluding ECG 799 Dissertation, and no more than 3 credits may be from ECG 791 Graduate Independent Study. The student’s doctoral advisory committee may add more requirements in accordance with the individual’s background and field of study.
    • Direct Ph.D. Program Option: Students who have been admitted into the Direct Ph.D. Program Option must complete a minimum of 51 credits (24 M.S.E.E. credits + 27 Conventional Ph.D. Program Option credits). Of the 51 required credits, a minimum of 33 credits must be in 700-level courses excluding ECG 799 Dissertation, and no more than 6 credits can be from ECG 791 Graduate Independent Study. The student’s doctoral advisory committee may add more requirements in accordance with the individual’s background and field of study. Students on academic probation may be transferred to the M.S.E.E. Program depending on the student’s academic record.
    • Fast Track Ph.D. Program Option: Students who have been admitted into the Fast Track Ph.D. Program Option must complete a minimum of 45 credits. Of the 45 required credits required for the Fast Track Ph.D. Program Option and the 6 credits of graduate level courses applied toward the B.S. degree, a minimum of 33 credits must be in 700-level courses excluding ECG 799 Dissertation, and no more than 6 credits can be from ECG 791 Graduate Independent Study. The student’s doctoral advisory committee may add more requirements in accordance with the individual’s background and field of study. Students on academic probation may be transferred to the M.S.E.E. Program depending on the student’s academic record
  5. Beyond the Bachelor degree, a Ph.D. student must complete a minimum of 15 credits in an approved major field, and 9 credits in each of two approved minor fields. A minimum GPA of 3.33 (B+=3.30) must be obtained in each of the minor fields. Approved major and minor fields are described in detail in the Electrical Engineering Graduate Program Document.
  6. After passing the Qualifying Exam, successfully completing all courses for a major field, and successfully completing all courses for one minor field, students are eligible to take the Comprehensive Exam. All students must have passed the Comprehensive Exam within two semesters after successfully completing all required course work except for the 18 credits of ECG 799 Dissertation. [NOTE: Up to six credits of ECG 799 Dissertation taken prior to the successful completion of the Preliminary Exam may count towards the degree program.] The Comprehensive Exam cannot be taken more than once per semester and cannot be taken more than twice. The Comprehensive Exam is described in detail in the Electrical Engineering Graduate Program Document.
  7. After successfully completing all required course work and passing the Comprehensive Exam, the students must pass the Preliminary Exam. The Preliminary Exam cannot be taken more than once per semester but may be repeated until passed.
  8. Complete a minimum of 18 credits of ECG 799 Dissertation and complete a dissertation containing original research. Upon completion, the student must pass the Final Exam in which the student defends his/her dissertation.

Qualifying Exam

The Qualifying Exam tests the student’s general undergraduate knowledge of electrical engineering. All students must pass the Qualifying Exam within two semesters of being admitted to the Ph.D. program on a regular status. Students who have not passed the Qualifying Exam within this time will be terminated from the Ph.D. program. The Qualifying Exam is offered once every Fall semester and once every Spring semester. This exam cannot be taken more than twice. Students who have not passed the Qualifying Exam by their second attempt will be terminated from the Ph.D. program. Students in the Direct Ph.D. program who fail the Qualifying Exam on their second attempt may elect to pursue a M.S. Degree by completing all of the requirements listed in the Electrical Engineering Graduate Program Document.

The Qualifying Exam is a four-hour exam covering questions in the following undergraduate electrical engineering fields:

  1. Communications EE 460 (Formerly ECG 460)
  2. Computer Engineering CpE 200, CpE 300 (Formerly ECG 200, EEG 416)
  3. Control System Theory EE 370 (Formerly ECG 470)
  4. Electromagnetics and Optics EE 330 (Formerly ECG 330)
  5. Electronics EE 420 (Formerly ECG 420)
  6. Power EE 340 (Formerly ECG 440)
  7. Signal Processing EE 480 (Formerly ECG 480)
  8. Solid State EE 450 (Formerly ECG 450)
     

The test material for each field will be relevant to topics covered in the class(es) listed with the field and their immediate prerequisites. Recommended reading for the field exams is listed in the Electrical Engineering Graduate Program Document. A bank of problems representing the material being tested may be available in each area. Consult the Graduate Coordinator for more details. A Pass or Fail grade will be administered. The student must perform well in four of the eight areas. The student must pass the Qualifying Exam within two sittings. The exam is a closed note, closed book exam. The graduate committee will notify students of the results of the exam.

Before a student is eligible to register for the Qualifying Exam, he/she must have satisfied the Ph.D. degree program admission requirements and have been admitted to the Ph.D. program on a regular status. To register for the Qualifying Exam, eligible students must notify the graduate coordinator no later than one month prior to the examination date. The graduate coordinator or a member of the graduate committee will administer and proctor the Qualifying Exam. The faculty member who administers the exam will provide each student with an identification code that will be used to identify each student’s exam. Students will not put their names, initials or any other identifying marks besides their identification code on their exams. Faculty grading their portion of the exam must provide a pass or fail result for their portion of the exam within 15 calendar days of the exam to the graduate coordinator. The graduate committee may review the exams to verify grading but may not alter grades. If the graduate committee suspects a grading problem with a field exam, the graduate committee will submit that entire exam to the appropriate field subcommittee for re-grading. After all of the exams have been graded, the graduate committee will notify students of their exam results.

Comprehensive Exam

The Comprehensive Exam tests the candidate’s depth of knowledge in the candidate’s chosen major field and one chosen minor field. All students must have passed the Comprehensive Exam within two semesters after successfully completing all required course work (except for the 18 credits of ECG 799 Dissertation). If the candidate’s Ph.D. coursework GPA is 3.8 or higher, the Comprehensive Exam may be waived upon the approval of Graduate Program Committee (GPC). If the candidate’s GPA is below 3.8, the comprehensive exam must be taken. Candidates who have not passed the Comprehensive Exam within two consecutive sittings will be terminated from the Ph.D. program. The Comprehensive Exam is offered once every fall semester and once every spring semester. The Comprehensive Exam cannot be taken more than twice. For clarity, candidates who have not passed the Comprehensive Exam following their second attempt will be terminated from the Ph.D. program

Before a student is eligible to register for the Comprehensive Exam, he must have successfully completed all of the courses for his major field, completed all of the courses in the minor field in which he wishes to be examined with a minimum GPA of 3.33, have a minimum overall GPA of 3.2, have passed the Qualifying Exam and have satisfied all of the Ph.D. degree program admission requirements. If a student takes the Comprehensive Exam before any one of these requirements has been satisfied, the student will automatically receive a failing grade for the exam. At their discretion, the Graduate Program Committee may also count this failing grade as one of the student’s attempts for the Comprehensive Exam. To register for the Comprehensive Exam, eligible students must notify the graduate coordinator no later than one month prior to the examination date.

To pass the Comprehensive Exam, a student must pass a five-hour exam covering selected courses in his major field. A pass or fail grade will be given for the exam. The graduate committee will notify students of the results of the exam. The material for the exam will be relevant to the topics covered in the student’s major field; however, the exam may require knowledge of undergraduate material related to the student’s major and minor fields. The major area exam will emphasize graduate material from four graduate courses taken in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UNLV or from similar courses offered in the Electrical Engineering Department at UNLV. Within the above constraints, the student will have the right to choose the courses to be examined based on the availability of faculty to write the exam. The exam will evaluate the student’s ability to apply his theoretical and analytical abilities to problems in his major field. Students should expect problems that require advanced thinking. Specific problems need not be familiar textbook problems.

Candidates will not be allowed to use textbooks, notes, etc. during the exam. The graduate coordinator or a member of the graduate committee will administer and proctor the Comprehensive Exam. The faculty member who administers the exam will provide each student with an identification code that will be used to identify each student’s exam. Students will not put their names, initials or any other identifying marks besides their identification code on their exams. The Comprehensive Exam Committee is responsible for producing questions for the exam and providing those questions to the graduate coordinator at least one week prior to the exam. The Comprehensive Exam Committee is solely responsible for grading the exam. The committee must provide a pass or fail result for the exams within 15 calendar days of the exam to the graduate coordinator. The graduate committee may review the exams to verify grading but may not alter grades. If the graduate committee suspects a grading problem with the exam, the graduate committee will submit that entire exam to the committee for re-grading. After the exam has been graded, the graduate committee will notify students of the results of the exam.

Qualifying or Comprehensive Exam Appeals

Any student may appeal the results of the Qualifying or Comprehensive Exam. To appeal, a student must submit a letter of appeal to his/her faculty advisor within 21 calendar days of receiving the exam results. The letter must indicate the field in which the student is appealing the result and the reasons for which the student is appealing. The student’s advisor will forward the appeal letter to the Graduate Committee. The Graduate Committee and the corresponding field subcommittee(s) will consider the appeal and reevaluate the student’s results. A student may not appeal the results of the Qualifying or Comprehensive Exam more than once.

Preliminary Exam

The Preliminary Exam evaluates the caliber of a student’s dissertation topic. The Preliminary Exam cannot be taken more than once per semester but may be repeated until passed. To be eligible for the Preliminary Exam, a student must have passed the Comprehensive Exam, and have successfully completed all required course work except for the 18 credits of ECG 799 Dissertation. Before the Preliminary Exam, a student must prepare a 10 to 20-page prospectus of his/her research. A copy of this prospectus must be submitted to the Graduate Committee and each member of the Ph.D. candidate’s advisory committee at least two weeks prior to the Preliminary Exam. The student must also notify the Graduate Committee and each member of their advisory committee of the date, time and location of their Preliminary Exam. This must be done at least two weeks prior to the Preliminary Exam. During the Preliminary Exam, the student presents his/her prospectus to his advisory committee. To pass the Preliminary Exam, the student’s advisory committee must unanimously approve the student’s prospectus. Students who pass the Preliminary Exam are advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D.

Final Exam

The Final Exam evaluates the Ph.D. candidate’s dissertation. The Final Exam cannot be taken more than twice per semester but may be repeated until passed. To be eligible for the Final Exam, a Ph.D. candidate must have passed the Preliminary Exam, and have successfully completed all required course work including a minimum of 18 credits of ECG 799 Dissertation. A minimum of 12 credits of ECG 799 Dissertation must be taken after the successful completion of the Preliminary Exam. A copy of the Ph.D. candidate’s dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate Committee and each member of the Ph.D. candidate’s advisory committee at least two weeks prior to the Final Exam. The Ph.D. candidate must also notify the Graduate Committee and each member of his/her advisory committee of the date, time and location of his/her Final Exam at least two weeks prior to the Final Exam. During the Final Exam, the Ph.D. candidate will present his/her dissertation to their advisory committee. To pass the Final Exam, the Ph.D. candidate’s advisory committee must unanimously approve the Ph.D. candidate’s dissertation.

Time Limits

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering requires that the Ph.D. degree be completed within a period of six years from the time the candidate is fully admitted to the Ph.D. program. Students exceeding this time limit must formally write a letter requesting permission from both the Graduate Committee and the Graduate College to stay in the Ph.D. program. The formal letter must explain the circumstances of why the degree was not completed within the allotted timeframe and indicate the extended period of time needed to complete the degree.


Ph.D. Major and Minor Fields

Beyond the Bachelor degree, a Ph.D. student must complete a minimum of 15 credits in a major field, 9 credits in a minor field of a single area in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and another 9 credits in a second minor field. Currently, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UNLV offers Communications, Computer Engineering, Control System Theory, Electromagnetics and Optics, Electronics, Power Systems, Signal Processing, and Solid State Materials and Devices as major fields. Specific courses that can be applied to specific fields are listed in detail in the Electrical Engineering Graduate Program Document.

Each student must complete two minor fields. To complete a minor field, a student must complete a minimum of 9 credits in a minor field and have an overall minimum GPA of 3.33 (B+=3.30) for the 9 minor field credits. Of the 9 required credits in each minor field, a minimum of 6 credits must be in 700-level courses.

Courses that can be applied to specific minor fields are listed in detail in the Electrical Engineering Graduate Program Document. Some courses may be listed under two different fields. Such a course can be applied to only one field. With the written approval of the major advisor and the student’s advisory committee, a mixed minor field may be formed with courses inside and/or outside of the Electrical Engineering Department’s approved fields (e.g., mathematics and physics, computer engineering and computer science, physics, mechanical engineering, solid state and electromagnetics) A mixed minor may not be composed of courses in the Electrical Engineering Department that satisfy course work in the major and the other minor field. The only exception is when a course may be used in more than one field. In this case, the course may not be counted twice but may be used for either minor area. However, the student must complete at least one minor field in Electrical Engineering in a single area.

Electrical Engineering & Mathematical Science Dual Ph.D/M.S.


The dual Ph.D. EE and M.S. MAT program of study is designed for those who want to pursue a Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering or a career in Electrical Engineering with emphasis in applied mathematics. The program prepares graduate students with complementing educational components covering electrical engineering and mathematics, which is the basis of all engineering. The students graduating from this program will be well-prepared with a well-rounded background.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must apply to the dual degree program using the graduate college online application. Applicants must meet the admission requirements for both departments.

Admission Requirements Master of Science in Mathematical Sciences

Admission to the M.S. Program in Mathematical Sciences requires that an applicant has a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.75 for all undergraduate work or a minimum GPA of 3.00 for the last two years of undergraduate work, and completed at least 18 credits of upper-division mathematics or statistics courses beyond calculus. If applicable, international applicants must submit an official TOEFL score (minimum score of 80 for the IBT, 213 for the computer test, or 550 for the paper test).

To apply for admission to the M.S. Program, applicants must submit application materials to both the Graduate College and the Department of Mathematical Sciences.

Firstly, applicants must submit to the Graduate College the following materials:

  1. A complete application form.
  2. The official transcripts from all college and universities the student has attended.
  3. The official TOEFL score if applicable.

Secondly, applicants must submit to the Department the following materials:

  1. Copies of all official transcripts sent to the Graduate College.
  2. At least two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic record and potential for advanced study in mathematical sciences.
  3. A completed application form for Graduate Assistantship, if interested.
  4. A statement of purpose describing the aim in applying for graduate study, the particular area of specialization within the mathematical sciences (if known), and any additional information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating preparation and aptitude for graduate study.

Details of the admission procedure for the M.S. Program can be found on the Departments web site: http://sciences.unlv.edu/Mathematics/study_grad.html

For details regarding application material for the Graduate College refer to: http://graduatecollege.unlv.edu/admissions/

Deadlines.

The Graduate College and the Department of Mathematical Sciences must receive all application materials from applicants by February 1 for fall admission, and October 1 for spring admission.

Dual Degree Program Requirement

Students cannot graduate from one portion of the dual degree until the requirements for both are met. Students must apply to graduate from both programs for the same semester.

M.S. MAT Program

Six credits included in the degree program can be double counted between the PH.D. and MS MAT degrees. Students in the Dual Degree program can also be admitted into the Electrical Engineering Fast Track program; however, the 6 graduate level credits taken as an undergraduate students can only be applied to the Ph.D. Engineering degree and not the M.S. MAT Degree.

 Requirements for the Mathematical Science M.S. Program
A minimum of 27 credits of graduate work is required for the M.S. in Mathematical Sciences, including at least 21 credits at the 700 level. The following specific requirements must be met:

  1. 1. Core requirement: two of the following three courses, 6 credits:
    1. MAT 707 - Real Analysis I
    2. MAT 709 - Complex Function Theory I
    3. MAT 765 - Advanced Numerical Analysis
  2. 2. There are two options for the remaining 21 credits:
    1. Thesis option: 15 credits of MAT/STA courses (with at least 9 credits at the 700 level), plus 6 credits of thesis, MAT 791
    2. Exam option: 21 credits of MAT/STA courses (with at least 15 credits at the 700 level).
  3. All MAT/STA courses at the 600 and 700 level are allowed except for MAT 711 , MAT 712 , and MAT 714 .
  4. The student is required to have at least two MAT/STA 700 level year-long sequences in her/his program. The sequences may include courses from the core requirement.
  5. Final Examination: This will be either an examination to defend the thesis, or a written comprehensive examination. The written exam will have two parts. The student must choose two of the following options: MAT 703-04, MAT 707-08, MAT 709-10, MAT 765-766, or MAT 771-772.