September 2007                                                                                        Memorandum 3800

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Graduate Office, Room 38-444

THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

Related memoranda:

            3802     Thesis and Thesis Proposal

3805     The Technical Qualifying Examination

            3806     The Research Qualifying Examination

            3807     The Minor Requirement

3903     General Information for Graduate Students

Introduction

The objective of the doctoral program in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science is to provide an educational environment that encourages students to develop the ability to contribute to the advancement of technology through independent creative research.  The faculty, acting through the Institute Committee on Graduate Programs and the Department Committee on Graduate Students, has evolved policies and procedures to implement the objectives of the doctoral program.  This memorandum is intended to be a guide to the student and Graduate Counselor in the planning of an acceptable doctoral program.

Students should also refer to the MIT Course Catalogue and Graduate Policies and Procedures. These can be found at http://web.mit.edu/catalogue and at http://web.mit.edu/gso/gpp.

Institute Requirements

The Institute's three requirements for the award of a doctorate are:

• Completion of a program of advanced study, including a General Examination that has both oral and written parts.

• Completion and oral defense of a thesis on original research.

• A residence requirement of four regular academic terms of graduate work.

Department Requirements

The Department specifies the detailed form of the General Examination and has some additional requirements.  The General Examination has two components:

• The Technical Qualifying Examination (TQE)

• The Research Qualifying Examination (RQE)

These examinations are described in detail in separate memoranda, 3805 and 3806.   When the RQE has been completed, a doctoral committee (DC) is formed that will oversee the remainder of the doctoral program.

In addition to the Institute requirements listed above, the Department further requires that each student seeking the doctorate must:

1.  Complete the requirements for the Master's degree, including subject requirements and the SM/MEng. thesis.  A student who enters with a Master's degree will have satisfied this requirement but may need to complete additional research to prepare for the RQE.  The intent of this requirement is to ensure that each student has both the formal subjects and the research experience that are necessary for PhD level research.

2.  Complete a Minor Program consisting of two subjects.  The intent of the minor is to broaden the student's experience at an advanced level.  (See Memorandum 3807 for a detailed description.)

3.  Complete additional subjects related to the doctoral research as specified by the doctoral committee (normally no more than two beyond those required for the Master's degree and to satisfy the TQE). The intent of this requirement is to prepare the student for doctoral research.  In the past, most doctoral students have taken eight or more graduate-H subjects.

4.  Carry out a teaching assignment as approved by the doctoral committee.  This will usually consist of one or more terms as a Teaching Assistant but other arrangements are possible.  Teaching is often a uniquely effective learning experience and the intent of this requirement is to assure that all doctoral students have the benefit of having taught for at least one term.

5.  Write and present a thesis proposal to the doctoral committee. The intent of this requirement is to focus the student's attention on a careful description of the proposed research and on the background and context of the proposed research problem.

6.  Successfully defend the thesis before the doctoral committee.  This thesis examination takes place when the thesis is nearly completed and a suitable draft of the thesis document has been prepared.  Suggestions from the doctoral committee are then incorporated in the final thesis document.

7.  Make a public presentation of the completed thesis research.

Planning and timing of the doctoral program

During the first term of registration in the doctoral program, the student and Graduate Counselor should prepare a detailed plan for satisfying all of the requirements for the doctorate, including a tentative schedule for the completion of each item.  Clearly such a plan will be subject to modification as time goes on, but it is important to have a plan in place from the beginning.

The timing of the various requirements in the doctoral program will vary from student to student and moderate variations are expected.  However, the Department does have expectations that should guide the student and Graduate Counselor in their planning.  The Department has also established a few critical deadlines that have important consequences. 

The schedule below represents the timing that the Department would expect of a typical student who enters in the fall term without a Master's degree.   The critical deadlines appear in bold face.

First term:

• Prepare plan for TQE.  Submit TQE plan by end of IAP
• Take one or more advanced subjects to satisfy TQE.

Second term:

• Take advanced subject(s)needed  to satisfy TQE
• Submit SM thesis proposal
• TQE written examinations will be held at end of term

Third term:

• Take advanced subject(s)needed  to satisfy TQE
• Students who have not demonstrated competence in four topics will take an oral examination.
• Students who have completed the TQE will apply for and complete the RQE.
• Most students will have completed the SM program

End of fourth regular term:

• Students who have not completed the TQE can continue in the doctoral program only with the explicit permission of the Committee on Graduate students.

Fifth regular term:

• Students who have not submitted a Master's thesis by the beginning of the fifth term will not receive financial support from the Department.
  
• Students must apply to take the RQE if they have not already done so.

End of sixth regular term:

• Students who have not qualified (i.e. completed the RQE satisfactorily and completed the Master's degree requirements) may continue in the doctoral program only with the explicit permission of the Committee on Graduate Students.
• Doctoral thesis proposal should have been submitted.

Ninth regular term:

• Students who have not submitted a doctoral proposal by the beginning of the ninth term  will not receive financial support from the Department.
• All post-qualification requirements (subjects, teaching, minor) completed.

After the fourteenth regular term:

• Continuation in the doctoral program requires explicit approval by the Committee on Graduate Students each term based on the recommendation of the student's DC.

Students who received the MEng degree from the Department begin to count terms after receiving the MEng degree.

Residence

The Institute's residence requirement for the doctorate is four regular academic terms (not including summer terms) of graduate work or equivalent.  Residence credit for the SM or MEng counts toward the doctoral requirement as well.  The average length of time spent by doctoral candidates at present is about 12 regular terms.

The Master's Program

Completion of an acceptable doctoral thesis is a major component of programs leading to the doctorate.  A demonstrated potential for such research is consequently necessary for continuation in the doctoral program beyond the first few terms.  Accordingly, graduate students who seek a doctorate in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science will be expected to first complete the requirements for a Master's degree including a Master's thesis. 

The Department will not provide financial support for a student beyond the fourth regular term unless the Master's thesis has been submitted or a petition has been approved.  A student who has not completed the requirements for the Master's degree by the beginning of the sixth regular term of graduate study may continue in the doctoral program only with the explicit approval of the Committee on Graduate Students.

The research experience of a student admitted to a doctoral program on the basis of a Master's degree from another university will be examined carefully by the Graduate Counselor early in the first term of registration.  A student with inadequate research experience will be expected to complete an appropriate thesis or project before taking the RQE.

A student in the doctoral program wishing to receive the Master's degree should submit a degree application early in the term in which the Master's degree requirements will be satisfied.  Master's and Doctor's degrees are not awarded simultaneously.  For information on the specific requirements for the SM degree, see Memorandum 3903.

The Technical Qualifying Examination, (TQE)

See Memorandum 3805 for the description of the TQE.

The Research Qualifying Examination, (RQE)

See Memorandum 3806 for the description of the RQE

The Doctoral Committee

When the RQE has been successfully completed, the student is judged qualified for the doctoral program.  From that time on, the student's program is under the supervision of the student's Doctoral Committee (DC). This committee is charged with establishing the post-qualification requirements below and with monitoring the student’s progress.  The DC meets with the student at least once per term and reports in writing to the Graduate Office annually.

If the thesis proposal has been submitted at the time of the RQE, the DC shall consist of the doctoral thesis supervisor and thesis readers.  If the student has not submitted a proposal at the time that the RQE is completed, an interim DC will be appointed by the Committee on Graduate Students. The DC usually will be two members of the department: the academic counselor and the research supervisor (or the area chair if the research supervisor is outside the Department).  When the thesis proposal is accepted, the interim committee will be replaced by the thesis supervisor and readers.

Additional Subjects

The DC reviews the student's preparation and proposed research after the RQE.  The DC may require that the student take one or two additional graduate subjects in the field of the research.  The DC will inform the Graduate Office of any subjects that are required. 

Teaching Experience

Each doctoral student is expected to take part in the department's teaching program.  In order to satisfy this requirement, the student must complete a one-term teaching assignment, usually as a Teaching Assistant, in a capacity that has the approval of the DC.  The assignment may involve direct teaching or course development.  If a student applies twice for a teaching assignment and no suitable position is available, then the requirement is waived.  The DC will inform the Graduate Office when this requirement is completed.

Minor Requirement

See Memorandum 3807 for a description of the minor requirement.  That memorandum includes a form for approval of a minor program before the DC has been appointed.

Thesis Proposal

An acceptable doctoral thesis proposal is required by the beginning of the ninth regular term of registration as a graduate student.  The thesis proposal must be approved by the thesis supervisor and two readers before submission to the Graduate Office. There may be additional readers and/or a co-supervisor, but at least two EECS faculty members must be included.

(See Memorandum 3802 for further detail.)

Thesis

The caliber and scope of the doctoral thesis research are such as to normally require the equivalent of at least one full-time academic year of research.  For students not on a full-time program, this principle is interpreted to mean the completion of 96 units of thesis registration.

Each doctoral candidate is expected to register for an appropriate number of units of thesis in all periods during which thesis related research is actually in progress

Thesis Examination and Presentation

When the thesis investigation is substantially completed and the student has prepared a document of preliminary character that summarizes the work, a thesis examination is held.  The candidate defends the thesis orally before the supervisor and readers together with other guests whom the thesis committee may choose to invite.  If the defense is satisfactory, the student is instructed to proceed with the final write-up incorporating suggestions made during the thesis examination.  Experience indicates that the thesis examination should be held within the first half of the final term to permit sufficient time for final preparation of the thesis document.

The student must also make a thesis presentation in the form of a publicly announced one-hour talk.

If all other requirements have been satisfied, the doctoral program is completed when the supervisor signs the thesis, reports a grade of Satisfactory and the student submits two copies of the thesis document to the Department Graduate Office.  Doctoral theses are due approximately two weeks before the end of any regular term, and one week before the end of a summer term.  If the thesis is to be finished in the summer term, the thesis examination should be held before June 1 because many of the faculty are not in residence during the summer term.