Academics > Masters & Ph.D. > Qualifying Exam Syllabi
Electronics, Circuits, Devices & Transducers (ECDT)
Option A: The student will be tested in three out of the following six subject areas:
- circuit design
- semiconductor devices
- VLSI and MEMS microfabrication techniques
- principles of micro sensors and transducers
- photonics
- quantum mechanics.
The material covered in these six areas is described in the posted syllabus, posted by the end of the second week of classes.
Description of option A:
- The student may choose the three areas for the exam (supervisor may provide input to student). The material that the student will be tested on will be based on the syllabus.
- The examination shall consist of a maximum of 60 minutes of questions and discussion.
Option B: The student will be tested based on a presentation of up to three publications and two subject areas from the list in Option A. The details of option B are given below.
Description of option B:
- The exam committee with assistance from the student’s advisor will select a set of up to three peer-reviewed papers. These papers shall be assembled by the exam committee chair by the end of the fifth week of classes. These papers will be chosen to be relevant to the research of the student, but not identical to his/her research.
- The exam committee chair will determine a date for the examination by the end of the sixth week of classes.
- The exam committee chair shall deliver the set of papers to the student two weeks before the scheduled oral exam.
- During the ensuing two weeks, the student’s advisor may not impose any research deadlines on the student.
- The student is permitted to talk to almost anyone about the chosen papers, but must cite any ideas provided by others as part of his/her presentation. However, no faculty member should be involved in the student’s preparation and presentation.
- The examination shall consist of a maximum of 30 minutes of presentation regarding the student’s ideas on the chosen papers. The presentation should contain a brief review of the topics and techniques in the paper, but the majority of the presentation should analyze the technical content and new work presented in the paper. The presentation will be followed by one hour of questions and discussion on any aspect of the publications and presentation, and the two subject areas chosen from the syllabus. This makes Option B inherently more open ended than Option A, which the examiners recognize.
- The student will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Clarity and coherence of presentation
- Depth of analysis
- Clarity of thought on the technical problems presented in the papers
- Accuracy and clarity of his/her summary of the papers, as well as his/her thoughts on other work in the field
- Technical correctness and depth of thought
- Ability to answer questions clearly and concisely.
- Originality of a plausible agenda of original research that might follow up on or compete with the work described in the papers
- The reporting requirements and standards for Option B shall be identical to those for the standard departmental qualifying examination procedure.
- The student should dig deeply into the papers and display depth of understanding of the work conducted by the authors and its novel contribution to the relevant technical community. The student should also justify conclusions made by the authors and identify problems with analysis, methods, or other key ideas presented by the authors.
- In addition to being tested on the publications and presentation, the student will be tested on the two chosen subject areas. The material that the student will be tested on in the two subject areas will be based on the syllabus. The student may choose the two subject areas for the exam (supervisor may provide input to student).
