The Ph.D. is a degree with emphasis on research. Requirements for the doctoral degree are described in detail in the UTA Graduate Catalog Section on Degree Offerings/Requirements. Permission to continue beyond the master’s degree will be based on the grade point average and GRE scores as described above.

Application Form for Ph.D. Diagnostic Examination
Approval to continue in the doctoral program is given by satisfactory completion of the following procedure:
1) Obtaining the approval of a dissertation advisor, and
2) Passing the Diagnostic Examination. This exam will be over three of the diagnostic exam courses listed below. ( Exams & Procedures)
The Diagnostic Exam must be completed within the first 18 hours of coursework toward the Ph.D. A student not having attempted the Diagnostic Examination by this time will be allowed one more opportunity to take the examination during the next full semester. If the student enrolls in Technical Proficiency Courses in order to take the Diagnostic Exam, these hours will be in addition to the required advanced level course specified later. The courses used for the diagnostic exam are listed below.

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EE 5302 - Random Signals and Noise - Minor Only (Sample Exams)

EE 5305 - Advanced Electronics - Minor Only (Sample Exams) 

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Thrust Area : Electromagnetic Fields and Applications

EE 5306 - Electromagnetic Theory (Sample Exams) 

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Thrust Area : Systems, Controls and Automated Manufacturing

EE 5307 - Linear Systems Engineering (Sample Exams) 

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Thrust Area :Power System Modeling and Analysis

EE 5308 - Power System Modeling and Analysis (Sample Exams) 

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Thrust Area :Solid State Devices , Circuits and Systems

EE 5340 - Semiconductor Device Theory (Sample Exams) 

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Thrust Area :Nanotechnology/MEMS

(Topics)        (Sample Exams) 

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Thrust Area :Digital Signal Processing and Image Processing

EE 5350 - Digital Signal Processing (Sample Exams) 

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Thrust Area :Communication and Information Systems

EE 5362 - Digital Communications (Sample Exams) 

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Thrust Area :Optical Devices and Systems

EE 5380 - Principles of Photonics (Sample Exams)

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Thrust Area :Renewable Energy and Vehicular Technology

EE 6375 - Power Electronics Engineering (Sample Exams) 

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The program of work is expected to include a minimum of 18 semester hours of advanced graduate level coursework beyond the master’s degree and sufficient dissertation semester hours as required to complete the dissertation. These courses may not include any of the above diagnostic exam courses nor may they include EE 5301, EE 5303, EE 5313, and EE 5361. These courses may include graduate level mathematics, science, or engineering relevant to the student’s dissertation research program, but only with approval of the graduate advisor.
Status as a doctoral candidate is assigned for students who have passed an oral Comprehensive Examination (a comprehensive dissertation proposal) and submitted a Final Program of Work. The comprehensive Examination will be required by the time the student has completed the required course work. If the student fails the examination, he may be given one more chance to pass it no later than during the following semester.
Upon completion of the Comprehensive Examination, the candidate should enroll in the dissertation course (EE 6399, EE 6699, or EE 6999) continuously until defense of the dissertation. The last semester the student
must be enrolled in EE 6999. This ordinarily requires approximately 30 semester hours of dissertation credit.
Continuation
The Electrical Engineering Graduate Program, in fulfillment of its responsibility to graduate highly qualified engineers, has established certain policies and procedures. In addition to the requirements of the Graduate School listed elsewhere, to continue in the program each MSEE student must maintain at least a B (3.0) GPA in all electrical engineering coursework and at least a B (3.0) GPA in all coursework A student working toward a Ph.D. must maintain a 3.5 GPA in all electrical engineering coursework and at least a 3.5 GPA in all coursework. The grade of R (research in progress) is a permanent grade; it cannot be changed by completing course requirements in a later semester. To receive credit for an R-graded course, the student must continue to enroll in the course until a passing grade is received.
An incomplete grade (the grade of X) cannot be given in a course that is graded R, nor can the grade of R be given in a course that is graded X. To receive credit for a course in which the student earned an X, the student must complete the course requirements. A grade of X cannot be changed by enrolling again in the same course. At the discretion of the instructor, a final grade can be assigned through a change of grade form.
Three-hour thesis courses and three- and six-hour research and dissertation courses are graded R/F/W only. The grade of P (required for degree completion for students enrolled in thesis or dissertation programs) can be earned only in six-hour thesis courses and nine-hour dissertation courses.