ECE Graduate Student Orientation

Master’s & PhD Programs · Autumn 2026

Prof. Abhishek Gupta — Chair, Graduate Studies

Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
The Ohio State University

August 21, 2026

Welcome to Buckeye ECE

One of the broadest departments in engineering — from solid-state materials and photonics to power, control, communications, and machine learning. Over your degree you will touch nearly every layer of modern technology.

This orientation covers everything you need to start strong:

The department — people, research, and how we are organized
Your degree — MS and PhD paths, and what each requires
The PhD journey — the three exams that mark your progress
The MS journey — requirements for project/thesis
Advising & funding — who to talk to, and how you are supported

Courses & registration — what counts, and how to enroll
Operations — the offices, systems, and deadlines that run your term
Academic integrity — the rules that protect your degree
Getting involved — events, seminars, and community

1 · Welcome to ECE

Department leadership

Prof. Eylem Ekici
Department Chair

Prof. Betty Lise AndersonAssociate Chair — Instruction

Prof. Abhishek GuptaChair — Graduate Studies

Meet your graduate studies team

Prof. Abhishek Gupta
Chair, Graduate Studies · Dreese Lab 464
gupta.706@osu.edu

Prof. Lisa Fiorentini
Chair, Graduate Admissions · MS Advisor
fiorentini.2@osu.edu

Tim Langreder
PhD Program Coordinator · Dreese Lab 236
langreder.1@osu.edu

Beth Bucher
MS Program Coordinator · Dreese Lab 238
bucher.9@osu.edu

What is ECE? The compute & sensing stack

Compute Stack

ECE spans the whole stack — from the atoms in a semiconductor up to the algorithms that learn. Nearly every research area in the department lives on one or more of these layers.

Six research areas — and their chairs

Research area	Area chair
Solid-State Electronics & Photonics	Prof. Wu Lu
Power & Energy	Prof. Mahesh Illindala
Control, Signal / Image Processing & Computer Vision	Prof. Zak Kassas
Electromagnetics	Prof. Asimina Kiourti
Circuits	Prof. Tawfiq Musah
Computer Engineering, Networks & Communications	Prof. Can E. Koksal

Centers & laboratories

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute
Center for High-Performance Power Electronics
Circuits Lab for Advanced Sensors & Systems
Computational Biology & Cognitive Science Lab
Crash Imminent Safety UTC

ElectroScience Laboratory (ESL)
High-Voltage & Power Electronics Laboratory
Information Processing Systems (IPS) Lab
Solid-State Electronics & Photonics Lab

Graduate program committees

Three committees that oversee academic policies, admissions, financial aid, and seminars.

Graduate Studies Committee

Chair: Prof. Abhishek Gupta
Ex-officio: Prof. Betty Lise Anderson
Members: A. Eryilmaz, C. E. Koksal, K. Lee, M. Brocanelli, K. Sertel, M. Khalil, J. Zhang

Graduate Admission Committee, Recruiting & Financial Aid

Chair: Prof. Kubilay Sertel, Prof. Lisa Fiorentini
Members: K. Liu, W. Lu, C. Clymer, S. Gupta, R. Patrick, V. Villarroel, S. Arafin, M. Illindala

Seminar Series

Chair: Prof. Marco Brocanelli
Members: Y. Kim
Ad-hoc: T. Musah

2 · Degrees & Paths

Two degrees, three paths

The course workload is heavier than undergrad — courses are more demanding and more is expected, at both the MS and PhD level.

PhD vs. MS program overview

Key differences in research depth, coursework timeline, and degree expectations.

PhD Program

Goal: Conduct intensive and prolonged research on a specialized topic, leading to archival publication and scientific or engineering breakthroughs
Years 1–3: Coursework to fulfill degree requirements & broaden technical foundation
Years 1–5+: Focus on original research & final dissertation

MS Program

Goal: Develop expertise in a specialized field of ECE
Semesters 1–2: Coursework to fulfill degree requirements
Semesters 3–4: Focus on advanced courses and project / thesis
Allow at least 2 semesters to complete the project and 3+ for thesis

Note: Course workload is typically heavier than undergrad — courses are more demanding and more is expected at both MS and PhD levels.

3 · The PhD Journey

What is research?

Doctoral research in ECE is the ability to solve foundational problems using skills in physics, chemistry, and mathematics — and it is iterative: you loop through these seven steps, not march through them once.

Research Steps

PhD after BS — minimum 80 credits

Requirement	Credits	Details
Dissertation Research — ECE 8999	50 min	—
Letter-graded graduate courses (5000+ / 6000+)	28 min	21 cr ECE letter-graded · ≥2 ECE 6xxx · ≤9 cr related field
Engineering Ethics — PHILOS or ECE 7080	1	Waived if you completed ECE 3080 or PHILOS 1332
Individual Studies — ECE 8193	≤2	—
Seminar — ECE 8891	2	Attend ≥3 seminars per enrolled semester

Up to 24 course credits and 24 dissertation credits are transferable from another institution, with ECE Graduate Studies Committee approval.

PhD after MS — minimum 80 credits

Requirement	Credits	Details
MS Degree (counts toward the 80)	30	—
Letter-graded graduate courses (5000+ / 6000+)	14	≥12 letter-graded · ≥21 cr ECE across MS + PhD · ≥2 ECE 6000+
Engineering Ethics — PHILOS or ECE 7080	1	Waived if you completed ECE 3080 or PHILOS 1332
Individual Studies — ECE 8193	≤2	—
Seminar — ECE 8891	2	—

Up to 9 course credits and 10 dissertation credits are transferable from another institution, with ECE Graduate Studies Committee approval.

The story of three exams

PhD Timeline

Qualifying Exam → doctoral student · Candidacy Exam → PhD candidate · Defense → PhD.
Can take more than 5 years to complete

Qualifying Exam — areas & timing

Submit your PhD Plan of Study by the end of the first semester.
You are tested mainly on your area of interest.
Complete three ECE letter-graded graduate courses in your area of interest by the semester the QE is scheduled — one of the three may be taken during the QE semester.
Take the QE in the first semester of your second year.

Failing to take the QE in the required semester counts as a failed attempt.

Qualifying Exam — the committee

Three faculty members, two of them chosen by you.
The committee may include your advisor, but at least one of your two selected members must be a non-advisor (if you are co-advised, at most one advisor may serve).
At least one of your selected members must be from your primary area — that person is the committee chair.
One member is assigned by the Graduate Studies Committee.

Qualifying Exam — format & scoring

90 minutes total — a 10-minute student presentation, then 80 minutes of questions. Failing two attempts leads to dismissal from the PhD program; the MS can still be earned.

Candidacy Exam

Taken after all coursework completed

Three faculty members, all of them chosen by you. There are requirements to be met here (P-status in ECE). You can also have additional external committee members.
Research Proposal (20-25 pages long) + Written Exam (5-10 pages long).
10-30 mins presentation + Q&A. Total 2 hours long.
All committee members have to unanimously pass you.
If you fail, you can either graduate with an MS after completing degree requirements or go for candidacy exam again.

Final Defense

Three faculty members, all of them chosen by you. Usually they are the same members as in the candidacy committee.
Submit a thesis draft 2 weeks before the defense (100-200 pages using the Ohio State thesis template).
45-60 mins presentation + Q&A. Total 2 hours long.
All committee members have to unanimously pass you.
If you fail, you can either graduate with an MS after completing degree requirements or go for defense again.

Life happens — how to step away

If your plans change, you have clear and supported options. Talk to your advisor and coordinator first.

Exit with an M.S.

If the Qualifying or Candidacy exam is not passed

Complete the remaining MS requirements and graduate with a Master’s degree — a failed doctoral exam does not have to end your degree.

Resign

A voluntary, permanent departure

Formally withdraw from the program. Notify your advisor and coordinator so you leave in good standing.

Leave of Absence

A temporary, approved pause

Step away for a term or more and return later. Work with the Graduate School and your coordinator to keep your status.

Typically used when starting a company, taking care of a loved one, study abroad for extended time, or take a prolonged break for your own health. This is an unpaid leave.

Welcome to Buckeye ECE!

We are excited that you chose OSU to become an expert in your field.
Go Bucks!

4 · MS Program

MS — Project Path (non-thesis) · 30-credit min.

Requirement	Credits	Details
Letter-graded graduate courses	24 min	ECE graduate ≥15 · advanced ECE ≥6 · ECE 6070 Project Management (first 2 semesters) · related ≤9
Engineering Ethics — PHILOS or ECE 7080	1	Waived if you completed ECE 3080 or PHILOS 1332
Individual Studies — ECE 8193	≤5	—
MS Non-Thesis Exam	Project	1-page proposal → advisor approval, then a project report

Submit an advisor-approved Plan of Study in your first semester. Deadline by last name — A–H: Aug 26–Sep 27 · J–R: Sep 30–Oct 25 · S–Z: Oct 25–Nov 22.

MS — Research Path (thesis) · 30-credit max.

Requirement	Credits	Details
Letter-graded graduate courses	18 min	ECE graduate ≥9 · advanced ECE ≥6 · related ≤9
Engineering Ethics — PHILOS or ECE 7080	1	Waived if you completed ECE 3080 or PHILOS 1332
Thesis Research — ECE 6999	10 min	—
Individual Studies — ECE 6193	≤1	—
MS Thesis Exam	—	Thesis document + oral exam

Same Plan-of-Study rule as the project path: advisor-approved, first semester, deadline by last name.

5 · Advising & Funding

Finding your advisor

PhD students

Find a permanent PhD advisor by the end of your first year

A professor confirms by email agreement to advise by your 2nd semester, sent to the PhD Coordinator.
Changing advisor: email including old + new advisor, cc the coordinator; when both reply, the change is made on Buckeye Link and the new advisor approves your Plan of Study.

MS students — your primary advisors, by area

Irem Eryilmaz
communications · signal processing · networks · learning · cybersecurity

Lisa Fiorentini
control · robotics · computer & digital systems · vision · energy

Wladimiro Villarroel
electromagnetics · RF/analog circuits · photonics · materials

Who to ask — academic vs. administrative

Research & courses → your advisor

The academic side of your program

Course selection & plan development
Research guidance
Your thesis (MS & PhD)
Your non-thesis project & report (MS)

Administrative → your coordinator

Tim (PhD) · Beth (MS)

Program policies & degree requirements
University & Graduate School matters
Graduation, deadlines, missing grades
Registration questions

Graduate appointments

Fellowships are for PhD students only, and most GRA / GTA appointments go to PhD students.

GTA appointments — Prof. Betty Lise Anderson

GRA appointments — individual faculty members or laboratories

GRA / GTA in other departments — apply through that department (e.g. Math TA positions via the Math department)

Coordinator open office hours

Tim Langreder — PhD

Wednesday — Zoom
Thursday — in person, Dreese Lab 236

Beth Bucher — MS

Tuesday — Aug 24 & Sept 1 in Dreese Lab, Room 238
Friday — Aug 28 CarmenZoom (check your email for the link)

Keep checking your emails for any last minute changes to the above posted timings/dates due to unforeseen circumstances.

6 · Courses & Registration

Which courses count toward your degree

ECE courses

Must be 5000-level or higher to count toward your MS or PhD.
You may take lower-level ECE courses, but they will not count.

Courses outside ECE

Must be 4000-level or higher, not taught by a graduate student here, and approved by your advisor.
Approved related fields: engineering, biological sciences, physics, math, chemistry, business, economics, ACCAD.

Keeping full-time status

You are responsible for adding/dropping on time, paying fees on time, and keeping your required status. Mind the deadlines — the law of unintended consequences applies to add/drop timing.

English courses for international students

All international students — including Fellowship students — take the English Proficiency Test administered by the Intercultural English Language Program (IELP).
Based on the result, English classes are waived or you enrol in the appropriate course: TLELP 5901 / 5902.
These courses count toward your enrollment (visa status) but not toward degree credits or GPA.
Required English courses must be completed within one year of starting the program.

Registering for courses

If you need instructor permission: email the instructor (and advisor) with the credits, semester, course number, and class number. Once approved, forward the email to your coordinator — or, on a deadline day, straight to the Graduate School (grad-schoolregistrationservices@osu.edu). Then confirm on Buckeye Link.

7 · Operations & Logistics

Key OSU offices

Graduate School
Forms · permission-to-register · what counts toward your degree (they audit at graduation)
gradsch.osu.edu

Buckeye Link
Registrar (registration) + Bursar (tuition & fees) · 281 W. Lane Ave
buckeyelink@osu.edu

Office of International Affairs
Visa status (the top priority) · learn about CPT & OPT
oia.osu.edu

ECE Graduate Handbook
Procedures & deadlines — the ECE Pattern of Administration takes precedence on policy
https://ece.osu.edu/handbook-forms-deadlines/graduate-student-handbook

Systems you will use every week

Buckeye Link — buckeyelink.osu.edu

Enter/update personal info — keep your local address current
Register, check waitlists, view grades & schedule
View your statement of account
Works in the Ohio State app on your phone

Carmen — carmen.osu.edu

Where instructors post course materials
Requires your OSU email account

Read your OSU email — and always confirm rules with faculty/staff, not a friend-of-a-friend

ECE website — handbook, forms & deadlines · course listings & standard syllabi

ETS (ets.osu.edu) — computing devices & software

Tuition, fees & health insurance

Tuition & fees

Find your amount on the Registrar site — Graduate Tuition & Fees 2025–26.
Pay online via Buckeye Link, or at Student Academic Services, 281 W. Lane Ave.
Questions: buckeyelink@osu.edu · 614-292-0300 (drop-in hours available).

Health insurance

OSU has a health-insurance requirement for graduate students.
Review it and act early: shi.osu.edu → about the health-insurance requirement.

Deadlines & the academic calendar

Every semester, all deadlines are posted at registrar.osu.edu → registration.
Click the semester and category of interest.
Read the small print — look for Full Term, Session 1, and Session 2; they have different dates.

Timing is everything. Adding or dropping a course a day late can have outsized consequences for fees, funding, and visa status. When in doubt, ask your coordinator before the deadline.

Your first-week checklist

Check in with your advisor — GRA / GTA / Fellowship appointees especially
Attend every orientation — OIA, GTA, and department sessions
Pay tuition & fees by the deadline — online (Buckeye Link) or at 281 W. Lane Ave
Get your BuckID from Ohio Union — no appointment needed (buckid.osu.edu)
Get a parking permit — GRAs, GTAs & Fellows are eligible for “B” permits (osu.campusparc.com)

8 · Academic Integrity

Academic misconduct — know the line

The Code of Student Conduct defines it as “any activity that tends to compromise the academic integrity of the University, or subvert the educational process.”

Presenting others’ work as your own

Copying or cheating during an exam
Using uncited material from the internet (even if not copyrighted)
Using others’ homework, lab reports, or projects as your own

Other violations

Falsifying or misreporting lab / research results
Having someone substitute for you on an exam
Altering grades, violating course or program rules
Using tools such as smart glasses and LLMs during exams, unless allowed by the instructor

Instructors are required to report academic misconduct. Consequences range from no credit on an assignment to expulsion. More info: oaa.osu.edu/coam.html

Struggling to understand concepts is the core component of academic learning – do not be discouraged by it.

9 · Get Involved

Welcome events

Aug28

Graduate Involvement Fair & Picnic
Food, games, and every Grad/Prof student organization
4–7 pm · Ohio Union, Archie Griffin Ballroom

Sep2

Sep23

Kraus Memorial Poster Competition
Explore fellow students’ research — all welcome
8:00–1:00 pm · Creative Arts Room, Ohio Union

Seminars & regional workshops

ECE Seminars

Thursdays · 2:30–3:30 pm · Dreese Lab 260 (times vary)

PhD students attend ≥3 seminars per semester while enrolled in ECE 8891.
Two credits of ECE 8891 are required to complete the PhD.
All graduate students are encouraged to attend — watch your email for weekly topics.

Academic Workshops at OSU

There are many workshops at OSU during the year - for ECE and for other departments too! Keep an eye out for these.

Make the most of graduate school

You are here to learn and to contribute to engineering science — a unique chance to build a life-long body of knowledge.

Take the hard courses. Do not avoid a high-level course just because it is difficult.
Invest in fundamentals — mathematics, physics — they compound for the rest of your career.
Be present. Attend seminars and colloquia, especially outside your own research topic, whenever you can.
Build community. The people around you now are your future collaborators, references, and friends.