Degree Requirements

Controls and Robotics Focus Area Candidacy Examination Procedure

The Controls and Robotics Candidacy Exam will cover three out of six possible separate topic areas. The candidacy exam will be administered over the course of approximately one business week, with a separate day devoted to each topic area.

Examination Committee

The Candidacy Examining Committee is comprised of members of the student's Dissertation Committee.

Examination Deadlines

The Candidacy Exam will be offered annually in December, with a potential repeat the following June. A student must take the Candidacy Exam no later than the first December following his or her completion of 45 quarter hours (or equivalent) in the Ph.D. Program. However, students continuing from a master's degree in a related field are strongly encouraged to take the candidacy exam during their first December as a Ph.D. student.

Examination Content

The Candidacy Exam will cover a total of three topic areas taken from the list below. Topic area 1 (Linear Systems) is required for all students, while the remaining two topic areas are selected by the student.

1. Linear Systems (required)
   • Suggested prior coursework:
     • EGR 701 Linear Systems (or equivalent)
     • EE 702 Linear Systems II
2. Control Systems
   • Suggested prior coursework:
     • EE 613
     • EE 615
     • EE 617
     • ME 608
     • or equivalent
3. Dynamics
   • Suggested prior coursework:
     • ME 605
     • ME 632
     • ME 642
     • ME 660
     • ME 715
     • ME 716
     • ME 754
     • or equivalent
4. Modern Control
   • Suggested prior coursework:
     • EE 720
     • EE 725
     • EE 726
     • or equivalent
5. Intelligent Control
   • Suggested prior coursework:
     • EE 619
     • CEG 765
     • or equivalent
6. Robotics
   • Suggested prior coursework:
     • EE/ME 756
     • CEG 724
     • CEG 759
     • or equivalent

The three topic areas constitute the entire Candidacy Exam for the student, and must be taken during the same Candidacy Exam period (i.e., a student may not divide the topic areas over subsequent offerings of the Candidacy Exam). Each topic area will be tested through a combination of written and oral components. The outcome of the exam in each topic area (pass, repeat, or fail) will be determined by the examination team's simultaneous consideration of the written and oral components. Students required to repeat the exam in one or more topic areas will be required to do so the following June. A grade of "Pass" in all three topic areas is required for advancement in the Ph.D. Program.

Written Exam

A written component in each topic area will be prepared and approved by the three-member examination team. The written component will be open book and open notes, with a period of 4 hours for completion.

Oral Exam

The oral exam takes place approximately one week after the written exam. The duration of the exam is set by the examination committee.