Advancing to Doctoral Candidacy

Upon advancing to doctoral candidacy, a graduate student becomes an official PhD candidate at UT Austin. This milestone involves identifying a general research area and tentative topic, as well as forming a committee of faculty members. The committee not only evaluates the student’s research and ultimately approves the dissertation but also serves as a group of subject-matter experts who provide ongoing guidance and support throughout the PhD journey.

ECE PhD students are expected to advance to doctoral candidacy within one year of attempting 33 or more credit hours of coursework in the Graduate Program (excluding approved leaves of absence). These credit hours may include individual instruction courses such as Research Problems. Once a student attempts 33 or more credit hours, the following semester marks the beginning of the one-year window to complete the candidacy requirements. Students are encouraged to pursue candidacy as soon as a research area and topic are identified. It is important to note that a student is not considered a PhD candidate until candidacy has been officially granted.

The process of advancing to doctoral candidacy consists of two main components:

Forming an approved PhD committee
Completing individual candidacy evaluation meetings with each non-supervisory committee member

Please note that you are expected to complete the six steps in order, and to advance to the next step only after you have satisfactorily completed all preceding steps.

Part 1: Form Your Committee

Step 1: Identify and Confirm Committee Members
With your supervisor’s guidance, identify 5–6 potential committee members. This must include at least one member external to the ECE Graduate Studies Committee (ECE GSC). Full rules regarding the composition of your committee can be found HERE. Share a brief (1–2 page) research summary and your coursework list with each member. Secure verbal or written agreement from each person to serve on your committee.

Step 2: Submit Committee Details
Email your Track PhD Coordinator with the following:

Your full name, EID, and academic track
Tentative dissertation title
Full list of committee members and their roles
CV of the external member

Step 3: Await Committee Approval
Your proposed committee will be reviewed by the ECE GSC on a no-objection basis. Do not proceed to evaluations until you have received official approval from your Track PhD Coordinator.

Part 2: Complete Individual Candidacy Evaluations

Step 4: Conduct Evaluation Meetings
Schedule individual 30-minute meetings with each non-supervisory committee member. A formal presentation is not required, but you may use slides or figures to provide context. Committee members may share specific expectations or evaluation criteria in advance.

Step 5: Obtain Formal Sign-Offs
Each committee member must confirm your readiness for candidacy and agreement to serve by signing the ECE Candidacy Form HERE.

Step 6: Submit Final Application for Candidacy
Once all sign-offs are complete, wait for email instructions from the Graduate Advising Team. You’ll then have 2 weeks to submit your candidacy application online. Your application will go through multiple levels of review, with final approval granted by the Graduate School Dean.

Note on Late-Semester Candidacy:
If your candidacy is approved after the 12th class day (or 4th class day in summer), you may still enroll in Dissertation hours that same semester—provided you're already registered for Research Problems. Contact Graduate Advising to confirm eligibility.