Regulations on the Doctorate Qualification Examination

Department of Electrical Engineering

National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
Last update on 10/9/2013 by the highest council of the Department of Electrical Engineering

I. Examination Format:
A student enrolled in the doctoral program must pass the doctorate qualification examination
before the end of his/her second year of study, excluding the periods of leaves of absence,
otherwise the student will be dismissed from the university.
1. This qualification examination is usually in a written format. The student may apply for a
make-up oral examination if necessary.
2. The student taking the examination could choose two subjects out of eleven as his/her scope
of qualification examination. These eleven available subjects include: Power Systems,
Electrical Machinery, Power Electronics, Electronics, Theories of Linear
Systems, Engineering Mathematics, Signals and Systems, Data Structure, Digital
Logic, Electromagnetism and Electromagnetic Wave, and Probability and Statistics.
The total score of each subject is 100 points.
3. The final grades and results of this qualification examination will be officially recorded and
cannot be repealed by any reason, including leaves of absence.
II. Examination Schedule
1. The qualification exam is scheduled once in every semester. The exact date and time will be
determined and announced by the department.
2. The duration of the written examination is four hours long.
III. Question Assignment
The questions of each subject in the written examination are assigned and graded by at least
two faculty members. The faculty members responsible for the question assignment are
suggested by the Academic Committee of Doctorate Program and are finally appointed by the
Department Head.
IV. Pass/Fail Criteria
The Pass/Fail criteria are determined by the Academic Committee of Doctorate Program.
V. Make-up Examination
1. A student enrolled in the doctoral program can at most take the qualification examination in
written format twice by the end of his/her second year, excluding the periods of leaves of
absence. Only when the student fails both written examinations, he/she can apply for a
make-up oral examination within two weeks after the announcement of his/her second
written examination failure. The Academic Committee of Doctorate Program must make a
decision upon whether a make-up examination is approved within two weeks after the
application is received.
2. If the Committee approves the make-up exam, the Committee should also suggest three

faculty members to form the oral examination committee, which should include other two
faculty members recommended by the students dissertation advisor. The students
dissertation advisor should recommend the oral examination committee members within
one week and himself/herself cannot be the oral examination committee member. The oral
make-up examination should be held within two weeks upon the Academic Committee of
Doctorate Program approval.
3. If the Academic Committee of PhD Program disapproves the make-up exam or the
dissertation advisor fails to recommend the faculty members for the oral examination
within one week of the approval, the student who fails the written exam twice is
disqualified and should be dismissed from the university.
4. The chairperson of the oral-examination committee is appointed by the Department Head
and is responsible for handling all the issues concerning the oral make-up examination.
5. The oral examination will be in the format of questions and answers. The oral-examination
committee members could make the decision of Pass/Fail based upon the comprehensive
understanding on the students course taken, research progress, and answers to questions
of the selected subjects.
VI. Enquiry on Examination Results
Students can file the enquiry on examination results at the department office within two weeks
upon the announcement of the Pass List. The Academic Committee of Doctorate Program
should announce enquiry results within two weeks upon the due day for filing the enquiry.
VII. Waiving the Qualification Examination
A student can apply for waiving the doctorate qualification examination if the student is the
first or second author of an accepted or published SCI paper before the qualification
examination. The same paper cannot be used as the supporting material in the students
doctorate defense examination nor be used as the supporting material for other students to
waive the qualification examination.
VIII. These regulations as well as any revision should be approved by the highest council of
the Department of Electrical Engineering.