Undergraduate Students

1. Declare a major in EE on Axess.

2. Complete a copy of the Undergraduate Sign-Up Sheet. The "Specialty" is particularly important to assist in the choice of a faculty advisor. It can always be changed.

3. Arrange to meet with the Vice Chair by emailing: vicechair@ee.stanford.edu to set up an appointment. In the Vice Chair's absence, see our Student Services Specialist in Packard 177. Make sure to bring your Undergraduate Sign-up Sheet and your unofficial transcript to the meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to go over the basics in getting a BS in EE, and to assign an EE faculty advisor.

4. After the meeting, leave your academic file and Undergraduate Sign-up Sheet with our Student Services Specialist in Packard 177.

5. Meet with the Undergraduate Advising TA in Packard 110. The TA will assign you an Undergraduate Mentor and can assist you with filling out a program sheet. The program sheet details the classes you will take in order to fulfill the requirements for the major. Information on the requirements and petitions for program deviations can be found in the School of Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.

6. After completing your program sheet, meet with your assigned faculty advisor and have him/her sign the program sheet. Return it to our Student Services Specialist in Packard 177 by the end of the quarter following when the major was declared. Changes to the program can be made later by turning in a new program sheet with your faculty advisor's signature to EE Student Services. However, no changes to the program can be made during your final quarter. If you wish to apply AP Credit for the Math, Science, and Computer Science requirements, (1) have your advisor sign your program sheet, (2) print out an un-official copy of your transcript, and (3) take the program sheet and un-official transcript to Huang Engineering Ctr. Suite 135. Darlene Lazar will approve your AP credit and then send your program sheet back to the EE Department Office where it will be placed in your academic file.

7. Subscribe to both the EE undergrad mailing list and the general EE student mailing list. You can subscribe and unsubscribe from email lists at the following website: http://mailman.stanford.edu/. These lists are used for announcements about seminars, research and job opportunities, as well as other events on campus.

To get a B.S. in EE, you must complete all courses in an approved program. The guidelines and rules for programs are described in the School of Engineering Undergraduate Handbook. The Handbook has sample programs for all specialty sequences and a spreadsheet for the courses specifically for the EE requirements.

Complete official versions are available along with spreadsheets for the program sheets at the SoE Undergraduate Handbook website. Previous years' handbooks are also archived there.

Once you have read the EE portion of the Handbook and made a stab at the initial program, you may find it useful to talk to the Undergraduate Advising TA. The TA is a former Stanford undergrad who can provide advice based on experience, often much deeper experience than most faculty will have with some specifics like our coterm program. After this step, you should make an appointment with your EE Faculty Advisor. The advance work on your program planning will ensure an efficient use of your and their time.

If a program departs from the EE portion of the guidelines, it will be evaluated by the Department Vice Chair as a special case. Typical deviations are an unusual depth sequence or use of a non-EE class for an EE requirement. If you have such a departure, you should attach one or two paragraphs to your program sheet explaining the departure and justifying it as a good program. Your advisor should note approval on the form. If you are requesting an unusual specialty sequence, which is out of your adviser's technical area, then it is a good idea to also get the signed approval of a professor specializing in your chosen specialty area.

If a program departs from the Math, Science, Technology in Society, or Fundamentals areas, you must submit a petition to the School of Engineering Dean's Office in Terman. Petitions are available online.

In the case of transfer credit, all courses must first be approved by the University through the Transfer Credit Evaluation Office. Additionally, transfer credit for Depth coursework requires approval by the Department Vice Chair. Transfer credit in Math, Science, Technology in Society, or Fundamentals coursework requires you to submit a petition to the Dean's Office in Terman. Petitions are available online.

To evaluate transfer credit, the Department Vice Chair or the Dean's Office must also be supplied with a transcript and a catalog description of the course from the other institution, along with an indication of which Stanford courses are considered equivalent. If the equivalence is uncertain, a faculty member from the field in question may need to be consulted. Students who need a copy of their transcript from other institutions must go to the Transfer Credit Evaluation Office and request a copy.

On the program sheet, the course should be listed first by its equivalent Stanford course number and title, followed by the course number at the other school, followed by a check mark in the Transfer column. Approval of the transfer credit, if granted, is indicated by the appropriate initials and date on the program sheet under the Approval column.

In addition to the SoE Undergraduate Handbook, good sources of information are the extensive EE pages on the Web regarding classes , faculty, research; EE Student Services can provide information on deadlines and logistics of program approval; the EE Student Services Specialist (Packard 177), can provide advice on all student related issues; and the Undergraduate Advising TA. Another resource is the Undergraduate Advisor, Alex Omid-Zohoor (Packard 110, 650-725-1736) Email: undergradeta@ee.stanford.edu

Our FAQ includes common questions that undergraduate students have. If you are unable to find the answer to your question or need additional information, please contact the Undergraduate Advisor at undergradta@ee.stanford.edu.

Declaring

Q: How do I declare?
A: See http://www-ee.stanford.edu/declaring_ee.php for the list of steps in the declaration process.

Q: I'm not sure what I want to specialize in. Can I change my specialty later?
A: Yes, you can change your specialty up until the quarter before you graduate. If you change specialties, you have the option of keeping your old advisor or being assigned a new one.

Q: How do I go about finding an advisor?
A: You do not need to find an adviser before declaring. When you meet with the Vice Chair to declare and choose a specialty, he will mention who is currently advising undergrads in that specialty. You can choose someone from that list yourself, or ask for the Vice Chair to recommend someone. If you know another professor who you want to be your adviser, it is sometimes possible to request them.

Q: Do I need to have a program sheet filled out before I declare?
A: No, you do not need to turn in a program sheet until the quarter after you declare.

Acceptable Classes

Q: Do EE100 and Engr102E count toward the required 68 engineering units?
A: No, they do not count. EE100 does not count because it is not taken for a letter grade, and Engr102E does not count because it is neither a EE class nor an engineering fundamental.

Q: If I enroll in independent study (EE190/191), can it count toward the 68 engineering units?
A: Only EE191 (which is taken for a letter grade) can count toward the 68 units. You can use up to 10 units of EE191 to count toward the engineering depth requirement.

Q: Can EE classes below the 100 level count toward the 68 units?
A: As long as the EE class is taken for a letter grade, it will count toward the 68 units.

Double Majors and Minors

Q: If I am majoring or minoring in another department, can I use math and science classes to count toward both departments’ requirements?
A: Classes used to satisfy the 45 unit math/science requirement can be used for multiple departments' requirements. If you are using a math or science class as part of your engineering depth (part of the 68 units), then it cannot be used to satisfy another department's requirements.

Q: If I am doing a double major, which department should get my academic folder?
A: Have the other department make a copy of your academic folder, then return the original to EE Student Services.

Program Sheets

Q: What happens if I decide to take different classes from what I listed on my program sheet?
A: There is no need to turn in a new program sheet every time you decide to take new classes, unless those new classes are not pre-approved and require a petition. You may also want to turn in a new program sheet if you have made a lot of changes and want to be sure that it still meets all the requirements. However, for everyone, by the end of the quarter before you graduate (usually winter quarter of senior year), you should turn in a new program sheet, signed by your advisor, listing which classes you ended up taking. When you turn in your finalized program sheet, make sure that you know what you will be taking in your final quarter, since it may be very difficult to make changes in the last quarter.

Q: How do I include AP credit on the program sheet?
A: List the equivalent Stanford class (for example, Math 41), then write "AP" in parentheses next to it, and put a check in the transfer credit column.

Q: How many of the signatures do I need to obtain myself?
A: Have your advisor sign your program sheet. Print out an un-official copy of your transcript. Take the program sheet and the un-official transcript to Terman Engr. Room 201. Bertha Love or Darlene Lazar will approve your AP credit and then send your program sheet back to the EE Department Office where it will be placed in your academic file.

Petitions and Substitutions

Q: Do petitions for transfer credit and course substitutions need to be taken care of before I declare?
A: No, they can be taken care of any time up until the quarter before you graduate. However, BE CAREFUL. If you wait too long, and your petition is not approved, you might not be able to graduate on time. Also, depending on how busy people are, the petition may not be approved in time. Once you plan to petition for transfer credit or a course substitution, you should go about getting approval as soon as you can.

Q: Who is in charge of approving petitions?
A: Petitions pertaining to math/science electives or STS requirements are handled by the School of Engineering, and should be submitted to their student affairs office in Terman. Petitions pertaining to the engineering depth (fundamentals + core + specialty + electives) or required math/science classes (for example, EE178/Stat 116) are handled by the Vice Chair of the EE department, and should be submitted to EE Student Services. In the case of transfer credit, you will need to obtain approval from the Transfer Credit Office in Old Union before submitting your petition to Terman or Packard.

Q: How do I get approval for a course substitution for the engineering depth?
A: Fill out a new program sheet including the new class, which you wish to take. Then, attach a note explaining why you feel this course substitution is justified, and mentioning any relevant course information (i.e. class syllabus, note from the professor). Also attach a note from your advisor supporting the course substitution and have him sign your new program sheet. Then turn it in to EE Student Services. After the Vice Chair looks at it, you will hear whether it has been approved. DO NOT simply ask the Vice Chair whether he would approve a certain course without following these other steps. He only grants approval after seeing how the course fits in the student's overall program, and if the student's advisor is okay with the change.

Q: How do I get approval for a course substitution for math/science classes or the STS requirement?
A: You can obtain petitions from the Engineering Undergrad Handbook, which can be found online at http://ughb.stanford.edu. Petitions should be submitted to Bertha Love in Terman.

Q: I'm an international student and I took the equivalent of the Math 40 series in high school. I do not have IB credits. Do I need to retake those classes at Stanford?
A: No, you should not retake those classes. You should meet with the Student Affairs office in the School of Engineering to discuss the possibility of getting a waiver for those math classes.

Research

Q: When does the application process for REU begin?
A: The process generally starts around the beginning or middle of winter quarter. If you are interested in applying, you should contact Caitlin Azhderian (ta@ee.stanford.edu) at the beginning of winter quarter.

Q: Can I participate in REU more than once?
A: You can participate in REU multiple times, but priority is given to students who have not participated before.

Q: How can I get involved in research during the year?
A: It is possible to do research during the year and get credit for it, by enrolling in either EE190 (pass/no credit) or EE191 (letter grade only). To find a research group you may want to work in, you can look at the faculty listing at http://www-ee.stanford.edu/faculty.php. This will give you an overview of the types of research that different professors are doing. Alternatively, you can talk to your advisor about your interests and see if they recommend any specific professors or groups. Once you get a list of professors, you can email them, asking to meet with them to talk about research opportunities, or visit them during their office hours. If the professor does not have any specific projects that you could help with at that time, another way to get involved is to ask about sitting in on research group meetings.

Advising

Q: How often should I meet with my advisor?
A: I would recommend meeting with your advisor at least once a quarter, if for nothing else than to discuss what classes you plan to take and get feedback.

Q: How do I arrange to meet with my advisor?
A: This will vary from professor to professor. Some will have an administrative assistant whom you should email to set up an appointment. For some professors, you can directly email them. Another option is to visit your advisor during their office hours.

Coterm

Q: How early/late can I apply for the coterm program?
A: The earliest quarter you can begin the coterm program is the first quarter in which you have 120 units towards your undergraduate degree (including AP and transfer units). The latest you can begin the coterm is the quarter prior to the completion of your undergrad degree (typically Winter quarter of senior year). You must apply in the quarter prior to your proposed start date; application deadlines can be found here

Q: After submitting my application, how long will it take to find out whether I have been admitted?
A: Depending on how busy the admissions committee is, it can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to over a month for you to get the decision. Winter quarter, when general applications are being considered as well, can be an especially busy time. Because of this variability, if you wait until your last quarter of eligibility to turn in a coterm application, make sure you submit it early enough in the quarter.

Q: Can I count classes that I took before being admitted to the coterm toward my graduate degree?
A: You can count classes taken in the two quarters immediately prior to your first quarter as a coterm toward your graduate degree. For example, if your first quarter as a coterm student is winter quarter of senior year, you can count classes from spring of junior year and fall of senior year toward your graduate degree. However, these classes will then not be allowed to count toward your undergrad degree.

Q: Does my tuition rate change once I have been admitted to the coterm program?
A: As long as you still have undergrad status (i.e. you have not yet graduated), you will be assessed the undergrad tuition rate for 12 quarters. Once you apply to graduate with your undergrad degree, or once you have accepted graduate financial assistance (such as an RA or TA position), you will be assessed the graduate tuition rate, and cannot return to the undergrad rate.

Q: Does being a coterm student affect my housing?
A: You are still guaranteed 4 years of undergrad housing.

Q: Do the three letters of recommendation all have to be from Stanford EE professors?
A: While letters from EE faculty members are preferred, you may use letters from professors in other departments as well. You may find the recommendation form online.

Q: Do I have to take any of GRE specialty tests?
A: No, you only have to take the GRE general test.

Q: Where can I learn more about the coterm program?
A: For the department's policy on coterm applications, please visit here