Abstrucl -A unified numerical approach based on the finite-element met hod is described for the magnetostaric wafe propagation in a VIC f ilm of finite dimensions. Both mDgnefOSIDtic volume 1nl,·e Dnd magnelostatic:surface ",-a,·e modes are tTt'Dteci. The validity of tlit' method is confinnecl b)' calculating the magnetosiDlic "'1I,·e modes in a VIG-lo:Ided rectangular waveguide and in a VIC film of fin Ite width. "The numerical Il'SUlts of a VIC film with nonuniform bias Ileld along the film ",idth are also presented, and the effects of bias field distributions on the delay characteristics a nd pote nti al profiles are exam ined. [6), [8], [9J have discussed the control of MSW propagation by means of a spatially nonuniform bias field. It is also found that control of important feat ures of MSW modes is afforded through the use of bias field gradients and that magnetostatic forward volume waves can be forced to have strong field -displacement characteristics that are either nearly reciprocal or very strongly nonreciprocal. Such control may provide the basis for new forms of microwave signal processors [6] - [9]. In order to analyze these inhomogeneous MSW waveguides, the variational method [12), [13] and the finit e-element method [14] have been introduced. These methods are valid for the solution of inhomogeneous waveguide structures. In the former approach, however, great care is necessary in choosing the trial functions. The laller approach, on the other hand, is applied only to planar structures of infinite wid th .In this paper, a unified approach based on the fin ite-element melhod is described for the MSW propagation in a YIG film of fini te dimensions. Both magnetostatic forward volume wave (MSFVW) and magnetostatic surface wave (MSSW) modes are treated. In this finite-element ap-