Electrical and Computer Engineering Master of Science Degree Program

Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is the creative application of engineering principles and methods to the design and development of hardware and software systems. The M.S. ECE program encompasses the design, development, testing, and evaluation of hardware and software components, as well as integrated systems and networks. Research in Electrical and Computer Engineering strives to achieve innovative functionality and higher performance in computing systems and components. The research portion of the M.S. ECE program, is focused in four concentration areas: 1) Communications and Networking, 2) Signal and Information Processing, 3) Computer Engineering and 4) Electronic Circuits and Systems.

Requirements for Admission

Students are expected to have an appropriate undergraduate degree such as a B.S., B.Tech, B.E., M.S., M.Tech, or M.E. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science or related fields. Students with other backgrounds may be admitted on a conditional basis and need to take additional courses to build up their background before starting their program.

Program of Study

The MS program includes both thesis and non-thesis options. The general structure of the course requirements and the total credit hours are the same both with and without the thesis, though the required credit hours in some categories of courses increases with the non-thesis option. The program has a depth requirement that consists of a group of courses in a chosen ECE concentration area. The department will maintain a list of ECE concentration areas and the core courses associated with each area that can be used to fulfill this depth requirement. The thesis and non-thesis options are shown in the tables below.

Thesis Option - 30 Credits

• Depth – Courses in a selected Concentration Area (12 credits)
• Breadth – Courses outside the selected Concentration Area (6 credits)
• Math/Physics (3 credits)
• Technical Elective (3 credits)
• Thesis (6 credits minimum)

Non-Thesis Option - 30 Credits

• Depth – Courses in a selected Concentration Area (12 credits)
• Breadth – Courses outside the selected Concentration Area (6 credits)
• Math/Physics (3 credits)
• Technical Electives (6 credits)
• Projects Course or Master’s Project (3 credits)

The course categories are:

• Depth: 12 credit hours (4 courses) selected from a single concentration area. Courses are chosen from the list of concentration areas and their associated core courses that is maintained by the department.
• Breadth: 6 credit hours (2 courses) from the list of concentration areas but chosen from outside the student’s depth concentration area. If a course is listed in the student’s depth concentration area as well as another area, it can only be used to satisfy the depth concentration course requirement.
• Math/Physics: 3 credit hours (1 course) in mathematics (Mat) or physics (Phy).
• Technical Elective(s): 3 credit hours (thesis option) or 6 credit hours (non-thesis option) of courses within the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS), mathematics (Mat) or physics (Phy). These credit hours can be used to gain additional breadth outside of ECE or for additional ECE courses.
• Thesis: a minimum of 6 credit hours of thesis (thesis option). In some cases, the thesis can expand to 9 credit hours, replacing the Technical Elective. Advisor and Graduate Program Coordinator approval is required for a thesis in excess of 6 credit hours.
• Projects Course or Master’s Project: non-thesis option students are required to take one of the designated ECE Projects Courses or do a 3 credit Master’s Project as a culminating experience. In the Projects Courses, students investigate state-of-the-art technologies and topics in an area within ECE through the study of current publications, student class presentations, and a major project.