Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

To qualify for admission in conditionally classified standing, applicants must meet the following university and departmental requirements:

  • Bachelor's Degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • Bachelor's degree in an engineering program which is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
  • Good standing at the last institution attended.

Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.  Applicants with a minimum GPA of 2.5 may be considered for conditional acceptance as described below. Students with grade deficiencies (Cumulative GPA between 2.5 and 2.99), degrees from non-ABET accredited universities, or undergraduate majors other than Electrical Engineering, may be considered for conditional admission. However, any deficiencies must be made up prior to advancing to classified standing and prior to beginning course work for the master's degree. Deficiencies must be completed with a minimum GPA of 3.0.  For EE undergraduates if the GPA is between 2.75 and 2.99 a minimum of one deficiency course is usually assigned by the adviser, and at least two courses are assigned if the GPA is between 2.5 and 2.74.

Each applicant file will be reviewed by the department graduate admissions adviser. Upon admission, the applicant is urged to make an appointment with the graduate program coordinator. The program coordinator will assign a faculty adviser based on the student's areas of interest and career objectives.

Additional information about applying for the MS in Electrical Engineering can be found at ECS Graduate Admission Information for domestic students or at International Admissions for international students.

Classified Standing

A student who meets the above requirements for admission to conditionally classified standing may be granted classified standing contingent upon:

  • Completion of all required deficiency course work.
  • Fulfillment of the university writing requirement. Students with degrees from American universities must show proof of meeting an upper-division writing requirement, pass the Examination in Writing Proficiency (EWP), or complete ENGLISH 301 or 360. Students who have degrees from international universities must pass the EWP or complete ENGLISH 301 or 360 with a grade of C or better.

Development and approval of a study plan prior to completing nine units toward the 30-unit degree requirementStudents must meet with a faculty adviser to set up a study plan. Classification is not granted until the study plan is approved by the faculty adviser, the department chair, and the Office of Graduate Studies. Any subsequent changes to the study plan must have prior written approval by the faculty adviser and department chair.

Study Plan

The study plan consists of a minimum of 30 units of adviser-approved upper-division and graduate-level course work which must be completed with an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0. At least half the units required for the degree must be in approved graduate (500-level) courses.

  • Required Math Courses (6 units)
      • EGGN 403 Computer Methods in Numerical Analysis (3)
      • EGEE 580 Analysis of Random Signals (3)
      • Note: If one of the above courses has been completed, EGEE 518 will satisfy the requirement
  • Concentration Courses (15 units)
    A student is required to select a minimum of 15 units of concentration courses in Electrical Engineering. These units may be 400-level and 500-level courses and are selected according to the student’s area of interest. Graduate Project, EGEE 597 (1-3), and Thesis, EGEE 598 (6), are considered concentration courses. Course work may focus on the following areas:
      • Communications Systems/Signal Processing
      • Computer Engineering
      • Control Systems
      • Electronics and Circuit Theory
      • Option in Systems Engineering
  • Other Courses (9 units)
    Elective units should be taken in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering field and are subject to adviser approval.

Exam/Thesis/Project Option

Subject to approval by the faculty adviser, students may select one of the following options for final review by the department graduate committee:

  • Satisfactory completion of a final written comprehensive examination on coursework; OR
  • Satisfactory completion of a formal project EGEE 597 (3 units) and a final oral comprehensive examination on coursework; OR
  • Satisfactory completion and oral defense of a thesis EGEE 598 (3-6 units).

A typed draft of the thesis or project report must be submitted to the student’s thesis or project committee no later than four weeks prior to the last day of the semester in which the oral defense of the thesis or project report is scheduled.

The thesis or project committee consists of a minimum of three members of the Electrical Engineering faculty. The thesis should cover original research and be prepared according to the university guidelines. Committee questions will be directed in part toward defense of the project report and in part toward an oral examination related to coursework. Guidelines for the preparation of theses and formal reports are available in the Electrical Engineering Department and the Office of Graduate Studies.

Students requesting Graduate Project (EGEE 597), Thesis (EGEE 598) or Independent Study (EGEE 599) must complete a study application form and submit it for approval to the supervising faculty member and department chair prior to the semester in which the course work is to begin.

Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy requires that the student file a graduation check prior to the beginning of the final semester (see class schedule for deadlines). Completion of requirements for the degree include a minimum GPA of 3.0 on all study plan course work, successful completion of a comprehensive examination or oral defense of a thesis or project, and recommendation by the Electrical Engineering faculty and Office of Graduate Studies.