Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering M.S.

This program is designed to prepare students for research-oriented careers and eventual pursuit of a doctoral degree. A six-credit thesis or project is usually required, but it may be waived for students who can submit a document of previous individual work that demonstrates equivalency in depth and presentation. Waivers are granted by the director of master’s programs and must be replaced with six credit hours of course work.

The M.S. Plans of Study in electrical engineering and computer and systems engineering must consist of at least 18 credit hours of 6000-level courses and the thesis/project. At least 21 credit hours of ECSE courses must be taken, or up to six of these may be from a related technical area with the approval of the department. Programs that do not include 21 credit hours from ECSE must have prior approval from the director of master’s programs. Students who do not have adequate preparation for their chosen area of specialization may need to take background courses in addition to the 30-credit-hour requirement. An information sheet giving the requirements for several areas of specialization is available for all accepted students.

In the electric power engineering curricula, most study and research is of an applied nature, which is recognized in the awarding of the M.Eng. degree. However, courses and research directed more toward basic understanding of physical phenomena, such as the fundamental processes of electrical breakdown in dielectrics, can be pursued. This type of research would lead to the M.S. degree. This avenue also allows students with accredited degrees—not in engineering but perhaps in science—to obtain advanced degrees in the electric power area.