Jul 01, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Electrical and Computer Engineering - Thesis (MS)


Program Educational Goals


A graduate of the ECE Thesis MS program will be able to:

  1. Apply advanced knowledge to formulate hypotheses for, analyze, and synthesize solutions to ECE engineering problems.
  2. Learn ECE subject matters independently, showing an ability to lifelong learning.
  3. Work in interdisciplinary teams, while at the same time showing initiative and ability to make independent contributions.
  4. Understand the technical and research literature and communicate effectively.
  5. Demonstrate professional development and maturity in preparation for a successful professional career in an ECE related field.

Requirements for the Degree:


The program, Master’s Degree - Thesis, is designed for individuals who want to broaden their electrical and computer engineering foundation knowledge while also conducting an in-depth research project. There is the possibility of Department funding through a research or teaching assistantship. Students who receive funding by the Department, at any point in their program, must take the thesis option.

A grade of B- or better is required for a course to count toward a degree requirement. A student who receives a grade less than B- must either take the course over to raise the grade, or take another course approved by their advisor to replace it in meeting the degree requirement.

Credit Requirements:


The master’s program requires 30 credit hours including at least 24 graduate course credits and at least 6 credits for master’s thesis (ELEG 869 ).

The 24-credit course program of each student must include:

  1. Six (6) credits of electrical and computer engineering Foundation courses.
  2. Eighteen (18) credits of advanced technical courses (level 600 or above) related to the student’s area of interest. At most twelve (12) credits of these can bear non-ELEG/CPEG numbers and at least three (3) credits must be of 800 level electrical and computer engineering courses.

Students admitted to the thesis MS program upon successful completion of one or more Graduate Certificates will be able to apply the graduate courses of up to three (3) successfully completed Certificates towards the thesis MS degree requirements.

Thesis Requirement:


All students in the thesis master’s degree program will carry out original publishable research in collaboration with their advisor and, possibly, other collaborators. Master’s candidates must write a thesis describing their contributions to this research. Theses must follow the University’s rules and those accepted in the profession for the presentation of original work. Master’s theses will have two faculty readers, the advisor and one additional reader approved by the faculty advisor and Graduate Committee. The Department Chair, upon recommendation of the readers, approves theses.

Concentrations


Requirements:


Students in the Ph.D. and M.S.E.C.E. programs may elect to choose a concentration area of study. Concentrations are available in Computer Systems & Networking, Signal Processing, Communications, and Controls, Materials and Devices, Electromagnetics and Photonics, and Biomedical Engineering. Students selecting a concentration must meet the concentration requirements detailed here, in addition to meeting their general degree requirements. Students admitted to the MSECE program upon successful completion of one or more Graduate Certificates will be able to apply the graduate courses of up to three (3) successfully completed Certificates towards the concentration requirements. Concentrations are voluntary, and students selecting multidisciplinary or other specialized studies need not declare a concentration.

Concentration in Computer Systems and Networking


Students in the Computer Systems & Networking (CSN) concentration focus on research and coursework in computer architecture and parallel systems, optimizing and parallelizing compilers, design and test of high-performance digital and analog VLSI circuits, wired and mobile wireless networking, computer program optimization, as well as emerging CSN theories and applications. The CSN concentration is available to students in the MSECE and Ph.D. degree programs.

Required Courses


Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. ELEG 662 should be taken each semester.

Concentration in Signal Processing, Communications, and Controls


Students in the Signal Processing, Communications, and Controls (SPCC) concentration focus on research and coursework in multimedia signal processing, statistical and nonlinear signal processing, image processing, time-frequency analysis, wireless communications, information theory, coding, as well as emerging SPCC theories and applications. The SPCC concentration is available to students in the MSECE and Ph.D. degree programs. 

A minimum of two courses from the following:


Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee.

Required courses


ELEG 663 must be taken each semester.

Concentration in Materials and Devices


Students in the Materials & Devices (MD) concentration focus on research and coursework in solid-state physics, semiconductor growth, device fabrication, and electro-magnetic measurement & characterization. The MD concentration is available to students in the MSECE and Ph.D. degree programs.

Required courses


Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. ELEG 661 must be taken each semester.

Concentration in Electromagnetics and Photonics


Students in the Electromagnetics & Photonics (EP) concentration focus on research and coursework in optics and electromagnetics; optoelectronic, microwave, millimeter-wave and terahertz devices and systems, device fabrication, and electro-magnetic measurement & characterization. The EP concentration is available to students in the MSECE and Ph.D. degree programs. 

Required courses:


Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. ELEG 661 should be taken each semester.

A minimum of two courses from the following:


Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee.

Concentration in Biomedical Engineering


Students in the Biomedical Engineering (BME) concentration focus on research and coursework in biomedical applications of signal and image processing, imaging systems, biophotonics, biochemical detection, cardiovascular and respiratory control, electrophysiology, computational biology, and bioinformatics.  The BME concentration is available to students in the MSECE and Ph.D. degree programs. 

Required courses


Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee. ELEG 664 should be taken each semester.

A minimum of two courses from the following:


Other courses may be approved by the ECE Graduate Committee.

Credits to Total a Minimum of 30


Last Revised for 2023-2024 Academic Year