Electrical Engineering, M.S.

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(30 UNITS)

Students must meet the CSU requirements for admission to a master’s degree program. Please consult the Graduate Admissions section in this catalog for complete information. In addition, to qualify for admission with conditionally classified standing, applicants must meet the following departmental requirements:

Minimum GPA of 2.5 for applicants graduated from domestic (U.S.) institutions with undergraduate degrees in engineering or computer science
Minimum GPA of 2.5 for applicants graduated from ABET-accredited international institutions with undergraduate degrees in engineering or computer science
Minimum GPA of 3.0 for applicants graduated from domestic (U.S.) institutions with undergraduate degrees other than engineering or computer science
Minimum GPA of 3.0 for applicants with undergraduate degrees from non-ABET accredited international institutions

Students with grade deficiencies, 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 coursework for the master’s degree. Requirements for fulfilling deficiencies include a minimum of six units of adviser-approved coursework. Deficiencies must be completed with minimum GPA of 3.0.

Each applicant file will be reviewed by the department graduate admissions adviser. Upon admission, the applicant is required 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.

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 courses with a 3.0 GPA or better;
fulfillment of the university writing requirement. Students with degrees from American universities must show proof of meeting an upper-division writing requirement, pass the EWP, or complete ENGL 301 or ENGL 360 . Students who have degrees from foreign universities must pass the Examination in Writing Proficiency (EWP) or complete ENGL 301 or ENGL 360 with a grade of “C” (2.0) or better. Also refer to the Admission Requirements section of this catalog for additional international student requirements; and
development and approval of a study plan prior to completing nine units toward the 30-unit degree requirement.

Students 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 adviser-approved upper-division and graduate-level coursework that must be completed with an overall grade-point average of 3.0 or better. At least half the units required for the degree must be approved graduate (500-level) courses. Each course must be passed with a minimum grade of “C” (2.0).

Required Mathematics Courses (6 units)

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 in Electrical Engineering. These units may be 400- and 500-level courses and are selected according to the student’s area of interest. Coursework may focus on the following areas: Communications Systems/Signal Processing, Computer Engineering, Control Systems, Microelectronics and Circuit Theory, and Systems Engineering. Graduate Project, EGEE 597 (1-3), and Thesis, EGEE 598 (1-6), are considered concentration courses.

Other Courses (9 units)

Elective units should be taken in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering field and are subject to adviser approval.

Culminating Experience

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 oral 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).

Guidelines for the preparation of theses and formal reports are available in the Electrical Engineering Department office and the university Graduate Studies office.

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 coursework 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 coursework, 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.