MSECE
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is one of the core engineering programs within the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) at the University of Minnesota. We offer two graduate degree programs: Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (MSECE) and Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD).
Why pursue a graduate degree?
Pursuing graduate studies in electrical and computer engineering opens up many new opportunities in a field that is key to global innovation in areas such as renewable energy, biomedical devices, computer systems, communications, nanotechnology, robotics, artificial intelligence, and more. A master's degree provides you with specialized skills that are in high demand in some of the largest global companies, most of which are based in the United States.
Master's program
The MSECE degree program can be completed in one of two ways:
- MSECE in person
- MSECE online through the University’s UNITE Distributed Learning office
The master’s degree program can be typically completed in 1.5 to 2 years, although time to completion might be slightly longer for students pursuing the degree part-time.
Most of our graduate students have bachelor's degrees in electrical engineering or computer engineering, but students of physics, math, and other engineering fields are often qualified for admission and can apply their special brand of knowledge to various courses and research groups. If you look through our faculty, you will see that they come from various academic backgrounds, including physics, math, systems engineering, and robotics.
Master's students can take their course load full-time, part-time, in-person, or remotely. Flexibility is built into the program including access to almost all of our courses via UNITE Distributed Learning.
MSECE degree options
The MSECE degree can be earned either through a thesis option or a coursework only option.
MSECE Thesis Option (Plan A)
- Approved EE coursework credits = 14
- Approved non-EE coursework credits = 6
- MS thesis credits = 10
- Total credits for the degree = 30
MSECE Coursework Only Option (Plan C)
- Approved EE coursework credits = 18
- Approved non-EE coursework credits = 6
- Additional EE or non-EE coursework credits = 6
- Total credits for the degree = 30
Note that if you are applying to the MSECE online degree program, Plan C is the only option available to you.
