Academic Catalog

Electrical Engineering (M.S.)

Admission Requirements

Admission to these programs is contingent upon admission to the Graduate School. All applicants whose B.S. degree is not from an ABET-accredited college or university are required to submit additional pertinent information, including results of the general test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), publications, and/or inventions.

Students with B.S. degrees from selected science and engineering undergraduate programs not specifically related to this discipline may be admitted into the master's program after completing a sequence of undergraduate courses designed to prepare them for the graduate curriculum.

ECE AGRADE Program

Outstanding undergraduates in the ECE department who meet eligibility criteria may enroll in the ECE AGRADE program.  This program allows students to count up to 16 credits towards both the B.S. and M.S. degrees, enabling students to complete the B.S. and M.S. degrees within 5 years of full-time study.  More information about eligibility, degree requirements, course selections, and policies may be found on the department's website.

Interdisciplinary Physics-ECE AGRADE Program

Outstanding seniors in Physics (both Applied Physics option and Fundamental Physics option) who meet eligibility criteria may  apply for the cross-college AGRADE program between the Physics undergraduate program (College of Liberals Arts and Sciences) and Electrical Engineering (EE) Master's programs (College of Engineering). The Physics-ECE AGRADE program allows students to count up to 16 credits of selected graduate courses towards a B.S. degree in physics as well as an M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering.  This enables students to complete both degrees within 5 years of full-time study.  More information about eligibility, degree requirements, course elections, and academic policies may be found on the department's website.

Requirements – Traditional Program

The Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree requires a minimum of thirty credits. It is offered under plan Plan A: Thesis, which includes a six credit thesis, or Plan C: Coursework. For either plan, students may choose from courses in one or more areas of specialization within the ECE curriculum. 

All course work must be completed in accordance with the regulations of the Graduate School and the College of Engineering.

Plan A: Thesis

Required courses
Select 4 ECE graduate courses in Major Area - Electrical Engineering, including at least one at 7000 level. 1
Quantitative Physiology
Introduction to Cyber-Physical Systems
Modeling and Control of Power Electronics and Electric Vehicle Powertrains
Advanced Energy Storage Systems for Electrification of Vehicles
Alternative Energy Sources and Conversions
Power Electronics and Control
Robotic Systems I
Electric Energy Systems Engineering
Computer-Controlled Systems
Stochastic Processes in Engineering
Control Systems II
Solid State Electronics
Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits
Introduction to Micro and Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS/NEMS)
Advanced Nanoelectronics
Embedded System Design
Computer Networking and Network Programming
Sensors and Sensor Instrumentation
Computer-Aided Logical Design and FPGAs
Introduction to Digital Image Processing
Digital Communications
Digital Signal Processing
Optical Communication Networks
Introduction to Microwave Engineering
Introduction to VLSI Systems
Biomedical Instrumentation
Smart Sensor Technology I: Design
Mathematical Methods in Engineering I
Mathematical Modeling in Impact Biomechanics
Nonlinear Control Systems
Robotics Systems II
Discrete Event Systems with Machine Learning
Dynamic Systems and Optimal Control
Advanced Digital VLSI Design
Smart Sensor Technology II: Characterization and Fabrication
Scalable and Secure Internet Services and Architecture
Advanced Digital Image Processing and Applications
Fuzzy Systems
Statistical Communication Theory
Telematics
Photonics
Operation and Control of Modern Power Systems
Elective courses
The combined number of credits for Required and Elective courses must be at least 24.
List of eligible elective courses:
ECE 5000-7999 including courses in the Electrical Engineering, or Computer Engineering major area, ECE 5990 Directed Study (1 – 3 cr., repeatable up to 3 cr.), Special Topics courses ECE 5995 and ECE 7995 (repeatable up to 12 cr.), Industrial Internship ECE 6991 (1 cr., repeatable up to 3 cr.).
Non-ECE courses: Up to 6 credits of elective credits may be taken in other WSU departments or transferred from another institution, including following:
BME, ME, CHE, MSE or EVE 5000-7999 excluding directed study, research, or internship.
Selected classes offered by the College of Engineering:
Special Topics in Engineering
Selected classes offered by Department of Computer Science:
Introduction to Machine Learning and Applications
Machine Learning
Selected classes offered by Department of Industrial Engineering:
Stochastic System Modeling: Queuing and Simulation
Advanced Statistical Methods
Stochastic Processes
PHY 5000-7999 excluding directed study, physics for teachers, research, and directed study, or internship.
Selected classes offered by the Department of Mathematics:
Introduction to Analysis I
Introduction to Analysis II
Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Methods of Optimization
Real Analysis I
Real Analysis II
Statistical Computing and Data Analysis
Design of Experiments
Applied Regression Analysis
Thesis course
Master's Thesis Research and Direction (This course can be taken either as a single 6-credit course during the last term in the program or as repeated courses, totaling 6 credits, during last two terms.)
1

Special Topics courses ECE 5995 and ECE 7995, depending on the courses subjects, may also be counted as courses in Major Area – upon approval by Graduate Program Director.

Plan C: Coursework

Required courses
Select 5 ECE graduate courses in Major Area - Electrical Engineering, including at least 2 at 7000 level. 1
Quantitative Physiology
Introduction to Cyber-Physical Systems
Modeling and Control of Power Electronics and Electric Vehicle Powertrains
Advanced Energy Storage Systems for Electrification of Vehicles
Alternative Energy Sources and Conversions
Power Electronics and Control
Robotic Systems I
Electric Energy Systems Engineering
Computer-Controlled Systems
Stochastic Processes in Engineering
Control Systems II
Solid State Electronics
Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits
Introduction to Micro and Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS/NEMS)
Advanced Nanoelectronics
Embedded System Design
Computer Networking and Network Programming
Sensors and Sensor Instrumentation
Computer-Aided Logical Design and FPGAs
Introduction to Digital Image Processing
Digital Communications
Digital Signal Processing
Optical Communication Networks
Introduction to Microwave Engineering
Introduction to VLSI Systems
Biomedical Instrumentation
Smart Sensor Technology I: Design
Mathematical Methods in Engineering I
Mathematical Modeling in Impact Biomechanics
Nonlinear Control Systems
Robotics Systems II
Discrete Event Systems with Machine Learning
Dynamic Systems and Optimal Control
Advanced Digital VLSI Design
Smart Sensor Technology II: Characterization and Fabrication
Scalable and Secure Internet Services and Architecture
Advanced Digital Image Processing and Applications
Fuzzy Systems
Statistical Communication Theory
Telematics
Photonics
Operation and Control of Modern Power Systems
Elective courses
The combined number of credits for Required and Elective courses must be at least 30.
List of eligible elective courses:
ECE 5000-7999 including courses in the Electrical Engineering, or Computer Engineering major area, ECE 5990 Directed Study (1 – 3 cr., repeatable up to 3 cr.), Special Topics courses ECE 5995 and ECE 7995 (repeatable up to 12 cr.), Industrial Internship ECE 6991 (1 cr., repeatable up to 3 cr.).
Non-ECE courses: Up to 6 credits of elective credits may be taken in other WSU departments or transferred from another institution, including following:
BME, ME, CHE, MSE or EVE 5000-7999 excluding directed study, research, or internship.
Selected classes offered by the College of Engineering:
Special Topics in Engineering (repeatable up to 3 cr.)
Selected classes offered by Department of Computer Science:
Introduction to Machine Learning and Applications
Machine Learning
Selected classes offered by Department of Industrial Engineering:
Stochastic System Modeling: Queuing and Simulation
Advanced Statistical Methods
Stochastic Processes
PHY 5000-7999 excluding directed study, physics for teachers, research, and directed study, or internship.
Selected classes offered by Department of Mathematics:
Introduction to Analysis I
Introduction to Analysis II
Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Methods of Optimization
Real Analysis I
Real Analysis II
Statistical Computing and Data Analysis
Design of Experiments
Applied Regression Analysis
1
Special Topics courses ECE 5995 and ECE 7995, depending on the courses subjects, may also be counted as courses in Major Area – upon approval by Graduate Program Director.

Requirements – Online Program

The online Master of Science in Electrical Engineering is offered with a concentration in Semiconductor Engineering. Semiconductor engineering focuses on developing technologies for manufacturing semiconductor devices in electronic circuits. The expertise spans from materials level research to device fabrication and chip packaging. Semiconductor technology is a critical driver of innovation in multiple industries ranging from computing, defense and automotive.

The program must be completed under Master's Degree Plan C, and it requires a minimum of thirty credits in course work. The online program also allows students to obtain six internship credits through an optional industrial internship experience. The internship activity should be in an area related to semiconductor engineering including but not limited to, design, validation, manufacturing, system integration, product development or applications.

The coursework-only plan requires a minimum of five courses from the core group (two courses must be at the 7000-level). The 6-credit internship option requires a minimum of four courses from the core group (one course must be at the 7000-level)
Core Courses
Solid State Electronics
Advanced Nanoelectronics
Introduction to Micro and Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS/NEMS)
Sensors and Sensor Instrumentation
Computer-Aided Logical Design and FPGAs
Introduction to VLSI Systems
Advanced Digital VLSI Design
Advanced Mixed Signal Integrated Circuits
Elective Courses
Advanced Energy Storage Systems for Electrification of Vehicles
Alternative Energy Sources and Conversions
Power Electronics and Control
Embedded System Design
Special Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering I (Topics should be chosen in consultation with program advisor.)
Smart Sensor Technology II: Characterization and Fabrication
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