Electrical Engineering

The Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) is designed for students with an undergraduate degree in an engineering discipline who wish to pursue a graduate degree in electrical engineering. The MSEE explores power electronics and power systems, nanoelectronics and photonics, and communications and signal processing, all of which are highly valued expertise areas in electrical engineering.

The 31-credit-hour program does not require a thesis.

This program is administered by Engineering Online at NC State.

Eligibility

Minimum requirements for admissions to the graduate degree program in electrical engineering include:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in electrical or computer engineering.
• An overall GPA of at least 3.25/4.0. Persons with a 3.0 GPA may be admitted on a provisional basis.
• Three letters of recommendation.

Graduate School application deadlines:

• Fall semester: December 15 (US citizens and Internationals)
• Spring semester: July 1 (US citizens and Internationals)
• Summer I: N/A
• Summer II: N/A

Plan of Study

The program consists of 31 credit hours. A full-time graduate student may take 9 credit hours of course work per semester; part-time students typically take 3 or 6 credit hours of course work per semester. All requirements for the degree must be completed within six years of enrolling in the first course which appears on the NC State graduate transcript. All students must comply with Graduate School regulations for continuous registration or must request a leave of absence not to exceed one year.

Students who are employed full-time may enroll in only two courses per semester. It is highly recommended that new students enroll in just one course during their first semester.

Students are assigned an academic advisor and work with this advisor to develop an individual Plan of Graduate Work. Some specialty areas have specific course requirements.

Career Prospects

Electronics continue to be used in more and more capacities, which is why electrical engineers continue to be in demand. Many technical professionals begin careers as electrical engineers and later make a career change to work as computer engineers, software engineers or related hybrid positions that require understanding of both or all three fields.

MSEE graduates are equipped for success in the field of electrical engineering. Because the MSEE program requires seven courses in electrical and computer engineering, students gain knowledge in topics that bridge electrical engineering and computer hardware, which increases the flexibility of this advanced degree.

Additional Resources

For detailed information regarding engineering online programs and how to apply and enroll, please visit the Engineering Online website.