Electrical and Computer Engineering, Non-Thesis, MS

Location(s): WWU - Bellingham

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Department of Engineering and Design, College of Science and Engineering

Note: This degree program expects to begin accepting applications during the 2025-2026 academic year with a program launch in Fall 2026.

Graduate Faculty

Jiang, Xichen, PhD, power systems.
Klein, Andrew G., PhD, signal processing, communications.
Khan, Junaid, PhD, wireless networking, internet of things.
Lin, Ying, PhD, signal processing, communications.
Lund, John, PhD, electronics.
Radwan, Amr, PhD, power electronics.
Ramasubramanian, Bhaskar, PhD, cyber-physical systems, reinforcement learning.
Saadeh, Wala, PhD, circuit design, biomedical devices.
Zang, Yuzhang, PhD, antennas.

Program Advisor: Dr. Amr Radwan, radwana@wwu.edu, Ross Engineering Technology 269.

For further information concerning the program, consult the departmental website at engineeringdesign.wwu.edu/eece-masters-program.

Program Description

The MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering offers enriching coursework and research opportunities, advancing students’ depth of understanding of cutting-edge technical topics and enhancing their success as practicing engineers and innovators. As the program is designed for full-time students as well as industry professionals, most courses allow students to choose to attend on-campus in the classroom or participate remotely from an off-campus location. As such, students have the flexibility to earn their degree full-time or part-time around their professional obligations. The program serves the growing need for trained engineers with advanced degrees in the Puget Sound region.

Goals

Provide advanced training in the theory and practice of electrical and computer engineering, and its application to real-world projects and solutions.
Engage students in cutting-edge research projects.
Challenge and support students to be creative problem-solvers and effective communicators who understand the impact of engineering and design in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context.
Support students pursuing a variety of post-graduate pathways, including careers in industry, academia, and government.

Prerequisites

Students who have completed an undergraduate degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering or related fields, who meet the requirements of the Graduate School, and who demonstrate strong promise of the ability to succeed in the program are invited to apply for admission to the graduate program in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Students seeking admission who have earned an undergraduate degree in a field adjacent to electrical and computer engineering may be required to take prerequisite undergraduate courses before they begin taking graduate classes in electrical and computer engineering.

Application Information

Admission Deadlines

Students are admitted into the MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering program fall quarter only. The priority deadline is February 1, though applications are accepted until April 15; applications received by the priority deadline will receive a response before April 15.

Teaching Assistantship (TA) Application Deadlines

Same as admission deadlines. Application requirements and forms are available from the Graduate School website.

Supporting Materials

A statement of purpose must accompany the application. This statement should describe the reasons and motivation for pursuing graduate study in electrical and computer engineering, technical and research interests, and future goals. GRE scores are not required.

Students applying for a TA position should additionally include a section in their statement addressing: (i) experiences working with learners, including any prior teaching or tutoring, (ii) how to best enable undergraduates to be successful learners, and (iii) how to foster an equitable learning environment for a diverse group of students.

(Consistent with programs in Computer Science, Accounting, and Mathematics, this program will not get its own catalog entry, but will include the following text within the existing MS program catalog entry.)

Program Requirements (45 credits)

EECE Core Graduate Courses (12 credits)

❑ EECE 501 - Linear Systems Modeling and Analysis Credits: 4
❑ EECE 502 - Random Processes Credits: 4
❑ EECE 503 - Data-Driven Engineering Credits: 4

EECE Elective Graduate Courses (12 credits)

❑ Choose three courses from the following:

EECE 512 - Engineering Optimization Credits: 4
EECE 521 - Custom Integrated Circuit Design Credits: 4
EECE 529 - Microwave Engineering Credits: 4
EECE 561 - Antenna Theory and Design Credits: 4
EECE 562 - Edge Computing and Analytics in IoT Credits: 4
EECE 565 - Signal Estimation and Detection Credits: 4
EECE 573 - Dynamics and Control of Power Converters Credits: 4
EECE 585 - Formal Verification of Cyber-Physical Systems Credits: 4

EECE Graduate Seminar Courses (3 credits)

❑ EECE 591 - Graduate Seminar I Credits: 1
❑ EECE 592 - Graduate Seminar II Credits: 1 (must be taken twice for credit)

EECE Graduate Research Project (10 credits)

❑ EECE 691 - Master’s Research Project Credits: 1-5 (must be taken for a total of at least 10 credits)

Technical Electives (8 credits)

Comprised of additional research project credits and/or additional coursework, as approved by the EECE Program in consultation with a faculty advisor. See the Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Advising webpage for a list of pre-approved courses.

Other Requirements

Master’s Research Project

In addition to completing coursework and graduate seminars, students in the MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering program are required to complete a master’s research project advised by a faculty member. Students are encouraged to enroll in the project course EECE 691 within their first few quarters of study. To enroll in EECE 691, students must first meet with and obtain permission from a faculty member to join their research effort. EECE 691 is taken repeatedly over multiple quarters, and students may enroll in 1 to 5 credits of EECE 691 each quarter to earn a total of at least 10 credits (up to 18 credits maximum). Credit for the research project classes is granted only after students meet the requirements of (1) authoring a research paper that is submitted to a refereed conference or journal with advisor approval and (2) giving a presentation of their research. Paper submission and presentation are usually done during the final quarter of research.

Accelerated BS/MS Program

The Accelerated BS/MS Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering offers an accelerated pathway for high-achieving undergraduate students in WWU’s EECE program. This program allows students to begin graduate-level coursework during the final year of their undergraduate studies and earn an MS degree in a shorter amount of time. Accepted students can apply 8 credits of approved graduate-level coursework toward their BS degree and while finishing their BS degree they can take up to 7 additional credits of MS classes that can be applied to the MS degree, enabling them to gain advanced skills and knowledge more efficiently.

To be eligible for this program, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 at WWU at the time of application. Admission to the program is competitive and follows a two-phase application process:

First, students apply to the EECE Accelerated BS/MS program during their third year of WWU’s EECE undergraduate BS program. If accepted, students are granted registration privileges for core graduate courses which they will take during their fourth year.
During the fourth and final year of their BS studies, students complete the core graduate courses and formally apply to the Graduate School. Once students receive their BS degree and upon admission into the Graduate School, they transition to full-time work on their MS degree, which can typically be completed in one additional year.

This program provides a unique opportunity for students to accelerate their educational and professional journey, allowing motivated students the opportunity to complete a BS and MS in 5 years total. For more details, students are encouraged to consult the EECE Accelerated BS/MS Program webpage.