Electrical Engineering Graduate Program (ECE)
Offered through the Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering 
in the School of Computing, Engineering and Environment
211 Engineering and Computing Center
Phone: 320.308.3252
Fax: 320.308.5127
E-mail: ecedept@stcloudstate.edu
Web site: www.stcloudstate.edu/ece
Department Chairperson: Dr. Mark Petzold
Department Secretary: Ms. Mona Daniel
Graduate Director: Dr. Yi Zheng
Graduate Faculty: Glazos, Hossain, Hou,
Petzold, Thamvichai, Vogt, Yao, Zheng
This program has been suspended by the faculty and administration. Admission applications are not being accepted. Please contact the School of Graduate Studies for more information.
The program
The Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) program is designed for full- and part-time students desiring advanced study in electrical engineering. The program emphasizes advanced courses in the areas of computers, communications, signal processing, bio-medical engineering, controls, and computer aided design of integrated circuits. The objectives of the MSEE program are based on the missions of the department, the college and the university, and consistent with ABET criteria:
- Our graduates will have the ability to apply technical knowledge to analyze and solve practical electrical engineering problems.
- Our graduates will have the ability to practice engineering in a professional manner with effective communication and teamwork skills.
- Our graduates will have the ability to pursue post-graduate or continuing education opportunities to acquire the latest knowledge and skills.
- Our graduates will be able to understand the societal and ethical issues associated with the engineering profession.
Admission Requirements Specific to the Program
Full Admission
- Students with a BSEE and a minimum GPA of at least 3.0 in the last two years of their undergraduate program may be formally admitted to regular status.
- The University requires that the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) be taken before admission. The minimum GRE score requirements are: Quantitative: 700, Verbal: 400, Analytical Writing: 4.0. A writing course ENGL 634 is required for students who score below 5.0 in the analytic writing portion of the GRE.
- Some undergraduate courses may be required for applicants who have BS degrees but need additional undergraduate training in specific areas for successful completion of their MSEE study at SCSU.
Conditional Admission
- BSEE graduates with a GPA between 2.75 and 3.0 in their last two years may be conditionally admitted. Conditionally admitted students will obtain full admission status after they have completed four specified ECE courses that count toward the MSEE degree with a minimum GPA of 3.25 or higher, with no grade below B in any of the four courses.
- BSEE graduates having GRE scores between 3.5 to 4.0 in the analytical writing portion and 350 to 400 in the verbal portion may be conditionally admitted. Writing courses such as ENGL 332 or ENGL 634 are required with a minimum grade of B in each course.
- Students that have undergraduate degrees in technical areas such as mathematics, physics, computer science, and engineering may be provisionally admitted, but they will be required to complete the following undergraduate courses to obtain full admission status with a minimum GPA of 3.00 or higher, with no grade below B in any class. Some of the required courses listed below may be transferred depending on the students’ educational background or waived for those who pass a course examination.
Required
ECE 201. ECE202. Circuit Analysis Sequence
ECE 221. Digital Logic Design
ECE 301. Signals and Systems Analysis
ECE 311. Analog Electronics I
ECE 322. Advanced Logic Design
Choose Two
ECE 311. Analog Electronics II
ECE 323. Digital Electronics Sequence
ECE 381. Solid State Electrons
ECE 391. Engineering Electromagnetics
Choose one 400-level course.
For International Students
All international students are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum TOEFL score requirement is 217. International students may qualify for in-state tuition, contact the Center for International Study (CIS) for details.
For SCSU Engineering Students
Qualified ECE juniors at SCSU can apply to the MSEE program and be allowed to take ECE 500-level courses during their senior year to meet both BS degree and MSEE degree requirements. A maximum of six ECE 500 credits can be double counted for both programs in BSEE and MSEE.
Transfer Credits
A maximum of 10 semester credits of graduate work completed at other accredited universities may be transferred with the approval from the School of Graduate Studies and Program advisor. See the transfer policy section of the Graduate Bulletin for more information.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
The student must select one of three options: thesis, starred paper or portfolio. The thesis, research paper topic, and/or the courses selected by an individual student must be approved, in advance, by the student's graduate committee or the director of the committee. The courses chosen from the Department of Electrical Engineering and from other departments must form a cohesive package that relates closely to the individual student goals.
All active graduate students are required to register for at least one credit per semester for a research/seminar course ECE 696 in their first four semesters after they are formally admitted to the MSEE program.
Required Course
- EE 302 Signal and Systems Analysis, 3 credits
Choose one sequence from
- EE 311 and EE 312 Analog Electronics Sequence, 8 credits
- EE 322 and EE 323 Digital Electronics Sequence, 8 credits
Choose two sequences from
- ECE 531, ECE 532* Communication Sequence, 6 credits
- ECE
551, ECE 552* Control Sequence, 3 credits
- ECE 521, ECE 522* Computer Sequence, 3 credits
- *ECE 532 or 552 can be replaced by ECE 571 Digital Signal Processing
- *ECE 522 can be replaced by ECE 523 Computer Network Architecture
Application Deadlines Specific to the Program
- Fall Semester — July 1
- Spring Semester — November 1
- Summer Sessions — May 1
Length of Program — Measured by Semesters
- Part-time student: eight semesters taking three to six credits per semester.
- Full-time student: four semesters taking nine credits per semester.
Graduate Assistantship Overview
- Three to six graduate assistantship positions are generally sponsored each year, and are available both fall and spring semesters.
- Graduate assistants in Electrical and Computer Engineering provide teaching and research assistance to faculty in a variety of situations.
Degrees and Plans Offered
- Master of Science in Electrical Engineering: Plan A (Thesis) at 30 credits
- Master of Science in Electrical Engineering: Plan B I (Starred Paper) at 33 credits
- Master of Science in Electrical Engineering: Plan B II (Portfolio) at 36 credits
Master of Science — Electrical Engineering
The student must select one of three options: thesis, starred paper or course work only option. The thesis, research paper topic, or the coursework only option must be approved, in advance, by the student's graduate committee. The courses chosen from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and from other departments must form a cohesive package that relates closely to individual student goals.
Graduate (600) Level EE Course Sequences:
- ECE 621, 622. Advanced Computer Architecture, Parallel Computing
- ECE 631, 632 or 633. Advanced Digital Communications, Digital Coding of Waveforms, or Advanced Wireless Communication
- ECE 651, 652. Optimal Control, Stochastic Control
- ECE 671, 672. Advanced Digital Signal Processing, Random Signal and Noise
- ECE 681, 682. Advanced Integrated Circuit, VLSI Design
Plan A, 30 credits (Thesis)
Research Courses
6 credits
- ECE 699. Thesis, 6 credits
Major Courses
21 credit minimum in 500- and 600-level ECE courses (including one course of 3-credit ECE 696 for research).
- 1 complete graduate 600-level ECE course sequence.
- 12 credits minimum from 600-level ECE courses (exclusive of thesis and research).
Non-major Courses
3 credit maximum from graduate courses outside of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
- These courses are usually taken from the departments of Mathematics/Statistics, Computer Science, Physic.
Thesis proposal presentation must be passed in the ECE 696 before the first ECE 699 class.
Final oral examination on thesis material.
*Continuous registration of ECE 696 until the final oral has been taken and the starred paper is completed.
Plan B, Option I, 33 credits (Starred Paper)
Research Courses
3 credits
- ECE 690. Research in Electrical Engineering. 3 credits.
Major Courses
24 credits minimum in 500-and 600-level ECE courses (including one course of 3 credit ECE 696 for research).
- 2 600-level ECE course sequences.
- 18 credits minimum from 600-level ECE courses (exclusive of research).
Non-major Courses
6 credit maximum. (See Plan A)
Starred paper proposal presentation must be done within the first 2 weeks of the start of the class.
Final Oral Examination on Starred Paper.
*Continuous registration of ECE 696 until the final oral has been taken and the starred paper is completed.
Final Oral Examination on Starred Paper and Course Work Material.
Plan B, Option II, 36 credits (Portfolio Track)
Major Courses
30 credits minimum in 500- and 600-level ECE classes (including one course of 3 credit ECE 696 for research).
- 3 600-level ECE course sequences.
- 24 minimum credits from 600-level ECE courses (exclusive of research)
Non-major Courses
6 credit maximum. (See Plan A)
Portfolio of written reports from course work*.
* The portfolio can be replaced by a comprehensive written technical documentation from ECE 696 with three credits, approved by the advisory committee.
* Continuous registration of ECE 696 until the final oral has been taken and the starred paper is completed.
Disqualification
Students will be disqualified from the program if their semester GPA, in courses specified for their programs, is below 3.0 for any two semesters. The student's advisory committee and the graduate committee will consider reinstatement requests.
Student Status
Students must register for at least one credit hour every semester in the academic year to maintain student status. There is a minimum credit hours per semester required for international students.
