Further requirements: Classes used toward the M.S. degree must have grades of "C" or higher. At least 21 hours must be at 6000 level or above; no more than 6 hours may be Special Problems; the electives may include up to 3 ECE seminar hours.

Further requirements: **** New requirement starting Fall 2014 for all students who register for 7000 Thesis hours: Must complete Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Requirement. **** Classes used toward the M.S. degree must have grades of "C" or higher. At least 21 hours must be at the 6000 level or above, (including ECE 7000, M.S. Thesis Research hours). No hours may be Special Problems. M.S. thesis option students must present a "research review" to their advisor and reading committee members so that the "Request for Approval of the M.S. Thesis Topic" can be approved by the committee and submitted to the ECE Graduate Affairs Office for processing. There must be a minimum of 90 days between approval of the thesis topic form by the ECE Graduate Affairs Office and submission of the M.S. thesis to the reading committee for their approval. ECE does not require a defense of the M.S. thesis. However, the reading committee may require a defense. Details regarding the M.S. thesis option are available in PDF format. 

Both M.S. Options: The Institute permits up to 3 hours to be pass/fail (P/F) and up to 6 hours of transfer credit to be used toward a master's degree. ECE specifies that the 3 P/F hours must be ECE seminars (8001, 8002, 8003, and 6792). ECE 8022 (Professional Communication Skills) is also offered on a pass/fail basis and can be used. Pass/fail hours can only be used toward the M.S. non-thesis option.

Students are required to complete all degree requirements within 6 consecutive years and maintain a 2.7 GPA. 

The Joint B.S./M.S. degree program affords undergraduate electrical or computer engineering majors the opportunity to broaden their studies and improve their career prospects. Interested students should apply to the program at the appropriate times (see Deadlines).

In our highly technical and globally competitive society, the M.S. degree is frequently viewed as the "working degree" for many engineers. The M.S. degree is a valuable tool, which takes undergraduate studies to a deeper and broader level of understanding. Engineers who have completed the M.S. degree generally enter the work force with higher starting salaries and a wider range of career opportunities from which to choose. They also tend to be promoted sooner than those who have not completed graduate level degrees.

While earning the M.S. degree, students can choose to participate in programs such as Georgia Tech Europe and Georgia Tech Shenzhen to further enhance their graduate level experience and to broaden their education and their career opportunities. The elective hours and required minor classes taken in the M.S. program can also be a starting point for entry into M.B.A. and other non-engineering degree programs.

Benefits of enrollment into the Joint B.S./M.S. program include:

• Application fee waived for B.S./M.S. applicants
• GRE requirement waived
• Qualified B.S./M.S. students may receive GRA/GTA appointments with a stipend and reduced tuition and fees upon matriculation into the graduate program
• Students with a final cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher can move a maximum of 12 hours forward from the BS program to the MS program. Six of these 12 hours can be used toward both the B.S. and the M.S. degree (classes must fulfill degree requirements and only can be ECE 4000 level or higher). Therefore, a student can take an additional 6 hours of courses at the graduate level while an undergraduate that can move forward to the master's program. These classes cannot be used for the BS degree requirements; they are taken in excess of BS degree requirements (fall-through courses). For more information, please see https://ece.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/documents/graduate/current_grad_handbook.pdf. Courses double-counted can only be used in group III - electives requirements. To double count hours, students must graduate with the M.S. degree within two years of completing the B.S. degree.

Qualifications for this program are as follows:

• When the BS/MS Application Form for this program is submitted, the student must have an overall GPA of at least 3.5. Depending on demand, the required minimum GPA may be higher. 
  • For non-transfer students, the required GPA is based on a minimum of 30 semester hours of credit at Georgia Tech.
  • For transfer students, the required GPA is based on a minimum of 12 hours of ECE coursework after entering Georgia Tech and having a transfer GPA of 3.5 from an accredited undergraduate program as approved by the Registrar's Office. (The 12 hours should be completed by the end of the term in which the application is made.)

Start the application process by going to: Apply Now

The ECE Graduate Affairs Office will make a decision regarding your acceptance in the semester preceding the requested admission semester (Summer semester for Fall admission and Fall semester for Spring admission). Decisions can only be made once we have received all information necessary to complete the application file. This includes:

• making sure that you have reached the number of credit hours to be eligible (see Introduction tab)
• reviewing the latest transcripts showing a cumulative 3.5 or higher GPA
• receiving the recommendation letter

Decision available notification is sent to the email address as listed on the application. You are responsible to ensure that the email address listed on the application remains accessible to receive communications from our office. Admitted students will be instructed how to apply for a GTA prior to the start of the graduate program. The ECE Graduate Affairs Office will track your progress through your B.S. program and will offer an advisement session prior to entry into the graduate program.

Note that not being selected for this program does not preclude a student from applying to the standard graduate program.

An official graduate application to the MS program must be submitted and received by the following deadlines.

Atlanta Campus 

• Fall graduating semester for following Spring start of BSMS program: September 15
• Spring and Summer graduating semester for following Fall start of BSMS program: May 1

Distance Learning

• Fall graduating semester for following Spring start of BSMS program: September 15
• Spring and Summer graduating semester for following Fall start of BSMS program: May 1

Shenzhen

• Fall graduating semester for following Spring start of BSMS program: September 15
• Spring and Summer graduating semester for following Fall start of BSMS program: May 1

Europe

• Fall graduating semester for following Spring start of BSMS program: September 15
• Spring and Summer graduating semester for following Fall start of BSMS program: May 1

A full academic summary of the MS program is available at https://ece.gatech.edu/graduate/masters-degrees.

If you meet the minimum requirements and wish to apply to the MSECE program, you must complete the online application at the appropriate times. (see Deadlines).

To maintain eligibility for the BS/MS program after being accepted, students must:

• Complete the BS degree and then matriculate into the MS program.  Students cannot graduate with a BS and MS at the same time.
• Start the MS program immediately after graduating with their BS degree.  The only exception to this is summer semester.  Students who graduate in the spring are allowed to take summer semester off and start in the fall semester. Summer admission is not available.
• Graduate with the BS degree with a 3.5 GPA or higher.
• Complete their MS degree within two years of graduating with the BS degree.

B.S./M.S. students are welcome to pursue doctoral studies in ECE. For more details please visit the Ph.D. Degrees page and select the "Change Major from M.S. to Ph.D." accordion at the bottom of the page.

There are differences between the coursework requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Students who plan to pursue the Ph.D. can save time by choosing their M.S. classes with the Ph.D. requirements in mind.

For additional information, contact the ECE Graduate Affairs Office.

You can begin your application here.

The same username and password created when the BS/MS Degree Form was filed is needed to access your Gradapp account.

The admissions application consists of a range of general questions, including:

• General background/contact information
• Academic history
• Unofficial Georgia Tech undergraduate transcript (Required. If admitted, Tech will provide an official transcript upon graduating from the BS program.)
• One letter of recommendation (required)
• Employment history (if applicable)
• Test scores (if applicable)
• Resume/curriculum vitae (optional)
• Statement of purpose (1,000 words maximum)

Graduate Student Forms and Guidelines

Graduate Student Forms and Guidelines

Please contact the academic office.