Master's Degrees

Current Student's Master's Degrees

Graduate students in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering may pursue the designated master of science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (M.S.E.C.E.) degree. The academic requirements for this degree are summarized below. More details can be found here.

M.S.E.C.E. Non-Thesis Option

REQUIREMENT	HOURS	COMMENTS
Group I: Graduate-level (6000) ECE Hours	9	Three classes in one or two technical interest areas of the student's choosing. All hours for letter grade credit.
Group II: Additional ECE Graduate-level (6000) Hours	9	At least six (6) hours must be outside the technical area(s) above. These six hours may not be cross-listed with the technical interest area(s) above. All hours for letter grade credit.
Group III: Electives	9	Courses can be outside ECE. No more than nine (9) hours of 4000 level courses. No more than three (3) hours of approved Pass/Fail seminars.
Group III (continued): Technology Entrepreneurship	3	Mandatory course for students who matriculate in Fall 2020 or after.
Total hours required:	30

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.

M.S.E.C.E. Thesis Option

REQUIREMENT	HOURS	COMMENTS
Group I: Graduate-level (6000) ECE Hours	6	Two classes in one or two technical interest areas of the student's choice. All hours for letter grade credit.
Group II: Additional ECE Graduate-level (6000) Hours	6	All six hours must be under a technical interest area that is outside the technical area(s) above. Courses may not be cross-listed with the technical interest area(s) above. All hours for letter grade credit.
Group III	3	Six (3) hours of coursework may be outside of ECE--not required to be in same discipline.
Group III (continued): Technology Entrepreneurship	3	Mandatory course for students who matriculate in Fall 2020 or after.
Thesis Hours	12
Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)
Total hours required:	30

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.

**You must be enrolled as an undergraduate student in the ECE program in order to be eligible for this degree.**

This program allows students to receive either the bachelor of science in electrical engineering or bachelor of science in computer engineering and a master's degree in electrical and computer engineering within a five-year time frame.

Introduction

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.

In our highly technical and globally competitive society, an 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 Lorraine 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 may double count 6 hours of credit toward both the B.S. and the M.S. degree (classes must fulfill degree requirements)

Qualifications before applying to the program:

Fill out the BS/MS Degree Form
When the degree program form for this program is submitted, the student must have a cumulative 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.
Students should submit the degree form in the term that they are enrolled in ECE 3030/3058/3040, but no later than drop day of the immediate next term after completing ECE 3030/3058/3040. This applies to students regardless of enrollment status (including summer term). An official graduate application must be submitted during your graduating semester by the admissions deadline.

If you completed ECE 3030/3058/3040 in:	Submit degree form no later than the drop date (withdrawal deadline):
Spring semester	Summer semester (full summer session)
Summer semester	Fall semester
Fall semester	Spring semester

Students must maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA through completion of the undergraduate program. Furthermore, no single term GPA can be below 3.0 after submission of the degree form.

How To Apply

Start the application process by going to the graduate admissions website.

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.

After declaring interest in the BS/MS program, you are expected to:

Maintain a minimum 3.5 overall GPA and no single term GPA lower than 3.0.
Review the ECE Graduate Handbook and the Graduate Program FAQs.
Attend the ECE B.S./M.S. graduate student advisement session. Date, time, and location of this session will be sent to students via email.
Familiarize yourself with the coursework requirements and options as outlined on the M.S. degree tab on this page.
B.S./M.S. applicants will be considered for a graduate teaching appointment (GTA). Instruction on how to be considered for a GTA is provided to admitted students program prior to enrollment into the graduate program.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Students admitted through the B.S./M.S. program who have more than one term with a GPA lower than 3.0 or do not have a 3.5 or higher cumulative GPA at the completion of their B.S. program will be required to take the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and provide acceptable scores to the ECE Graduate Affairs Office. This requirement must be fulfilled during the first term of graduate study. These students should also expect that they will not be permitted to apply any undergraduate hours toward the M.S. degree requirements. Failure to comply with this policy will result in a departmental academic warning.

Doctoral Studies

B.S./M.S. students are welcome to pursue doctoral studies in ECE. The procedures below are to be followed for M.S.E.C.E. students who wish to change their major from M.S.E.C.E. to Ph.D. in ECE:

Must pass Coursework Qualifier – Graduate Office will verify.
Minimum GPA of 3.5 – Graduate Office will verify.
Find a Ph.D. research advisor - Submit Ph.D. advisor selection form and proof of funding. (DocuSign) Route form electronically to faculty advisor and Daniela Staiculescu in Graduate Office.
Statement of Purpose (must be typed): To be considered for the Ph.D. program in ECE, you must submit the internal application with a new statement of purpose, indicating the reasons for changing degree status from M.S. to Ph.D.
Recommendation Letter: The student's advisor must provide a letter recommending the student for the Ph.D. program in ECE. Additional recommendations in support of the student's plans are encouraged. The letter can be submitted in person to the Academic Office in Van Leer W208 or online at Contact the Graduate Affairs Office.
When the items above are received, the ECE Graduate Committee will review the student's request. If your request is approved, you will be required to submit a change of major form to change your status from M.S.E.C.E. to Ph.D. in ECE.
For International Students, if your request is approved, you will be required to change your I-20 or DS 2019 to reflect your current program of study as Ph.D.
Proof of funding will be required to process your new I-20 or DS 2019.

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.

Georgia Tech offers online master’s degrees for Electrical & Computer Engineering (M.S.E.C.E.) and Cybersecurity (OMS Cybersecurity). Both are administered through Georgia Tech Professional Education.

Designed for working professionals, both online programs allow you to earn your degree on your own schedule, in your own home, and without sacrificing your career – or the quality of a Georgia Tech education. You’ll connect with your instructors, fellow learners, and the material itself using multi-platform digital learning tools.

The M.S.E.C.E degree allows you to pursue options in computer engineering, telecommunications/digital signal processing, and electrical energy/systems and controls. To learn more about this degree program, visit the M.S.E.C.E website. Please note: The master's thesis option is not offered for the online program but the coursework requirements are otherwise the same as for on-campus students.

Beginning Fall 2019, the OMS Cybersecurity degree will offer a specialization in Energy Systems with a focus on the security of cyber-physical and embedded systems in the energy domain. To learn more about this degree program, visit the OMS Cybersecurity website.

The School of Electrical and Computer Engineering participates in the Interdisciplinary Bioengineering Graduate Program, which is housed in the College of Engineering. The program offers advanced courses in bioengineering, engineering specialties, and life sciences combined with research and development of new or improved physical and mathematical concepts and techniques, which may be applied to problems in medicine and biology.

The bioengineering program offers master's and doctoral degrees through participating schools in the College of Engineering and the College of Computing. Interested applicants with an electrical and/or computer engineering background apply for admission in the bioengineering program through ECE. Once admitted, students follow the bioengineering program degree requirements and curriculum.

Additional information on the bioengineering program, including how to apply and a comparison between the bioengineering program and traditional engineering programs, can be found on the Georgia Tech Bioengineering Interdisciplinary Program website.

Graduate students in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering may pursue the Master of Science in Cybersecurity with a Cyber-Physical Systems track (M.S.C.S.E.C.) degree. This degree will also be available online beginning Fall 2019. The academic requirements for both are summarized below.

M.S.C.S.E.C. Non-Thesis (Only) With Cyber-Physical Systems Track

Group I: CORE REQUIREMENTS		14 HOURS
	HOURS	COMMENTS
CS 6035	3	Introduction to Information Security
CS/MGT/PUBP 6725	3	Information Security Policies
CS/ECE/PUBP 6727	5	Information Security Practicum
CS/PUBP 6XXX	3	Flexible core course - 3 hour course must be different from ECE's track. To meet this requirement, a student must complete a required course from a specialization track that is different from the one in which they are enrolled.

Group II: CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS TRACK		12 HOURS

ECE 6320	3	Power Systems Control and Operation
ECE 6374	3	Cyber-Physical Electric Energy Systems
ECE 6770	3	Introduction to Cyber-Physical Systems Security OR Hardware Oriented Security and Trust
ECE 8803 CPS	3	Cyber Physical Design and Analysis

Group III: ELECTIVES		6 HOURS
*Select Two Courses from List Below

ECE 6550	3	Linear Systems and Controls
ECE 6607	3	Computer Communication Networks
ECE 6615	3	Sensor Networks
ECE 6102	3	Dependable Distributed Systems
ECE 88x3	3	Advanced Computer Security
ECE 6323	3	Power System Protection
ECE 88x3	3	Smart Electricity Grids
ECE 88x3	3	Advanced Topics in Malware Analysis (same as Software Vulnerabilities and Security)
ECE 8843	3	Side-Channels and Their Role in Cybersecurity

Total Hours Required to Complete MSCSEC Degree: 32

M.S. in Cybersecurity Coursework Planning Worksheet

Further requirements: The Master of Science in Cybersecurity degree requires 32 credit hours of coursework (including a 5 credit practicum project course). Two of the core courses, which students in each track will take, will provide a broad overview of technology and policy dimensions of cybersecurity. The flexible core course will provide breadth because it must come from a track separate from the one in which a student is enrolled. Finally, a practicum project (5 credit hours) with common learning objectives across all participating units will be a core requirement.

Classes used toward the M.S.C.S.E.C. degree must have grades of “C” or higher. Only the courses listed are acceptable for the M.S.C.S.E.C. degree. Access additional information pertaining to the M.S. in Cybersecurity.

The School of Electrical and Computer Engineering participates in the Interdisciplinary Robotics Graduate Program. According to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, automation and robotics is expected to be a primary area of growth in Georgia over the next decade. To meet this growing demand, the Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a new professional interdisciplinary master’s Program in Robotics.

The MS-Robotics program is offered collaboratively by six schools in the Colleges of Engineering, Computing and Sciences. This 36 credit-hour, cohort-based program is a professional Master of Science in Robotics over four semesters designed to produce industry-ready engineers and scientists with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to meet the challenges of rapidly growing interdisciplinary technologies in professional careers related to designing and developing robotics and automation solutions. Students with diverse and eclectic backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including those with previous work or research experience. Each school has its own set of admission criteria but the program generally requires a minimum GPA of 3.3. To learn more about this degree program, visit the MS Robotics website. For a full listing of MS admissions guidelines and deadlines, visit the ECE Graduate Admissions website.

The M.S. Robotics program is offered collaboratively by six schools in the Colleges of Engineering, Computing, and Sciences. This 36 credit-hour, cohort-based program is a professional Master of Science in Robotics over four semesters designed to produce industry-ready engineers and scientists with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to meet the challenges of rapidly growing interdisciplinary technologies in professional careers related to designing and developing robotics and automation solutions. Students with diverse and eclectic backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including those with previous work or research experience. Each school has its own set of admission criteria but the program generally requires a minimum GPA of 3.3. To learn more about this degree program, visit the M.S. Robotics website. For a full listing of M.S. admissions guidelines and deadlines, visit the ECE Graduate Admissions website.

Following are resources to assist with coursework, thesis, and graduation planning.

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Master's Degrees

M.S.E.C.E. Non-Thesis Option

M.S.E.C.E. Thesis Option

Introduction

How To Apply

Doctoral Studies

M.S.C.S.E.C. Non-Thesis (Only) With Cyber-Physical Systems Track

M.S. Coursework Planning

Master's Thesis Guidelines and Forms

M.S. Graduation Procedures

Georgia Tech Resources

Visitor Resources