Electrical and Computer Engineering, M.S.
The Department offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a concentration in Electrical Engineering and in Computer Engineering. Because most graduate courses are not repeated every quarter, students should make every effort to begin their graduate program in the fall.
Detailed descriptions of the two concentrations are as follows.
Electrical Engineering Concentration (EE)
The Electrical Engineering faculty study the following areas: optical and solid-state devices, including quantum electronics and optics, integrated electro-optics, design of semiconductor devices and materials, analog and mixed-signal IC design, microwave circuits antenna and devices, and nano imaging; systems engineering and signal processing, including communication theory, signal processing, power electronics, neural networks, communications networks, systems engineering, and control systems. Related communication networks topics are also addressed by the Networked Systems M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.
Computer Engineering Concentration (CPE)
The concentration in Computer Engineering provides students with a solid base in the design, development, and evaluation of computer systems and software. Thrust areas include computer architecture, software design, and embedded systems, but the program is highly customizable to the specific interests of the student. The research activities of the faculty in this concentration include parallel and networked computer systems, distributed software architectures and databases, real-time and embedded computer systems, VLSI architectures, computer design automation, low-power design, computer communication protocols and networks, security, programming languages for parallel/distributed processing, knowledge management, service-oriented architectures, and software engineering.
Two plans are offered for the M.S.: a thesis option and a comprehensive examination option. For either option, students are required to develop a complete program of study with advice from their faculty advisor. The graduate advisor must approve the study plan. Part-time study toward the M.S. is available. The program of study must be completed within four calendar years from first enrollment.
Plan I: Thesis Option
The thesis option requires completion of 12 courses of study; an original research investigation; the completion of an M.S. thesis; and approval of the thesis by a thesis committee. The thesis committee is composed of three full-time faculty members with the faculty advisor of the student serving as the chair. Required undergraduate core courses and graduate seminar courses, such as EECS 292, EECS 293, EECS 294, and EECS 295, may not be counted toward the 12 courses. No more than one course of EECS 299 and one undergraduate elective course may be counted toward the 12 courses. Up to four of the required 12 courses may be from EECS 296 (M.S. Thesis Research) with the approval of the student’s thesis advisor. Additional concentration-specific requirements are as follows; a list of core and is given at the end of this section.
| Electrical Engineering Concentration: | |
| Computer Engineering Concentration: | |
| Three (3) core courses in the Computer Engineering Concentration (CPE) must be completed. Students can pick from the following CPE core courses: EECS 211, EECS 213, EECS 215, EECS 224, and EECS 231. At least four additional concentration or approved courses must also be completed. All courses must be completed with a grade of B (3.0) or better. |
Plan II: Comprehensive Examination Option
The comprehensive examination option requires the completion of 12 courses and a comprehensive examination. Only one EECS 299 course can be counted if the EECS 299 course is four or more units. Undergraduate core courses and graduate seminar courses, such as EECS 292, EECS 293, EECS 294, and EECS 295, may not be counted toward the 12 courses requirement. No more than two of undergraduate elective courses may be counted. Only 1 unit of EECS 294 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Colloquium completed with a satisfactory grade is needed to fulfill the comprehensive exam requirements. Additional concentration-specific requirements are as follows; a list of core courses is given at the end of this section.
| Electrical Engineering Concentration: | |
| Students enrolled in the Electrical Engineering (EE) concentration who choose the Comprehensive Examination option must select one of the following plans of study. | |
| Circuits and Devices Plan of Study: | |
| Select four of the following: | |
| Industrial and Power Electronics | |
| Advanced Analog Integrated Circuit Design I | |
| Advanced Analog Integrated Circuit Design II | |
| Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuits and Systems | |
| Advanced Semiconductor Devices I | |
| Advanced Semiconductor Devices II | |
| Advanced Engineering Electromagnetics I | |
| Optical Communications | |
| Fabrication of Biomedical and Wearable Microdevices | |
| Systems Plan of Study: | |
| Select four of the following: | |
| Random Processes | |
| Digital Communications I | |
| Information Theory | |
| Digital Signal Processing I | |
| Detection, Estimation, and Demodulation Theory | |
or ENGRMAE 278 | Parameter and State Estimation |
| Machine Learning for Signal Processing | |
| Linear Systems I | |
| Introduction to Non-Linear Optimization | |
| At least five (5) additional concentration courses must be completed. All must be completed with a grade of B (3.0) or better. | |
Electrical Engineering Concentration
| Electrical Engineering Concentration Courses: | |
Computer Engineering Concentration
| Computer Engineering Concentration: | |
| Three (3) core courses in the Computer Engineering Concentration (CPE) must be completed. Students can pick from the following CPE core courses: EECS 211, EECS 213, EECS 215, EECS 224, and EECS 231. At least five additional concentration or approved courses must also be completed. All courses must be completed with a grade of B (3.0) or better. | |
| Computer Engineering Concentration Courses: | |
In addition to fulfilling the course requirements outlined above, it is a University requirement for the Master of Science degree that students fulfill a minimum of 36 units of study.
Program in Law and Graduate Studies (J.D./M.S.-ECE; J.D./Ph.D.-ECE)
Highly qualified students interested in combining the study of law with graduate qualifications in the ECE program are invited to undertake concurrent degree study under the auspices of UC Irvine's Program in Law and Graduate Studies (PLGS). Students in this program pursue a coordinated curriculum leading to a J.D. degree from the School of Law in conjunction with a Master's or Ph.D. degree in the ECE program. Additional information is available from the PLGS Program Director's Office, 949-824-4158, or by email to plgs@uci.edu. A full description of the program, with links to all relevant application information can be found at the School of Law Concurrent Degree Programs website and in the Law School section of the Catalogue.