Program Details
Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Modality: In-Person
Concentrations: Not Applicable
Semester Hours: 30
Total Years: 2
The graduate program in Electrical Engineering is designed to provide theoretical knowledge as well as practical applications in the areas such as communication systems, microwave engineering, antennas, optical engineering, electronic circuits, computer systems engineering, and selected areas in Computer Engineering. In this program, working engineers are given an opportunity to continue their education on a part-time basis, while full-time students have the opportunity to conduct research under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Upon graduation from the program, students will be conferred the degree Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) in Electrical Engineering.
Program Educational Objectives
The Electrical Engineering graduate program has established the following program educational objectives. Graduates of the program will:
- Possess in-depth expertise for a successful engineering career and/or a successful undertaking of further graduate level studies;
- Meet the challenges of the future through continuing professional growth; and
- Exhibit concern for social and environmental impact of engineering decisions.
Student Outcomes
The Electrical Engineering graduate program has established the following student outcomes. Graduates will develop:
a. an ability to apply advanced knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to identify, formulate and solve complex engineering problems in a specialized area, such as electronic circuit design, telecommunications and networks, or digital and computer engineering
b. an ability to apply both analysis and synthesis in the engineering design process, resulting in designs that meet constraints and specifications, which include societal, environmental, and ethical factors as appropriate to the design
c. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation and testing procedures using advanced analytical/numerical techniques and/or modern engineering tools, and to analyze and draw conclusions from data
d. an ability to conduct graduate level research with adequate research skills including information literacy and self-learning
e. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences through various media
f. an ability to plan and manage engineering projects, including goal establishment, task scheduling, and risk and uncertainty management
M.S.E. in Electrical Engineering Degree Program Admission Requirements
Students seeking admission should have completed an undergraduate program in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field. Applications are considered for Fall or Spring entry terms.
Applicants must submit the following:
- A completed Online Application and $50 application fee
- Official transcripts of all colleges and universities attended
- A statement of intent
Letters of recommendation and the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) are optional.
Additional coursework may be recommended or required as a condition of admission for applicants that have not completed an undergraduate program in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering. Such students are expected to complete undergraduate coursework on Circuits, Logic Design, Electronics, Microprocessors/Microcontrollers, and Electromagnetics in order to meet the pre-requisite requirements of the M.S.E. Electrical Engineering curriculum. Coursework required as part of terms of admission may not be waived.
International applicants must supply the following additional admission materials:
- Transcript evaluation: Transcripts from an international institution must be translated and evaluated by a U.S. transcript evaluation service (e.g., Educational Credential Evaluators, International Education Evaluation, International Education Research Foundation, SpanTran, or World Education Services) before the application is considered for admission.
- TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo: All applicants must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Duolingo English Test unless they received a high school diploma or a bachelor's degree in the United States. The minimum IELTS score for admission for most graduate programs is an Overall Band Score of 7. The minimum Duolingo English Test overall score for admission is 130. For TOEFL exams taken before January 21, 2026, the minimum iBT TOEFL score for admission into most graduate programs is 100. For TOEFL exams taken after January 21, 2026, the minimum TOEFL score for admission is a 5.
Admission Policies
Transfer Credit Policy: Students may transfer up to six (6) semester hours for graduate-level courses completed at another regionally accredited college or university. Credits to be transferred must be taken prior to admission. Each transferred course grade must be at least B (3.0), and the course must not have been used to satisfy degree requirements at another college or university.
Deferment Policy: Students admitted into this graduate program may defer their admission offer for up to one year from the initial admission entry term. A formal request should be made by the student. Requests to defer past the one-year mark from the initial admission entry term are reviewed upon request, and the decision is left to the discretion of the Admission Committee.
Appeal Process: The appeal process should be sought after once an admission decision has been provided, and the applicant would like to be reconsidered. To explore the appeal process, the applicant should be prepared to present new evidence of admissibility via new/additional/updated documentation aside from what was presented during the initial admission submission. Such documentation can be in the form of final grades, providing proof of updated relevant course completion and grade/s, etc.
In addition to the documents provided, the student will be required to submit a short essay stating why they are interested in having their application be reconsidered and explain how the new/updated documentation provided shows improvement for admission reconsideration. The admissions team will review the submission of all new documentation and provide the applicant with an updated decision. To request more information about this process, interested candidates in this option may contact SeaverGraduateAdmission@lmu.edu.
Graduation Requirements
A degree candidate is required to complete, with a cumulative grade point average of at least B (3.0), a program of study comprising a minimum of thirty (30) semester hours of graduate-level coursework (i.e., 5000-level or 6000-level courses). A minimum of 3.0 term and cumulative grade point average must be achieved to maintain a good academic standing. Failure to maintain a good academic standing will lead to academic probation or disqualification. Of the graduate-level course work, at least twenty-four (24) semester hours must be in EECE courses, of which, at least eight (8) semester hours must be on 6000-level. At most six (6) semester hours can be appropriate courses from other disciplines in the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering or the College of Business Administration.
The program of study must include the following courses: EECE 5140 Computer Architecture with VHDL, EECE 5120 Microwave Engineering and Antennas, EECE 5210 Random Processes, and Graduate Capstone Project or Master’s Thesis. One or more of the 5000-level required courses may be waived if the student demonstrates satisfactory completion of a similar course. Waived courses will be replaced by EECE electives at the 5000- or 6000-level. 500/5000-level courses taken as an undergraduate may not be repeated for graduate credit. If a 500/5000-level course is cross listed with a 600/6000-level course, graduate students must enroll in the 600/6000-level course.
Curriculum
During the first semester of attendance, the student should prepare a program of study with a faculty advisor. The 30 semester hours of required coursework is allocated as follows:
Master’s Thesis Option
Preparation of a Master’s Thesis is optional and can fulfill 8 semester hours of EECE course requirements. The student selecting the thesis option must obtain a thesis advisor before Departmental consent will be considered, and the thesis must conform to the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering requirements. The thesis and associated work is intended to advance the state of knowledge in the thesis subject not “rehash” previous work by others or a serve as a “literature search.” To the extent possible, there should be some experimental work involved. The thesis ideally will form the basis for a paper or article, produced by a student, which would be submitted and hopefully published in a peer-reviewed journal or presented at a professional organization’s conference. A thesis is completed after being successfully defended to the thesis committee. With direction from the Program Director, a thesis committee will be formed. The thesis committee consists of the student’s thesis advisor, a full-time faculty member from the student’s department, and a third member from other than the student’s department.
