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Program Description

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers graduate programs in selected specialty areas leading to the M.Engr., M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Current departmental research expertise falls into one of the following areas: Biomedical Engineering, Communications/Signal Processing, Computer Architecture, Cyber Physical and Embedded Systems, Electromagnetics/Optics, Power/Power Electronics, and VLSI.  The ECE Department is also a key contributor to NDSU's Research and Technology Park.

Admission Requirements

The preferred avenue is to contact and work with an NDSU ECE Professor before coming to NDSU, such that the professor recommends you for admittance into the program. Each professor will have different expectations for the amount and type of work he/she will require you to do in order for him/her to recommend you for admittance into the NDSU ECE graduate program. Please look at each faculty's website and contact a faculty member working in a research area in which you are interested in pursuing your graduate studies. A secondary avenue is to have a GRE score of at least 145 Verbal and 155 Quantitative and a minimum GPA of 3.0 on your latest Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering degree, either B.S. or M.S. The GRE subject area test is not required. To be admitted as an ECE M.E. student, you must have a GRE score of at least 145 Verbal and 155 Quantitative and a minimum GPA of 3.0 on your Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering B.S. degree.

The 3.0 minimum GPA admission requirement may be waived for M.E. students with substantial ECE industry experience. The GRE subject area test is not required.

Academic Good Standing

All graduate students must maintain a 3.00 GPA or better and make significant progress towards their degree to remain in good standing. Failing to do either may hinder the student's financial assistance and/or ability to register for courses in the ECE graduate program.

Financial Assistance

The department has a limited number of both teaching and research assistantships available. These assistantships provide a monthly salary during the academic year, a waiver of graduate tuition during the academic year and summer, but do not cover the minimal activity fee. In addition, there are opportunities, both in the department and on the campus, to perform part-time work as graders, teachers, tutors, and consultants. These assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis -- typically at the time of admission for fall semester.

Research Facilities and Equipment

The department is housed in a modern, well-equipped building. Graduate students have access to laboratories, instrument rooms, and computer services ranging from the university computer system to departmental computers. Research facilities include cardiovascular engineering lab, computer architecture lab, digital systems lab, EMI shield room, power and power electronics lab, signal processing and systems lab, and printed circuit lab.

Master of Engineering and Master of Science

The Master of Engineering and the Master of Science degrees require a minimum of 30 semester credits beyond the B.S. degree. The Master of Engineering is a course-work only program requiring a capstone consisting of a portfolio or written exam. For the Master of Science, 6 hours of the 30 must be assigned to the thesis. All students must pass a final oral examination covering both course work, and the thesis. The Doctor of Philosophy degree requires a minimum of 90 credits beyond the baccalaureate with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher. Of these 90 credits, a minimum of 36 credits of graduate-level coursework and a minimum of 30 credits of dissertation are required, including ECE 702: Advanced Research Topics, 1 credit.