Master of Science in Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Administered by:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Program Description
The Master of Science in electrical and computer engineering degree program (ECE) is designed for students who are interested in acquiring advanced knowledge and skills in the traditional and emerging areas of ECE. The graduate curricula include strong offerings in advanced control engineering, automotive mechatronic systems, computer engineering, digital and wireless communication, digital signal and image processing, electromagnetics and antenna theory, electronics and microelectronics system design, microprocessor-based system design and robotic systems.
Admission terms and deadlines
All application materials must be received by:
August 1 for the fall semester
December 1 for the winter semester
April 1 for Summer I
June 1 for Summer II
Application requirements
Applicants for admission must submit the following:
Application for Admission to Graduate Study
Official transcripts for all post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned a degree (beginning with the first baccalaureate) and for all enrollment in graduate level coursework beyond the bachelor's degree. International university transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation service.
As part of the admission requirements, graduate programs may require official transcripts from post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned an associate's degree and all enrollment in coursework both pre- and post-bachelor's degree.
Recommendation letters from two members of the undergraduate major department or practicing engineers who are familiar with their accomplishments and promise
Applicants must submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) if they graduated from an institution not accredited by a regional accrediting agency of the USA. Other applicants whose credentials do not meet regular admission criteria are also encouraged to submit their GRE scores.
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) must be submitted by applicants who are graduates of programs taught in a language other than English.
International students will have additional application requirements. See the Graduate Admissions Web site for these additional requirements.
Admission requirements
Admission to the Master of Science in electrical and computer engineering degree program is selective. In addition to Graduate Admissions General Requirements, specified in the front section of this catalog, applicants must also satisfy the admission requirements established by the academic program as listed below.
Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering (EE) or computer engineering (CE).
Applicants from other disciplines will be considered after successfully completing appropriate prerequisite courses.
Grade-point average of 3.0 or better.
Degree requirements
To fulfill the requirements for a Master of Science in electrical and computer engineering degree, a student must:
Complete at least 32 credits of graduate-level work, of which at least 24 credits must be in approved courses offered by the School of Engineering and Computer Science.
Earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in courses applied toward the degree.
Complete the requirements specified for the program in electrical and computer engineering.
Satisfy all requirements concerning academic progress.
The degree requirements may be satisfied by taking only coursework. However, a graduate engineering project (ECE 690) or master's thesis research (ECE 691) provides a unique and valuable learning experience in which an individual student works with a faculty member in an area of mutual interest. Therefore, students are encouraged to include such an experience as their program permits.
A student must fulfill the following program requirements to be awarded the Master of Science in electrical and computer engineering:
Course requirements
A. Core and Theory course requirements (8 credits)
Choose 8 credits from the following:
APM 541 Mathematical Analysis for Engineers I 4 APM 542 Mathematical Analysis for Engineers II 4 APM 563 Applied Mathematics: Discrete Methods I 4
MTH 555 Complex Analysis 4
SYS 510 Systems Optimization and Design 4
SYS 520 Signal and Linear Systems Analysis 4
ECE 533 Random Signals and Processes 4
B. Depth and Breadth area options (16 credits)
Depth requirement: To satisfy the depth requirement, students must either complete a master's thesis or choose one of the options below as the depth area and take at least two courses from it. (8 credits)
Breadth requirement: To satisfy the breadth requirement, students must choose two other options as the breadth areas and take at least one course from each. (8 credits)
1. Communications Option
ECE 527 High-Frequency Electronics 4
ECE 533 Random Signals and Processes 4
ECE 534 Principles of Digital Communications 4 ECE 550 Satellite-based Positioning Systems 4
ECE 567 Computer Networks 4
ECE 632 Wireless Communications 4
ECE 633 Signal Detection and Estimation Theory 4
With approval:
ECE 594**, 595, 690**, 691***, 795 2. Computer Engineering Option
ECE 570* Microprocessor-based Systems Design 4
ECE 585 VLSIC Design of Digital Chips 4
ECE 571 Mixed-Signal Embedded Systems 4
ECE 576 Embedded System Design with FPGAs 4 ECE 664 Parallel Embedded Computer Architecture 4
ECE 666 Real-time Computing Systems 4
ECE 671 DSP in Embedded Systems 4
ECE 672 Fault Tolerant Systems 4
ECE 676 Advanced Embedded System Design 4
CSE 564* Computer Architecture 4
With approval:
ECE 594**, 595, 690**, 691***, 795 3. Controls Option
ECE 525 Instrumentation and Measurements 4 ECE 572* Microcomputer-based Control Systems 4
ECE 575* Automotive Mechatronics I 4
ECE 675 Automotive Mechatronics II 4
SYS 520 Signal and Linear Systems Analysis 4
SYS 630 Optimal Control Theory 4
SYS 631 Estimation and Control Theory 4
SYS 632 Analysis of Nonlinear Control Systems 4
SYS 635 Adaptive Control Systems 4
SYS 645 Intelligent Control Systems 4
SYS 674 Digital Control Systems 4
With approval:
ECE 594**, 595, 690**, 691***, 795 4. Electromagnetics Option
ECE 527 High-Frequency Electronics 4
ECE 545* Electromagnetic Engineering 4
ECE 546 Electromagnetic Compatibility 4
ECE 547 Antennas 4 ECE 550 Satellite-Based Positioning Systems 4 With approval:
ECE 594**, 595, 690**, 691***, 795
5. Electronics Option
ECE 525 Instrumentation and Measurements 4
ECE 527 High-Frequency Electronics 4
ECE 581 Integrated Circuits and Devices 4
ECE 583 Fundamentals of MEMS 4
ECE 585* VLSIC Design of Digital Chips 4
ECE 587* Integrated Electronics 4
ECE 625 Applications of Analog Integrated 4 Circuits
ECE 682 Field-Effect Devices 4
CE 683 Advanced VLSIC Analog/Digital 4
Systems Design With approval:
ECE 594**, 595, 690**, 691***, 795
6. Energy Option
ECE 525 Instrumentation and Measurements 4
SYS 520 Signal and Linear Systems Analysis 4
ECE 557 Energy Conservation Systems 4
SYS 558* Electrical Energy Systems 4
SYS 721 Large-Scale Dynamic Systems 4
With approval:
ECE 594**, 595, 690**, 691***, 795
7 . M e c h a t r o n i c s a n d R o b o t i c s O p t i o n
SYS 510 Systems Optimization and Design 4
ECE 523 Robotic Systems and Control 4
ECE 525 Instrumentation and Measurements 4 ECE 572* Microcomputer-based Control Systems 4
ECE 575* Automotive Mechatronics I 4
ECE 675 Automotive Mechatronics II 4
ECE 678 Introduction to Autonomous Vehicle 4 Systems
SYS 623 Dynamics and Control of Robotic 4
Manipulators
SYS 632 Analysis of Nonlinear Control Systems 4
SYS 674 Digital Control Systems 4
With approval:
ECE 594**, 595, 690**, 691***, 795
8. Signal Processing Option
ECE 533 Random Signals and Processes 4
ECE 537 Digital Signal Processing 4
ECE 633 Signal Detection and Estimation Theory 4
ECE 638 Digital Image Processing 4
ECE 639 Advanced Digital Signal Processing 4 With approval:
ECE 594**, 595, 690**, 691***, 795
c. Electives (8 credits)
An additional 8 credits of electives can be chosen from any of the ECE or SYS courses listed above under various options. (8 credits)
Additional electives (with adviser consultation)
With adviser's approval, students may also choose their electives from the following group of courses:
CSE 513
PHY 562, 574, 583, 632, 673
*These courses are cross-listed as advanced undergraduate and graduate courses. If completed as a 400-level course or equivalent as part of baccalaureate degree, the course may be used to offset graduate program requirements. However, credit will not then be awarded and must be earned by completion of an approved substitute course.
**At most 4 credits of ECE 594 and ECE 690 can be used toward the degree. ***A minimum of 8 credits are required for master's thesis (ECE 691).
Non-course requirements
Academic progress
The minimum satisfactory grade for graduate work is 3.0. Credit for completion of a course in the Master of Science program will be given for grades of 2.5 or above but not more than two grades may be in the range of 2.5 to 2.9.
Graduate credit will not be awarded for grades below 2.5. To repeat a course, a student must have the permission of the graduate committee of the school.
All grades received as a graduate student are used in computing the GPA except that, if a course has been repeated, the most recent grade is used in the calculation of the GPA. A graduate student is placed on academic probation if the student's overall GPA drops below 3.0 or if the student receives more than one grade below 3.0, including the original grade(s) of any repeated course(s). A graduate student receiving a grade less than 3.0 while on probation is subject to dismissal. A graduate student receiving more than two grades below 3.0 is subject to dismissal whether or not the student was put on probation previously.
In all programs the minimum grade point requirement is an average of at least 3.0. If a student's GPA is less than 3.0 after having attempted 16 credits, the student will be recommended for dismissal from the program.
Course approval
Approval by the master's degree adviser and the department chair is required for independent study, engineering projects, a master's thesis or special topics courses that are used toward the degree. In addition, approval of the faculty
administering the independent study, advising the thesis or project or teaching the special topics course must be obtained before registering for these credits.
Course credit
Normally, graduate credit is awarded only for courses numbered 500 or higher. However, up to 4 credits of Oakland University senior-level (400-499) courses in the major can be approved for graduate credit by the student's adviser.
With the added approval of the graduate committee of the school, an additional 4 credits of senior-level courses can also be counted toward the required 32 credits. Course credit will not be awarded for work applied toward another degree. Students who have received credit for the 400-level version of a cross-listed senior/graduate course cannot receive credit toward a graduate degree for the 500-level version of that course.
No more than 8 thesis or project credits may be used toward the degree requirements.
Transfer credit
Students transferring from other institutions are allowed to transfer a maximum of 9 credits of graduate coursework with the approval of the department.
Workload and scheduling
Full-time students must register for 8 to 12 credits per semester. Graduate assistants must be full-time students and commit 20 hours per week toward their research or teaching assistantship assignment. Graduate assistants normally register for only 8 credits per semester; however, a 12-credit load can be taken with the approval of the chair of their department.
For the convenience of part-time students employed in industry, courses are arranged in late afternoon and early evening.
However, these students should be aware of the very real demands of graduate studies and should keep outside work commitments and their academic load in balance.
Master's adviser
The progress of each regular student toward the Master of Science degree is directed by the student's adviser, a faculty member of the School of Engineering and Computer Science who is assigned at the time of admission. Incoming students seeking the degree are urged to discuss their proposed concentration area with their adviser or other faculty members in that area. Students who wish to change their adviser can do so with the approval of the chair of their department.
Master's project or thesis
Although the master's degree requirements may be satisfied by taking only coursework, either a graduate engineering project (ECE 690) or a directed master's thesis research (ECE 691) may be included as part of the program in place of elective courses.
Students electing a thesis option must accumulate a minimum of
8 credits of(ECE 691). Successful completion and defense of a thesis is a prerequisite for earning thesis credits.
Students choosing the thesis option must select an advisory committee, which is composed of at least three faculty members from the School of Engineering and Computer Science. The selection of the committee and the Plan of Study must be approved by the department chair. The chair (major professor) of the advisory committee will direct and guide the research. The student must propose a research topic to the committee for approval at least one semester before graduation. The completed thesis must conform to university standards (see Thesis and
Dissertation in the Graduation Information section of this catalog). At the completion of the research and its
documentation, the content of the thesis must be publicly presented and defended. Successful defense of the thesis is a prerequisite for earning the research credits.
