Frequently Asked Questions

There are three options for the MS pathway:

1. Thesis (30 credits for graduation): Requires 6 credits of thesis research and successful defense of a thesis.
2. Advanced Project (30 credits for graduation): Requires 3 credits of advanced project with a faculty member. The project, including clearly defined scope and grading criteria, needs to be agreed upon between you and the faculty supervisor and approved by me prior to enrolling.
3. Non-project Option (30 credits for graduation): No advanced project is taken, in its place is another technical elective.

Note: If you are non-thesis and started the program prior to Fall 2023 you are still under the old requirements of 33 credits to graduate. You can submit an academic petition to request to be changed to the new credit requirement/

Technical electives:

Technical electives are any 5XXX or higher course offered by the ECE department. Grad level courses outside of ECE may be taken with prior approval from me. It is worthwhile considering this if a course will benefit you in building a portfolio.

Changing between EE and CpE:

Changing between EE and CpE majors at the master’s level is done through an academic petition. You do not need to reapply. But, remember that the required core courses will be different. You still are required to complete three of them.

Duplicating previously taken courses:

I do not recommend students retake a course they took as an undergraduate. At UML courses that are 4xxx/5xxx combined do not typically differ in the material covered, just the level of difficulty of the coursework. You should not need to spend money to retake a class that you are already familiar with. If this cuts into the possible core courses that you are able to take, talk with me to work out an alternate arrangement.

Concentrations:

Concentrations do not formally exist, despite certain websites suggesting otherwise, and they do not show up on your degree. The courses listed are suggested for students wishing to specialize in the defined areas. Although a scattershot approach to subject selection in the master’s program is inadvisable, there can be benefits from drawing course selections from two concentrations.

Transferring courses:

• A maximum total of 12 graduate credits earned with a grade of B or better taken at another accredited institution may be transferred to a master’s degree program.
• The courses presented for a master’s degree must not have been used in earning another master’s degree.
• The courses presented must be appropriate to the degree program for which the applicant is applying.
• The courses presented must be graduate level.

It is the position of the department that 4XXX level courses will not be accepted for transfer. The student must petition to have the course re-designated as a 5XXX level prior to requesting it be transferred. Be aware that it is at the sole discretion of the instructor of the course whether or not to allow that re-designation and if it is allowed, the petition will be scrutinized at the department and dean’s levels.

Grades below B:

You are allowed to count two courses with passing grades of B- or lower towards your degree. If you have more than that you will have to petition to have the courses not counted. The first course will be allowed through an academic petition. Any additional courses will require approval by the associate dean for graduate studies and possibly by the Graduate Policies and Affairs Committee (GPAC).

International students in your last semester:

If you are in the US on a student visa, you are required to be enrolled in a minimum of nine credits during the semester. Often students find that they have less than nine credits remaining to complete their degree. There is a one-time allowance in the last semester to take a reduced courseload. You will need to contact ISSO to request this reduced courseload. If you are doing a thesis, your thesis advisor will need to sign off on the request otherwise I will be the one signing off on it. ISSO will prepare the form and make contact with either your thesis advisor or me; you only need to let ISSO know who to contact.

Bachelor’s to master’s students:

• The courses you wish to double count will not transfer automatically! You need to submit an academic petition requesting them to be transferred.
• You can only transfer four courses taken before you start the MS program. Two may be double-counted and the other two must not be necessary for completing your undergraduate degree.
• Please note that you will not be allowed to transfer a non-graduate level course into the MS program. You must make sure that you are taking the 5XXX version of a course if it is dual-listed as 4XXX and 5XXX
• You may defer the start of your MS degree by speaking with the Graduate Admission Office.

READY TO GRADUATE?

If you are in your last semester you will need to fill out and submit a Declaration of Intent to Graduate (DIG) form to me. I will not sign off on a DIG prior to the student being in their last semester. The only exception are students who are anticipated to graduate in the summer and wish to participate in commencement.

DIG requirements:

• You must have all INC grades cleared.
• You must be in your last semester and attending the remaining required courses. (The only exception is Summer grads who also submit a request to participate in graduation ceremonies.)
• Thesis track? Please get your thesis advisor’s signature on the DIG before sending it to me.

You need three core courses in order to graduate. Exceptions to the listed core courses must be approved by me prior to taking the course0