Student sitting at a desk with a computer and electronic materials.

Tomorrow Needs You. Are You Ready?

Receive a graduate education from an accredited institution.

Electrical and Computer Engineering MS, PhD Programs

Power grids, connected devices, autonomous machines, and communication networks may look different, but they share a need for advanced electrical and computer engineering. Michigan Tech’s MS and PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering lets you deepen your expertise in the hardware, software, signals, and physical systems behind today’s technologies.

The Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students. Explore our Online Master's Program.

Who is This Program For?

The MS or PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering may fit your goals if you want advanced study in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a closely connected specialty. It is also ideal for working professionals who want to collaborate with their employers to develop specialized programs that meet their workplaces' needs.

What You'll Study

Pursue advanced topics in electrical energy systems, communications, embedded systems, robotics, signal and image processing, electromagnetics, optics, and photonics. You can focus on one area while drawing on knowledge from computing, control, and related engineering fields. The courses and research available to you depend on your degree option and whether you study online or on campus.

Where You'll Apply Your Knowledge and Skills

You can use this MS in ECE degree to apply specialized knowledge to evaluate power-system performance, develop embedded or autonomous technologies, interpret signals and images, or investigate electronic and photonic devices.

Electric and computer engineers with advanced degrees are often employed by electronics and mobility manufacturers, medical-technology developers, and government laboratories. For instance, Ford employs engineers to design controls and advanced vehicle technologies whereas Medtronic employs them to develop medical technologies.

Delivery Options
- Online: MS, PhD
- Accelerated: MS
- On-Campus: MS, PhD

Electrical and Computer Engineering Program Details

Choose a specific degree option or delivery type to learn more about the electrical and computer engineering program at Michigan Tech. For international students, Electrical and Computer Engineering is a designated STEM program.

On-Campus Programs

PhD, Electrical and Computer Engineering

To complete a doctoral degree, students must complete the following milestones:

Complete all coursework and research credits (see credit requirements below)
Pass Qualifying Examination
Pass Research Proposal Examination
Prepare and Submit Approved Dissertation
Pass Final Oral Defense

The minimum credit requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Degrees	Credits
MS-PhD (minimum)	30 Credits
BS-PhD (minimum)	60 Credits

Individual programs may have higher standards and students are expected to know their program's requirements. See the Doctor of Philosophy Requirements website for more information about PhD milestones and related timelines.

MS, Electrical and Computer Engineering: Thesis Option

This option requires a research thesis prepared under the supervision of the advisor. The thesis describes a research investigation and its results. The scope of the research topic for the thesis should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in 12 months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

The minimum requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	20 Credits
Thesis research	6-10 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

MS, Electrical and Computer Engineering: Report Option

This option requires a report describing the results of an independent study project. The scope of the research topic should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in 12 months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

Of the minimum total of 30 credits, at least 24 must be earned in coursework other than the project:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	24 Credits
Report	2-6 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

MS, Electrical and Computer Engineering: Coursework Option

This option requires a minimum of 30 credits be earned through coursework. A limited number of research credits may be used with the approval of the advisor, department, and Graduate Admissions. See degree requirements for more information.

A graduate program may require an oral or written examination before conferring the degree and may require more than the minimum credits listed here:

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	18 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Accelerated MS, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Bachelor's + 1 Year = Master's Degree

Our accelerated master's degree program is a faster, easier way for Michigan Tech students to earn a master's degree. Up to nine approved credits from your bachelor's degree can be applied towards your accelerated master's degree. Consult your graduate program director for your individualized plan. If you're thinking about pursuing a master's following your bachelor's this option may be the right choice for you.

Additional Accelerated Master's Program Details

Online Programs

MS, PhD, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Online)

Realize your career goal in design and analysis skills to take on advanced electrical engineering. Students in the Master's or Doctorate of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering programs can choose from a broad spectrum of electrical and computer engineering applications from the comfort of your office or home

See Online Electrical and Computer Engineering MS, PhD

Accelerated MS, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Online)

For Michigan Tech students with a Bachelor's degree, fast-track your career or speed progress toward advanced studies through an online Accelerated Master's Program. The program allows you to earn both a Bachelor's and Master's in as few as five years.

This online Accelerated Master’s program allows you to count up to 9 approved credits towards both degrees. It is designed for highly motivated students who wish to enter a mid-level position in their career after graduation or pursue doctoral studies. Set yourself up for success in an increasingly demanding job market with an online Accelerated Master’s from Michigan Tech.

Additional Program Information

Want to learn more about electrical and computer engineering at Michigan Tech? Visit the department for more information:

Contact

Graduate Director

Aurenice Oliveira

Graduate Assistant

Lynn McCormick

Sample Areas of Interest

Select areas of interest to help customize your Electrical and Computer Engineering MS. Sample areas include:

Automatic Control
Nanotechnology
Big Data
Information Networks

View full listing for this program

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Using a holistic approach, our graduate admissions team reviews applications on an individual and ongoing basis. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, but you will need to upload them later.

Graduate Admissions Process

Applying to your graduate program is free (no application fees) and fast (no official transcripts or test scores are needed to start). The application process involves three easy steps. Please note that international applicants are required to pay a non-refundable $10 processing fee per application.

See Admissions Steps.

Graduate Admissions Options

Michigan Tech offers several admissions options in order to meet the educational needs of students from a variety of backgrounds. Students should review the options available to them and apply for the program that will best help them achieve their personal educational goals.

See Admissions Options

Graduate Admissions Requirements

To be considered for admission to your program as either a degree- or certificate-seeking student, you need to:

have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, and
be prepared for advanced study in your chosen field, as demonstrated by your previous degree and your scholastic record.

See additional application requirements, including required materials:

Student Statements

Official Transcripts

Program-Specific Requirements

Program Specific

1 Letter of Recommendation (waived for online students and Michigan Tech undergrads)
Résumé / Curriculum vitae
Admitted applicants typically have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale
No GRE required
No Additional Documents Accepted

International Students

TOEFL scores as of January 21, 2026: Recommended Score of 5
- For tests taken before January 21, 2026: Recommended Score of 100 iBT
IELTS: Recommend Score of 7.0 overall<

Michigan Tech requires a minimum 4.5 overall TOEFL or 6.5 overall IELTS score.

Admissions Decisions

Made on a rolling basis.

Recommended Deadlines

Fall Semester: February 15

Spring Semester: August 15

Summer: Please contact the Graduate Program Director

International Student Requirements

International Students must apply and be accepted into a degree-granting program in order to earn a graduate certificate. A non-refundable $10 processing fee per application is required.

See International Applicants

Accelerated Master's Requirements

Our Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students.

Program Specific

Overall GPA of 3.0 or greater
No GRE required

Eligible Undergraduate Majors

Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Robotics Engineering
Other majors considered on a case-by-case basis

Accredited by HLC

Michigan Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1928. We offer over 125 graduate certificates, master's degrees, and PhD programs to provide our students and the world with what tomorrow needs.

Who You'll Learn From and Work With

Learn from and collaborate with faculty whose research connects electrical and computer engineering with fields such as physics, mathematics, computer science, and mechanical engineering. Their work, which spans power, wireless technologies, computing systems, photonics, and robotics, has received research support from organizations such as the National Science Foundation, Electrical Power Research Institute, and Teledyne Scientific and Imaging.

Benefit from faculty who have published in and edited for disciplinary journals like IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, Applied Optics, and International Journal of Modeling and Simulation. Because of this research environment, you'll be able to contribute to interdisciplinary projects with real world implications for both industry and society.

Your concentration and delivery format will shape which faculty expertise and opportunities are part of your experience.

Where You'll Study and Do Research

Join a department that has been a world leader since 1928, setting the standard for electrical and computer engineering research and scholarship. Occupying 50,000 square feet of space, you'll have access to labs and facilities that include the Microfabrication Facility, the Paul and Susan Williams Center for Computer Systems Research, the Wireless Positioning Laboratory, the Energy Storage Laboratory, and the Smart Grid Control Center, along with other spaces for research in power, photonics, microgrids, and robotics.

Faculty Spotlight

Elena Semouchkina

Elena Semouchkina
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

"Novel devices can be created, operating from radio frequencies to visible light."

Semouchkina engineers artificial materials with unusual properties and employs them to control electromagnetic wave paths. This makes it possible to modify antenna radiation patterns and build devices with unprecedented functionalities, such as invisibility cloaks.

Program Faculty