Online MS, PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Earn Your Online Master's and PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering at MTU.

Electrical and computer engineers develop the technologies that power, connect, automate, and transform our world. From energy systems and electric vehicles to embedded computing, robotics, communications, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, professionals with advanced expertise in electrical and computer engineering are increasingly important across industries.

Michigan Tech offers two online graduate pathways in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Choose a flexible, coursework-based master's degree to expand your technical capabilities. Or pursue a research-intensive PhD designed to help you make an original contribution to the field.

Both pathways allow students to work with experienced faculty and develop a personalized academic plan aligned with both their technical interests and professional goals. Advance your career, strengthen your technical expertise, make an impact, and boost your earning potential.

Pathway 1: Online MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering

The online MS in ECE is designed for professionals who want to strengthen their expertise, move into a specialized technical area, or prepare for greater responsibility within their organization.

This 30-credit, coursework-based degree does not require specific courses or a thesis. Instead of following a single prescribed curriculum, students work with an advisor to select courses to create a customizable degree.

The online MS in ECE may be a good fit for professionals who want to

Expand their expertise in a specific electrical or computer engineering field.
Prepare for advanced engineering or technical leadership roles.
Add knowledge from related disciplines to their engineering background.
Build focused course clusters around professional interests.
Complete an advanced degree without conducting doctoral research.

Breakdown of Courses for the MS in ECE Degree.

At least 18 credits of advisor-approved 5000 level or higher in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, or Physics.
Up to 12 credits of advisor-approved 4000 level courses.
Up to 12 credits from outside the ECE Department. These credits must be approved by the program director.
Optional graduate certificates or focused course clusters that align with career goals

Examples of Customizable Interdisciplinary MS Degrees and Focus Areas

Power Systems, Sustainability, and Public Policy

This focus area is ideal for professionals working in power generation, transmission, distribution, utilities, energy consulting, grid modernization, energy transition planning, or in regulatory environments. It is ideal for those who want to understand both the technical and policy dimensions of modern power systems.

Students might combine the online Advanced Electric Power Engineering Certificate with the online Public Policy Certificate while also taking electives on sustainability, resilience, and renewable energy.

Possible sub-focus areas include:

Power system modeling, protection, distribution, dynamics, and stability
Sustainability and resilience
Wind power and renewable energy integration
Public policy, public management, and the policy process

Best fit for power engineers, utility professionals, transmission and distribution specialists, energy analysts, and professionals working at the intersection of engineering, sustainability, and policy.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Automotive Systems

This customized degree would suit professionals working in the automotive, mobility, electrification, or advanced manufacturing sectors. They can build a degree around hybrid electric vehicle drive systems, power electronics, propulsion systems, electric machinery, batteries, automotive systems, and controls, earning the online Hybrid Electric Drive Vehicle Certificate along the way.

Possible sub-focus areas include:

Power electronics
Hybrid electric vehicle propulsion systems
Electric machinery and drives
Vehicle batteries and energy storage
Automotive systems and control systems

Best fit for automotive engineers, controls engineers, hybrid electric vehicle engineers, propulsion engineers, power electronics specialists, and technical professionals supporting electrification.

Software-Defined Vehicles and Robust Embedded Software

Those with a previous controls background who are interested in software-defined vehicles, embedded systems, safety-critical software, firmware, real-time systems, verification, testing, and quality assurance might choose to customize their master's this way.

Combine ECE coursework with the Robust Embedded Software Graduate Certificate from Michigan Tech’s Department of Computer Science. This degree supports professionals who want to strengthen their ability to design, test, verify, and improve embedded software systems used in vehicles, robotics, power systems, aerospace, manufacturing, and other high-reliability environments.

Possible focus areas include:

Microcontroller architecture and firmware
Hardware abstraction layers
Real-time operating systems
Model-driven development and verification
Embedded software testing and quality assurance
Hardware-in-the-loop testing, code coverage, scheduling, and trace analysis

Best fit for embedded software engineers, computer engineers, systems engineers, automotive software professionals, robotics engineers, and professionals working in safety-critical or software-defined environments.

Pathway 2: Online PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering

The online PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering is designed for engineers, researchers, technical leaders, and educators who want to move beyond advanced coursework and contribute original knowledge to their field.

Online PhD applicants must have previously completed a master's degree in electrical and computer engineering or in a related discipline approved by the graduate program director. Students also work closely with a faculty research advisor to develop an individualized program combining advanced coursework, independent research, doctoral examinations, and a dissertation.

Each student's plan is tailored to their research interests while meeting Michigan Tech's rigorous doctoral requirements. Online and on-campus PhD students follow the same academic and research requirements.

The online PhD in ECE may be an especially strong fit for professionals who want to

Lead advanced research and development projects.
Become subject-matter experts in emerging technologies.
Develop new engineering methods, systems, or applications.
Prepare for research leadership in industry, government, or national laboratories.
Teach electrical or computer engineering at the university level.
Publish and present original technical research.
Address complex problems that cross traditional engineering disciplines.

This degree is particularly relevant to experienced professionals who already hold a related master's degree and want to conduct doctoral research while remaining connected to their careers and communities.

The Online PhD at a Glance

Adobe Stock Image of engineers standing around and looking at a giant electric battery

Visit the Department's Online MS and ECE Page

The online PhD in ECE a 30-credit, post-master's program consisting of

9–12 credits of advanced coursework.
At least 9 credits of 5000- or 6000-level EE courses.
Up to 3 credits of approved graduate coursework outside the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
18–21 credits of doctoral research.
Advanced responsible-conduct-of-research training.
A qualifying examination.
A research proposal examination.
An original doctoral dissertation.
A final oral dissertation defense.

Explore Interdisciplinary Research Areas.

The PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering reflects the increasing convergence of electrical engineering, computer engineering, computing, and the physical sciences.

Potential research areas include the following:

Artificial intelligence, robotics, and autonomous navigation.
Embedded systems, sensing, and networking.
Signal and image processing.
Communications systems.
Power generation, transmission, and distribution.
Power-system protection and operations.
Renewable energy and microgrids.
Power-grid and industrial-control-system cybersecurity.
Quantum optics and quantum computing.
Nanoelectronic devices and electronic manufacturing.
Electromagnetics, optics, and photonics.

Important note: Available research opportunities depend on faculty expertise, advising capacity, and alignment between the student's interests and an appropriate doctoral research project.

Explore ECE Research

MS of PhD: Which Degree is Right For You?

Choose the Online MS to

Develop broader or deeper technical expertise.
Complete a coursework-based graduate degree.
Prepare for advancement or a new specialization.
Build a flexible program around professional goals.
Potentially prepare for later doctoral study.

Choose the Online PhD to

Conduct sustained, original research.
Work closely with a faculty research advisor.
Complete a dissertation and doctoral examinations.
Prepare for research leadership or university teaching.
Contribute new knowledge and research to the field of electrical and computer engineering.

Get Started on Your Online ECE Degree.

Access career opportunities, leadership roles, and a better salary with your online engineering and computing degree. Take the next step on your educational journey at Michigan Tech. We are here to answer your questions and to help you succeed in your online program.