Our Graduate Program
Electrical Engineering M.S.E.E.
Our program provides students the opportunity to advance their knowledge and conduct research on the cutting edge of electrical engineering and related fields.
We include both research and coursework components in our masters program. To learn more about the research areas of our faculty, check out their individual biographies via the Faculty & Staff Directory. The program offers graduate level (4000 or above) courses in order for students to master advanced knowledge in their area of research interests and related fields.
There are two degree options, Plan A (thesis option) and Plan B (project option).
Plan A: Thesis Based
This includes the completion of a Master's thesis based upon original research carried out under the direction of a faculty member.
Plan B: Project Based
Involves the completion of a project that may consist of participation in ongoing faculty research and preparation of a report on that work.
After graduation, our students have been well placed in industrial companies or in PhD programs at other universities nationwide. The training that students receive from our program on both engineering insights and problem-solving capability enhances their future career success.
Integrated Undergraduate Graduate Program - MS IDP
The Integrated Degree Program (IDP) program in Electrical Engineering provides a unique opportunity for top BSEE students to seamlessly integrate their BS and MS degrees. Students typically apply to the program in their junior/senior year and develop an integrated plan of study to complete a BSEE degree directly followed by an MSEE degree with options of Plan A or Plan B. Undergraduate students who are admitted into the IDP program can apply up to 9 credits of approved graduate level coursework to both their undergraduate (BSEE) and graduate (MSEE) degrees. Students must be admitted to the IDP program prior to taking these courses in order to count toward graduate credits. The application deadline of IDP is the same as that of the MSEE program.
IDP application requirements:
- At least two of three recommendation letters should be from Electrical Engineering faculty members
- Minimum GPA of 3.30
- Submit an IDP request with your online application (email the Director of Graduate Studies)
Degree Requirements
The Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) degree requires 31 semester credits. The program offers two degree plans, plan A and plan B. For both thesis research and project research, a student is expected to identify a research advisor during the first two semesters in the program. All students are required to take the EE8001 (1 credit).
Plan A: Thesis Option
Students must complete a minimum of 31 semester credits including 10 thesis credits and 21 coursework credits. Plan A students must register for 10 thesis (EE 8777) credits, and write and defend a thesis on original research. Students may take up to 6 credits from graduate programs in related fields outside of EE. All courses must be 4xxx or above. A maximum of 6 credits in courses at 4xxx is allowed.
Plan B: Project Option
Students must complete a minimum of 31 semester credits including project credits. Plan B students must register for at least 1 project credit (EE 8222), and write and defend a project report. Students may take up to 6 credits from graduate programs in related fields outside of EE. All courses must be 4xxx or above. A maximum of 6 credits in courses at 4xxx is allowed.
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistantships are available through teaching assistantships (TAs) from the EE department and research assistantships (RAs) from individual faculty's research grants.
Students who are admitted to the MSEE program will be automatically considered for graduate assistantships (25% or 50%) based on their academic and research potential and interest areas. Offers of a graduate assistantship are determined based on students' academic and research credentials and available funds. A full scholarship (50%) includes approximately $20,520 salary for the academic year plus tuition waiver for up to 14 credits per semester. Health insurance is available to the graduate assistant and dependents.
Duties of teaching assistants (TAs) include:
- Directing undergraduate laboratory sessions
- Grading laboratory reports and homework
- Office hours
Detailed work content depends on the requirement from the course instructor and duties of research assistants are determined by the sponsoring faculty member. Continued support is contingent upon satisfactory performance in coursework, research project and teaching assignments.
The current minimum GA rate for the Department of Electrical Engineering is $27.00 USD.
Application Details
The University of Minnesota has several campuses. In the "Program Selection", be sure to select the "Electrical Engineering-Duluth-MSEE" program.
In "Term Selection", the deadlines for applications are March 1st for the fall semester and October 15th for the spring semester for consideration for a GTA offer. Later applicants may be considered at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies and the graduate committee. Please notify the Department if you have submitted after the deadline.
In the "Materials" section, the applicant should upload the following:
Required:
- Personal Statement
- Diversity Statement
Resume or CV
Optional:
Graduate Program Additional Material
Here you may upload information regarding extenuating circumstances, description of research experience, publications or papers, Awards and Certificates, GRE scores or any other appropriate material.
In the "Recommendations" section, the applicant must upload or identify at least 3 references. At least two of three recommendation letters should be from academic faculty members. If at least two references are not received by March 15th for Fall or November 1st for Spring, your application will not be considered complete.
Notes:
References: You are strongly encouraged to contact your references to ensure timely completion of recommendation letters for your application.
Graduate Assistantships: All admitted applicants are automatically considered for any available assistantships, no additional application or information is required.
Submission Changes: Once you have submitted your application, you may not upload or change your submitted materials. If you wish to add or change material, please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator, Shey Peterson at [email protected].
Questions regarding application to UMD's MSEE program can be sent to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) Dr. Hua Tang at [email protected] or Shey Peterson at [email protected].