Electrical Engineering, M.S.E.E.

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College of Engineering
Department: Electrical Engineering

Major Contacts, Deadlines, and Delivery Information

Also offered as a Bachelor’s/Master’s Pathways

The Department of Electrical Engineering offers both doctoral and masters level degrees. The major areas of research and instruction in the Department are: semiconductor materials, microelectronic manufacturing, MEMS, nanotechnology, VLSI design, digital signal processing, communication theory, wireless communications, microwave engineering, power systems and controls, network theory, cyber security, and biomedical materials and imaging. The Department’s research efforts are supported by well-equipped laboratories in the areas of silicon processing, compound semiconductors, electro-optics, IC design, thin dielectric films, communications and signal processing, power systems, nanotechnology, MEMS, micro/millimeter waves, biomedical materials and imaging, and bio-electrical engineering.

Current and previous Ph.D. dissertations explored the areas of microelectronics (materials and devices of elemental and compound semiconductors, circuit design, modeling, testing, and reliability); communications and signal processing (communication networks, packet switching, satellite communications, communications software, and VLSI for signal processing); systems and controls; solid state material and device processing and characterization; electro-optics, electromagnetic, microwave and millimeter-wave engineering (antennas, devices, systems); and biomedical engineering. Master’s majors include options in semiconductor materials and processes, VLSI design, communications and signal processing, power systems and controls, microwave and millimeter-wave engineering, netowrks and machine learning, cyber systems, and biomedical engineering.

Admission Information

Must meet University Admission and English Proficiency requirements as well as requirements for admission to the major, listed below.

Three Letters of Recommendation
Resume
Statement of Purpose

Curriculum Requirements

Total Minimum Hours - 30 Credit Hours

Core Requirements - 4 Credit Hours
Specialization Required Courses - 14 Credit Hours
Thesis or additional electives - 6 Credit Hours Minimum
Remaining credits (usually additional electives) - 6 Credit Hours Minimum

Overall students must have a minimum of 21 or 24 credits respectively of graded coursework in the Department, according to Thesis or Non-Thesis classification.

Core Requirements (4 Credit Hours)

Students must take the following applied mathematics courses as part of the degree program:

EEE 6542 Random Processes in Electrical Engineering Credit Hours: 2
EEL 6xxx Linear and Matrix Algebra Credit Hours 2 (Proposed as EEL 6029)

Specialization Coursework (14 Credit Hours Minimum)

Students complete at least 14 credit hours of graduate coursework in one of the following specializations, selected in consultation with the Specialization Advisor:

Automation and Control Systems
Biomedical Systems
Communication Networking and Signal Processing
Machine Learning and AI
Microelectronics
Renewable Energy and Power Systems
Systems and Security
Wireless and Microwave
General

Electives (3 Credit Hours Minimum)

Students opting for the non-thesis option complete a minimum of six (6) departmental elective credits, whereas thesis students must complete a minimum of three (3) credits beyond the track requirements in the department.

Students may adopt suggested electives from the Department Graduate Handbook, by track or emphasis area of their choice, or other graduate course approved by the Graduate Director. All courses must be graduate level. Students should refer to university requirements when choosing courses bearing in mind allowed quantities of 5000 and 6000 level coursework.

Comprehensive Exam

The University requires all Master’s students to be assessed by a comprehensive examination. The Department maintains two versions of this exam according to the student pathway to degree, i.e. Thesis or Non-Thesis as follows:

Thesis students:
Student’s written thesis and Public Defense of same constitute the comprehensive exam. Student is provided a rubric that they will be assessed by relative to their written document and presentation. The Committee reports this assessment to the Department for final approval.

Non-Thesis Students:
In lieu of the Comprehensive Exam, a portfolio addressing the content from the core math courses (two courses) and required track courses (four courses from the track requirements) in the primary area of study must be successfully completed to graduate. Students are provided two attempts, beginning the semester prior to the intended graduation semester to pass this examination. Groups of department faculty grade each portfolio according to the overall quality of the writing, the clarity of the explanation of how the learning outcomes were achieved, and the quality of the examples that are included.

Thesis (6 Credit Hours Minimum)

EEL 6971 Thesis: Master’s Credit Hours: 2-19 (6 credits for this program minimum)
Students may complete up to nine (9) hours of thesis, reducing the required department course credits from 24 to 21 credit hours.

Bachelor’s/Master’s Pathway

Also available as a Bachelor’s/Master’s Pathway

University of South Florida

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