Degrees offered
The Electrical and Computer Engineering department offers M.S. and Ph.D. programs for students pursuing advanced technical training and research.
Master of Science Degree Program
The requirements listed below are in addition to the general requirements of the Graduate School as detailed in the Graduate Catalog.
MS Plan A Requirements
All students in the MS Plan A program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above; Students must take a minimum of 30 credits in the program. Requirements: at least 21 credits of graduate course work (at least 12 of which must be in ECE) and at least one credit of ECE 6094 Seminar, with no more than three credits of ECE 6099 Independent Study in Electrical Engineering; at least nine credits of GRAD 5950 Master’s Thesis Research; satisfactory completion of a Master’s thesis, with oral presentation; have at least one first-author conference proceedings full paper or journal paper accepted by the time of graduation. The student’s Plan of Study must be approved by the graduate advisory committee and the Graduate School by the end of the second semester.
MS Plan B Requirements
All students in the MS Plan B program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above; Students must take a minimum of 30 credits in the program. Requirements: At least 30 credits of graduate course work (at least 15 of which must be in ECE) and at least one credit of ECE 6094 Seminar, with no more than three credits of ECE 6099 Independent Study in Electrical Engineering; pass the M.S. comprehensive final exam. The student’s Plan of Study must be approved by the graduate advisory committee and the Graduate School by the end of the second semester.
Ph.D. Program
All students in the Ph.D. program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above; pass a two-part general examination; complete a dissertation which represents a significant contribution to the field and pass a final oral defense.
Students must take a minimum of 33 credits of content coursework beyond a B.S. degree or 18 credits of content coursework beyond an M.S. degree. At least half the content coursework must be in ECE, with no more than three credits of ECE 6099 Independent Study in Electrical Engineering. In addition, a student must take at least two credits of ECE 6094 Seminar and at least fifteen credits of GRAD 6950 (Doctoral Dissertation Research) or GRAD 6960 (Full-time Doctoral Research).
In addition, students must meet the following minimum research publications requirements:
- One first-author full length papers (conference or journal) accepted by the time of the proposal presentation.
- Three journal papers with first authorship by the time of the dissertation defense, two accepted and one submitted. For computer engineering students, with the approval of the advisory committee, up to three journal papers may be replaced by full proceedings papers with first authorship presented at leading international conferences with a documented acceptance rate of under 30% based on data from the previous year.
The student’s Plan of Study must be approved by the graduate advisory committee and the Graduate School by the end of the second semester. The student’s Advisory Committee has the final word on all Plan of Study matters.
The final defense must be taken at least six months after passing the proposal.
Graduate Certificates Offered
UConn ECE graduate certificates provide focused, advanced training in specialized areas of electrical and computer engineering through fully online coursework.
Advanced Systems Engineering
This fully online graduate certificate prepares engineers in core systems engineering areas including requirements analysis, architecture, and model‑based design. Certificate credits may be applied toward UConn’s Master of Engineering program, with select courses aligned to INCOSE knowledge standards.
Certificate in Power Engineering
This fully online graduate certificate provides advanced training in the analysis, modeling, and design of electric power systems. Credits earned may be applied toward UConn’s Master of Engineering program in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Certificate in Power Grid Modernization
This fully online graduate certificate prepares engineers to address the technical and operational challenges of a modern, data‑driven electric grid. Credits earned may be applied toward UConn’s Master of Engineering program in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Master of Engineering
Provides a professionally focused graduate degree emphasizing advanced technical training, applied problem solving, and flexibility for students preparing for engineering leadership in industry.