Advising for MS Students

Graduate advising in EECE is designed to support you throughout your program, whether you’re just getting started, planning your coursework, or preparing for your research project and graduation.

Advising Structure in the MS in EECE Program

MS students in EECE are supported by two advising roles over the course of their degree. In some cases, both roles may be filled by the same faculty member.

Faculty Academic Advisor (initial). Upon admission, each student is assigned a Faculty Academic Advisor, matched based on faculty research interests and any preferences expressed in the application. This advisor helps you get oriented to the program, choose your first courses, explore potential research directions, and navigate your first quarter. Their most important responsibility is to guide you through the process of selecting a Faculty Research Advisor.

Faculty Research Advisor (permanent). Once you begin your graduate project, you will transition to working with a Faculty Research Advisor. At this point, the Faculty Research Advisor becomes your sole faculty advisor, taking on both academic and research mentoring responsibilities through to graduation. If your initial Academic Advisor is the same person who mentors your graduate project, then that faculty member simply continues in this expanded role.

Degree Planning

The MS degree requires completion of the following 45 credits:

• Core EECE grad courses (12 credits) – Taken with your cohort to strengthen advanced EECE fundamentals.
• EECE grad electives (12 credits) – Selected based on your interests and career goals.
• Graduate Seminar (3 credits) – Builds professional skills, research readiness, and exposes you to cutting-edge work.
• Graduate Project (10 credits) – Faculty-supervised research or applied project. Requires authoring a paper and giving a presentation.
• Technical Electives (8 credits) – Flexible options to deepen or broaden your expertise. Please see list of pre-approved technical electives.

Note: Core EECE and seminar courses are offered every year. Graduate electives are offered on a rotating basis and may not be available annually. Students should plan electives early with their advisor to align with their interests and degree goals.

Regular MS Program

Here is an example schedule, where the specifics will vary based on interest, and whether a full-time or part-time student. If attending full-time, the MS degree will typically require 4 to 6 quarters of study.

Assuming this schedule is followed, Year 2 would then involve any remaining EECE 691 Research Project credits (to reach at least 10 total credits) and additional Technical Electives (to reach at least 8 total credits), selected in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Notes:

• Full-time students will typically take 12 credits per quarter.
• Part-time students may prefer to delay the EECE graduate electives shown in Year 1, and spread the degree out over 6 or more quarters.
• Most students will not start their research project until their second quarter at the earliest.

Accelerated BS/MS Program

Students in the Accelerated BS/MS program take the following courses during the last year of their BS degree:

And to finish the MS in one additional year, students in the Accelerated BS/MS program would follow a schedule like this:

Students in the Accelerated BS/MS program should begin their research project in the first quarter once they are full-time graduate students.

Successfully finding a faculty member to advise your graduate research project is a key milestone in your journey through the graduate program. To support you in this process, the following steps outline the timing and structure for advisor selection:

• Faculty Academic Advisor Assignment: Upon acceptance to the program, each student is assigned a temporary, academic advisor based on faculty interests and preferences expressed during the application process. This advisor serves as an initial guide to help you explore the program, understand potential research directions, and navigate your first quarter.
• Research Showcase in EECE 591: During the fall quarter, all incoming students enroll in EECE 591. In this course, faculty members will present their current research projects and areas of expertise. This research showcase provides an opportunity for you to learn about the variety of research opportunities within the department and engage with potential research advisors.
• Exploration and Informal Discussions: Following the research showcase, students are encouraged to engage in informal discussions with faculty members whose research aligns with their interests. These conversations can include discussing specific project opportunities, learning about expectations, and gauging mutual compatibility.
• Research Advisor Selection Timeline: Most graduate students should aim to select a research advisor by the beginning of their second quarter. Part-time students pursuing the degree over two or more years may take additional time. BS/MS students should aim to identify a graduate research advisor at the start of their first graduate quarter. If you're having trouble finding a research advisor, speak with your academic advisor or notify the Graduate Program Director for guidance.
• Starting the Research Project (EECE 691): Once you and a faculty member agree to work together, you may begin your research by enrolling in EECE 691 the following quarter. To do so, request an “override” from your faculty research advisor to register. EECE 691 is a variable-credit course; be sure to discuss with your research advisor how many credits are appropriate. A good rule of thumb: one credit corresponds to about 3 hours of work per week, or roughly 30 hours over the quarter.

The MS in EECE is a non-thesis program, but every student completes a substantial master’s research project as part of the degree program. Students enroll in EECE 691 while conducting this work, typically over multiple quarters, under the close supervision of a Faculty Research Advisor.

The project is designed to immerse students in the process of engineering research -- posing questions, exploring solutions, and communicating results -- while building skills valued by both employers and doctoral programs.

To earn credit, students must demonstrate meaningful outcomes through two milestones:

1. Written Contribution: Author a research paper, prepared with faculty guidance, that is submitted to a refereed journal or conference.
2. Oral Presentation: Deliver a formal presentation of the project to peers and faculty.

These requirements are usually completed during the student’s final quarter of enrollment in EECE 691. Together, the paper and presentation ensure that graduates leave the program not only with technical expertise, but also with experience in professional research communication.

For guidelines and details about the research project, please see this webpage:

MS Research Project Requirements and Guidelines