MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering
At a Glance
Degree Type
Master of Science
Total Credits
45
Degree Requirements
Questions?
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Advance Your Career. Expand Your Knowledge. Shape the Future.
The MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering (EECE) at Western Washington University is a flexible, high-impact program designed for engineers who want to deepen their technical expertise, collaborate with faculty experts, and prepare for leadership in industry, research, or academia.
Whether you are a recent graduate or a working professional, our program offers the rigor, flexibility, and mentorship to help you achieve your goals.
Why pursue an MS in EECE at WWU?
- Flexible Pathways – Designed for both full-time students and working professionals, with part-time enrollment options.
- Accessible Courses – Most classes offered in-person and remotely, offering the flexibility of a low-residency program without losing the benefits of face-to-face connection.
- Convenient Schedule – Courses are offered in small, interactive classes that meet in the evenings (4:30–6:20 pm or 6:30–8:20 pm), so you can balance graduate study with work and family commitments.
- Research Project – Every student completes a faculty-supervised research project, which may be integrated with your employer’s work. This ensures your degree has professional relevance and career impact.
- Expert Faculty & Close Mentorship – Learn directly from professors with expertise across diverse areas of electrical and computer engineering. Small cohorts mean you’re not just a number—you’ll get personalized guidance and mentorship throughout the program.
- Funding Opportunities – Limited TA positions each term and possible RA positions with faculty grants (available to full-time, on-campus students).
- Community & Mentorship – Small cohorts, close faculty engagement, and a collaborative learning environment.
- Location – Join a collaborative learning environment rooted in the Pacific Northwest. Build connections with local industry partners, enjoy Bellingham’s active, outdoors-focused community, and benefit from proximity to Seattle and Vancouver, BC.
Join a program where you’ll be challenged, supported, and prepared to lead in the rapidly evolving fields of electrical and computer engineering!
Curriculum Overview
- Core Courses (12 credits). Take three graduate-level EECE courses alongside your cohort, exploring advanced fundamentals that form the foundation of electrical and computer engineering practice and research.
- Elective EECE Courses (12 credits). Choose three graduate-level electives in your areas of interest, whether that’s advanced circuits, communications, power, signal processing, antennas, or another focus, tailored to your career and research goals.
- Graduate Seminar (3 credits). Participate in three quarters of seminar designed to sharpen professional skills and research readiness. Discuss topics such as ethics, integrity, and project design; explore state-of-the-art EECE research; and engage with guest speakers from academia and industry.
- Graduate Research Project (10 credits). Work closely with faculty mentors on a substantial research project that integrates theory and practice. Define your project, conduct meaningful research, and produce a professional-quality final report.
- Technical Electives (8 credits). Customize your path with electives from EECE, computer science, mathematics, or related disciplines. You may also apply additional graduate research credits here to deepen your expertise and expand your graduate research project beyond the 10 minimum required credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
The MS in EECE is officially a non-thesis program, but every student completes a master’s research project that closely parallels the thesis experience. Instead of a formal thesis, students write a research paper, developed under faculty supervision, that is submitted to a peer-reviewed conference or journal.
This process provides rigorous research training and professional communication experience. Many graduates go directly into industry, but the skills gained through the research project also prepare students to continue on to a Ph.D. program if they choose.
While most of the EECE graduate courses are offered in remote-friendly formats in the evening, the MS program is not a fully online or distance-delivered program. Requirements such as exams in some courses, use of specialized instrumentation, presentations, or certain elective courses may require occasional on-campus attendance. Students are encouraged to work closely with their advisor to plan a course schedule that aligns with their needs and minimizes required travel, but fully remote completion cannot be guaranteed.
Yes, for full-time on-campus students, there are a limited number of teaching assistantships available. TA positions include a quarterly stipend (excluding summer) and a full tuition waiver for each quarter of the academic year. For current stipend amounts and additional details, please visit the Grad School’s TA Compensation webpage.
The workload for each TA is approximately 20 hours per week. TAs receive valuable experience working closely with students in lab settings, and may be responsible for independently instructing undergraduate lab sections, grading assignments, supervising undergraduate TAs, and holding office hours.
Interested in learning more?
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