MS in Engineering - Electrical and Computer Engineering Emphasis

Overview

Students may customize and focus their degree through a selection of the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Emphasis Area. The ECE Area of Emphasis is intended for students wishing to pursue a graduate degree in areas related to electrical and computer engineering. The ECE school has expertise in three broad areas: Control Systems, Electronics and Photonics, and Cyber-Physical Systems. Students will take courses and perform research in these areas providing them with the necessary skills to pursue both industrial and academic careers in cutting edge fields of engineering. The area of emphasis is indicated on the student’s transcript.

Program Description

The M.S. in Engineering with Electrical and Computer Engineering Emphasis requires a minimum of 33 semester hours in the Program of Study, which consists of:

• A minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework:
  • 20 hours of graduate-level coursework
    • 12 hours of 8000-level courses from one or more of the ECE Emphasis Area tracks listed below.
    • 8 hours of 6000-level or higher coursework from any UGA school or college, exclusive of the thesis (7300) and research (7000, 7010)
  • 3 hours of Foundations for Engineering Research (ENGR 6910)
  • 2 hours of Graduate Seminar (ENGR 8950)**
• A minimum of 6 hours of master’s research (ENGR 7000) or project-based research (ENGR 7010). A typical student’s research hours will exceed this minimum; however, at most 6 hours of 7000/7010 may be listed on the program of study.
• 3 hours of MS thesis preparation and writing (ENGR 7300).

** Only 1 hour of Graduate Seminar may apply on the Program of Study and is counted toward the 33 hour MS minimum. Students are free to register for the course multiple times and are encouraged to continue regular attendance of speaker series presentations even if not registered for the seminar.

Students will work with their graduate advisor to select the most appropriate set of courses to ensure breadth of understanding as well as mastery of knowledge in a specific area consistent with their interests and research. In addition to completing 12 credit hours selected from the tracks below, students may work with their graduate advisor to develop an interdisciplinary plan of study drawing from the extensive graduate course offerings at UGA.

Admission

Students holding a B.S. degree or M.S. in engineering from an ABET-accredited program or a B.S. or M.S. in a related field from an accredited institution are invited to apply for admission to masters or doctoral programs. Students not having an ABET-accredited B.S engineering degree but having degrees in math or physical/biological science or other disciplines may be asked to take additional selected course work to adequately prepare them for their specific engineering studies.

The base requirements for consideration for admission to the College of Engineering’s Graduate Programs are listed below. Specific degree programs and emphasis areas may add additional requirements:

• Completion of a B.S. and M.S. (for Ph.D. applicants) with a minimum GPA of 3.00 (out of 4.00) from an ABET-accredited program or program in a related field.
• Submission of the online UGA Graduate School Application and submission of:
  • Official undergraduate and graduate academic transcripts.
  • A statement of purpose.
  • Three letters of recommendation.
  • CV or resume.
  • General Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores. Average Quantitative GRE scores of recently accepted students range near the 80th percentile. Applicants holding a UGA degree may waive this requirement if they meet GPA and undergraduate research requirements.
  • TOEFL is required for international students whose native language is other than English.
  • Transcript evaluations prepared by World Education Services (WES) or another approved credentialing agency are required for students who obtained degrees outside of the United States.
• Additional requirements may be applicable for admission to discipline-specific M.S. and Ph.D. Programs and Emphasis Areas offered through the College’s schools.

Emphasis Area Courses

Coursework fulfilling the ECE Emphasis Area credit hour requirement for the M.S. in Engineering degree may be chosen from one or more of the areas below. Courses will be reviewed each academic year and updated as needed to reflect new areas in the field.

Track 1: Control Systems

Through this track, students can gain expertise in the analysis and design of controllers for complex, large scale systems. The need for improved safety and a cleaner environment have posed countless challenges that can only be addressed through the design and implementation of intelligent feedback controls. Numerous emerging applications for controls include cyber-physical systems (e.g., smart grids and intelligent transportation systems) and biological networks.

• ENGR 8240 - Instrumentation programming
• CSCI(ENGR) 8940 - Computational intelligence
• ENGR 8930 - Optimization Theory and Applications
• ELEE 8220- Nonlinear Control Systems

Track 2: Electronics & Photonics

Students develop an understanding of the design and analysis of systems involving electromagnetic waves from RF electronics to photonic systems for signal processing and communication and optical systems for image capture and processing. High-speed communication and signal processing at gigabit speeds require sophisticated electro-optic systems that must be understood at both the device and the systems level. Modern optical imaging systems use a wide variety of electrical and photonic technologies to achieve everything from imaging biological systems at the nanometer scale to imaging distant galaxies.

• ELEE 8510 - Microwave Photonics
• ENGR 8570 - Topics in Advanced Microscopy
• ELEE 8530 - Advanced Optics and Photonics
• PHYS 8201 - Advanced Electromagnetic Theory I
• PHYS 8202 - Advanced Electromagnetic Theory II
• ENGR 8310 - MEMS Design
• ENGG 8840 - Advanced Image Analysis

Track 3: Cyber-physical Systems

This track develops in students an understanding of engineering systems that are built from, and depend upon, the seamless integration of computational algorithms and physical components. Advances in CPS will enable capability, adaptability, scalability, resiliency, safety, security, and usability that will far exceed the simple embedded systems of today. CPS technology will transform the way people interact with engineered systems -- just as the Internet has transformed the way people interact with information. New smart CPS will drive innovation and competition in sectors such as agriculture, energy, transportation, building design and automation, healthcare, and manufacturing.

• CSEE 8300 – Principles of Cyber-Physical Systems
• CSEE 8830 - AR/VR 3D User Interface Design
• ELEE 8240 - Instrumentation programming
• CSCI(ENGR) 8940 - Computational intelligence
• CSCI 8820 - Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
• CSCI 8380 - Advanced Topics in Information Systems
• CSCI 8250 - Advanced Network Security Systems
• ENGG 8840 - Advanced Image Analysis
• ENGR 8990 - Optimization Theory and Applications

Selected Course Offerings

Students may want to consider the following courses in building their Programs of Study, as appropriate:

• ENGR 4210/6210 Linear Systems
• ENGR 4220/6220 Feedback Control Systems
• ENGR 4230/6230 Sensors and Transducers
• ENGR 4240 Introduction to Microcontrollers
• ENGR 4250/6250 Advanced Microcontrollers
• ENGR 4260/6260 Introduction to Nanoelectronics
• ELEE 4040 Communication Electromagnetics
• ENGR 4620/6620 Biomedical Imaging

In addition, graduate courses from other colleges that are relevant for ECE students include:

• PHYS 8101 Quantum Mechanics I
• PHYS 8102 Quantum Mechanics II
• PHYS 8201 Advanced Electromagnetic Theory I
• PHYS 8202 Advanced Electromagnetic Theory II
• CSCI 8820 Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
• CSCI 8380 Advanced Topics in Information Systems
• CSCI 8250 Advanced Network Security Systems