ECE Graduate Program FAQs

What are the application deadlines? The Fall deadline is January 15th, and the Spring deadline is October 1st. To ensure full consideration, your application should be complete before then. Applications completed after these deadlines will only be handled on a best-effort basis. Applications deemed very late will not be entertained.

If I send my CV and transcript to the department, can someone tell me what my chances are of being accepted? The ECE department does not assess an individual’s eligibility for admission into our programs via email. Individuals need to apply through the Graduate School application process to be considered for admission.

Are there any funding opportunities for MS students in ECE? The two departmental sources of graduate student funding are teaching assistantships (TAs) and research assistantships (RAs). PhD students have priority for the former, while individual faculty support students with the latter. For the most part, MS students are not funded by these mechanisms and you should not enter our MS program with the hope of being so supported.

Can my application fee be waived? Unfortunately the ECE department does not have the funds to cover application fees. You are welcome to send an email to gradfee [at] grad [dot] umass [dot] edu inquire whether the Graduate School has a fee waiver option.

Where can I find the degree requirements for the MS program? Our website has a lot of useful information for prospective applicants to browse. Visit the MS degree requirements page for more information.

What are the coursework requirements for the PhD program? You can find that information on the ECE Ph.D. Preliminary Comprehensive Examination Policy webpage. 

Is the PhD admission process different from that for MS? The PhD is a research degree involving extensive research under the close supervision of a faculty member. As a result, we are limited in the number of students who can be admitted into the PhD program. Admission depends on the number of vacant slots in the various research groups within the department. Students are, of course, welcome to contact individual faculty members ahead of time to express their interest in a given research area or with any questions related to their research.

Do you accept PhD applicants who do not have a Master’s degree? Direct admission to the PhD program without first obtaining an MS in the relevant area is rare since extensive technical preparation is needed in order to be productive in the PhD program.  Since it is a research degree, students are only admitted to the PhD program if a faculty member identifies the applicant as suitable for PhD-level research. 

I applied for the PhD program but was accepted into the MS program. Why did that happen? Students applying for admission to our PhD program who do not already have an MS are also considered for admission to the MS program.  This can happen if there are no vacant slots in the relevant research groups or if the applicant is assessed as not yet being academically prepared for research.

What are the options for satisfying the English proficiency requirement? Please refer to the International Students webpage on the Graduate School’s website for English proficiency requirements.

The major of my undergraduate degree is not related to electrical or computer engineering. Can I still apply for the MS program in ECE? Anyone can apply to our MS program, however we only accept applicants who have considerable educational or other background in electrical or computer engineering or a related area. We assess whether an applicant has the academic background to take our graduate courses.

I plan to work full-time while pursuing a graduate degree in ECE. Are there remote classes that I can take? Yes, we have a flexible program that allows students who cannot attend classes on campus to pursue the degree remotely. Not all of our courses are offered online. To see a list of courses available, visit the ECE Flex webpage.

Can graduate students enroll in online (U+) courses? The ECE department requires that during the Fall and Spring semesters, students take all courses in person unless granted permission to take online courses. There are some categories of students who are allowed to take online courses during the Fall or Spring. Those students would be part of the Flex program.

I have been accepted into a graduate program in ECE but have extenuating circumstances and am unable to begin the program during the semester I was accepted. Can I defer? Yes, admitted students can defer for a semester or for a year. Contact Eliza Frasier at e [dot] frasier [at] umass [dot] edu (e[dot]frasier[at]umass[dot]edu) to request a deferral.

I have questions about my I-20, who can help me with that? All questions related to the I-20 and visa should be directed to IPO at iss [at] umass [dot] edu (iss[at]umass[dot]edu). The ECE department cannot advise international students around immigration matters.

If I am accepted into the graduate program, will I be assigned an advisor to help me choose courses? Yes, in the middle of the summer (for Fall start date) you will receive a letter with important information including the name of your faculty advisor. For a Spring start date, you will receive the letter in January.

What courses are available to graduate students in ECE? You may visit www.umass.edu/spire and click on Search Classes, click on Electrical & Computer Engineering for Course Subject, and do a search for courses 500 level and above for the current (or upcoming semester) and the previous semester. This search provides a good sense of what will be offered during future semesters, as our course listings do not change much from year to year.

If I join the MS program, will I have help choosing courses? Yes, all of our MS students are assigned a faculty advisor who can assist with course selection.