Electrical and Computer Engineering Contiguous Bachelor's/Master's Pathway
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) offers a combined bachelor’s (B.S.) and master’s of science (M.S.) degree path. Undergraduate students can apply to this program to earn a B.S. degree in their own major together with an M.S. degree in electrical and computer engineering. Depending on the student’s progress, students can complete the combined path in five years.
Admission process to the contiguous pathway
Students can apply to the B.S./M.S. contiguous pathway in electrical and computer engineering at any time starting in the first quarter of junior standing. Admission to the contiguous pathway program in ECE is open to all qualified UC Santa Cruz students. All students who apply to the pathway will be admitted into it, provided they satisfy the requirements (see below). However, approval of an undergraduate student into a five-year bachelor’s/master’s path does not automatically guarantee admission into the one-year master’s program. Students apply for admission into the M.S. program during their senior year using the same procedure and timeline as all other applicants to the program, except that no graduate record examination (GRE) is required to apply. Students are then considered for the M.S. program along with regular applicants. Students who do not satisfy the requirements for the contiguous pathway will be encouraged to apply to the regular M.S. program.
Requirements
Requirements
The minimum requirements for the B.S./M.S. contiguous pathway are as follows:
- Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA when they apply to the B.S./M.S. contiguous pathway program, and must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher until the completion of their undergraduate requirements.
- For the chosen core area the student is applying to, it is required to meet the following course requirements before starting the M.S. year of the B.S./M.S. contiguous pathway program:
Electronic Circuits and Energy Systems
At least two classes from one of the following two lists with grade B+ or higher:
Electronic Circuits
or
Energy Systems
Photonics and Electronic Devices
At least two classes from the following list with grade B+ or higher:
| ECE 102 | Properties of Materials | 5 |
| ECE 130 | Introduction to Optoelectronics and Photonics | 5 |
| ECE 135 | Electromagnetic Fields and Waves | 5 |
Robotics, Controls, and Cyber-Physical Systems
At least two classes from the following lists with grade B+ or higher:
One required course
And at least one course from the following list
| ECE 118 | Introduction to Mechatronics | 10 |
| ECE 121 | Microcontroller System Design | 7 |
| ECE 167 | Sensing and Sensor Technologies | 7 |
Signals, Image Processing, and Communications
Both of the following classes with grade B+ or higher: