Electrical and Computer Engineering

ONLINE MASTER'S ADMISSIONS

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DEADLINES

Applications received after the MS priority deadline will be charged an additional $30 late fee for processing. All applications received after the final deadline may be rejected without consideration or recommended for admittance or re-application to a later semester.

FALL 2024

SPRING 2025

PRIORITY – April 1
FINAL – June 30

Applications will
open in August

APPLICATION FEE

Application Fee = $55

The application fee may be paid online during the application process. The application will not be considered complete and eligible for review until the application fee has been received. All applications received after the priority deadline will be charged an additional $30 late fee for processing. Applications completed after the final deadline may not be eligible for consideration.

DEADLINES

Semester Deadline Decision
Spring 2024 Priority – Nov 1
Final – Dec 1
Dec 15
Fall 2024 Priority – Apr 1
Final – Jun 30
Aug 5

PROGRAM GPA REQUIREMENTS

A 3.0+ GPA is required by the University of Utah, a 3.2+ GPA is recommended by the ECE department.

Records are not pre-evaluated. If your GPA and/or test scores are slightly below the cutoffs, please do not email asking about your scores. Applicants must make their own decision about whether or not to apply. Domestic applicants that do not meet required university scores should use the process detailed in the FAQ section below.

ACADEMIC HISTORY

You must upload a separate transcript for each institution you have previously attended. Do not upload grade summary reports, degree audit reports, or credential evaluations. For schools that do not issue transcripts, please upload a mark sheet (and degree certificate, if applicable). All documents must be in English. If your original documentation is in a language other than English, please provide a certified English translation in addition to the original documentation.

If you are still in the process of completing a degree during the application process you must upload the most up-to-date transcript possible that show that you are currently enrolled in courses otherwise the system will hold your application and request that you submit a degree certificate.

Each transcript must contain the following information:

    • Name of student
    • Name of institution
    • All semesters of enrollment
    • Course numbers and names
    • Credit hours
    • Awarded grades

All transcripts submitted with your application are considered unofficial and are used for initial admissions evaluation only. If you are admitted to the University of Utah, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to the end of your first semester of enrollment. Students will not be permitted to continue their enrollment until all official transcripts are received by the Office of Admissions (sent to us directly from the institution). The University of Utah reserves the right to require the submission of official credentials at any time during the admission review process.

GRADUATE RECORDS EXAMINATION (GRE)

Applicants with a STEM bachelor’s degree may waive the GRE exam. 

If you take the GRE exam, applicants are expected to score:

  • Quantitative = 158+
  • Analytical = 3.5+
  • Verbal = 150+.

A GRE scores that are under these expected thresholds will not automatically be rejected.  All applications will be reviewed.

Scores may be sent directly to the University of Utah using ETS Code 4853

Test scores will not be paired with an application until it has been submitted. The process of receiving and pairing official test scores with an applicant’s file can take 10-15 business days from the time that an application is submitted and/or the time that  the applicant requests their test scores be sent to the University of Utah.

FUNDING

The following are options that our graduate program accepts:

FACULTY ADVISORS AND AREAS OF INTEREST

Although not required for admission to our online program, the application will ask you for a list of the professors in the department with whom you share research interests. You can view all ECE Professors organized by research area

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

A .5 – 1 page statement or essay describing the applicant’s background, research interests, and reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in the University of Utah’s electrical and computer engineering department.

Applicants whose test scores are below, but close to the recommended score cutoffs, are allowed to use this space to petition the graduate committee for an admission exception by explaining the reasons for their low scores, how they have improved, and plans for how they will meet department graduate expectations if admitted. This process does not guarantee that applicants will be admitted as the department. Applicants that do not meet required university scores should use the process detailed in the FAQ section below.

RESUME / CV

The online admission system will request a resume or curriculum-vitae (CV) detailing your relevant work history and research experience – see student resume samples

RECOMMENDATION CRITERIA

    • Contact information for 3 recommendation providers
    • Recommendations should come from current or former professors who have direct coursework or research experience with the applicant, or a direct supervisor who from a field related to electrical and computer engineering
    • Letters of Recommendations can be submitted, but are not required

Our system will contact your recommendation providers directly to submit a recommendation on your behalf through our online system. All recommendations must be completed online.

You are required to have at least 3 individuals submit recommendations on your behalf. If you are concerned that any of the individuals may not complete their recommendation forms in a timely manner, you are welcome to provide contact information for more recommenders. When at least 3 recommenders have completed their online forms then your application will be allowed to move through the system.


APPLICATION FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If do not meet initial admissions requirements (3.0 GPA or higher) there is an alternative pathway that you can take to be considered for the MS Program. This option is only available for domestic applicants or international applicants already residing in the United States on an F2 or H4 visa (we cannot sponsor an F1 visa for non-matriculated students).

  1. Apply as a non-matriculated student for the upcoming semester
  2. After being accepted please schedule an appointment with the Graduate Student Coordinator
  3. The Graduate Student Coordinator will enroll you in 2 courses (6 credits) of ECE graduate coursework
  4. After completing the courses with a B+ grade or higher you may apply to the program.
  5. Any 5000- level or above courses that have been taken (including non-matriculated credits) can be counted toward your MS degree requirements. See Graduate Transfer Credit page for more details

Students with allied STEM degrees (i.e. Other Engineering, CS, Math, Physics) are welcome to apply! Here are the steps to ensure you are admitted and properly prepared to be successful in our ECE MS Program:

  1. Apply as a non-matriculated student
  2. After being accepted please schedule an appointment with the Graduate Student Coordinator to review the proficiency requirements
  3. The Graduate Student Coordinator will enroll you in ECE courses
  4. After completing the proficiency courses with a B+ grade or higher you may apply to the program.
  5. Any 5000- level or above courses that have been taken (including non-matriculated credits) can be counted toward your MS degree requirements. See Graduate Transfer Credit page for more details

Unfortunately, our online program is only available for applicants residing within the United States. We are not authorized to charge tuition and conduct classes for individuals residing outside of the United States. If an international candidate is already living in the US with a valid visa they are welcome to apply.

No, an application will be considered by the ECE Graduate Committee unless the application file is complete. All application materials must be received by the application deadline or the application will not be reviewed.

ONLINE PROGRAM FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes! Our courses are offered via Interactive Video Content (IVC or “Zoom”) or completely asynchronously online via Canvas with per-recorded videos. Not all courses are offered with both options. It is up to you to decide which option would work best for you to decide which courses to take.

Unfortunately, no. But we are working constantly to expand our course selections for our students. Some classes also require group or in-person lab work and cannot be offered online.

You can use our Tuition Estimator, otherwise:

Full-time status is considered 9 credits for a graduate student, but a majority of online study usually take 3-6 credits each semester.

Detailed information about the ECE Department, faculty’s research interests, ongoing research projects, and recent technical papers are located at www.ece.utah.edu. Applicants should check the website regularly for updated information.