The Program Educational Objectives for the Master of Science Program in Electrical Engineering are:

1. That graduates successfully apply advanced skills and techniques in two or more areas of specialization.
2. That graduates obtain relevant, productive employment with the private sector or in government and/or pursue additional advanced degrees.

 Three options exist for the Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. The requirements for each option are listed below:

1. Thesis – 24 credits of course work plus 6 credits of E E 599 plus oral exam
2. Technical Report – 27 credits of course work plus 3 credits of E E 598 plus oral exam

Masters students employed by the Klipsch School as a Graduate Assistant for 10 or more hours/week for two or more semesters must complete their degree under option 1.

The NMSU Graduate School has general requirements for graduation and time tables for submitting required paperwork during your program of study and prior to graduation. Consult the Graduate School Catalog for more detailed information.  In particular, review the Graduate School’s Thesis & Dissertation Guidelines for required paperwork and the Graduate School Academic Calendar for applicable deadlines.  Many of the necessary forms can be downloaded from the graduate school page.

1. Two graduate core courses must be taken from two different areas of specialization.  In addition, either a third graduate core course OR one graduate breadth course must be taken from a third area of specialization.  Students may transfer equivalent core or breadth courses taken from other ABET-accredited universities, in accordance with the transfer policy (item 6, below).  The most recent NMSU instructor determines equivalency of a course taken at another university.
2. At least 15 credits of course work must be at or above the 500 level.
3. At least half of the graduate course work must be in the Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
4. At least half of the coursework credits, excluding thesis or tech report credits, must be taken with other than a single professor.
5. Any coursework more than seven years old at the time of the final examination will not be included in the Master’s degree program.
6. A maximum of 12 credits of graduate course work taken at another institution may be transferred in, if those credits logically fit into the student’s graduate program.  The advisor decides which courses fit. Graduate School approval of transfer credit is required.  Students must complete the Master’s Transfer of Credit Form.
7. Credits of E E 490, C S 457/467/477/487, and COMM 485 do not count toward a graduate degree. Credits of E E 590, Selected Topics, are limited to a total of 9, of which at most 6 may be credits for courses that don’t appear as regular classes in the printed schedule. Each area of specialization may have additional requirements for students in those areas. Other limitations and requirements that apply to all master’s degrees are described elsewhere in this catalog.
8. All graduate credits must have letter grades of A, B, or C, or pass/fail grades of S (Satisfactory).  At the graduate level, a pass/fail grade of S corresponds to a letter grade of A or B.
9. Up to 6 credits earned on another master’s degree at NMSU may be allowed to count toward an MSEE degree, if those credits fit into a logical graduate program.

1. To apply for degree, the student runs a STAR audit and brings the printout with  MSEE Record Check  to the advisor.  The advisor reviews this checklist and signs off on it.  At that point, the student can bring to the front office. The Graduate School requests that the Application for Candidacy be filed after the student has completed 12 hours of coursework.  The Graduate School requires that a student’s NMSU cumulative graduate grade-point average must be at least 3.0 at the time of applying for candidacy.  Our department has the additional requirement that the NMSU GPA of the courses listed on the Application for Admission to Candidacy must be at least 3.0.
2. For the Final Examination, submit to the Department Head an  MSEE Record Check  and the Committe for Master’s Final Examination Form . Please note that students selecting the thesis or technical report option must submit to the Department Head a 1-page abstract which includes (a) the advisor’s name, and (b) the date, time, and place of the final oral exam. PDF format for the abstract is preferred.
3. Pass an oral exam covering thesis work or technical report work, as applicable.  For the coursework option, pass three graduate core courses (or two graduate core courses and one graduate breadth course) with a B or better in each course or pass the PhD qualifying examination.
4. File an Application for Degree (Diploma) with the Office of the Registrar by the last day to register or add a course for the semester or summer session you plan to graduate. If you fail to complete all degree requirements by the deadline specified on the “Application for Degree (Diploma),” you forfeit any fees paid, and you must reapply and pay all required fees for the term in which you complete all degree requirements. Visit their website for more information .
5. Complete undergraduate deficiency coursework, if the student admitted has a bachelor’s degree in a field other than electrical engineering, or equivalent.   Note: it is highly recommended that all deficiencies be completed as early as possible in the program.  They should be completed before the start of the last semester in the program.
6. Each area of specialization may have additional requirements.

MSEE Thesis/Tech Report Defense and Final Oral Examination

All MSEE students should form a committee after the completion of 18 credits of coursework. The committee must consist of at least three faculty members: the candidate’s advisor, another ECE faculty member of choice (preferably someone who is knowledgeable about the research topic), and a faculty member from outside the ECE department. All committee members must be Graduate Faculty. Candidates with a declared minor should have a representative from the related area. It is recommended that the candidates consult with their advisor on the composition of the committee.  For choosing a member from outside the ECE department, it is preferable to find someone who is knowledgeable about the subject or with whom the candidate has taken graduate level courses. If a candidate does not know anyone, they can ask the advisor for a recommendation or can ask the Graduate School to appoint someone. 

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