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.
Description of 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:
- For Electronic Circuits and Energy Systems (at least two classes from the following list with grade B+ or higher):
- ECE 157, ECE 171, ECE 172, ECE 173, ECE 177 (Circuits)
- or
- ECE 171, ECE 175, ECE 176, ECE 177 (Energy Systems)
- Photonics and Electronic Devices (at least two classes from the following list with grade B+ or higher):
- ECE 102, ECE 130, ECE 135
- Robotics, Controls, and Cyber-Physical Systems (at least two classes from the following list with grade B+ or higher):
- ECE 141 (required), ECE 118, ECE 121, ECE 167
- Signals, Image Processing, and Communications (the following two classes with grade B+ or higher):