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MS Application Information
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Master of Science (M.S.) in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Please review the information on this page and the frequently asked questions at the end. If you still have not found an answer to your question you can reach out to us at eceinfo@pdx.edu.
MS Application Deadlines
Please note that Portland State is on the quarter system, not semesters.
Deadlines for applying to the ECE MS program:
- Fall (September start) - Normally March 1st, Extended to April 1st for Fall 2024
- Winter (January start) - September 1st
- Due to the sequence of classes, we generally do not admit students to our masters program for Spring or Summer quarters.
- We do not have a separate priority admission deadline for the masters program.
- Decisions are made on a rolling basis and are usually released 4-6 weeks after an application is complete. There can be a delay depending on the amount of applications we receive and other factors, however.
- The ECE Department does not offer application fee waivers for the MS application.
MS Application Requirements
Applicants to our MS program are normally expected to meet the following eligibility criteria:
- BS degree in electrical and/or computer engineering
- Overall undergraduate GPA equivalent to at least 3.0 on our 4-point scale
- Technical GPA of at least 3.0 in junior and senior-level courses
- The GRE is no longer required for the ECE MS Program application.
MS Application Process
The ECE MS application requires the following documents:
- Unofficial copies of your transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended
- Proof of English Language Proficiency if you are an International applicant.
- Three letters of recommendation (waived for students who have gone through our Bridge or 4+1 programs)
- You only need to send in official transcripts if offered admission. And you only need to send official English proficiency scores if the Graduate School requests them.
If offered admission, International applicants must also submit:
When your application is submitted and the requirements in the checklist are met, the ECE Department will evaluate all application materials. If all is in order, the Graduate School will send a formal decision letter to the applicant and generate an I-20, if needed. Any questions about the I-20 can be directed to the Graduate School at gradschool@pdx.edu.
Transfer Credits
Up to 15 quarter credits or 9 semester credits of transfer credit can be accepted as elective, pending advisor approval. Credit that has been applied toward any master's degree cannot be used toward a second master's degree at PSU.
Please note you must comply with all policies listed in the PSU Bulletin and the Graduate School.
Applicants who do not meet the GPA criteria and/or have a bachelors in a different field
Applicants who do not meet both of the GPA criteria listed above may be permitted to enroll in a series of up to four of our graduate engineering courses as a post baccalaureate student with permission of our Graduate Program Director. The courses must be in the area of the desired MS Track. If the applicant attains a B or better in at least three of these courses and an overall graduate GPA of at least 3.0, they will be eligible to apply for admission to our MS program. If the applicant is admitted to our MS program, up to 4 of the pre-admit courses, with grades of B- or higher, will count towards the MS course requirements. requirements. Note that an applicant whose B.S. degree is from a university in a country where English is not the native language must provide proof of English language proficiency as required by PSU International Admissions in order to qualify for this path to MS admission.
Applicants with a B.S. degree in some other field (e.g., mathematics, physics, computer science, mechanical engineering, economics, etc.) will be required to take an individually specified group of undergraduate ECE classes as a Post-Baccalaureate student to gain the basic skills needed to succeed in an ECE Master’s program. Upon successful completion of these undergraduate ECE “bridge” classes with grades of B or better, an applicant will be considered for admission to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering as a regular M.S. student. You can find more information about the bridge program here.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Doctoral graduates from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at PSU are flourishing in careers as academics, researchers, and as entrepreneurs.
PhD Application Deadlines
Admission is possible every term, provided your application is complete by the deadline. Our PhD application deadlines are as follows:
- Fall (September start) - March 1
- Winter (January start) - September 1 (prior year)
- Spring (March start) - December 1 (prior year)
- Summer (June start) - February 1
PhD Application Process
Applicants to the Ph.D. program in electrical and computer engineering will normally have completed a master's degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Admission directly to the Ph.D. program from a bachelor's degree program is possible but students are usually encouraged to start with the MS program unless they are accepted into the PhD Priority Cohort described below.
The following application items are required for the ECE Department:
- Statement of purpose
- The GRE is no longer required for the ECE PhD application
- 3 references
- Unofficial transcripts
- Writing sample
- International applicants must also meet Portland State's English proficiency requirements.
- The ECE Department no longer offers application fee waivers
The writing sample can be an MS thesis, a conference paper for which you were the first author, or any technical report or document that you wrote. There is no prescribed length but your submission should show that you have good command of the English Language and that you can clearly explain technical material.
Students are normally only admitted to our program if a faculty member has agreed to serve as the adviser. Before applying to our PhD program, you should contact faculty working in an area of research that is of interest to you. Your adviser will stay the same throughout your time in the doctoral program. You can find a list of our faculty here. The department has many ongoing research programs and supporting research laboratories. Funding is not guarantee but an applicant can contact a faculty member in their research area to inquire about potential funding.
PhD Priority Cohort Program
The ECE department offers a highly competitive cohort program for exceptional full time PhD students that is in addition to our normal PhD admission. Students who are interested in going directly from their bachelors degree into this program are highly encouraged to apply. Students with a masters in electrical engineering are also welcome to apply. This program guarantees funding for at least the first two years of the program with the expectation of moving on to a grant-funding assistantship for the remainder of the PhD program. More information on the PhD Priority Cohort can be found here.
Deferring Admission
Graduate applicants, with the support of the department, can defer their term of application up to four terms i.e. Fall 2021 to Fall 2022. MS students can only defer to Fall or Winter terms, PhD students have more flexibility with their start terms. Students have up until the end of their admission term to submit this form and delay their start date. If you do not attend a course in your term of admission and do not submit the change of term form by the end of that term your admission will be cancelled.
If you need to update your admission, please email us at eceinfo@pdx.edu.
Frequently-Asked Questions for ECE Graduate Applications
When is the deadline for accepting admission to the program?
There is no deadline to accept admission if you are accepted into the program. We recommend not waiting too long though so you can get everything in order to begin the program and to register for courses before they fill up.
What is your TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo score cutoff? (International students)
We adhere to PSU standards for English Proficiency. If your English language score is not passing (but close) and the rest of your application is strong you may considered for admission with special approval, however.
What is the GPA requirement?
By PSU standards, all incoming students must have a 2.5 GPA for conditional admission and a 2.75 GPA for regular admission. We normally expect students to have at least the equivalent of a 3.0 undergraduate GPA on our 4.0 scale in order to be considered for the ECE MS program.
Can you waive my application fee?
The ECE department does not offer fee waivers, but you can check to see if you are eligible for one from the University here.
Can you accept my application, even though it's after the deadline?
Unfortunately, we cannot. If you are a local student who wishes to start your program, please discuss your options with Dr. Hall.
Will I be admitted with my profile?
We cannot predict whether you would be admitted and will not evaluate your profile.
What's my application status?
Once your application has been submitted and all the requirements a decision is usually released in 4-6 weeks. It does sometimes take longer depending on the number of applicants and time of year, however.
How can I check my application status online?
You can check the status of your letters of recommendation or any other requirements by logging back into the application portal: https://apply.pdx.edu/apply/
Have you received my GRE/English proficiency test scores?
For application purposes you only need to attach your unofficial scores.
What is Portland State's institutional code to send test score reports?
When ordering test score reports, use PSU's institutional code: 4610 Please note that you only need to send in official scores if the Graduate School requests them.
Is funding guaranteed?
The ECE Department unfortunately does not guarantee funding. Financial aid information is included below and potential PhD students can inquire with possibly faculty advisors to see if funding is available.
How do I apply for financial aid?
There are several forms of financial aid.
For information on financial aid for domestic students, please contact PSU's Financial Aid office.
Scholarships are available for international and domestic students. Students can find more information on Scholarships for ECE Students page.
Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships are rarely given at the time of admission. Visit our assistantships page for more information.
When will I get my I-20?
The Graduate School will have information for you with the admissions letter they send. If you have questions you can follow up with them at gradschool@pdx.edu
How do I get my PSU ID number? How do I set up my account after admission?
Your PSU ID number will be provided by the Graduate School in your admission letter, as well as a link to a checklist to take your next steps as an admitted student.
What do I need to mail to the ECE Department?
Nothing! The application for ECE is all done online. When you apply to PSU through the Admissions Office, they do need official documents. Please do not mail materials for the ECE application to PSU Admissions or any other office.
How can I submit my resume or statement of purpose?
We do not review non-required items for MS students. Please only upload what the application asked for and answer the questions it asks in place of a statement of purpose.
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