Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering offers a comprehensive range of degree programs from the undergraduate to the doctoral level, designed to prepare you for a successful career in technology.

Undergraduate Programs

• We offer a Bachelor of Science (BS) in both Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, as well as an Honors Program option. Enrollment in our upper division classes (300-400 level) requires special permission. Ambitious students can fast-track their education through our Bachelor's + Master's Pathway (4+1), which allows qualified undergraduates to begin graduate coursework early. As an undergraduate, you'll have access to incredible hands-on learning experiences, including the Undergraduate Research and Mentoring Program and our state-of-the-art Electronics Prototyping Laboratory (EPL), a fully-equipped rapid prototyping hub for electronics and engineering projects, where you can turn ideas into reality in a single visit.

Graduate Programs

• Our graduate program is one of the largest in the Pacific Northwest, offering Master's (MS) and Doctoral (PhD) degrees that welcome students from all over the world. We provide several unique pathways and options to fit your background and career goals:
  • Specialized MS Tracks: Focus your studies in high-demand areas like Computer Architecture and Design, Design Verification and Validation, Digital IC Design, Embedded Systems, Power Engineering, and Signal Processing and Machine Learning.
  • Cutting-Edge Curriculum: Our curriculum is built around core research areas like Computing Architectures, Environmental Sensing, and Power Engineering. You will gain practical skills to develop secure systems, apply machine learning to solve environmental problems, innovate in renewable energy, and create new hardware and biomedical technologies.
  • Postbac Bridge Program: If you have a bachelor's degree in a field other than ECE, this program provides a direct pathway to our graduate studies.
  • Flexible Options for Professionals: We welcome working professionals who attend part-time and offer a unique internships that grants academic credit for your relevant work experience.

Our Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) department contributes significantly to Portland State's designation as premier urban research institution. It is a hub of world-class, applied research designed to tackle pressing global issues. As an ECE student, you'll have the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge, hands-on research alongside our expert faculty, who are innovative leaders in their fields. This research not only contributes to global knowledge but also brings real-world perspectives directly into your classroom experience.

Research Focus Areas

Like our curriculum, ECE research focuses on three core focus areas:

• Computing Architectures, Environmental Sensing and Monitoring (ESM), and Power Engineering. Within these areas, our faculty and students explore a wide range of critical topics, including:
  • Machine learning and intelligent robotics
  • Biomedical signal processing
  • Wind and ocean renewable power generation
  • Wireless communications and integrated circuit design
  • Emerging computing paradigms

The depth of this work is exemplified in our Computing Architectures research, where students and faculty develop new hardware architectures, programming models, and algorithms for new computing paradigms.

Impactful Projects & Facilities

Our research connects directly to real-world challenges. Students and faculty collaborate on high-impact projects where you can learn to protect the power grid, develop new sensors for diseases like Parkinson's, and use machine learning to monitor pollution or prospect for geothermal energy. 

• Explore your interests and build your network by joining one of our many student organizations, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Student Chapter at Portland State. Our student groups work on exciting collaborative projects, from launching Oregon's first cube satellite to hosting professional development events that celebrate inclusivity and identity.
• Community & Diversity: The program emphasizes a diverse community of future engineers, with 34% women, 44% underrepresented minorities, 31% international students, and 45% first-generation college students. PSU is Oregon's only federally recognized minority-serving institution (MSI) for engineering, providing unmatched support for first-generation and transfer students. Students can engage in hands-on community service projects, real-world capstone projects, and various student organizations that promote collaborative work, professional development, and inclusivity.
• Professional Development: Students benefit from extensive internship opportunities with leading engineering firms and major-specific programs like MECOP and EWX. We also offer a dedicated Career Success center and a robust network of industry connections to support students in securing jobs.

Our graduates are in high demand, with an 85% job placement rate for the BS program within six months of graduation. In the Pacific Northwest, our graduates command competitive starting salaries:

• Bachelor's (BS): $75,000–$90,000
• Master's (MS): $90,000–$120,000
• Doctorate (PhD): $110,000–$150,000+

Our alumni excel in roles like power systems engineers, RF engineers, signal processing engineers, and machine learning engineers. Our deep connections with leading tech companies provide our students with opportunities for internships, mentoring, and networking, leading to careers at top employers, including:

• Intel
• Apple
• Microsoft
• Nvidia
• Siemens EDA
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
• Portland General Electric