Admission Requirements
Admission is selective and meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. All admission decisions are based on the information a prospective student provides.
Master of Science (M.S.)
Required:
- Eligible for admission to Portland State University
- Bachelor of Science in Electrical and/or Computer Engineering
- Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Selective GPA of 3.0 or higher in 300- and 400-level courses
Optional: Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores
Applicants who do not meet both of the GPA criteria listed above must get permission from the ECE Department to enroll in a series of up to four graduate engineering courses as a postbaccalaureate. The courses must be in the area of the desired track. To be eligible for admissions, applicants must earn a B or better in at least three of these courses and an overall graduate GPA of at least 3.0. If admitted to our MS program, up to four of the pre-admit courses with grades of B- or higher will count toward the MS course requirements. International students are not eligible for the bridge program.
Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in any other field (e.g., mathematics, physics, computer science, music, English, etc.) may be able to enroll in the Electrical & Computer Engineering Postbaccalaureate Bridge Program to be considered for admission to the master’s program.
Doctorate (Ph.D)
Most applicants to the doctoral program in electrical and computer engineering have completed a master's degree in electrical and computer engineering or a related field. Admission directly to the doctoral program from a bachelor's degree program is rare, students are encouraged to start with the master’s program.
Students are only admitted to our program if a faculty member has agreed to serve as the advisor. Before applying to the doctoral program, contact faculty working in an area of research that is of interest to you. Funding is not guaranteed but an applicant can contact a faculty member in their research area to inquire about potential funding.
Admissions Timeline
Admission decisions are typically issued within 4 to 6 weeks of PSU receiving your completed application. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. For applications that are incomplete after the deadline, admission decisions will be issued 6-8 weeks after all required documents have been received. The program does not offer application fee waivers. The ECE Department does not have a priority application deadline.
| Application Term | Program | Application Deadline | Term Begins |
|---|
| Fall | Master’s & Doctorate | March 1 | Late September |
| Winter | Master’s & Doctorate | September 1 | Early January |
| Spring | Doctorate | December 1 | Late March/Early April |
| Summer | Doctorate | February 1 | Late June/Mid July |
PSU operates on a quarter system. For future or specific term dates, refer to the PSU Academic Calendar.
The deadlines for international students are anticipated to account for the time required to obtain visas. Applications should be submitted by the deadline of the term of admission, but certain requirements such as letters of recommendation can be received after the deadline.
Application Materials
Unofficial transcripts are required from each post-secondary institution attended to receive an admission decision for either program. If offered admission, you must provide official transcripts.
Doctoral Applicants
In addition to the materials listed above, doctoral applicants should submit the following:
- Statement of Purpose: Most applicants pursue a PhD because they would like a career working in a research lab, doing research for a company, or working as a professor in a university. Please write a 1 to 2-page statement of purpose telling us why obtaining a PhD will help to meet your goals.
Writing sample: The writing sample can be a master’s 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.
How to Apply
If you are ready to start your application, login or create a new account in Portland State University’s application portal. Fill out the application and submit the required application materials listed below. The ECE department does not offer fee waivers, but you can check to see if you are eligible for one from the University here.