MS Concentrations

MS in ECE students can choose one of the following concentrations for focused study in a specific area of electrical and computer engineering. MS students are not required to complete a concentration in order to graduate. Generally, MS students can select from the full range of ECE graduate course offerings to meet their course requirements and advance toward their individual career objectives.

• AI/ML Systems
• Intelligent Physical Systems
• Computational Engineering Methods/Systems
• Computer Security
• Network/Distributed Systems
• Wireless/Embedded Systems
• Integrated Systems
• Devices and Nanofab

Students completing one or more of these concentrations should refer to their degree as a Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a concentration in <Name of Concentration>. Students satisfying the requirements for more than one concentration may acknowledge all concentrations for which they fulfill the requirements. All concentrations require a minimum of four ECE courses distributed across certain categories, as described below. 

To declare, students should fill out the MS Concentration Declaration form in their final semester by the semester course withdrawal deadline. Please note that students must wait until their final semester to submit the form. Once signed by the academic advisor, this form serves as proof of completion of the concentration, as no additional certificate is issued, and concentrations are not listed on the transcript. If a student is completing more than one concentration, they should declare each concentration on a separate form.

AI/ML Systems (AIML)

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The AI/ML concentration will provide students the opportunity for in-depth specialization in artificial intelligence and machine learning and their applications to various natural and technological systems. Students will take introductory courses that cover the basics of machine learning, statistics, and optimization and their application in numerous fields, including advanced speech, image, and neural processing. In addition, students will also have the opportunity to apply techniques in machine learning and AI to specific problem domains such as personalized health care, smart grid, computational photography, and social networks.

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Intelligent Physical Systems (IPS)

Intelligent Physical systems (IPS) are physical and engineered systems whose operations may be monitored, controlled, coordinated, or integrated by the cyber components of computing and communication. This MS concentration will equip students with relevant computing principles, domain-specific foundations and analytical techniques, and exposure to applications.

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Computational Engineering Methods/Systems (CEM/S)

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This concentration brings together all aspects of computational engineering under a consistent umbrella: computer architecture, software systems, computational algorithms, and software engineering. It allows students to become cross-cutting integration experts who integrate knowledge from architecture, software systems, software engineering, tool chains, and numerical algorithms and their properties. This concentration enables students to be successful engineers who understand software's big picture in the context of engineering applications, providing them with the technical underpinning to lead diverse engineering teams that tackle complex and multifaceted problems.

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Computer Security (SEC)

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Students will become familiar with computer security fundamentals and gain deeper proficiency in a core topic area such as software security, systems and networking security, privacy, or cryptography. Students will gain exposure to foundational security and privacy principles as well as hands-on tools and best practices for building secure, privacy-preserving systems.

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Network/Distributed Systems (NDS)

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The networked and distributed systems concentration deals with the foundations and system-design issues of large-scale networks, including the internet, cellular and mobile networks, data center networking, and associated design challenges.

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Wireless/Embedded Systems (WES)

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This concentration explores core wireless technologies and systems-level issues at the heart of the Internet of Things, traditional broadband and cellular networks, cyber-physical systems, and cloud-connected embedded computing.

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Integrated Systems (IS)

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Students achieve in-depth specialization in the design of modern integrated devices and systems. A unique feature of this concentration is a two-course sequence, 18-725 and 18-726, in which students design, fabricate, and test chips of their own design.

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Devices and Nanofab (DN)

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Students learn the fundamentals of device physics and engineering techniques to implement electronic, photonic, electromagnetic, and microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices using advanced nanofabrication techniques for data storage, computation, communications, sensing, ranging, and biomedical applications. Students are exposed to multidisciplinary approaches to system development, which leverage fundamental notions from a wide variety of fields.

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