Electrical and Computer Engineering

Office: Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science
Mail Code: 2155 E Wesley Ave, Room 283, Denver, CO 80208
Phone: 303.871.6618
Email: eceinfo@du.edu
Web Site: ritchieschool.du.edu/departments/ECE  

Master's and Doctoral Degrees

Why study engineering at the University of Denver?

DU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is creating the future of technology by providing a graduate education that emphasizes both multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary knowledge. The distinguished faculty is creating multi-disciplinary education programs that cover both depth and breadth, and research programs that incorporate and account for technological trends in research and development, along with industry. Graduate students join the faculty in conducting cutting-edge basic and applied research in emerging disciplines developing novel and unique solutions to old and new problems and opportunities.

All laboratories in the Department contain state-of-the-art equipment and software to support basic and applied research in hardware and software design, hardware/software interfacing, communications and signal processing, image processing, computer vision and pattern recognition, optoelectronics, power and energy systems, robotics, mechatronic systems, intelligent systems, unmanned systems, among other research areas. Small classes support our multi-disciplinary and real-time focus by providing close contact between students and faculty, which allows us to meet students’ individual career goals.

Denver is a first-rate location for business, government and laboratory partnerships, and technology employment. The Colorado Front Range is consistently rated as one of the top high-tech areas in the country, and DU is located just minutes from the Denver Technological Center, the site of many top technology companies. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is committed to active collaboration with these industry leaders. As a result, our students graduate with relevant research experience and a network of employment contacts in the technology sector that is second to none!

The ECE Department offers, among other degrees, a master's and a PhD degree in Mechatronic Systems Engineering (MSE). DU/ECE is the only University in the United States that offers BS, MS and PhD degrees in MSE.

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering

The objective of the PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering degree program is to provide an educational environment that encourages students to develop the ability to contribute to the advancement of science, engineering and technology, through independent research. The PhD students of the 21st century may pursue academic, research, entrepreneurial, and/or industrial careers. We offer opportunities to develop individualized plans of study based on the students’ previous experience and desired research areas. The plan of study allows students to work on interdisciplinary research, while also satisfying the PhD in ECE  degree requirements.

Research requires an in-depth study of engineering problems with a broad knowledge base in science and engineering. Therefore, advanced courses are offered to strengthen the fundamentals and to broaden the engineering and science perspective. The minimum credit requirements are different for individuals entering a program with a closely related master’s degree and for those entering with a bachelor’s only. All requirements for the degree must be completed within seven years (eight years without a master’s degree) from admission to candidacy. A grade of C or better must be obtained in each course in order for that course to count toward the credit hour requirements. An overall minimum GPA of 3.0 is also required for graduation.

The PhD in ECE is appealing to students because it offers the much needed specialization component and the ‘degree identity’ required to be competitive in the job market. Graduates from this program will be well equipped to follow academic careers, or be hired in federal laboratories, industry and the private sector.

Doctor of Philosophy in Mechatronics Systems Engineering

The objective of the PhD in Mechatronics Systems Engineering (MSE) degree program is to provide an educational environment that encourages students to develop the ability to contribute to the advancement of science, engineering and technology, through independent research. The PhD students of the 21st century may pursue academic, research, entrepreneurial, and/or industrial careers. We offer opportunities to develop individualized plans of study based on the students’ previous experience and desired research areas. The plan of study allows students to work on interdisciplinary research, while also satisfying the PhD in MSE degree requirements.

Research requires an in-depth study of engineering problems with a broad knowledge base in science and engineering. Therefore, advanced courses are offered to strengthen the fundamentals and to broaden the engineering and science perspective. The minimum credit requirements are different for individuals entering a program with a closely related master’s degree and for those entering with a bachelor’s only. All requirements for the degree must be completed within seven years (eight years without a master’s degree) from admission to candidacy. A grade of C or better must be obtained in each course in order for that course to count toward the credit hour requirements. An overall minimum GPA of 3.0 is also required for graduation.

The PhD in MSE is at the forefront and intersection of the coupled disciplines of Electrical, Mechanical, Computer Engineering, and Computer Science. This unique degree is appealing to students because they will acquire the knowledge and ability to deal with and solve highly complex problems where integration is a key component. This degree provides a holistic approach to graduate education focusing on the ability to cover both breadth and depth of knowledge. Graduates of this program will lay the foundation for the modern engineering departments of the future, where ‘integration’ will be the key ingredient of studies.

Master of Science in Computer Engineering

The Master of Science in Computer Engineering (MSCpE) is designed to advance the student’s knowledge in several areas of engineering. This degree provides breadth while permitting the student to achieve depth in a specialization area. This specialization area, with thematic sequences of courses, has been selected to coincide with those of high current interest as well as those emerging technologies that hold promise of increasing importance for the future. The purpose of this program is to serve the profession of engineering and the Colorado community through advanced study in computer engineering, electrical engineering, and other related fields. This program prepares the student for academic and industrial advancement. The program offer a thesis and a non-thesis option.

The Department of ECE offers both part-time and full-time programs. The Department recognizes that a student may be employed full-time while studying for a degree. Therefore, most courses are offered at times and on days that will permit a student to complete the program by taking courses either late in the day or outside normal business hours. The MSCpE program can generally be completed in about four years if one course is taken each quarter, but it is usually possible to take two courses per quarter, bringing completion time closer to the more common duration of two years. Also, students who select the one-year non-thesis will be able to graduate within 12 months, four academic quarters. For part-time students who are working in industry positions and who have chosen the thesis option, a topic related to the job function may be acceptable as the thesis research topic. Furthermore, a qualified staff member at the place of employment may be approved to serve as an adjunct faculty on the thesis committee.

Students not interested in pursuing a degree but interested in taking an occasional course may register as special status students by following an abbreviated admissions process. However, only 15 QH earned as a special status student may be applied toward a MS degree.

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

The Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) is designed to advance the student’s knowledge in several areas of engineering. This degree provides breadth while permitting the student to achieve depth in a specialization area. This specialization area, with thematic sequences of courses, has been selected to coincide with those of high current interest as well as those emerging technologies that hold promise of increasing importance for the future. The purpose of this programs is to serve the profession of engineering and the Colorado community through advanced study in computer engineering, electrical engineering, and other related fields. This program prepares the student for academic and industrial advancement. The program offer a thesis and a non-thesis option.

The Department of ECE offers both part-time and full-time programs.  The Department recognizes that a student may be employed full-time while studying for a degree. Therefore, most courses are offered at times and on days that will permit a student to complete the program by taking courses either late in the day or outside normal business hours. The MS degree program can generally be completed in about four years if one course is taken each quarter, but it is usually possible to take two courses per quarter, bringing completion time closer to the more common duration of two years. Also, students who select the one-year non-thesis will be able to graduate within 12 months, four academic quarters. For part-time students who are working in industry positions and who have chosen the thesis option, a topic related to the job function may be acceptable as the thesis research topic. Furthermore, a qualified staff member at the place of employment may be approved to serve as an adjunct faculty on the thesis committee.

Students not interested in pursuing a degree but interested in taking an occasional course may register as special status students by following an abbreviated admissions process. However, only 15 QH earned as a special status student may be applied toward a MS degree.

Master of Science in Mechatronic Systems Engineering

The Master of Science in Mechatronic Systems Engineering (MSMSE) is designed to advance the student’s knowledge in several areas of engineering. This degree provides breadth while permitting the student to achieve depth in a specialization area. This specialization area, with thematic sequences of courses, has been selected to coincide with those of high current interest as well as those emerging technologies that hold promise of increasing importance for the future. The purpose of this programs is to serve the profession of engineering and the Colorado community through advanced study in computer engineering, electrical engineering, and other related fields. This program prepares the student for academic and industrial advancement. The program offer a thesis and a non-thesis option.

The Department of ECE offers both part-time and full-time programs. The Department recognizes that a student may be employed full-time while studying for a degree. Therefore, most courses are offered at times and on days that will permit a student to complete the program by taking courses either late in the day or outside normal business hours. The MS degree program can generally be completed in about four years if one course is taken each quarter, but it is usually possible to take two courses per quarter, bringing completion time closer to the more common duration of two years. Also, students who select the one-year non-thesis will be able to graduate within 12 months, four academic quarters. For part-time students who are working in industry positions and who have chosen the thesis option, a topic related to the job function may be acceptable as the thesis research topic. Furthermore, a qualified staff member at the place of employment may be approved to serve as an adjunct faculty on the thesis committee.

Students not interested in pursuing a degree but interested in taking an occasional course may register as special status students by following an abbreviated admissions process. However, only 15 QH earned as a special status student may be applied toward a MS degree.

Master of Science in Systems Engineering (Online)

This Master of Science degree in Systems Engineering (MSSY) along with the three Specialized Graduate Certificates will cover the depth and breadth in systems design, analysis, synthesis, integration, testing, validation, and verification. We will train our students with expertise in fundamentals of the discipline of systems engineering. Our program will have emphasis on support for proposals after contract award, through critical design reviews, as well as system design and integration and associated validation and verification activities, which are necessarily traceable to system requirements. We will also provide practical exposure to the analytical and digital tools which are paramount to the evolving practice of systems engineering. This practical exposure is designed to enable the student to participate in rigorous post-test data analysis, to participate in model based design and model based systems engineering, as well as statistically relevant process improvement projects. Learned skills, knowledges and case studies will be applicable to engineering professionals in many industries, particularly regulated industries such as aerospace, biomedical, and autonomous vehicles.

The program is built for graduate students and industry professionals. The MSSY program is comprised of three Stackable Certificates that lead to the MS degree in Systems Engineering degree: (1) Fundamentals of Systems Engineering; (2) Systems Design & Architecture; (3) Systems Analytics and Practice. The program is delivered primarily online.

The MS degree program can generally be completed in about three years if two courses are taken each quarter, with each certificate being completed in a year. 

Students not interested in pursuing a degree but interested in taking an occasional course may register as special status students by following an abbreviated admissions process. However, only 9 QH earned as a special status student may be applied toward a MS degree.