M.Eng. On Campus Curriculum

This focus area is grounded in our systems-oriented view of AI, which integrates theory, algorithms, software and computing architectures. Drawing from the department’s AI crosscutting research theme, this area emphasizes the design of scalable, efficient and robust AI systems, with applications in signal and image processing, robotics and control, natural language processing and data-driven decision making. Students gain both foundational and applied expertise in modern machine learning while understanding how AI models interact with parallel hardware, energy constraints and real-world deployment challenges across the full compute stack.

Highlighted Courses:

ECE 408: Applied Parallel Programming
ECE 434: Real World Algorithms - IoT/DS
ECE 448: Artificial Intelligence
ECE 484: Principles of Safe Autonomy
ECE 544: Special Topics in Signal Processing (Pattern Recognition)
ECE 498: Special Topics - LLMs
ECE 598: Special Topics - Deep Generative Models

This subdiscipline allows students to gain skills in information processing and systems analysis to study biomedical systems, develop ultrasonic and acoustic technologies and create sensors for health monitoring and diagnostics. Advances in biosensors, optical imaging and micro/nanofabrication are enabling innovations such as noninvasive imaging, rapid DNA sequencing and precise cellular measurement.

Highlighted Courses:

Biomedical Imaging. Sensors & Instrumentation: 
ECE 414: Biomedical Instrumentation
ECE 416: Biosensors
ECE 437: Sensors and Instrumentation
ECE 467: Biophotonics
ECE 472: Biomedical Ultrasound Imaging
ECE 480: Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
ECE 514: Advanced Biosensors

Electronic Music and Audio Engineering, Ultrasonics, Biophysical Acoustics
ECE 402: Electronic Music Synthesis
ECE 403: Topics in Audio Engineering
ECE 472: Biomedical Ultrasound Imaging
ECE 473: Fundamentals of Engineering Acoustics
ECE 537:  Speech Processing Fundamentals

Communication, in the broadest sense, is the transfer of information in space and time, from someone who possesses it to someone who does not.  Nowadays, communication is almost universally in digital format. The goal within the communications area is to build an understanding of key physical resources like bandwidth, power and storage space, and their relationship to the reliable and secure transfer of information through a theory-based, mathematical models. Related technical skills, such as dealing in randomness and system complexity, RF Engineering and the creation of effective computer communication systems are even expected to translate to applications beyond communication systems. Students specializing in communication are widely sought in industries such as stock and financial trading, the development of computational systems and Internet applications.

Highlighted Courses:

ECE 428: Distributed Systems
ECE 438: Communication Networks
ECE 453: Radio Communication Circuits
ECE 459: Communication Systems
ECE 461: Digital Communications
ECE 534: Random Processes
ECE 562:  Advanced Digital Communication
ECE 563:  Information Theory

Our faculty are doing work that emphasizes operating systems and their interaction with the hardware and software of the system to maximize performance of computers. Students will work in the areas of algorithms and computational complexity, compilers, embedded systems, real-time, hybrid systems, hardware verification and testing, logic design and VLSI, operating systems, parallel processing and programming languages. Through these explorations of the end-to-end structure of computer systems and micro-systems students develop a deep understanding of the way system components integrate to help machines to execute the machine’s purpose. Graduates of this program are leaders in industry at companies like Intel, AMD, IBM, NVIDIA, ARM, Samsung and also hardware design automation companies like Cadence, Synopsys and more. 

Highlighted Courses:

ECE 408: Applied Parallel Programming
ECE 411: Computer Organization and Design
ECE 490: Optimization
ECE 511: Computer Architecture
ECE 512: Computer Microarchitecture
ECE 519: Hardware Verification
ECE 522: Emerging Memory & Storage Systems

Control is the use of feedback to obtain desired system performance in the presence of uncertainties. A deep understanding of control theory provides students with opportunity to develop a deep understanding of key mathematical modeling theory and function to innovate in dynamic control system design.

Control systems are found throughout the man-made and natural worlds. Guidance and control of aircraft and spacecraft, complex industrial processes, autonomous robotics and automatic regulation of large and small-scale power networks are just a few examples of where successful, dynamic control systems are needed. Principles of feedback control and system theory are increasingly important in broadening fields inside and outside engineering.

Highlighted Courses:

ECE 401: Signal Processing
ECE 417: Multimedia Signal Processing
ECE 420: Embedded DSP Laboratory
ECE 486: Control Systems
ECE 515: Control System Theory & Design
ECE 534: Random Processes
ECE 544: Pattern Recognition
ECE 551: Digital Signal Processing II
ECE 558: Digital Imaging

This focus area addresses the urgent need to secure complex computing, communication and cyber-physical systems against increasingly sophisticated threats. Building on ECE’s long-standing strengths in trust, reliability and security, this focus area emphasizes the principles and practices required to protect systems from attacks, faults and privacy violations while maintaining availability and performance. Students develop a deep understanding of how vulnerabilities arise in interconnected systems—ranging from networks and cloud platforms to autonomous and critical infrastructure—and learn how to model, detect and mitigate security risks in real-world environments. This focus prepares graduates to design and evaluate secure, resilient and trustworthy systems across industry sectors such as finance, healthcare, transportation and national infrastructure.

Highlighted Courses:

ECE 422 : Computer Security I
ECE 424: Computer Security II
ECE 438: Communication Networks
ECE 484: Principles of Safe Autonomy
ECE 449: Machine Learning
ECE 498: Trustworthy Machine Learning
ECE 524: Adv Computer Security
ECE 598: Trust Critical Infrastructure
ECE 598: Deploying Privacy

Circuits are the fundamental building blocks of all electrical and electronic systems. They range dramatically in scale, from microprocessors containing millions of transistors to vast power distribution networks spanning thousands of miles. Circuits are generally classified as digital or analog. Digital circuits allow signals to be quantified into discrete levels, while analog circuits handle continuous voltage and current variations. Circuits are typically integrated, allowing vast numbers of interconnected transistors to be fabricated on a single silicon chip. We teach about rapid advancements in technologies such as circuit technology in embedded systems, medical devices, communication systems and consumer electronics. Understanding integrated circuits requires a combined study of Analog and Digital Circuits, understanding the fabrication processes, circuit theory, circuit design and system design. Academic programs in this field cover these areas comprehensively, including digital and analog circuit design and very-large-scale integration (VLSI), equipping students with the knowledge needed to develop advanced electronic systems.

Highlighted Courses:

ECE 482: Digital IC Design
ECE 483: Analog IC Design
ECE 425/CS 435: Introduction to the VLSI System Design
ECE 527: System-on-Chip Design

This area of electrical engineering focuses on the generation, conversion, transmission and control of electric energy. It spans electromechanics, large-scale power systems, energy conversion and power electronics systems. Key topics include renewable energy systems, electric machines, transformers, power transmission and distribution, motor drives and switching converters. Students study the physical principles and mathematical models of these systems to analyze performance, ensure reliability and design efficient solutions.

Power Electronics within devices and the power systems within embedded devices is one area of focus within the degree. Another area of specific focus includes the design, management and understanding of large-scale, interconnected grids (e.g., North American power systems), system reliability and the integration of renewables like wind and solar power.

This established area has drawn particular attention and gained strength over the last 50 years. With the PECI conference, and a connected Power group of students and professors the area continues to gain relevance to current questions within our evolving Power ecosystems. Graduate students are expected to develop advanced analytical and modeling skills for both large-scale systems and power electronic devices.  Students are also able to develop their understanding of system optimization and computation methods for systems and innovate in emerging energy technologies.

Highlighted Courses in Power Electronics Area:

ECE 431: Electric Machinery
ECE 464: Power Electronics
ECE 469: Power Electronics Lab
ECE 498: Power Electronics Control
ECE 598: Advanced Power Electronics

Highlighted Courses in Large-Scale System Power Area:

ECE 464: Power Electronics
ECE 469: Power Electronics Lab
ECE 476: Power System Analysis
ECE 530: Large-Scale System Analysis
ECE 576: Power System Dynamics and Stability