University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder Search A to Z Campus Map CU Search Links
ECEE Home

Prospective Graduate Students

Undergraduate
Graduate
Course List
Research
Contact Us

Our department was founded in the 1890's, in the earliest days of the university and the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Today our faculty includes 37 tenured and tenure-track professors and more than 25 other faculty: 10 professors with secondary appointments in this department; two research professors; and over 15 adjunct professors, instructors, and lecturers.

Among our nationally recognized faculty are two members of the National Academy of Engineering, 14 IEEE Fellows, three Optical Society of America Fellows and eight members of Eta Kappa Nu, the national Electrical and Computer Engineering Honor Society.

Our faculty are active in research, with research expenditures totaling over $6 million annually. Our research is concentrated in ten different areas. Three research centers pursue interdisciplinary and industrially-sponsored research.

Students with diverse career interests find a vibrant, stimulating program here where we help them build a solid foundation of knowledge and experience in electrical and information technology. Our faculty represent a broad range of research interests and actively pursue interdisciplinary research in which many of our students participate. Our 200 graduate students and 450 undergraduate majors come from across the United States and around the world.

Admission Information

For specific admission procedures, see the admission section on this web site. In addition, there is information about financial aid, housing at CU, and more.

Specific Master of Science Admission Requirements

The specific criteria for admission to the Master of Science program are:

  1. A baccalaureate degree from a college or university of recognized standing, equivalent to the degree given at this University, or college work equivalent to that required for such a degree, at least 96 semester hours of which must be acceptable toward a baccalaureate degree at this University. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 is expected.

  2. Promise of ability to pursue advanced study and research as judged by previous scholastic record or work experience.

  3. Adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the chosen field. For some students with backgrounds other than electrical engineering, it may be appropriate to apply for admission to the Master of Engineering program with an emphasis in their chosen areas rather than the Master of Science in electrical engineering. This program will, in general, require fewer deficiency courses (see the section on "Classification of Students"). If you have questions regarding your preparation, please contact the Graduate Director.

  4. Although there are no hard limits, domestic applicants have GRE scores averaging 67% verbal, 86% quantitative, and 76% analytical. Foreign applicants' average scores are 34% verbal, 92% quantitative, and 62% analytical.

Specific Doctor of Philosophy Admission Requirements

The specific criteria for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy program are described below.

  1. The applicant usually will have received the Master of Science degree from an accredited college or university and will rank high in his or her class academically. An exceptional student without a master's degree may be accepted directly into the Ph.D. program and is strongly encouraged to do so. A minimum GPA of 3.5 out of 4.0 for the most recent academic degree is expected.

  2. The student must show the ability to perform independent research. A student who has not written a thesis or an equivalent research paper may be admitted upon the recommendations of at least two graduate faculty members who can attest to the student's potential research abilities.

  3. The applicant must indicate a field of specialization and be acceptable as a thesis advisee to a member of the Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering graduate faculty.

  4. Applicants who have received their master's degree from the University of Colorado must reapply for admission to the Ph.D. program. It is not necessary to resubmit transcripts and references. However, the application must be accompanied by a positive written recommendation from the student's thesis advisor. The application should be submitted at least one month prior to the beginning of the term in which the student expects to register.

  5. The GRE expectations for Ph.D. students are similar to those for M.S. students (see M.S. admission section).

  6. All Ph.D. students will be considered provisional within the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering until their successful completion of the Preliminary Examination.