Uniquely interdisciplinary and flexible: Coursework-only, Project, and Thesis options
The Duke Master of Science in Electrical & Computer Engineering provides a unique combination of opportunities:
- World-class research
Integrated into a project-based learning environment - Flexible, individualized curriculum
You choose: Thesis, Project or Coursework-only options - Professional development opportunities
Take an internship or teaching assistantship - Excellent graduate outcomes
Enter an elite PhD program or launch an industry career
"I value the close ties that Duke ECE has with the software industry."
Olympios Petrakis | Software Engineer
Meet our Graduates »
Choose a TRACK
Select from
- Software Engineering
- Computer Hardware Engineering
- Machine Learning /Big Data
- Quantum Software/Hardware
- Semiconductor Technology
Degree OPtionS & REQUIREMENTS
Choose from
- Coursework Only
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Coursework Requirements (30 units total)
- 12 units of graduate-level ECE courses in the primary concentration. (ECE 899 courses may not be used as part of this requirement)
- 6 units of approved graduate-level technical electives (ECE 899 courses may not be used as part of this requirement) from Engineering (including ECE), Math, Statistics, Computer Science, or Natural Science (i.e., Chemistry, Physics, Biology), or other courses approved by the faculty
- 12 units approved graduate-level electives
- ECE 701 -- ECE Masters Success Seminar (0 credit, tuition-free)**
**Required for students entering the program in 2024 or later
Important Notes
- Graduate-level courses are numbered 500 and above
- No more than two ECE 899: Independent Study courses may be used to satisfy MS degree coursework requirements.
- Undergraduate courses do not satisfy the requirements for the MS degree.
- English for International Students (EIS) courses do not count toward the 30 total units required for the MS degree.
- Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA to remain in good standing and to graduate.
- Course selection is formally approved by submitting a Program of Study form
- All MS students are required to take three Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) training forums in order to graduate.
- MS students (except Duke 4+1) are required to take at least three full semesters to graduate.
Coursework MS Final Exam
The Graduate School requires a final exam approved by a committee made up of three Graduate Faculty members, one of whom must be from a department other than ECE or outside the student’s main curricular area. The committee must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School at least one month prior to the examination date. The student is not required to generate a written document for the ECE department, and the format of the exam is determined by the department.
- Project
-
Coursework Requirements (30 units total)
- 12 units of graduate-level ECE courses (ECE 899 courses may not be used as part of this requirement)
- 15 units of graduate-level electives that create a cohesive program of study to be approved by the Director of Masters Studies. These can be from any department
- 3 units of ungraded research
- ECE 701 -- ECE Masters Success Seminar (0 credit, tuition-free)**
**Required for students entering the program in 2024 or later
Important Notes
- No more than two ECE 899: Independent Study courses may be used to satisfy MS degree coursework requirements.
- Undergraduate courses do not satisfy the requirements for the MS degree.
- English for International Students (EIS) courses do not count toward the 30 total units required for the MS degree.
- Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA to remain in good standing and to graduate.
- Course selection is formally approved by submitting a Program of Study form
- All MS students are required to take three Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) training forums in order to graduate.
- MS students (except Duke 4+1) are required to take at least three full semesters to graduate.
Project MS Final Exam
For the project option, a written research report and oral presentation are required to be presented to a committee made up of the student's advisor and two other members of the graduate faculty, one of whom must be from a department other than ECE or outside the student’s main curricular area. The committee must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School at least one month prior to the examination date. The formats of the written and oral project reports are determined by the student’s advisor. The project report is not submitted to the Graduate School; however, a final copy must be submitted to the ECE Department.
- Thesis
-
Coursework requirements (30 units total)
- 12 units of Graduate-Level ECE coursework (excluding ECE 899)
- 12 units of graduate-level electives that create a cohesive program of study to be approved by the Director of Masters Studies. These can be from any department
- 6 units of ungraded research
- ECE 701 -- ECE Masters Success Seminar (0 credit, tuition-free)**
**Required for students entering the program in 2024 or later
Important Notes
- No more than two ECE 899: Independent Study courses may be used to satisfy MS degree coursework requirements.
- Undergraduate courses do not satisfy the requirements for the MS degree.
- English for International Students (EIS) courses do not count toward the 30 total units required for the MS degree.
- Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA to remain in good standing and to graduate.
- Course selection is formally approved by submitting a Program of Study form
- All MS students are required to take three Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) training forums in order to graduate.
- MS students (except Duke 4+1) are required to take at least three full semesters to graduate.
Thesis MS Final Exam
A written thesis must be uploaded by the guidelines presented in the Graduate School’s Guide for the Electronic Submission of Thesis and Dissertation, and the thesis must be defended orally before a committee composed of the faculty member under whose direction the work was done and at least two other members of the graduate faculty, one of whom must be from a department other than ECE or outside the student’s main curricular area. The committee must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School at least one month prior to the examination date.
Download complete Master of Science (MS) degree requirements » [PDF]
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
- Application Deadline
- Tuition and Fees
- Financial Aid and Fellowships
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Because many master's degrees are professional degrees rather than research degrees, most students pay their own tuition costs. Many students use student loans and believe there will be an excellent return on investment.
In certain circumstances, we provide limited financial aid to Master of Science (MS) students.
Diversity Scholarships
For MS, limited financial aid is available to highly qualified candidates through academic scholarships with an emphasis on increasing diversity within our master's degree programs.
Underrepresented minorities may receive up to 50 percent per year in tuition scholarship through our Diversity Scholarships. Additionally, up to $10,000 per year may be allocated for the student to gain experience in a research setting under the direction of a principal investigator (PI).
Externally Funded Scholarships
For MS students, we also offer support to recipients of select competitive externally funded scholarships, such as:
- National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellowships
- Fulbright Scholar Program
Fellowships
Some departments will occasionally provide some reduced-tuition assistance, but most of Pratt’s masters students pay through a combination of loans and their own money.
Also see Duke Graduate School Master Student Financial Aid web page.
Federal Loan Programs
Duke University offers the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Programs for graduate students, including Stafford unsubsidized loans, Graduate PLUS, and Perkins loans. Each of these loans has different terms and conditions, but they are generally deferrable until after graduation or until the student is enrolled for less than half-time.
These federal loans are available only to United States citizens. Visit the Duke Financial Aid website for more information and application procedures for student loans.
On-Campus Work
While enrolled in the program, many students work in a variety of places, such as campus libraries and various departments within Duke. Teaching assistantships are available in various departments, and some departments have research assistantships as well.
These positions are paid an hourly rate, and most students work between 10 to 20 hours per week. Positions are generally posted and filled just a week or two before classes begin each semester.