Graduate Specializations in Electrical & Computer Engineering

Tips for Choosing a Specialization

  • Identify Your Interests: Think about whether you’re more drawn to hands-on hardware, software algorithms, or theoretical exploration.
  • Consider Career Goals: Explore potential industries and roles that align with each specialization to see where your interests align.
  • Talk to Mentors & Professionals: Faculty advisors, professors, and industry professionals can provide valuable insights into each field.
  • Review Faculty Webpages: See faculty bios, research areas, and contact information for professors who specialize in the specialization.
  • Explore Coursework & Projects: Try out classes or small projects in your areas of interest to get a feel for the work.
    • Some ECE elective courses have prerequisites. Make sure you have completed any required undergraduate coursework before enrolling. If you’re unsure whether you’ve met a course prerequisite, please contact Dr. A. Tye Gardner: 

Embedded Systems

  • Consider This: If you enjoy hands-on design and creating hardware that directly interacts with software.
  • Focus: Design and development of microcontrollers, microprocessors, and sensors for use in integrated systems, like automotive electronics, IoT devices, and consumer electronics.
  • Key Skills: Hardware-software integration, real-time operating systems, system-level design.
  • Career Path: Roles in consumer electronics, automotive, and industrial automation industries.
  • Faculty Specialists: 

Related Courses      

Descriptions                                                 

Credits
ECE 6210 
Digital Signal Processing
3
ECE 6620
Digital System Testing
3
ECE 6710
Real-Time Embedded Systems
4
CS 6610
Computer Architecture
3

 

 

Robotics

  • Consider This: If you’re passionate about building intelligent systems that interact with the physical world.
  • Focus: Development of autonomous and semi-autonomous robotic systems that combine sensors, algorithms, and actuators for tasks such as navigation, perception, and manipulation.
  • Key Skills: Mechatronics, , programming, embedded systems, optimization, and control systems.
  • Career Path: Opportunities in manufacturing, healthcare (surgical robots), supply-chain, remote monitoring, and research institutions.
  • Faculty Specialist:

Related Courses     

Descriptions                                              

Credits
ECE 6140 
Sensors and Instrumentation
3
ECE 6220
Image Processing
3
ECE 6510
Advanced Power Systems
3
ECE 6730 
Robotics
3

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

  • Consider This: If you’re drawn to data-driven decision-making and the potential of intelligent software.
  • Focus: Creating algorithms and models that enable computers to perform tasks like image recognition, language processing, and predictive analytics.
  • Key Skills: Neural networks, deep learning, data analysis, and statistical modeling.
  • Career Path: Roles in tech, finance, healthcare, and autonomous systems development.
  • Faculty Specialists:

Related Courses    

Descriptions

Credits
ECE 6210 
Digital Signal Processing
3
ECE 6220
Image Processing
3
ECE 6230
Engineering Applications in Deep Learning
3
CS 6600
Machine Learning
3

Signal Processing and Communications

  • Consider This: If you’re interested in transforming data into meaningful information for audio, image, and communication technologies.
  • Focus: Analysis and manipulation of signals for applications like image/video processing, communications, and audio engineering.
  • Key Skills: Digital filtering, and probability/statistics.
  • Career Path: Careers in telecommunications, media, medical imaging, and defense industries.
  • Faculty Specialists:

Related Courses

Descriptions

Credits
ECE 6210 
Digital Signal Processing
3
ECE 6220
Image Processing
3
ECE 6410
Communication Circuits and Systems
3
ECE 6420
Digital Communication
3
ECE 6440
Optical Communication Systems
3

Power Systems & Energy Engineering

  • Consider This: If you’re passionate about sustainable energy and large-scale infrastructure.
  • Focus: Design, analysis, and management of systems that generate, transmit, and distribute electrical power.
  • Key Skills: Power electronics, grid infrastructure, renewable energy, and electrical machinery.
  • Career Path: Roles in utility companies, renewable energy, and smart grid technology development.
  • Faculty Specialists:

Related Courses     

Descriptions                                                   

Credits
ECE 6510
Advanced Power Systems
3
ECE 6160
Power Electronics 
3

Material Science and Engineering

  • Consider This: If you're curious about how materials shape technology and want to develop materials for electronics, energy, or advanced manufacturing.
  • Focus: Study and development of materials at the atomic and molecular level to enhance performance in electronic, mechanical, and thermal systems.
  • Key Skills: Materials characterization, nanotechnology, semiconductor physics, and computational modeling.
  • Career Path: Roles in semiconductor fabrication, aerospace, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing research and development.
  • Faculty Specialists:

Related Courses   

Descriptions

Credits
ECE 6110
Digital VLSI Design
3
ECE 6120
Analog VLSI Design
3
ECE 6130
Advanced Semiconductor Devices
3
ECE 6150
Digital Communication
3
ECE 6170
Advanced Materials Science and Engineering
3