Computer Engineering
MS

The Master of Science program in Computer Engineering provides:

structure: as you develop a firm foundation to succeed at the advanced level in industry or to pursue further graduate studies
flexibility: follow your own particular interest as you complete your studies

Our graduates are successful technical contributors to industry and productive faculty members in electrical and computer engineering departments.

Student success

Computer engineering MS student Karen da Mata

Karen da Mata '23

"I chose UMassD for two main reasons. First, the campus is beautiful, diverse, and so welcoming. We have people here from all over the world, and because of that, I knew I could just be myself and would not feel like an outsider. Second, there are so many research opportunities here that I knew it would open many doors for me. I have had an incredible advisor and excellent professors that are academically qualified as well as helpful and concerned with their student’s progress. I will be forever grateful to them."

Median starting salary for computer science MS graduates, class of 2022:
$135,000

NACE AY 2022 Data Collection of Graduate Alumni

Program objectives

The MS program in Computer Engineering:

provides students with in-depth understanding and expertise in specific areas of specialization
trains students to conduct scientific research in specific areas of interest
trains students in how to communicate their research findings as technical papers and presentations at conferences and seminars
provides students with the opportunity to show mastery in a specific research project or research area of interest by writing and defending a thesis/project report or by passing a comprehensive exam

Degree requirements

The MS in Computer Engineering is a 30 credit program.

At least 24 of the required 30 credits must be at the graduate level (500 level or higher); a grade of C or better is required for all graduate courses to be counted towards the degree.
As many as 6 credits of 400-level courses will be allowed to compensate for variations in the student’s background; a grade of B or better is required for them to be counted towards the degree. Undergraduate courses in excess of the 6-credit limit are allowed, but will not count for credit toward the degree.
Program options include a thesis track and a non-thesis track.

The MS in Computer Engineering and the MS in Electrical Engineering, although separate degrees, share some common requirements.

Specific requirements: MS in Computer Engineering

Research areas

Our faculty are experts in an impressive variety of fields and are engaged notable research ventures supported by public and private funding. Key research areas within the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE):

A limited number of assistantships are available on a competitive basis. This award is subject to the work needs of the position and department, your satisfactory performance of duties, your academic record, and availability of funds, and may be subject to change.

Learn more about assistantships at UMass Dartmouth

International (F-1) students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees may be eligible to apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT). To learn about the eligibility criteria and detailed steps to apply, please review the International Student & Scholar Center (ISSC) OPT page and USCIS resources. F-1 students must consult with the ISSC to apply for STEM OPT.

Graduate admissions requirements

University requirements for graduate admissions

Submit an application via the online portal. Be sure to provide your full legal name and to capitalize the first letter of all proper nouns.
Pay non-refundable $60 application fee (American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa) via the online portal. For Nursing applicants, the non-refundable application fee is $75.
Statement of Purpose, minimum 300 words. Unless otherwise indicated in the program requirement details, indicate your graduate study objectives, research interests and experience, and business or industry experience if applicable. If you are applying for a teaching or research assistantship, include any special skills or experience that would assist us in making assistantship decisions.
Resume
Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended (regardless of whether a credential is earned or not). Unofficial transcripts are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled a final official transcript is required. International students applying with an transcript evaluation, please submit that document with your unofficial transcripts. International applicants for Data Science must submit semester-by-semester transcripts as well as consolidated transcripts.
Many programs have specific recommendations/requirements, please see the additional program-specific requirements for more information.
International students: official TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Pearson PTE or Duolingo (if accepted by program) score. Unofficial scores are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled official scores are required and must be sent by the testing agency (copies/scans not accepted). This is required of any applicant who did not earn a bachelor’s degree or higher degree from an accredited academic institution in the U.S. or accepted English-speaking country, see exemptions for more details. We require an overall/total minimum score of 72 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.0 on the IELTS or a 52 on the Pearsons PTE Academic for entrance to any program and a minimum score of 79 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.5 on the IELTS for consideration for a teaching assistantship. Some programs require higher minimum scores (see program-specific requirements). Most programs also accept the Duolingo with a minimum score of 95. The following programs do not accept the Duolingo: Art Education, Biology/Marine Biology, Nursing (MS, DNP, PhD), Psychology: Clinical, and Public Policy.
All official documents are required for enrollment, please have documents (ie. test scores) sent prior to the expiration.

Program-specific requirements

Candidates must submit the required application materials, university requirements and program-specific requirements, for consideration.

Students possessing a bachelor's degree and a strong academic background in computer engineering or similar disciplines are encouraged to apply.
Admission to the MS program is competitive. In general, students must exceed the minimum requirements stated below to gain admission. However, students who do not meet these minimum requirements—but who otherwise show evidence of strong academic, professional, or research ability—may be accepted upon approval of the ECE Graduate Committee.
Bachelor's degree in computer engineering, or related field of engineering, science, or mathematics, from a college or university of recognized standing. Applicants with different backgrounds may be admitted with additional course requirements needed to meet program prerequisites.
Demonstrated scholastic competence: typically, MS applicants with an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale for all engineering, math and physics courses will be considered.

Requirements

GRE is required. The GRE is waived for students with a bachelor's or graduate degree from an institution in the United States.
1 letter of recommendation: from a person in the field of your academic major at the institution most recently attended or from a supervisor familiar with your recent job performance. BS/MS applicants are encouraged to include a recommendation from a department faculty member willing to advise their graduate research. Applicants will be required to provide the recommenders name and email address so we can contact the recommender for the letter of recommendation.
International students should have a minimum English Proficiency score of TOEFL iBT 80, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110 or the Pearsons PTE Academic 58.