Electrical and Computer Engineering

  • CubeSat

M.S. in Computer Engineering

 

Title:  Department ChairTitle:  Graduate Coordinator
Chair:  Dr. Xiaojun (Ashley) GengName:  Dr. Xiaojun (Ashley) Geng
Office:  Jacaranda Hall 4509Office:   Jacaranda Hall 4509
Phone:  (818) 677-2190  Phone:   (818) 677-2190
Email:  xjgeng@csun.edu
Emailxjgeng@csun.edu

1. For Admission to the Graduate Program

  1. A Baccalaureate degree in a technical field *(e.g., Engineering, Physics or Mathematics from an accredited university or college) with an overall GPA of at least 2.75.
  2. Have at least a 2.7 undergraduate grade point average in the last sixty semester units or ninety quarter units attempted.
  3. International students are required to submit a brief statement of purpose and 3 letters of recommendations.

* Regardless of undergraduate degree, all students must fulfill with a 3.0 GPA or higher, the undergraduate prerequisite courses in Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering outlined below:

2. Prerequisite Courses

ClassDescription
Math 150ACalculus I  
Math 150BCalculus II  
Math 250Calculus III  
Math or ECE 280Applied Differential Equations 
Physics 220A/ALMechanics  
Physics 220B/BL Electricity and Magnetism 
Comp 110/L Introduction to Algorithms and Programming and Laboratory 
Comp 182/L Data Structures and Program Design 3/1 
Comp 282Advanced Data Structures and lab 3 
ECE 240/LElectrical Engineering Fundamentals  
ECE 309Numerical Methods in Electrical Engineering 
ECE 320/L Theory of Digital Systems  
ECE 340/L Electronics I  
ECE 350Linear Systems I  
ECE 351Linear System II 
ECE 420Digital Systems Design with programmable Logic 
ECE 422Design of Digital Computers 3 
ECE 425/LMicroprocessor Systems & Laboratory  
ECE 442/LDigital Electronics & Laboratory  
ECE 450Probabilistic Systems in Electrical

** The ECE Graduate Coordinator will determine which course(s) will be required.

3. For Advancement to Classified Graduate Status

  1. Fulfill University requirements for classified status.
  2. Complete prerequisite courses with 3.0 GPA or higher.
  3. Submit a tentative program of graduate study approved by the ECE graduate coordinator.
  4. Minimum grade in any course taken must be "C" or better while maintaining an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher

For the Degree:

  1. Completion of 30 units under either the Thesis Plan or the Project Plan or 33 units under the Comprehensive Exam Plan.  Note:  Students may not take a course (counting toward an MSEE degree) which is the same or equivalent to a course taken toward ones undergraduate program.
  2. Formal approval of granting the degree by the Engineering Faculty.

Thesis Plan:

  1. 24 units of course work applicable to the M.S. degree, of which at least 15 units must be 500/600-level ECE courses. Select a minimum of 12 units of Electrical and Computer Engineering courses and a minimum of 6 units of Computer Science courses plus 6 units selected from Electrical and Computer Engineering or Computer Science courses.
  2. 6 units of ECE 698(Thesis) and a successful oral defense of the thesis before the thesis committee.

Project Plan:

  1. 27 units of coursework applicable to the M.S. degree, of which at least 18 units must be 500/600-level ECE courses.  Select a minimum of 12 units of Electrical and Computer Engineering courses and a minimum of 6 units of Computer Science courses plus 9 units selected from Electrical and Computer Engineering or Computer Science courses.
  2. 3 units of ECE 698 (Graduate Project) culminating in a comprehensive report.

Comprehensive Exam Plan:

  1. 30 units of coursework applicable to the M.S. degree, of which at least 21 units must be 500/600-level ECE courses. Select a minimum of 12 units of Electrical and Computer Engineering courses and a minimum of 6 units of Computer Science courses plus 12 units selected from Electrical and Computer Engineering or Computer Science courses.
  2. 3 units of ECE 697 (Directed Comprehensive Studies) and completion of the comprehensive exam with a grade of B or better.

Graduate Program:

The 30 units of coursework in the graduate program must form a cohesive plan of graduate study that consists of suggested and courses from Electrical and Compter Engineering and Computer Science.  The Thesis Plan must not include graded ECE 699C or Comp 699C (Independent Study) and the Project Plan may include at most 3 graded units of ECE 699C or Comp 699C (Independent Study).   Any additional ECE 699 units may be taken as CR/NCR only.

4. Admission Procedure and University Rules

Application forms can be accessed through Cal State Apply and are submitted online. The code number for the MSCompE is 562445M. Application deadlines for admission are set by the Office of Admissions.

All applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English must receive a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based, 213 on the computer-based or 79/80 on the Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a score of 6.5 or higher on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Besides TOEFL and IELTS, CSUN currently accept other tests such as Duolingo. All acceptable English language tests and minimum scores are listed at https://www.csun.edu/prospective-students/international/graduate.

Continuing students in either Post Baccalaureate or Graduate status may change their objective and seek admission to a MS in Computer Engineering by filling out a change of objective form that can be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Records.

It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of all University regulations and restrictions such as:

  1. No more than 9 units of transfer or extension work
  2. No more than a total of 9 units of ECE 400-level Digital course and/or Comp 400-level courses taken in residence can be counted toward Master in Computer Engineering
  3. Probation and Disqualification
  4. Repeat of courses rules
  5. Advancement to Candidacy
  6. Academic leave
  7. 7-years time limit for the completion of the degree
  8. Graduation with Distinction

For details on the above, students are advised to attend one of the ECE graduate orientation meetings to meet with the Graduate Coordinator. Prior to the formation of their Graduate Committee, graduate students are advised by the Graduate Coordinator. After the formation of their Graduate Committee, graduate students are advised by their Committee Chair. All courses taken towards the MS degree must be approved by the Committee Chair and the Graduate Coordinator. 

5. Required Courses (30 units)

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers the Master of Science degree in Computer Engineering.  For this degree, the student must define a program that conforms to the general M.S. in Computer Engineering degree requirements as established by the Department.

Students are advised to meet with an advisor as soon as possible to plan their program. No more than a total of 9 units of ECE 400-level Digital courses and/or Comp 400-level courses taken in residence can be counted toward Master in Computer Engineering.

Students may not take a course (counting toward MSCompE degree) which is the same or equivalent to a course taken toward one’s undergraduate program.

Students must select a minimum of 14 units of 500 or 600-level required Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) courses listed below:

and a minimum of 6 units of 500 or 600-level Computer Science (COMP) elective courses in the following list:

If students choose to do the Graduate Project (3 units of ECE 698C), the remaining 7 units must either be from Electrical Engineering or Computer Science courses.

If students choose to do the Thesis (6 units of ECE 698C), the remaining 4 units must be either from Electrical Engineering or Computer Science courses.

All graduate programs in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering must be approved by the faculty advisor and the Graduate Coordinator.

6. Electrical and Computer Engineering Courses

Electrical and Computer Engineering Courses:

CourseDescriptionUnits
ECE 420 Digital Systems Design w/Programmable Logic 3
ECE 422 Design of Digital Computers 3
ECE 425/L Microprocessor Systems and Lab 3/1
ECE 442/L Digital Electronics and Lab 3/1
ECE 443/L Pulse and Waveshaping Circuit Design and Laboratory 3/1
ECE 520/L System On Chip Design and Lab 3/1
ECE 524/L FPGA/ASIC Design and Optimization Using VHDL & Lab 3/1
ECE 526/L Digital Design with Verilog and System Verilog and Lab 3/1
ECE 527/L Application Specific Integrated Circuit Development and Lab 3/1
ECE 620 Advanced Switching Theory 3
ECE 621 Computer Arithmetic Design 3
ECE 622 Digital Systems Structure 3
ECE 623 Diagnosis and Reliable Design of Digital Systems 3
ECE 624 Digital Systems Design Automation and VHDL Modeling 3
ECE 625 Microprocessor Interfacing and Applications 3
ECE 629C Seminar in Digital Systems and Components 3
ECE 635 Error Detection and Correction Systems Design 3
ECE 639 Robotic Sensing and Computer Vision 3
ECE 697Directed Comprehensive Study 3
ECE 698C Thesis or Graduate Project 3
ECE 699C Independent Study 3

7. Computer Science Courses

Computer Science Courses:

CourseDescriptionUnits
Comp 420 Advanced Operating System Concepts 3
Comp 424 Computer System Security 3
Comp 426 Fault-Tolerant Software and Computing 3
Comp 429 Computer Network Software 3
Comp 432 Object-Oriented Programming 3
Comp 440 Database Design 3
Comp 469 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence 3
Comp 484/L Web Engineering I and Lab 2/1
Comp 485 Human-Computer Interaction 3
Comp 541 Data Mining 3
Comp 560 Expert Systems 3
Comp 565/L Advanced Computer Graphics and Lab 2/1
Comp 587 Software Verification and Validation 3
Comp 686 Software Engineering Management 3
Comp 699CIndependent Study3

 

 

8. Faculty Areas of Specialization