Project Track Degree Requirements (Students Starting Fall 2023 and Later)

About this track: Students in this track will take specific Ideas to Innovation coursework, in which they will complete a project that has the same scope and ambition as a nine-credit MS thesis. This track is designed to allow students to build both technical and professional skills.

Project: Student teams consisting of members from different ECE technical areas will select and complete a significant design project. During the fall semester, teams will work on faculty-suggested topics or continuing topics from the prior year. In this course, each team will define the project goals/metrics, including “proof-of-concept” demonstrations for main aspects of the proposed approach. In the spring semester, student teams will continue their work on their design project, including iterations through stages of design, final demonstration, and testing to verify operation of key functionalities and quantify metrics. Processes for project proposals, approvals of project concepts, design reviews, and final reports are modeled on those of leading technology innovation companies.

Ideas to Innovation courses: All students in the project track must complete Ideas-to-Innovation Design Project I and II, two-semester course sequence focused on an intensive design project and professional development exercises:

Degree requirements:

Sample plan of study: Most students take 4 semesters to earn the degree, but you could progress quicker if desired. A sample plan of study is shown below.

  • Fall
  • Spring
    • Ideas to Innovation II (3 credits)
    • ECE or Math courses (6 credits)
    • Selected project track coursework (2 credits minimum)
  • Fall
    • Selected project track coursework (if not taken in Spring; 2 credits minimum)
    • ECE courses (6 credits)
  • Spring
    • Additional ECE coursework or electives to meet curriculum requirements