Graduate Degree Requirements

Please note that in addition to specific EEE course requirements, there may be some specific course requirements imposed by other programs, if you are enrolled in them.

Degree Options

Professional MS or Non-Thesis (30 credits)

30 credits of coursework


MS-Thesis (30 credits)

18 credits of coursework

12 credits of EEE69800


PhD (90 credits)

30 credits of coursework

42 credits of EEE69900

18 credits of either coursework and/or EEE69900


Course Requirements

  • For all students, starting in Fall 2023 or later:
    • 9 credits of EEE graduate level courses (500- and 600-level course) are required to be on the Plan of Study. Within the 9 credits, EEE69500 (Incoming GR Seminar; 1 credit; offered in Fall) must be taken.
    • MS-Thesis and PHD Students must take EEE69000 from their first semester until they graduate. Below are the detailed rules for EEE690:
      • Ph.D. and thesis-based master's students enrolled in Fall 2023 or after are required to take EEE 69000 every semester until they graduate. This rule also applies to those who have passed prelims.

      EXCEPTIONS:

      • Ph.D. and thesis-based master's students enrolled in Spring 2023 or earlier are strongly encouraged to take EEE 69000, although it’s not required. Their advisor needs to approve it and EEE graduate committee chair and EEE69000 instructors should be notified.
      • If a student is off campus for professional reasons, such as an internship, or is only taking asynchronous courses, then the student doesn’t need to take EEE 69000 in that semester.
      • If a student is on campus but needs to take a course that is important for the student’s research but has a scheduling conflict with EEE 69000, the student can be excused for that semester but needs to seek approval from their advisor and EEE graduate committee chair and also notify EEE 69000 instructors.
      • A Ph.D. student needs to attend at least 10 meetings in EEE 69000 in a semester and the rest can be replaced with alternate seminars if those seminars are more relevant to their research. However, the Ph.D. student should seek approval from EEE69000 instructors, and a reflection report needs to be finished for each alternate seminar.

Other important information:

For more information, please review the EEE Graduate Program Handbook.

  • Full-time status is 8 credits in Fall or Spring and 6 credits in Summer.
    • Professional MS students are not required to register in the Summer.
  • Fellowship recipients must have enrolled full-time in the Fall, Spring, and Summer.
  • Students with Assistantships need to be enrolled in a minimum of 3-credits each Fall, Spring, and Summer
  • All graduate level courses offered from the College of Engineering (CoE) are approved to be on the Plan of Study.
  • Please email eeegrad@purdue.edu if you aim to take a course outside CoE and include this on your Plan of Study.
  • Please email eeegrad@purdue.edu if you would like to take a 300- or 400-level course. Up to 6 credits of these courses can be on the Plan of Study.
    • Combined Degree students cannot count undergraduate level course on the Plan.
  • Professional MS students can take up to 6 credits of EEE59800 (EEE Independent Study)