It is a Professional Master’s degree program offered by CU Boulder’s Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering (ECEE) in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. It leads to a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering (MSEE). Its goal is to produce creative, workforce-ready graduates equipped with versatile power systems skills and technical leadership abilities.
A Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, or in another engineering or hard science field is required. The curriculum assumes a solid background in circuits and related subject matter. Students with a non-EE undergraduate degree can also take undergraduate courses (that do not count toward the degree) at CU Boulder to address any required prerequisites.
The GRE is optional for spring/fall 2024 admissions.
For graduate students, professional master’s tuition rates differ from traditional academic research tuition rates. The Professional Master's rates are linear per student credit hour and have low differential for non-residents as compared with traditional rates. Please refer to the officially published tuition rate schedules from the campus Bursar's Office. Non-degree student tuition rates for power electronics professional master’s courses will generally follow the same rates as for graduate students. Tuition rates are administered through the respective enrollment processes for degree and non-degree students. Graduate students may be enrolled in only one professional master’s program at a time.
This degree requires specialization in power systems, to develop a foundation for a career in the power and energy field. Upon graduation, the transcript will indicate completion of the sub-plan in next-generation power & energy systems.
Complete details on the application process (admission requirements, application deadlines, how to apply instructions for both visa and domestic students) may be found on the university's Graduate Admissions website.
Yes. For further inquiries or assistance, please contact ECEE Graduate Advisor Adam Sadoff at adam.sadoff@colorado.edu or (303) 735-0490.
Students enrolled in professional master’s programs are eligible for an hourly paid appointment (Student Assistant IV – see current scale here) or for a program-administered fellowship, but are not eligible for TA, RA, GA, or GPTI roles that include tuition waivers. Instead, professional master’s program tuition rates are lower than those for other MS, ME and PhD degrees for out-of-state students and visa students.
30 credit hours of graduate-level coursework are required. Four core courses in power systems are required:
One core course in power electronics is required: ECEN 5797.
Of the remaining five courses, at least three must be approved technical electives.
This program offers great flexibility. Full-time students typically complete the degree in two years or less, taking two or three courses per semester. Part-time students should complete the degree within four years.
No research or thesis components are required. The primary objective of this program is workforce preparation in industry-driven highly employable engineering skills. The program offers a curriculum directed toward up-to-date theory and skills required for engineers practicing in the power systems domain. Participants who desire a research-driven experience may optionally enroll in independent study.
No. This program concentrates on preparing students for an industry career; however, enrolled students may apply for admission to the PhD program if they choose.
Yes. With the exception of the laboratory courses, all course offerings in this program are available. Students admitted into this professional master’s program can enroll in the online version of these courses and earn the MS degree without attending on-campus classes.
Refer to the campus Academic Calendar for important deadline dates.
Yes. Since the ECEE Department offers the professional master’s program under the MS degree, the CIP code is 14.0101 with a CIP description of general engineering. This CIP code is listed on ICE website as a STEM-designated degree program.