Graduate Programs

The Department of Electrical Engineering offers graduate programs leading to the degree of Master of Science (M.S.) and the degrees of Doctor of Engineering Science (Eng.Sc.D.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). The Graduate Record Examination (General Test only) is required of all applicants except special students. An undergraduate grade-point average equivalent to B or better from an institution comparable to Columbia is expected.

Applicants who, for good reasons, are unable to submit GRE test results by the deadline date but whose undergraduate record is clearly superior may file an application without the GRE scores. An explanatory note should be added to ensure that the application will be processed even while incomplete. If the candidate’s admissibility is clear, the decision may be made without the GRE scores; otherwise, it may be deferred until the scores are received.

There are no prescribed course requirements in any of the regular graduate degree programs. Students, in consultation with their faculty advisers, design their own programs, focusing on particular fields of electrical engineering. Among the fields of graduate study are Communications, Networking, Internet and Internet of Things; Computer Engineering; Integrated Circuits and Systems and Electronics; Integrated Devices and Photonics; Signals, Information, Data, Learning and Control; Smart Electric Energy; and Systems Biology and Neuroengineering.

Graduate course charts for several focus areas can be found at ee.columbia.edu.

M.S. students must complete the professional development and leadership course, ENGI E4000 PROF DEVELOPMENT＆LEADERSHIP, as a graduation requirement. Doctoral students will be enrolled in ENGI E6001 Professional development and leadership for first year doctoral students–ENGI E6004 Professional development and leadership for fourth year doctoral students and should consult their program for specific PDL requirements.