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Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering

University of Colorado Boulder logo

Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering

University of Colorado Boulder

Fall 1 enrollment starts August 20. Stay tuned!

Start your first course or request more information.

Top 20 Engineering School

Earn the same accredited degree as students on campus. Ranking

Finish in 12 months

30 courses total (30 credit hours) full or part-time, 4–6 hours per week per course

$20,010 USD total cost

Flexible pay-as-you-go payment options with no hidden costs or fees

Performance-based admission

Start learning and show us you’re ready, regardless of your background

100% online

Pre-recorded lectures, rigorous assignments, and connection with instructors and peers

Academics

A rigorous and advanced curriculum in electrical and computer engineering prepares you to design and build what interests you.

The MS-ECE on Coursera prepares you for engineering roles in rapidly growing industries such as technology for climate solutions, IoT, robotics, computer hardware/software, semiconductor machine learning, and much more.

You can take all 30 credits in this program at your own pace, and tailor your coursework to your career goals. Choose electrical engineering courses in the following focus areas of power electronics, embedded systems, and photonics and optics as well as areas from other CU Boulder graduate programs in computer science, engineering management, and data science.

Flexibility
Start on a pathway course and begin working towards your degree on a timeline that’s right for you.
Program length
Choose from six enrollment terms throughout the year. You can finish the entire 30 credits in as little as 12 months. Most students finish in around 24 months.
Language
Taught in English with subtitles in English. Arabic, German, Spanish, French, Indonesian, Portuguese-BR, and Thai.
Learn on mobile
Take your studies on the go with mobile-friendly learning on iOS and Android. Some assignments may not be compatible with a mobile device.

Enrollment for Summer 2 2025 is now closed!

Fall 1 enrollment starts August 20. Stay tuned!

All newly admitted and current Master of Science – Electrical Engineering (MS-EE) students, both degree and non-degree seeking, will have their degree program name updated to Master of Science – Electrical and Computer Engineering (MS-ECE) starting Fall 2025 onward.

Upcoming events

Stay tuned!

Additional resources

Questions? Email us at msee-mooc@colorado.edu.

Enrollment for Summer 2 2025 is now closed!

Fall 1 enrollment starts August 20. Stay tuned!

All newly admitted and current Master of Science – Electrical Engineering (MS-EE) students, both degree and non-degree seeking, will have their degree program name updated to Master of Science – Electrical and Computer Engineering (MS-ECE) starting Fall 2025 onward.

Upcoming events

Stay tuned!

Additional resources

Questions? Email us at msee-mooc@colorado.edu.

Not ready to enroll in the MS-ECE program? Consider a Graduate Certificate.

Upon completion of the Graduate Certificate, it can be credited towards the MS-ECE degree.

Graduate certificates may be stacked - earning one or more - as you work to complete the degree requirements.

Learn more about the graduate certificates below:

  • Power Electronics Graduate Certificate: Progress your career by learning the fundamentals of power electronics like power management, portable power, computer systems, medical applications, spacecraft systems, renewable energy & utilities.

  • Industrial Internet of Things Graduate Certificate: Prepare to grow your design skills by learning about application areas, operating systems, and networking and wireless communication protocols used in IIoT deployments from a top 5 ranked online electrical and computer engineering graduate program.

  • Semiconductor Photonics Graduate Certificate: Learn the fundamental building blocks for solid-state photonic devices. It starts from the quantum theory of solids and fundamentals of semiconductor devices and on to cover advanced photonic devices such as solid-state lighting, semiconductor lasers, photodetectors, and energy conversion devices.

Curriculum

Pathway Specialization: Power Electronics (4 credits)

  • Introduction to Power Electronics
  • Converter Circuits
  • Converter Control
  • Magnetics for Power Electronic Converters

Pathway Specialization: Embedding Sensors and Motors (3 credits)

  • Sensors and Sensor Circuit Design
  • Motors and Motor Control Circuits
  • Pressure, Force, Motion, and Humidity Sensors
  • Sensor Manufacturing and Process Control

Pathway Specialization: FPGA Design for Embedded Systems (3 credits)

  • Intro to FPGA Design for Embedded Systems
  • Hardware Description Languages for FPGA Design
  • FPGA Softcore Processors and IP Acquisition
  • Building FPGA Projects

Pathway Specialization: Optical Engineering (3 credits)

  • First Order Optical System Design
  • Optical Efficiency and Resolution
  • Design of High-Performance Optical Systems

Pathway Specialization: Semiconductor Devices (3 credits)

  • Semiconductor Physics
  • Diode: pn Junction and Metal Semiconductor Contact
  • Transistor: Field Effect Transistor and Bipolar Junction Transistor

Up to 9 credits offered by CU Boulder's ME-EM, or MS-DS on Coursera programs may be applied toward the total 30-credit hours required to complete the MS-ECE degree.

  • Averaged Switch Modeling and Simulation
  • Techniques of Design Oriented Analysis
  • Input Filter Design
  • Current-Mode Control
  • Modeling and Control of Single Phase Rectifiers and Inverters
  • Industrial IoT Markets and Security
  • Project Planning and Machine Learning
  • Modeling and Debugging Embedded Systems
  • User Experience Interface Design for Embedded Systems
  • Rapid Prototyping of Embedded Interface Designs
  • M2M and IoT Interface Design and Protocols
  • Linux System Programming and Introduction to Buildroot
  • Linux Kernel Programming and Introduction to Yocto
  • Embedded System Topics and Project
  • Introduction to Battery-Management Systems
  • Equivalent Circuit Cell Model Simulation
  • Battery State-of-Charge (SOC) Estimation
  • Battery State-of-Health (SOH) Estimation
  • Battery Pack Balancing and Power Estimation
  • Light Emitting Diodes and Semiconductors Lasers
  • Nanophotonics and Detectors
  • Displays
  • Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
  • Theory of Angular Momentum
  • Approximation Methods
  • Concept and Practices
  • Theory and Analysis
  • Mission-Critical, SW Applications
  • Real-Time Embedded Systems Project
  • Power Electronics Capstone Project
  • Open-Loop Photovoltaic Power Electronics Laboratory
  • Closed-Loop Photovoltaic Power Electronics Laboratory
  • Photovoltaic Power Electronics Battery Management Laboratory
  • Introduction to Power Switches
  • High-Voltage p-n and Schottky Diodes
  • Electric Vehicle Sensors

Learn more about each course here