Why would the Combined BS-MS program be a good option for me?
The Combined BS-MS program is great for students who know early on that they want to pursue a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, want to study at the University of Washington for graduate school, and are interested in getting a bit of a head start to this process.
What is Memo 42?
Memo 42 is a UW Graduate School Policy about Sequential Combined Undergraduate/Graduate (CUG) Degrees.
As outlined in Memo 42, students in our Combined BS-MS program may begin some of their MSEE curriculum/research during senior year of their bachelor’s degree. The credits that you apply to your MSEE can not be in any way counting towards your undergraduate degree requirements.
With prior approval, a limited number of credits taken as an undergraduate may be applied toward a master’s degree. Please contact ECE Graduate Advising (grad@ece.uw.edu) to learn more.
How long does it take to do the Combined BS-MS program?
If you have space in your senior year schedule, you can consider taking graduate level classes to count towards your graduate degree requirements. This will allow you to finish your MSEE on a faster timeline. Finishing your BS-MS program in five years is possible if you plan ahead and take graduate classes during your senior year of your undergraduate degree.
I am a UW student and meet all other eligibility criteria, but I am not an Electrical Engineering major. Can I do this program?
Students from STEM disciplines are eligible. Some other majors that could be a good fit include Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering, Physics, etc. Students applying outside of Electrical Engineering are expected to make up any deficiencies in their electrical engineering background prior to beginning their graduate program.
Fundamental courses required of all non-EE degree holders include:
- EE 215 Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering
- EE 233 Circuit Theory
- EE 241 Programming for Signal and Information Processing Applications, concurrent with EE 242 Signal Processing I
- Programming skills at the level of CSE 142 Computer Programming I and CSE 143 Computer Programming II
I just graduated with my bachelor’s degree. Can I do the Combined BS-MS program?
No. If you have already graduated with your bachelor’s degree, you are not eligible. You would need to apply for graduate studies in our department through the regular application process.
Information about our Master’s and Ph.D. program can be found here.
Information about our Professional Master’s Program (PMP) can be found here.