Electrical Engineering

Master's Degree Program

Opportunities for graduate studies

Where would you like your graduate degree to take you? Will you develop a trailblazing intelligent wireless sensor network that can detect biological or chemical agents? A new way to manage acoustic signals in speech, ultrasound, hearing aids or music? Or something entirely new?

The Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of North Texas offers course work leading to a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. With a graduate degree from UNT in electrical engineering, you'll be well-positioned for an accomplished career in tomorrow's tech-driven world, finding more efficient ways of communicating information.

The university is constantly assessing its degree programs with an eye on tomorrow's marketplace. UNT's College of Engineering is a pioneer in developing project-oriented curricula that allows students to apply knowledge in tangible real-world applications. Its state-of-the-art lab and research facilities are the envy of other universities nationwide.

With small class sizes, you will work closely with distinguished faculty members to solve complex problems faced by government, businesses and consumers. You also will have the opportunity to take advantage of the invaluable contacts provided from the many relationships the university has with leading companies and corporate partners.

Choose from a variety of cutting-edge courses and research areas, including:

• artificial intelligence
• coding theory
• computer vision
• data fusion
• radar systems
• RF/microwave circuits
• sensor networks
• speech-driven facial animation
• statistical signal processing
• VLSI design
• wireless communications and networks

You can engage in advanced high-tech collaborative research in the department supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Laboratory and others in industry. Graduate classes are offered late in the afternoon to accommodate working students.

Research and laboratories

UNT is committed to excellence in teaching and the discovery and application of knowledge through research and creative activities. The electrical engineering department has several state-of-the-art instructional and research laboratories to provide you with practical and advanced hands-on experience. Some laboratories and instrumentation from other departments also are available for interdisciplinary work.

The Analog, RF and Mixed-Signal Design Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art electronic instrumentation and facilities for simulations, prototyping and measurement of RF/microwave components and systems.

The Autonomous Systems Laboratory focuses on information assurance, decision making and video communications aspects in autonomous systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs).

The Communications and Signal Processing Laboratory is dedicated to research on coding, information theory, encryption, wireless networking and software defined radio for applications in the industry, defense and space sectors.

The Computer-Aided Design Laboratory provides infrastructure for CAD, including several workstations with the latest CAD software, enabling design, test and simulation of a range of analog, digital and mixed-signal semiconductor chip designs.

The Speech, Music and Digital Signal Processing Laboratory is dedicated to the study of speech, ultrasound, hearing prosthetics, music (analysis, synthesis and transcription) and management of acoustic signals.

The Vision, Robotics and Control Systems Laboratory supports research in the areas of pattern recognition, image processing, computer vision, computational intelligence, robotics and allied areas.

The Wireless Systems and Sensor Networks Research Laboratory focuses on system-level assurance and integration issues critical for the design of high-performance wireless networks and intelligent sensor networks.

Admission requirements

You must meet the general admission requirements of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies and a specific set of program requirements:

• acceptable scores on the GRE
• acceptable scores on TOEFL if English is not your native language
• minimum 3.0 GPA in undergraduate electrical engineering course work
• appropriate course work in mathematics
• demonstration of material covered in leveling courses (can be achieved by completing the courses at UNT, completing similar courses at another recognized institution or presenting evidence of work experience — may require you to pass a placement examination to demonstrate your knowledge)

Admission is based on a holistic review of your academic background and work experience. If your undergraduate degree is not in electrical engineering, you will need to complete leveling courses. These will be determined by your graduate advisor on an individual basis.

Leveling courses that are available include:

• Mathematics courses through multivariable calculus
• Physics courses including mechanics, electricity and magnetism
• EENG 2620     Signals and Systems
• EENG 2710     Digital Logic Design
• EENG 3520     Electronics II
• EENG 3710     Computer Organization
• EENG 3810     Communications Systems

Admission to candidacy

After fulfilling the admission requirements, you must submit a formal degree plan to your graduate advisor and the dean of the graduate school. Failure to do so may prevent you from enrolling the following semester. Admission to candidacy is granted by the dean of the graduate school after the degree plan has been approved.

Degree requirements

You can choose either a thesis or a non-thesis option for your master's degree from the Department of Electrical Engineering. The thesis option requires completion of 24 semester credit hours beyond the undergraduate prerequisites and leveling courses, and 6 semester hours of EENG 5950 Master's Thesis. In the non-thesis option, you must complete 30 semester hours of course work and 3 semester hours of EENG 5890 Directed Study.

Electrical engineering graduate courses

EENG 5310     Control Systems Design
EENG 5520     Design and Testing of Digital Systems
EENG 5530     Analog Integrated Circuit Design
EENG 5610     Digital Signal Processing
EENG 5620     Statistical Signal Processing
EENG 5630     Adaptive Signal Processing
EENG 5640     Computer Vision and Image Analysis
EENG 5810     Digital Communications
EENG 5820     Wireless Communications
EENG 5830     Coding Theory
EENG 5890     Directed Study
EENG 5900     Special Problems
EENG 5950     Master's Thesis

Financial assistance

You could earn scholarships based on your academic performance. The department and faculty research grants also provide a limited number of teaching assistantships and research assistantships. Only master's students who select the thesis option are eligible for teaching or research assistantships.

Completed assistantship and admission applications must be received by the department by March 1 for the fall semester and by Oct. 1 for the spring semester.