Please note: The admission requirements below are for the on-campus program. Admission requirements for the online, cohort option program are available here.

Admission deadlines:

Fall – January 15
Spring – September 1
Summer – March 1 (non-F1 visa seeking applicants)

Standardized test scores:

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required of all applicants. (Institution code 5246). 


The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the PTE Academic is required of all applicants except those who hold a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a college or university in the United States or from an institution located in a country in which English is the official language, provided English was the language of instruction.  Minimum scores:

  • Academic IELTS: an overall band score of 6.0 with no individual score below 5.0; applicants requesting funding consideration must have an overall band score of 7.0 with no individual score below 6.0; or
  • TOEFL: 550 on paper-based or 80 on Internet-based; applicants requesting funding consideration must have 600 on paper-based; or 100 on Internet-based; or
  • PTE Academic: 53; applicants requesting funding consideration must have 68.

Recommendations required: 

Two (2) recommendations required. If possible, one recommendation should be from your advisor at the institution from which you earned your highest degree.

Prior academic records:

Transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, whether or not credit was earned, the program was completed, or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be uploaded to your online application. Official transcripts are required only of applicants who are offered admission.

If academic records are in a language other than English, a copy in the original language and an English language translation must be uploaded. Transcript evaluations should not be uploaded. Applicants who have earned a degree from an Indian university are required to submit individual semester marksheets.

Statement of purpose:
 

In an essay of 250 to 500 words, state your purpose in undertaking graduate study at The George Washington University; describe your academic objectives, research interests, and career plans; and discuss your related qualifications, including collegiate, professional, and community activities, and any other substantial accomplishments not already mentioned.

Additional requirements: 

Applicant must possess a B.S. in biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science with a grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) for the last 60 credits of undergraduate work. Students with a B.S. in another field may be admitted with a set of deficiency courses to be determined by the department.

Applicants must choose an area of focus that most closely matches their interests and note this on the online application. All applicants must submit a resumé or CV. 

International applicants only:

International applicants are only allowed to choose the On-Campus program. Please review International Applicant Information carefully for details on required documents, earlier deadlines for applicants requiring an I-20 or DS-2019 from GW.

For additional information about the admissions process visit the SEAS Admissions Frequently Asked Questions page.

Contact for questions:

engineering@gwu.edu

202-994-1802 (phone)
202-994-1651 (fax)

Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday

The information on this page applies only to the on-campus version of this program. See requirements for the online program, below.

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

30 credits, all of which are completed in a single focus area. The program is offered in thesis and on-thesis options. For the thesis option, 6 of these credits are taken in ECE 6998 and ECE 6999.

Colloquium requirement—In addition to required coursework, students must attend five in-person non-credit bearing colloquia as part of their program of study.  Each colloquium attended is verified by a faculty member also in attendance. After attending five colloquia, the student must submit to the department prior to applying for graduation a colloquium attendance form signed by the faculty advisor.

Focus areas

All coursework in one of the following focus areas must be completed:

Communications and networks focus area
Required
ECE 6015Stochastic Processes in Engineering
ECE 6035Introduction to Computer Networks
ECE 6510Communication Theory
At least two courses selected from the following:
ECE 6500Information Theory
ECE 6505Error Control Coding
ECE 6520Mobile and Wireless Communication Systems
ECE 6525Satellite Communication Systems
ECE 6530Electronic Warfare
ECE 6550Network Architectures and Protocols
ECE 6560Network Performance Analysis
ECE 6565Network Security
ECE 6570Telecommunications Security Protocols
ECE 6575Optical Communication Networks
ECE 6580Wireless Networks
ECE 6715Antennas
ECE 6720Remote Sensing
ECE 6725Electromagnetic Radiation and Scattering
ECE 6730Waves in Random Media
ECE 6750Modern Radar Systems
ECE 6760Propagation Modeling in Wireless Communications
For the thesis option
ECE 6998Thesis Research I
ECE 6999Thesis Research II
Electives*
Non-thesis option—15 credits in elective courses; thesis option—9 credits in elective courses. For either option, at least 3 credits must come from outside the area of focus list.
Cyber-physical security focus area
Required
ECE 6134Cloud Computing and Security
ECE 6565Network Security
ECE 6669Smart Power Grids
At least four courses selected from the following:
ECE 6005Computer Architecture and Design
ECE 6035Introduction to Computer Networks
ECE 6070Electrical Power Systems
ECE 6130Big Data and Cloud Computing
ECE 6160Secure Computing Systems
ECE 6520Mobile and Wireless Communication Systems
ECE 6570Telecommunications Security Protocols
ECE 6666Power System Transmission, Control, and Security
ECE 6691Power Systems Reliability
For the thesis option
ECE 6998Thesis Research I
ECE 6999Thesis Research II
Electives*
Non-thesis option—9 credits in elective courses; thesis option—3 credits in elective courses.
Electrical power and energy focus area
Required
ECE 6070Electrical Power Systems
At least two courses selected from the following:
ECE 6010Linear Systems Theory
ECE 6020Applied Electromagnetics
ECE 6025Signals and Transforms in Engineering
At least three courses selected from the following:
ECE 6660Electric Power Generation
ECE 6610Electrical Energy Conversion
ECE 6662Power Electronics
ECE 6666Power System Transmission, Control, and Security
ECE 6667Nuclear Power Generation
ECE 6668Power Distribution Grids
ECE 6669Smart Power Grids
ECE 6670Power System Protection
ECE 6690Power Systems Economics
ECE 6691Power Systems Reliability
ECE 6699Energy and Sustainability
For the thesis option
ECE 6998Thesis Research I
ECE 6999Thesis Research II
Electives*
Non-thesis option—12 credits in elective courses; thesis option—6 credits in elective courses. For either option, at least 3 credits must come from outside of the area of focus list.
Machine learning and intelligent systems focus area
Required
ECE 6210Machine Intelligence
ECE 6217Neural Networks and Hardware Implementations
ECE 6850Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning
ECE 6882Reinforcement Learning
At least three courses selected from the following:
ECE 6010Linear Systems Theory
ECE 6015Stochastic Processes in Engineering **
ECE 6035Introduction to Computer Networks
ECE 6255Sensors, Networks, and Applications
ECE 6510Communication Theory
ECE 6580Wireless Networks
ECE 6761Light and Information
ECE 6800Computational Techniques in Electrical Engineering **
ECE 6845Image Synthesis
ECE 6880Adaptive Signal Processing
ECE 6885Computer Vision
For the thesis option
ECE 6998Thesis Research I
ECE 6999Thesis Research II
Electives*
Non-thesis option—9 credits in elective courses; thesis option—3 credits in elective courses. For either option, at least 3 credits must come from outside of the area of focus list.
MEMS, electronics, and photonics focus area
Required
ECE 6030Device Electronics
At least four courses selected from the following:
ECE 6020Applied Electromagnetics
ECE 6210Machine Intelligence
ECE 6213Design of VLSI Circuits
ECE 6214High-Level VLSI Design Methodology
ECE 6215Microsystems Design, Simulation, and Fabrication for Sensor Applications
ECE 6216RF/VLSI Circuit Design
ECE 6217Neural Networks and Hardware Implementations
ECE 6218Advanced Analog VLSI Circuit Design
ECE 6221Introduction to Physical Electronics
ECE 6240VLSI Design and Simulation
ECE 6245Microfabrication and Nanofabrication Technology
ECE 6250ASIC Design and Testing of VLSI Circuits
ECE 6255Sensors, Networks, and Applications
ECE 6260Introduction to Nanoelectronics
ECE 6710Microwave Engineering
ECE 6715Antennas
ECE 6735Numerical Electromagnetics
ECE 6745Analysis of Nonlinear and Multivalued Devices
ECE 6761Light and Information
ECE 6765Photonics and Fiber Optics
ECE 6770Applied Magnetism
For the thesis option
ECE 6998Thesis Research I
ECE 6999Thesis Research II
Electives*
Non-thesis option—15 credits in elective courses; thesis option—9 credits in elective courses. For either option, at least 3 credits must come from outside of the area of focus list.
Signal and image processing, systems, and controls focus area
Required
ECE 6015Stochastic Processes in Engineering
At least four courses selected from the following:
ECE 6005Computer Architecture and Design
ECE 6010Linear Systems Theory
ECE 6025Signals and Transforms in Engineering
ECE 6666Power System Transmission, Control, and Security
ECE 6800Computational Techniques in Electrical Engineering
ECE 6810Speech and Audio Processing by Computer
ECE 6815Multimedia Processing
ECE 6820Real-Time Digital Signal Processing
ECE 6825Computer Control Systems
ECE 6830System Optimization
ECE 6835Nonlinear Systems
ECE 6840Digital Image Processing
ECE 6842Image Engineering
ECE 6845Image Synthesis
ECE 6850Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning
ECE 6855Computer Vision
ECE 6860Compression Techniques for Data, Speech, and Video
ECE 6865Statistical Signal Estimation
ECE 6875Wavelets and Their Applications
ECE 6880Adaptive Signal Processing
ECE 6885Computer Vision
For the thesis option
ECE 6998Thesis Research I
ECE 6999Thesis Research II
Electives*
Non-thesis option—15 credits in elective courses; thesis option—9 credits in elective courses. For either option, at least 3 credits must come from outside of the area of focus list.

*Normally, no more than two courses taken outside the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering can be counted toward the requirements for the degree. Courses taken outside the department must have prior approval from the student’s faculty advisor. In addition, no more than three 3000- or 4000-level ECE courses that have been approved for graduate credit may be counted toward the requirements for the degree.

**Required for students who have not taken courses in linear algebra, probability and random processes at the undergraduate level or higher.

Educational Planner

In consultation with an academic advisor, each student must develop an Educational Planner through DegreeMAP that governs the student’s plan of study. The Educational Planner should be established soon after matriculation and must be completed before the end of the student’s first semester. The Educational Planner must be approved by the advisor.

Visit the program website for additional information.

Online program requirements

Required
The following requirements must be fulfilled: 30 credits, including 18 credits in required courses and 12 credits in elective courses.
Core courses
ECE 6010Linear Systems Theory
ECE 6015Stochastic Processes in Engineering
ECE 6025Signals and Transforms in Engineering
ECE 6045Special Topics
ECE 6800Computational Techniques in Electrical Engineering
ECE 6820Real-Time Digital Signal Processing
All courses in one of the following areas:
Electrical power and energy
ECE 6070Electrical Power Systems
ECE 6610Electrical Energy Conversion
ECE 6662Power Electronics
ECE 6669Smart Power Grids
Communications and networks
ECE 6035Introduction to Computer Networks
ECE 6132Secure Cloud Computing
ECE 6510Communication Theory
ECE 6520Mobile and Wireless Communication Systems

Educational Planner

In consultation with an academic advisor, each student must develop an Educational Planner through DegreeMAP that governs the student’s plan of study. The Educational Planner should be established soon after matriculation and must be completed before the end of the student’s first semester. The Educational Planner must be approved by the advisor.

Visit the program website for additional information.