Nov 12, 2024  
2022-2023 Academic Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Electrical Engineering BS + MS



The Electrical Engineering Spartan Accelerated Graduate Education (SAGE) Scholars Program enables qualified students in the Electrical Engineering, BS   program to complete simultaneously the requirements for both the Electrical Engineering, BS  and Electrical Engineering, MS  degrees. Students progress from undergraduate to graduate status seamlessly, with a simplified application process and no application fee, and complete both degrees in one fewer semester than would occur if completing them separately. This program thus provides a substantial cost savings. 

Summary of Degree Units

Electrical Engineering, BS 114
Electrical Engineering, MS 30
Total 144

For more information, contact the SAGE Scholars Program Coordinator​ Thuy Le.

Admissions Requirements

All SJSU Electrical Engineering, BS  undergraduates are eligible to apply for, and be admitted to, the Electrical Engineering SAGE Scholars program if they fulfill the following requirements:

  1. Successfully completed a minimum of 75 Electrical Engineering BS applicable units and not more than 123 undergraduate degree applicable units at the time of admission in the program;
  2. Completed EE 110 EE 112 , and EE 118  with grades of “B” or better;
  3. Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA at time of admission. GPA is calculated by the last 60 semester (or 90 quarter) units taken or a student’s cumulative GPA, whichever is higher.
  4. Have completed all lower-division work (including lower-division general education courses and American Institutions courses).

Students who have reached up to their first semester as classified seniors will remain eligible for entry into the SAGE program. Second semester, senior-level students enrolled in the term they expect to graduate from their baccalaureate degree are not eligible to enter into the SAGE program as these students will not gain the accelerated graduate-level benefit offered through the SAGE blended program option.

Academic Standing 

Requirements for program continuation and advancement to candidacy in the graduate program, include:

  • Meeting every semester with an academic advisor to plan and track coursework and graduate status. Once the BS degree is conferred, students meet every semester with their graduate advisor to plan a formal course of study;
  • Maintain GPA of 3.0 or higher. 
  • The proposed graduate program must be approved by the graduate coordinator before the student may be considered a candidate for the MS degree.
  • Students are converted to graduate status when they have completed 120 SAGE program-applicable units. The following University Requirements are waived or satisfied with required courses in the major: GE Areas A3, B, C2, and E, SJSU Studies (R, S and V) and Physical Education. Alternate courses that may satisfy these requirements are not counted in the calculation of the 120 SAGE program-applicable units.

Program Requirements (144 units)


Electrical Engineering, BS (114 units)


Students must satisfy all of the major and Undergraduate University Graduation Requirements , which includes unit, GPA, and residency requirements as well as the below identified General Education , American Institutions, Graduation Writing Assessment, and Physical Education requirements. Courses that meet Undergraduate University Graduation Requirements are noted with an area designation (see Course Abbreviations ).

Exceptions for University Graduation Requirements  apply to this major. 

University Requirements (21 units)


The Lower and Upper Division General Education  requirements may be satisfied by coursework outlined below. To satisfy the American Institutions (US123) , students must pass both the SJSU Writing Skills Test (WST) and ENGR 100W  with a grade of “C” or better (“C-” not accepted).

Major Elective (3 units)


Upper Division elective must be approved by advisor.

Electrical Engineering, MS (30 units)


Core Courses (6 units)


Area of Specialization (9 units)


Students desiring to pursue an area of specialization not listed should consult graduate advisor.

  • Device Physics, Micro and Nano Electronics
  • Analog Electronics, Integrated Circuits
  • Power Electronics, Energy Systems
  • Communications, Signal Processing, Remote Sensing
  • Control, Robotics, Autonomous Systems
  • Digital Systems, Microprocessors and Computers, Embedded Systems
  • Network, Network Security, Mobile Network, loT
  • Quantum Computer, Quantum Information
  • Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning

Advisor Approved Electives (9 units)


Culminating Experience (6 units)


  • Plan A (Thesis)
    Students choosing this option must complete the EE 299A - MSEE Thesis Proposal  or EE 297A - MSEE Project Proposal  and EE 299B - MSEE Thesis . The student is responsible for securing the commitment of three university faculty members, two of whom must be full-time EE faculty members, to serve as the student’s thesis committee, with one full-time EE faculty member agreeing to serve as thesis committee chair. The student must write a thesis or project proposal and have it approved by the thesis committee chair or project advisor and pass the MSEE Thesis or Project Proposal course (EE 299A  or EE 297A ) before enrolling in EE 299B . The thesis must meet university requirements as stipulated in this catalog and in the SJSU Master’s Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation Guidelines. It will be written under the guidance of the candidate’s thesis committee chair with the assistance of the thesis committee. The candidate for the MSEE degree must successfully pass a final oral defense of the thesis.
  • Plan B (Project)
    The student must complete the EE 297A - MSEE Project Proposal  or EE 299A - MSEE Thesis Proposal  and  . The student is responsible for securing the commitment of a full-time EE faculty member to serve as MSEE Project Advisor. The student must write a project or thesis proposal and have it approved by the project advisor or thesis committee chair and pass the MSEE Project or Thesis Proposal course (EE 297A  or EE 299A ) before enrolling in  . The candidate for the MSEE degree must successfully pass a final defense of the project.

Total Units Required (144 units)


A coherent plan of study must be approved on the prescribed form by the graduate coordinator. In special circumstances, a maximum of 3 units of approved courses taken outside the Electrical Engineering Department may be applied toward the Electrical Engineering, MS  degree. Students who wish to take courses outside the Electrical Engineering Department must have pre-approval by the Graduate Advisor.


The traditional MS Electrical Engineering degree requires 33 units. Students in the SAGE program are only required to satisfy 30 units for the master’s portion of the degree. The standalone Electrical Engineering, BS   requires the completion of 9 units of Technical Electives. Students satisfy this requirement in this SAGE Scholars Program by completing 9 units within the elective requirement in the MS Electrical Engineering program. These 9 credits are considered to count toward both the graduate and undergraduate degrees, thus allowing SAGE students to meet the minimum unit requirements for both degrees.