Master of Science

Modern electrical engineering is a broad and diverse field and graduate education in this department may satisfy a variety of objectives. The Master’s degree program may provide advanced preparation for professional practice or for teaching at the junior college level. It may also serve as the first step in graduate work leading to the degree of Engineer or Ph.D. The faculty does not prescribe specific courses to be taken but, it does provide guidelines for acceptable programs. Each student, with the help of a faculty advisor, prepares an individual program of study and submits it to the Graduate Degree Committee for approval. There is no thesis requirement for the Master’s of Science degree.

Degree of Engineer 

The degree of Engineer differs from the Ph.D. in that it prepares students for professional engineering work rather than theoretical research. Work toward the degree of Engineer normally includes the same requirements as the Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering with an additional year allowing time for either a broader or a more concentrated program. The equivalent of approximately one-quarter is devoted to independent study and thesis work with faculty guidance. The thesis is often of the nature of a professional report on the solution of a design problem. The candidate may select courses that are suitable for either the degree of Engineer or the Ph.D. degree and decide later which program to pursue.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Ph.D. degree is designed to prepare students for careers in basic research or for teaching at the university level. The student must successfully complete a minimum of three years of residence with graduate standing, two years of which must be in residence at Stanford; a qualifying examination given by the faculty of the Department of Electrical Engineering; an approved program of study in Electrical Engineering and allied subjects; an approved topic of research and a written dissertation, based on research, which must be a significant contribution to knowledge; and an oral examination that is a defense of dissertation research and is taken near the completion of the doctoral program.