Students often want to know their chances of being admitted and awarded aid. Applications that are complete by the deadline are considered first for admission and financial aid. Applications that become complete after the deadline will be considered for admission and any aid that may still be available. Each file is read carefully, and the admissions committee is looking for students who are academically well-prepared to pursue graduate study and whose research interests most closely match those of our faculty. It is very important that students identify an area of specialization or concentration within the degree.

Applications are encouraged from students whose undergraduate record reflects an overall grade point average of 3.3 or higher from a school comparable to Rensselaer and are strongly encouraged from those who already possess a master's degree and wish to pursue the PhD. The average GPA for the Fall 2017 admitted applicants was 3.63 and the average GRE scores were 153 verbal, 165 quantitative and 3.5 analytical. The average TOEFL score was 110 (computer based) and is well above 88, which is the Institute's minimum requirement.

All students will be notified via email when an admissions decision has been made.

If a student elects not to accept admission (either with or without aid) the first time it is offered, there is no guarantee that admission and/or aid will be awarded in a future semester. Typically we do not defer admission with aid decisions to a future semester except in rare cases. Applicants who wish to defer to a future semester must contact the Admissions office directly. They will be expected to re-apply and may need to supply additional documentation.

ECSE offers the Master of Science (MS) and the Master of Engineering (MEng) in Electrical Engineering (ELEC) and Computer & Systems Engineering (CSYS). Students may pursue Master’s degrees on either a full- or part-time basis.

The MS degree is a research-based degree, focusing on depth, and can either be a terminal degree or used as preparation for a PhD program. The MEng is intended to be a terminal degree and for those who wish to enter professional practice upon completion. Although students may elect to pursue the PhD after completing the MEng, it is strongly recommended that any student considering the PhD should choose the MS degree program.

Students may transfer up to six credits of relevant coursework that was not used previously to obtain another academic degree.

Students pursuing the MS in ELEC or CSYS need to complete the following:

Minimum of 30 credits total

24 credits of coursework and 6 credits of thesis (in some cases, students may be allowed to complete 21 credits of coursework and 9 credits of thesis)

Complete a Masters thesis or, in some cases, a project under the supervision of an advisor

Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA

Students pursuing the MEng in ELEC or CSYS need to complete the following:

Minimum of 30 credits total

All coursework based, no thesis or project required

Must demonstrate a clear, technical focus

Must complete a two-course sequence outside ECSE for breadth

Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA