5 Year Combined Degree Program in Electrical or Computer Engineering (BS/MSE)

Program:  B.S./M.S.E.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering  
College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science

Engineering, Technology and Computer Science Building 327 ~ 260-481-6362

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The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) offers a five-year program through which students can obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering or in Computer Engineering as well as a Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) degree with an area of concentration in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or Systems Engineering.

The BS and MSE degrees offered through this program are identical to the individual BS and MSE degrees offered by the ECE department. The five-year combined degree program provides students with the opportunity to obtain these degrees in less time than that would be required when pursuing them independently.

Students accepted into this five-year combined BS/M.S.E. program may use up to 12 credit hours of 50000-level and 60000-level coursework with grade B- or above, taken either to satisfy the bachelor’s degree or as excess undergraduate credits, towards the master’s degree plan of study.  Courses taken only after students are admitted into the 5-year combined program will be counted. These courses must satisfy both degree requirements and appropriate advising is needed. 

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Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students in the 5 Year BS/MSE Combined Degree program will be held accountable for the Student Learning Outcomes associated with the undergraduate degree program that they are enrolled in, either Computer Engineering  or Electrical Engineering .

Accreditation:

• The Electrical Engineering (B.S.) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

• The Computer Engineering (B.S.) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

 

Program Delivery:

• For this combined program, most of the undergraduate courses are delivered primarily as on-campus courses; however, some of the General Education courses are available as hybrid and/or on-line courses and those can be used to satisfy program requirements.  When it comes to the graduate level courses, there are opportunities to take courses on-line from the West Lafayette campus of Purdue University, but students need to check with their advisor before registering for any such course.

Declaring this Major:

Admission to the combined five-year BS/MSE program may be granted under the following conditions:

1. Students must enroll in the BSEE or BSCmpE program at Purdue University Fort Wayne and have not yet received an undergraduate BSEE or BSCmpE degree
2. Students must have finished at least sixty (60) credit hours in the respective BSEE/BSCmpE program
3. Students must have achieved an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 or equivalent at the time of application
4. Student must have completed the mathematics sequence of courses equivalent to:

• MA 16500 (Calculus I)
• MA 16600 (Calculus II)
• MA 26100 (Multivariable Calculus)
• MA 35100 (Linear Algebra)
• MA 36300 (Differential Equations)

     5. Student must have complete the physics sequence of courses equivalent to:

• PHYS 15200 (Mechanics)
• PHYS 25100 (Heat, Electricity and Optics)

     6. The area of concentration for MSE must be declared at the time of application

     7. Acceptance into the program is conditional upon admission to the Purdue Fort Wayne Graduate program

     8. No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score is required

Students that meet the admission criteria and wish to enroll in the 5-year BS/MSE program should consult with their academic advisor during the second semester of their junior year or earlier, and

1. Complete and submit the Five Year BS/MSE Program Application : http://www.pfw.edu/departments/etcs/depts/ece/5-year-bsmse-program/PreliminaryApplication_5Y_BS-MSE.pdf
2. Update their Undergraduate Student One Year Plan of Study accordingly
3. Complete and submit Form GS-27 : http://www.purdue.edu/gradschool/faculty/forms.html
4. Complete the regular application to graduate school of Purdue University : http://gradapply.purdue.edu/apply

GS Form 27 and application to Purdue Graduate School must be completed in the same semester.

General Requirements:

• Degree Requirements   
• General Education Requirements   
• Overlapping Course Content   
• Academic Regulations   

Combined Program Requirements:

• The requirements for the BSEE/BSCmpE degree and MSE degree stay the same for students pursuing the degrees separately.
• For BSEE , BSCmpE , and MSE degree requirements, please refer to the corresponding program requirements in this catalog. The BS degree must be awarded prior to the MSE degree.
• Students may use up to 12 credit hours of 50000- and 60000-level coursework with grade B- or above, taken either to satisfy the bachelor’s degree or as excess undergraduate credits, towards the master’s degree plan of study. Courses taken only after students are admitted into the 5-year combined program will be counted.

Among the 500 or higher level courses, only those listed below can be counted toward the 5-year BS/M.S.E. Combined Program. Other ECE 500 or higher level courses may also be counted towards five-year BS/MSE combined program with the approval of the Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering Curriculum Committee.