Rutgers logo
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Rutgers logo
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Rutgers logo
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Rutgers logo
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Bachelor of Science Degree/Master of Science Degree (BS/MS) Combined Program 

If you are an ECE undergraduate at Rutgers, you have the opportunity to earn a Master of Science (MS) degree with as little as one more year of classes. There are several reasons you might want to pursue an MS degree:

  • It is an opportunity to get in another year of classes and get some exposure to more advanced topics.
  • Entry-level positions for students with an M.S. degree generally pay more and involve more interesting work.
  • The Dean’s Office will offer a one-time, $1,000 scholarship for any BS/MS student starting full-time graduate study in the ECE Department in Fall 2024. If you start in Spring 2025, you will receive the scholarship in Fall 2025.
flyer for BSMS program

Eligibility and Application Process

Compared to applying to graduate school outside of Rutgers, the application process and transition to the graduate program within Rutgers ECE is greatly simplified for bachelor’s student currently enrolled in the department: applicants do not need to pay application fees, write an application essay and may not need to obtain recommendation letters. There are four parts to the BS/MS graduate application process.  

  • Credits and coursework: The student must complete the 123 credits required for the BS degree. The MS degree requires 30 credits. If one plans things carefully, one can finish the MS degree within one additional year.
    • The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) allows the use of up to a maximum of 12 undergraduate credits (some at the 300 level, most at the 400 level) towards completion of the BS/MS program.
    • Credits counted towards the undergraduate degree (including for the residency requirement) cannot be counted towards the graduate degree.
  • Application Access: Students currently enrolled in a Rutgers–New Brunswick BS program should visit https://go.rutgers.edu/applynow and log in using their NetID.
  • Application Start: Begin the application by selecting the following options:
    • Applicant Type: “Degree”
    • Degree Type: “5-Years Master’s”
    • Area of Study: “Engineering”
    • Location/Instructional Method: “New Brunswick”
    • Program Selection: “Electrical and Computer Engineering – 5 Year (MS) New Brunswick”
    • Term: Choose the term when you plan to begin your MS program, ensuring all BS requirements are completed, and the BS degree is obtained before the start of the MS program.
  • Application Submission: Complete all sections of the application and submit it. No admission application fee is required. 

Application Form

Letters of Recommendation: Letters of recommendation are not required for the majority of BS/MS applicants. However, if they are needed, the Graduate Program Office will explicitly contact the applicant with instructions for recommenders to submit their letters to ECEGradProgram@soe.rutgers.edu. Whether letters of recommendation will be requested from a BS/MS applicant is based on the following criteria: 

  • Students with a GPA > 3.7 can qualify for Teaching Assistant (TA) / Graduate Assistant (GA) / Fellowship support by securing two (2) recommendation letters. Letter writers should directly send these recommendations to the ECE Graduate Program at ecegradprogram@soe.rutgers.edu.
  • Those with a GPA between 3.2 and 3.7 do not require recommendation letters but won’t be eligible for TA/GA support.
  • Students boasting a GPA between 3.0 and 3.2 must obtain one (1) strong recommendation from a Rutgers faculty member. This recommendation should be sent directly to the ECE Graduate Program Coordinator at  ecegradprogram@soe.rutgers.edu.
  • Candidates with a GPA between 2.8 and 3.0 need two (2) robust recommendations from Rutgers faculty, again directed to the ECE Graduate Program Coordinator at ecegradprogram@soe.rutgers.edu.
  • A GPA below 2.8 significantly diminishes the likelihood of MS program admission.

Important Dates and Deadlines

  • Middle of November of your senior year: start of the application process.
  • End of December: initial decisions are made.
  • January-August: continuous review based on grades earned.

Once you are admitted to the Graduate Program we will promote you to graduate student status. We start reviewing our students in the middle of November and keep reviewing until August 31st, since until that time we have access to undergraduate records. For our planning purpose, we recommend that you apply before May 1st.

Reference the Graduate Student Handbook or email ecegradprogram@soe.rutgers.edu for additional information.

Additional Resources