Col l e ge of Engi ne e r i ng

Gr a dua t e St ude nt Suc c e s s Ce nt e r

( GSSC) , VEC 1 2 8 A

Graduate Orientation
MSEE

Fall 2016
 People & Contacts
Graduate Student Success Center (GSSC) Electrical Engineering Department

Chairman: Dr. Henry Yeh

GSSC Coordinator: Dr. Antonella Sciortino
Henry.Yeh@csulb.edu
Antonella.Scortino@csulb.edu
(562) 985-5119 (562) 985-4899

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Shabnam Sodagari Department Office: ECS 510

Shabnam.Sodagari@csulb.edu Admin. Support Coordinator:
(562) 985-5105 Ms. Clarice Ross
Tuesday and Wednesday Clarice.Ross@csulb.edu
10:00 -11:30AM VEC 128A (562) 985-8050
 Items & Responsibilities
GSSC EE Department
Graduate Admission Culminating Experiences
Concentrations & Requirements Signing up for Culminating Experience
Graduation Writing Assessment (Comp. Exam, Project, Thesis)
Requirement (GWAR) File to Graduate
Advancement to Candidacy
CPT & OPT
 COE Resources
Writing and Communication Resource
Center, VEC 128B
Program Coordinator: Dr. Maryam Qudrat
Maryam.Qudrat@csulb.edu
(562) 985-7818
Hours: Monday to Friday 9AM-5PM
*Make an appointment to review your
report.
Library Information & Support,
EN2-109
Engineering Librarian: Ms. Hema Ramachandran
Hema.Ramachandran@csulb.edu
(562) 985-5749 (Main Library)
(562) 985-2304 (COE Dudley Library)
Dudley Library Hours:
Monday 11AM-1:30PM
Wednesday and Thursday 2-6PM
*Or by appointment
 Concentrations
Power, Control Systems Faculty: Chassiakos, Hamano, Nazari,
Shahian, Yang
Electronics, Digital Systems Faculty: Khoo, Mozumdar, Teng,
Wagdy, F. Wang, R. Wang
Biomedical Engineering Faculty: Ary, Druzgalski, Khoo, Mozumdar
Communications, Networking, Digital Signal Processing Faculty:
Ahmed, Chang, Kumar, Mangir, Sodagari, Tsang, Yeh
 Power, Control Systems
Project Alternative Plan
General Program Requirements (12 units) Core Discipline Requirements (12 units) Specialty Elective Courses (6 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3) E E 505 Adv Engineering Mathematics for EE (3) 2 courses (6 units) to be selected among the
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3) E E 550, Power Electronc & Applicatns (3) following: E E 551, EE 552, E E 553, E E 574, E E 576,
E E 697, Directed Research (6) E E 556, Solar Power (3) E E 583, E E 591
E E 575, Nonlinear Control Systems (3)
Additional Requirements: Students are required to demonstrate competency in technical writing; complete and defend an industrial project under faculty
supervision and support of a project committee and to submit an acceptable manuscript to the University Library..

Comprehensive Exam Alternative Plan

General Program Requirements (6 units) Core Discipline Requirements (12 units) Specialty Elective Courses (12 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3) E E 505 Adv Engineering Mathematics for EE (3) 4 courses (12 units) to be selected among the
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3) E E 550, Power Electronc & Applicatns (3) following: E E 551, E E 552, E E 553, E E 574, E E 576,
E E 556, Solar Power (3) E E 583, E E 591
E E 575, Nonlinear Control Systems (3)
Additional Requirements: Students are required to demonstrate competency in technical writing and to take and pass the comprehensive exam.

Thesis Alternative Plan

General Program Requirements (12 units) Core Discipline Requirements (12 units) Specialty Elective Courses (6 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3) E E 505 Adv Engineering Mathematics for EE (3) 2 courses (6 units) to be selected among the
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3) E E 550, Power Electronc & Applicatns (3) following: E E 551, E E 552, E E 553, E E 574, E E 576,
E E 698, Thesis (6) E E 556, Solar Power (3) E E 583, E E 591
E E 575, Nonlinear Control Systems (3)
Additional Requirements: Students are required to complete and defend a thesis under faculty supervision and support of a thesis committee and to
submit an acceptable manuscript to the University Library.
 Electronics, Digital Systems
Project Alternative Plan
General Program Requirements (12 units) Core Discipline Requirements (12 units) Specialty Elective Courses (6 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3) E E 526, High Speed Communications Circuits (3) 2 courses (6 units) to be selected among the
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3) E E 534, Mixed-Signal IC Design (3) following: E E 551, E E 531, E E 532, E E 535A,
E E 697, Directed Research (6) E E 535, VLSI Design (3) E E 540, E E 545, E E 566, E E 587, E E 591
E E 546, Adv Microproc & Embedded Cntrl II (3)

Additional Requirements: Students are required to demonstrate competency in technical writing; complete and defend an industrial project under faculty
supervision and support of a project committee and to submit an acceptable manuscript to the University Library.

Comprehensive Exam Alternative Plan

General Program Requirements (6 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3)
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3)
Core Discipline Requirements (12 units)
E E 526, High Speed Communications Circuits (3)
E E 534, Mixed-Signal IC Design (3)
E E 535, VLSI Design (3)
E E 546, Adv Microproc & Embedded Cntrl II (3)
Specialty Elective Courses (12 units)
4 courses (12 units) to be selected among the
following: E E 551, E E 531, E E 532, E E 535A,
E E 540, E E 545, E E 566, E E 587, E E 591

Additional Requirements: Students are required to demonstrate competency in technical writing and to take and pass the comprehensive exam.

Thesis Alternative Plan

General Program Requirements (12 units) Core Discipline Requirements (12 units) Specialty Elective Courses (6 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3) E E 526, High Speed Communications Circuits (3) 2 courses (6 units) to be selected among the
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3) E E 534, Mixed-Signal IC Design (3) following: E E 551, E E 531, E E 532, E E 535A,
E E 698, Thesis (6) E E 535, VLSI Design (3) E E 540, E E 545, E E 566, E E 587, E E 591
E E 546, Adv Microproc & Embedded Cntrl II (3)
Additional Requirements: Students are required to complete and defend a thesis under faculty supervision and support of a thesis committee and to
submit an acceptable manuscript to the University Library.
 Biomedical Engineering
Project Alternative Plan
General Program Requirements (12 units) Core Discipline Requirements (12 units) Specialty Elective Courses (6 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3) E E 506, Thry & Prac Biomedicl Instrmtn (3) 2 courses (6 units) to be selected among the
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3) E E 507, Adv Biomedical Systems (3) following: E E 527, E E 528, E E 574, E E 585
E E 697, Directed Research (6) E E 576, Neural Nets Fuzzy Logic (3)
E E 583/683, Digital Image
Additional Requirements: Students are required to demonstrate competency in technical writing; complete and defend an industrial project under faculty
Processing (3)
supervision and support of a project committee and to submit an acceptable manuscript to the University Library.

Comprehensive Exam Alternative Plan

General Program Requirements (6 units) Core Discipline Requirements (12 units) Specialty Elective Courses (12 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3) E E 506, Thry & Prac Biomedicl Instrmtn (3) 4 courses (12 units) to be selected among the
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3) E E 507, Adv Biomedical Systems (3) following: E E 527, E E 528, E E 574, E E 585
E E 576, Neural Nets Fuzzy Logic (3)
E E 583, Digital Image Processing (3)
Additional Requirements: Students are required to demonstrate competency in technical writing and to take and pass the comprehensive exam.

Thesis Alternative Plan

General Program Requirements (12 units) Core Discipline Requirements (12 units) Specialty Elective Courses (6 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3) E E 506, Thry & Prac Biomedicl Instrmtn (3) 2 courses (6 units) to be selected among the
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3) E E 507, Adv Biomedical Systems (3) following: E E 527, E E 528, E E 574, E E 585
E E 698, Thesis (6) E E 576, Neural Nets Fuzzy Logic (3)
E E 583, Digital Image Processing (3)
Additional Requirements: Students are required to complete and defend a thesis under faculty supervision and support of a thesis committee and to
submit an acceptable manuscript to the University Library.
Communications, Networking, Digital Signal Processing
Project Alternative Plan
General Program Requirements (12 units) Core Discipline Requirements (9 units) Specialty Elective Courses (9 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3) E E 545, Computer Comm Networks (3) 3 mandatory courses in the area of concentration
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3) E E 580, Statistl Communication Theory (3) selected from the following courses:
E E 697, Directed Research (6) E E 585, Adv Digital Signal Processing (3) E E 527, E E 528, E E 547, E E 548, E E 581, E E 582,
EE 583, E E 586, E E 587, EE 588, E E 591
Additional Requirements: Students are required to demonstrate competency in technical writing and to take and pass the comprehensive exam and to
submit an acceptable manuscript to the University Library.

Comprehensive Exam Alternative Plan

General Program Requirements (6 units) Core Discipline Requirements (9 units) Specialty Elective Courses (15 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3) E E 545, Computer Comm Networks (3) 5 mandatory courses in the area of concentration
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3) E E 580, Statistl Communication Theory (3) selected from the following courses:
E E 585, Adv Digital Signal Processing (3) E E 527, E E 528, E E 547, E E 548, E E 581, E E 582,
E E 583, E E 586, E E 587, EE 588, E E 591
Additional Requirements: Students are required to demonstrate competency in technical writing and to take and pass the comprehensive exam.

Thesis Alternative Plan

General Program Requirements (12 units) Core Discipline Requirements (9 units) Specialty Elective Courses (9 units)
E E 508, Probability Theory & Random Process (3) E E 545, Computer Comm Networks (3) 3 mandatory courses in the area of concentration
E E 511, Linear Systems Analysis (3) E E 580, Statistl Communication Theory (3) selected among the following:
E E 698, Thesis or Industrial Project (6) E E 585, Adv Digital Signal Processing (3) E E 527, E E 528, E E 547, E E 548, E E 581, E E 582,
E E 583, E E 586, E E 587, EE 588, E E 591
Additional Requirements: Students are required to complete and defend a thesis under faculty supervision and support of a thesis committee and to
submit an acceptable manuscript to the University Library.
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)
http://web.csulb.edu/divisions/aa/gwar/
Passing of the Writing Proficiency Exam (WPE) with a score of 11 or higher. You
need to take WPE in Fall 2016 semester, otherwise you will not be able to register
for Spring 2017 semester.
Students who are unsuccessful in their first WPE attempt will be required to enroll in a
GWAR course and submit a passing portfolio to fulfill the requirement. Students
should meet with a GWAR Advisor if they need help selecting an appropriate GWAR
course.
Score of 4.0 or higher on GRE or GMAT Analytical Writing Section
Students continuing their study from CSU campuses have already met GWAR
requirement.
You need to meet GWAR requirement, before being advanced to candidacy.
 Advancement to Candidacy
Completion of any deficiency requirement identifies with admission with 3.0 GPA
Have met the GWAR requirement
Meeting the EE Department Writing Requirement. Two options are available to meet
this requirement:
1) Passing a technical writing course (English 317, 417, 418, or 419) with a letter grade
of A, B, or C.
2) Providing examples of technical writing performed in industry or publications where
the writer's contribution is evident. In this case author's name must be clearly seen and
the writing samples must be 50 to 100 pages in total length. Figures, charts and
graphs are not considered as writing samples.
Completion of at least 18 units of graduate requirement within a concentration with
a 3.0 GPA or higher,
Selection of a culminating experience (Comp. Exam, project, or thesis)
 Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
CPT program provides international graduate students in the College of
Engineering with an opportunity to gain practical experience in their
field of study. To qualify for CPT, the student must have completed:
at least one academic year of enrollment in valid F-1 Status,
have completed at least 18 units of the required graduate classes,
have been Advanced to Candidacy, and
be in Good Academic Standing.
 CPT Continued
Once the student is offered a CPT internship opportunity, and upon
approval by the office of International Student Services, he/she must
complete an independent study agreement and register for Engr. 691
(1 unit) through CCPE with a full-time COE professor who agrees to
supervise him/her and meet with the student regularly per an agreed
schedule throughout the semester. At the end of the semester, a
complete technical report including an overview of the technical areas
and activities engaged in, the problems encountered and the solutions
provided, must be submitted to the supervising professor and must
earn a passing grade. This class can be repeated up to three times.
 True or False?
A student takes courses arbitrarily and then comes to the
advisor saying that he/she wants to graduate that semester.
FALSE

Every course must be pre-approved and every step must be

completed before approaching the advisor, requesting for
graduation.
TRUE
 Important Note
EE 490 (Special Problems) and
EE 405 (Special Topics)
Are NOT accepted in the graduate program.
 Road Map to MS Degree
At least 18 units of graduate courses completed @CSULB
GPA at least 3.0 (100 and 200 do not count)
GWAR

Advancement to candidacy

Pass other 12 units (according to your concentration)

No more than 2 grade C during your MS studies
 Important Note
A graduate student should always maintain GPA of at
least 3.0 in each semester
Otherwise Probation