A master’s in electrical engineering is a versatile degree that can open up diverse career opportunities, including the following:
- Software or hardware development
- Renewable energy
- Product design and development, including that of computers and smartphones
- Robotics used for industry, medical science research, and healthcare
- Global positioning systems for all types of transportation, including space
- Biomedical and bioengineering product development
- Civil or commercial construction
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning applied in healthcare, education, aerospace, marketing, finance, agriculture, transportation, and gaming
Who is the ideal candidate for an electrical engineering master’s degree?
The programs seek applicants with a strong background in engineering, math, and physics. If you are coming from another discipline, consider taking some engineering and math courses at a local college or online to prove your capabilities. The admissions team will also be looking for evidence of your critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as your creativity. As you would do in most engineering jobs, you will be working on team projects during the master’s program, solving complex problems and innovating newly designed products.
How can you prove you are a strong admissions candidate?
Show the adcom that you are a strong applicant by doing the following:
- Writing a well-crafted essay that includes your short-term and long-term goals, shows how your experience supports your career goals, and demonstrates how the school’s curriculum matches your interests
- Developing a resume that details the results of your work and shows how you have added value
- Securing effective letters of recommendation, usually from professors and/or managers who can provide examples of your work that demonstrate the desired attributes for admission
The top ten engineering schools have the luxury of selecting applicants who, in addition to having compelling accomplishments, have earned very high GRE scores and GPAs. If you have taken the GRE several times but consider your score in the second tier, then include some high-quality engineering programs (those ranked in the top 25) on your list of target schools. Many professors and industry leaders graduated from these schools!
Do your due diligence: Research, research, research!
It is important to research graduate programs that offer courses or concentrations in the subfield you want to pursue. Reach out to these programs’ students and alumni to learn more about the research opportunities available and the professors who are most aligned with your research and career goals. If you prefer a more applied program, look for a school that offers the terminal Master of Engineering Degree, which is less research focused and more project oriented. Students in these programs usually head directly into industry upon graduating. If you are thinking of eventually pursuing a PhD or you know you would like to conduct research, look for two-year master of science programs that require you write a thesis.
Be sure to review the related Accepted resources listed at the end of this article. And you can find an episode of the Admissions Straight Talk podcast in which I offer many more application tips for engineering programs here.
With 30 years of career and admissions experience at four universities, including Cornell University’s College of Engineering and Johnson Business School, Dr. Karin Ash facilitated students’ entry into the world’s best companies. As an adcom member, she also evaluated applications and therefore knows what schools and employers seek. Want Karin to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
Related Resources: