Master of Electrical and Computer Engineering (MECE) Degree

The MECE degree is a non-thesis master's degree. For general university requirements, please see Non-Thesis Master's Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. Students pursuing the MECE degree must complete:

• A minimum of 10 courses (30-34 credit hours, depending on course selection) to satisfy degree requirements.
• A minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate-level study (graduate semester credit hours, coursework at the 500-level or above). 
• A minimum of 27 graduate semester credit hours must be taken at Rice University.
• A minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours must be taken in standard or traditional courses (with a course type of lecture, seminar, laboratory, lecture/laboratory). 
• A minimum residency enrollment of one fall or spring semester of part-time graduate study at Rice University.
• A minimum of 3 courses (9 credit hours) from the Capstone Requirement.
  • 1 course (3 credit hours) to fulfill the Capstone Foundations requirement.
  • 2 courses (6 credit hours) to fulfill the Capstone Experience Project requirement. 
• A minimum of 1 course (3 credit hours) from the Engineering Communications Requirement.
• A minimum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) from the Engineering Software Development Requirement.
• A minimum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) in one area of specialization (see below for areas of specialization). The MECE degree program offers six areas of specialization:
  • Computer Engineering, or
  • Computer Vision, or
  • Data Science, or
  • Digital Health, or
  • Neuroengineering, or
  • Quantum Engineering, or
  • Wireless Systems.
• A minimum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) from the Elective Requirements.
• ELEC 698 each semester in residence at Rice University. 
• A maximum of 1 course (3 graduate semester credit hours) from transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab. 
• A minimum overall GPA of 2.67 or higher in all Rice coursework.
• A minimum program GPA of 3.00 or higher in all Rice coursework that satisfies requirements for the non-thesis master’s degree with a minimum grade of C (2.00 grade points) in each course.

Students are admitted to the MECE degree program in the fall semester. MECE students are to consult with an academic advisor on the MECE Committee each semester in order to identify and clearly document their individual curricular requirements or degree plan to be followed.

In certain situations and with some terminal master's degree programs, Rice students have an option to pursue a master’s degree by adding an additional fifth year to their four years of undergraduate studies.

Advanced Rice undergraduate students in good academic standing typically apply to the master’s degree program during their junior or senior year. Upon acceptance, depending on course load, financial aid status, and other variables, they may then start taking some required courses of the master's degree program. A plan of study will need to be approved by the student's undergraduate major advisor and the master’s degree program director.

As part of this option and opportunity, Rice undergraduate students:

• must complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree and the master's degree independently of each other (i.e. no course may be counted toward the fulfillment of both degrees).
• should be aware there could be financial aid implications if the conversion of undergraduate coursework to that of graduate level reduces their earned undergraduate credit for any semester below that of full-time status (12 credit hours).
• more information on this Undergraduate - Graduate Concurrent Enrollment opportunity, including specific information on the registration process can be found here.