Electrical and Computer Engineering Contiguous Bachelor's/Master's Pathway

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) offers a combined bachelor’s (B.S.) and master’s of science (M.S.) degree path. Undergraduate students can apply to this program to earn a B.S. degree in their own major together with an M.S. degree in electrical and computer engineering. Depending on the student’s progress, students can complete the combined path in five years.

Admission process to the contiguous pathway

Students can apply to the B.S./M.S. contiguous pathway in electrical and computer engineering at any time starting in the first quarter of junior standing. Admission to the contiguous pathway program in ECE is open to all qualified UC Santa Cruz students. All students who apply to the pathway will be admitted into it, provided they satisfy the requirements (see below). However, approval of an undergraduate student into a five-year bachelor’s/master’s path does not automatically guarantee admission into the one-year master’s program. Students apply for admission into the M.S. program during their senior year using the same procedure and timeline as all other applicants to the program, except that no graduate record examination (GRE) is required to apply. Students are then considered for the M.S. program along with regular applicants. Students who do not satisfy the requirements for the contiguous pathway will be encouraged to apply to the regular M.S. program.