Best Electrical Engineering Master’s Programs in Nevada
UNLV attaches an important consequence to its electrical MSE comprehensive-exam option: graduates of that subplan will not be considered for admission to the department’s doctoral options. A student deciding between advanced professional study and eventual doctoral research should address that rule before choosing courses. The distinction appears in the same requirements that define the thirty-credit degree and final specialty examination.
Our 2026 selection of electrical engineering master’s programs in Nevada reviews UNLV’s comprehensive-exam subplan. It combines a three-area breadth requirement with a substantial block of formal 700-level electrical coursework. The review examines who this route fits, how the examination is scheduled and what current graduate assistant benefits cover. Applicants interested in a research degree should also investigate UNLV’s separate thesis subplan.
Electrical Engineering master’s rankings by state+
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How we ranked electrical engineering master’s programs in Nevada
The Nevada selection covers the MSE in Electrical Engineering at UNLV, specifically its comprehensive-exam route. The university’s degree page supplies the departmental admission rules, course structure and terminal-subplan restriction. The Graduate College’s assistantship benefits page provides a separate account of stipend, tuition and insurance support for qualifying appointments.
UNLV is selected for its defined professional route, advanced course requirement and breadth across electrical subjects. The assessment gives particular weight to the doctoral-admission consequence and the examination prerequisites. Those details help an applicant judge suitability before treating all thirty-credit master’s options as interchangeable.
State-funded master’s assistantships carry a minimum academic-year stipend of $17,000 and cover up to nine tuition credits per semester, with associated fees left to the student. Assistants enroll in at least six credits. Out-of-state tuition is waived while the appointment is held; UNLV student health-insurance premiums are covered when enrolled in that plan. Extramural tuition packages vary by appointing department.
UNLV’s electrical MSE comprehensive-exam subplan provides a demanding course-based route with an unusually consequential finishing rule. Students complete thirty graduate credits, including substantial formal 700-level study and a breadth core spanning three technical areas. They then pass an examination on completed courses in their specialty. The catalog also states that graduates of this subplan will not be considered for the department’s doctoral options. That makes the choice of subplan part of the applicant’s long-term degree decision.
Where it stands out
This route suits an applicant seeking advanced professional electrical study who prefers a specialty examination and extensive coursework. The formal-course minimum and limits on independent study help preserve that emphasis. Selecting an advisor in the first semester creates an early opportunity to check technical breadth and examination preparation.
What to weigh
An applicant considering UNLV’s PhD should evaluate the thesis route before choosing this subplan. GRE rules also depend on prior accreditation, degree age and assistantship interest. State-funded and externally funded assistantships have different tuition packages, and admission alone does not establish eligibility for an award.
The comprehensive-exam subplan requires thirty graduate credits, including at least twenty-one credits of formal electrical engineering 700-level courses.
The nine-credit breadth core includes at least three credits in each of three approved areas, such as communications, controls, power or electronics.
Independent study and graduate seminar together are capped at three credits; their combined total with special topics is capped at six. Informal courses cannot replace the twenty-one-credit formal block.
Admission & progression
Regular departmental admission requires an electrical, computer or related bachelor’s degree and at least a 3.0 undergraduate degree GPA. Other technical backgrounds may require preparatory coursework.
Applicants provide a one-page résumé, a one-page statement identifying their technical area and three recommendation letters dated within six months.
The catalog requires GRE scores for applicants with a non-ABET degree, a degree earned more than five years earlier, a GPA below 3.0 or an interest in a teaching assistantship. Applicants should apply the condition relevant to their record.
Research & project requirements
Students select a faculty advisor during their first semester and maintain the program’s semester, cumulative and individual-course grade standards.
The comprehensive examination covers graduate coursework in the specialty area and can be taken during the final two semesters after the relevant courses are complete.
UNLV describes the comprehensive-exam subplan as a final advanced professional degree; its graduates will not be considered for admission into the department’s PhD options.
What matters in electrical engineering master’s programs in Nevada
Professional degree purpose
The comprehensive-exam subplan has a stated restriction on later entry to UNLV’s electrical doctoral options.
Formal advanced coursework
Twenty-one credits must come from formal electrical engineering 700-level courses, excluding informal study.
An earned assistantship package
State-funded benefits and externally funded tuition packages follow different rules and require an actual appointment.
Coursework in electrical engineering master’s programs in Nevada
The UNLV degree requirements specify a nine-credit breadth core, with at least three credits in each of three approved areas. The choices include communications, control systems, electronics, power and several other electrical subjects. This rule makes breadth a measurable part of the program. An applicant concentrating on one specialty should identify two complementary areas and check that their prerequisite preparation supports advanced work in each.
At least twenty-one credits must be formal electrical engineering 700-level courses. Independent study, graduate seminar and special topics cannot fill that formal-course block. Independent study and seminar together are capped at three credits, while their total with special topics cannot exceed six. These limits preserve the coursework emphasis. Select a faculty advisor in the first semester, then check the proposed plan against both the breadth core and the formal advanced-course requirement.
The specialty examination and the later PhD decision
The comprehensive exam may be taken during the final two semesters, after all coursework relevant to the exam has been completed. Students currently enrolled in a course covered by the exam cannot count that course as completed preparation. The student announces the intended examination, major field and at least two courses in that field to the graduate coordinator early in the relevant semester. The sequence can therefore affect the intended graduation date.
The catalog calls this subplan a final advanced professional degree and rules out consideration for the department’s PhD options afterward. That is a substantive issue when evaluating electrical engineering master’s programs in Nevada for research preparation. Applicants who might seek UNLV’s doctorate should discuss its thesis subplan before committing to the examination route. The national master’s ranking also explains other institutions’ course-based and research-based awards, with their own admission arrangements.
Admission conditions and the assistantship budget
UNLV’s departmental requirements include a 3.0 undergraduate degree GPA and an electrical, computer or related bachelor’s degree for regular admission. The application includes a one-page résumé, a one-page statement identifying a technical area and three recent recommendation letters. GRE requirements depend on the applicant’s circumstances, including a non-ABET prior degree, a degree more than five years old or an interest in a teaching assistantship. A single blanket statement that the GRE is optional would obscure those conditions.
For applicants comparing electrical engineering master’s programs in Nevada on cost, the graduate assistant benefits policy distinguishes appointment types. State-funded master’s assistants receive a minimum academic-year stipend of $17,000 and tuition coverage for up to nine credits per semester, while associated fees remain payable. Assistants enroll in at least six credits. Nonresident tuition is waived while the appointment is held, and the UNLV health-insurance premium is covered for enrolled assistants; extramural tuition packages vary.
Questions, answered
What else should you know?
Which electrical engineering master’s programs in Nevada are reviewed?+
This 2026 selection reviews UNLV’s thirty-credit electrical MSE comprehensive-exam subplan. It is a focused assessment of an advanced professional route, including the course structure, specialty examination, admission conditions and current graduate assistant benefits.
Does the UNLV comprehensive-exam route lead into its PhD?+
UNLV states that students completing this subplan will not be considered for the department’s PhD options. Applicants who want doctoral research should discuss the separate thesis subplan and doctoral admission requirements before selecting the professional examination route.
Is the GRE required at UNLV?+
The electrical catalog applies several conditions. GRE scores are required for specified applicants, including those with non-ABET degrees, older degrees or teaching-assistantship interest. Check the condition that applies to your own academic background and intended appointment.
How should I budget electrical engineering master’s programs in Nevada?+
Start with the proposed semester enrollment and current graduate charges, then apply only a confirmed award. UNLV’s state-funded assistantships cover up to nine tuition credits but leave associated fees to the student; externally funded tuition benefits depend on the appointing department.
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Use the school reviews to check how each program structures coursework, projects and research. Our methodology explains how we select programs and assess their fit.
