MS in Electrical Engineering - VLSI Design
Application Deadlines
Spring:
September 1
Fall:
December 15
- Program Overview
- Application Criteria
- Tuition & Fees
- Career Outcomes
- DEN@Viterbi - Online Delivery
- Request Information
The MS in Electrical Engineering (VLSI Design) is an area of emphasis for the electrical engineering student interested in the current and expanding field of VLSI circuit design.
- This program requires completion of 27 units of coursework
- Eligible for the OPT STEM extension
- USC Catalogue
- USC Schedule of Classes
| SEMESTER | DEADLINE |
|---|---|
| Fall | December 15 |
Visit our Ready to Apply page for more information
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Applicants to the master's of science programs in Electrical Engineering - VLSI Design are required to have a bachelor’s degree or be in the process of completing a bachelor's degree. Degrees in any engineering or engineering-related disciplines are frequently represented among our program applicants, including but not limited to the following:
- Computer Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Electronics
- Math
- Physics
Applicants without a Bachelor’s degree in the preferred majors listed above will only be considered with coursework and demonstrated proficiency in the acceptable courses listed below (or equivalent).
| Electrical Engineering |
| Linear Circuits |
| Linear Systems |
| Differential Equations Linear Algebra Probability/Statistics |
| Physics |
Applications are reviewed holistically; simply taking these courses does not guarantee admission.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
The following materials are required to be included with your online application:
- Transcripts
- Resume/CV
- Personal Statement
- Letter of Recommendation (Optional)
NOTE: The GRE is not required for 2025 applications.
The following link will take you to an overview of the tuition & fees for graduate engineering students, including payment information. Both on-campus and DEN@Viterbi students pay the same tuition
Use the link below to download the Cost of Attendance to see a summary of tuition and fees by semester. The document is a typical example and the number of courses, and time to complete the program, will vary by student.
Alumni Employment - 2022*
(Companies & Job Titles)
-
Apple - SoC Physical Design Verification Engineer
-
Qualcomm – Engineer
.
Internships (Summer 2023)**
Analog Devices; Marvell Semiconductor, Inc.; Micron; Qualcomm
.
.
* Information is based on a voluntary survey and should not be interpreted as a comprehensive view of the 2022 graduating class.
** Internship data is from CPT internships done by our international student population.
This program is also available online to professional engineers through DEN@Viterbi. Because the DEN@Viterbi program provides a fully equivalent academic experience, the degree a USC engineering student earns is the same whether they are on-campus or online. If you are interested in beginning classes as a DEN@Viterbi student next semester, explore the requirements and steps to enrolling as a Limited Status Student. Learn More About DEN@Viterbi
Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of Classes
DEN@VITERBI ONLINE COURSE OFFERINGS The following courses and program requirements serve as program planning for DEN@Viterbi students. Course offerings and availability are subject to change. Please consult with advisor if you have any questions.
| Fundamental Courses |
| All courses are required with either EE 536b or EE 577b - 13 units total. |
| EE 536a | Mixed-Signal Integrated Circuit Design (4 units) |
| EE 577a | VLSI System Design (3 units) |
| EE 536b | Mixed-Signal Integrated Circuit Design (or EE 577b) (4 units) |
| EE 577b | VLSI System Design (or EE 536b) (3 units) |
| EE 552 | Asynchronous VLSI Design (3 units) |
| Required Courses |
| Two courses from one area and one course from another area required - 9-11 units total. |
| VLSI/CAD Area |
| CSCI 455 | Introduction to Programming Systems Design (4 units) |
| EE 658 | Diagnosis & Design of Reliable Digital Systems (3 units) |
| Circuits and Devices Area |
| EE 536a | Mixed-Signal Integrated Circuit Design (4 units) |
| EE 536b | Mixed-Signal Integrated Circuit Design (4 units) |
| Computer Systems Area |
| CSCI 455x | Introduction to Programming Systems Design (4 units) |
| CSCI 570 | Analysis of Algorithms (4 units) |
| EE 557 | Computer Systems Architecture (3 units) |
| EE 577b | VLSI System Design (3 units) |
| Suggested Elective Courses |
| EE 457 | Computer Systems Organization (4 units) |
| EE 477L | MOS VLSI Circuit Design (4 units) |
| EE 479 | Analog Integrated Circuit Design (4 units) |
