UCLA Engineering Launches Online Master’s Degree Program

Sep 14, 2006

By UCLA Samueli Newsroom

Working Engineers and Computer Scientists Offered Flexible New Education Option for Enhancing Skills, Keeping Abreast of Cutting-edge Technologies

By M. Abraham

Online learning has never been more accessible, and a new degree program at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science will allow top-notch engineers to join in reaping the benefits.

Applications are now being accepted for UCLA engineering’s online Master of Science degree program, launching in spring 2007. The program will enable engineers and computer scientists the needed flexibility to enhance their skills — and they won’t have to quit their jobs to do it.

“UCLA Engineering is delighted to be able to offer a new opportunity for working students to continue to learn. We are always looking for ways to further enhance our mission of education, research and public service,” said Dean Vijay K. Dhir. “For those students who simply can’t give up their fulltime jobs to further their education, our online degree program will give them a quality educational option.”

The program will initially offer five areas of study, including communications and telecommunications, signal processing, computer networking, mechanics of structures and manufacturing and design. These study areas will expand after the program is launched.

All of the courses, assignments and projects will be accessed via the Web. Each online course will be fully equivalent to the corresponding on-campus course and taught by the same faculty who teach on campus. The online lectures, however, will be specially prepared for the different environment, and students will be able to view the lectures as often as they choose. The structured program will allow students to complete the degree requirements at a part-time pace.

“We’ve designed the new online M.S. degree program for engineers already working in the field who want to keep their skills sharp and want to learn the latest cutting-edge technologies,” said Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs Stephen Jacobsen, who oversees the program. “By structuring the program to allow participants to choose specific areasof study, the degree is equivalent to an on-campus degree. Busy students can focus on areas that are critical to their own careers in the limited spare time they have.”

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