Santa Clara University MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering – Signal Processing and Machine Learning

The Santa Clara University MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering is a strong fit for this directory because students can select a dedicated Signal Processing and Machine Learning focus area. The 46-quarter-unit program combines graduate engineering, applied mathematics, signal processing, machine learning, and electives, with an optional thesis or research component.

Quick Facts

SchoolSanta Clara University
LocationSanta Clara, California
DegreeMS in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Units46 quarter units
FormatCampus
Estimated TuitionAbout $59,984 before required fees
LengthAbout 1.5–2 years full time (planning estimate)
ML / AI FocusMachine learning, deep learning, reinforcement learning, NLP, computer vision, signal processing, and ML hardware

Curriculum

Santa Clara’s 2026–27 graduate bulletin requires at least 46 quarter units. The degree includes graduate core coursework, applied mathematics, a primary Electrical and Computer Engineering focus area, breadth work in two additional ECE focus areas, and advisor-approved graduate electives.

Students who choose Signal Processing and Machine Learning as their primary focus complete at least six units selected from courses such as ECEN 233 Digital Signal Processing, ECEN 234, ECEN 421 Speech Processing I, ECEN 431 Adaptive Signal Processing I, ECEN 520 Introduction to Machine Learning, ECEN 640 Digital Image Processing I, and ECEN 644 Computer Vision I.

The department also offers a deeper set of AI and ML electives. ECEN 520 Introduction to Machine Learning covers supervised and unsupervised learning, regression, support vector machines, tree-based methods, dimensionality reduction, clustering, and reinforcement learning. ECEN 521 Deep Learning covers neural networks, CNNs, RNNs, transformers, model training, and resource-aware deep learning. Additional courses include ECEN 522 Reinforcement Learning, ECEN 523 Natural Language Processing with Deep Learning, ECEN 527 Theoretical Foundations of Generative AI with Applications, and ECEN 529 Hardware Acceleration for Machine Learning on FPGAs.

Credits and Program Length

The degree requires a minimum of 46 quarter units. Students must complete at least 27 units within the Electrical and Computer Engineering department, and the university allows up to nine quarter units of approved graduate transfer credit. All degree requirements must be completed within six years.

Santa Clara does not publish one fixed completion time for this ECE master’s. A reasonable full-time planning estimate is about 1.5 to 2 years, depending on course load, prerequisites, elective choices, and whether the student completes thesis or research units. Part-time students may take longer.

Tuition and Cost

Santa Clara’s 2026–27 tuition schedule lists School of Engineering graduate tuition at $1,304 per unit. Multiplying that rate by the 46-unit minimum produces an estimated base tuition of $59,984. This is a planning estimate rather than a university-published total program price.

The estimate does not include all required fees. SCU lists an Engineering Design Center & Student Association Fee of $195 per quarter, along with possible health insurance, international student charges, late fees, and other student-specific costs. Tuition and fees can change by academic year.

Admissions

Santa Clara’s graduate engineering admissions requirements call for a bachelor’s degree, official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose of up to 500 words, a resume, and a completed application with the engineering application fee. The GRE is mandatory only for the MS in Computer Science and Engineering, so the ECE master’s does not currently list the GRE as a general admission requirement.

International applicants may also need English proficiency scores and an international transcript evaluation. SCU currently lists minimum English scores of approximately 79–80 TOEFL iBT, 6.5 IELTS, or 105–110 Duolingo, subject to the university’s waiver rules.

Machine Learning and AI Focus

The machine learning connection is substantial. Santa Clara explicitly names Signal Processing and Machine Learning as one of six ECE focus areas, and the department says its recent curriculum additions include machine learning, deep learning, edge-device deployment, embedded systems, robotics, and AI applications.

Students can move well beyond a single ML survey course. The catalog includes dedicated graduate work in machine learning, deep learning, reinforcement learning, natural language processing, generative AI, computer vision, robot learning, brain-computer interaction, and hardware acceleration for ML. This makes the degree especially relevant for students who want AI training from an electrical and computer engineering perspective.

Campus Format

We classify this program as Campus. Santa Clara presents the ECE master’s through its School of Engineering in Santa Clara and does not identify this degree or the Signal Processing and Machine Learning focus as a fully online program.

Thesis and Research Options

A thesis is optional. The department allows up to nine units of Master’s Thesis Research, and students may also include directed research with advisor approval. The thesis and directed-research total cannot exceed nine units in the approved program of study.

Who Is This Program Best For?

Best for engineering-focused machine learning: Students who want ML tied to signals, hardware, embedded systems, communications, computer vision, or intelligent devices.

Best for students who want advanced AI electives: The catalog includes deep learning, reinforcement learning, NLP, generative AI, robot learning, and hardware acceleration in addition to introductory machine learning.

Best for Silicon Valley access: Students who want an on-campus graduate engineering program in Santa Clara with direct proximity to the region’s technology industry.

Best for flexible research depth: Students can complete the degree without a thesis or add thesis and directed-research units when they want a stronger research component.

Bottom Line

Santa Clara University is a strong fit for MastersInMachineLearning.org. Its 46-quarter-unit MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering offers a formal Signal Processing and Machine Learning focus plus advanced electives in deep learning, reinforcement learning, NLP, generative AI, and computer vision. At the 2026–27 engineering rate of $1,304 per unit, estimated base tuition is about $59,984 before required fees.