Program Overview
The University of New Mexico is pleased to offer a fully online master's program in Computer Engineering with a specialization in the Internet of Things. Courses are offered in a convenient, eight-week online format. This graduate program was developed with input from our industrial partners including Netflix, Sandia National Laboratories, and many others.
The courses are taught by our world-renowned computer engineering faculty from the UNM School of Engineering. Professor Ioannis Papapanagiotou, a senior engineering leader at Netflix, teaches our Cloud Computing course and has helped us co-design our course on the Introduction on the Internet of Things to support the latest and the next generation of Networks. Professor Christopher Lamb, a cybersecurity scientist with Sandia National Laboratories, teaches Introduction to the Internet of Things and Introduction to Cybersecurity.
The Senior leadership of the ECE Department is directly responsible for guaranteeing the quality of the program.
- Professor Michael Devetsikiotis, the ECE Department Chair, and an IEEE Fellow, is teaching the Advanced Networking course.
- Professor Manel Martinez-Ramon, the King Felipe VI Endowed Chair, teaches Machine Learning.
- Professor Marios Pattichis, the director of our online programs and holder of the Gardner Zemke Professorship in Teaching, teaches a Problems course to supervise the development of Machine Learning projects.
- Professor Jim Plusquellic, the Area Chair of Computer Engineering and leader in hardware security, teaches the course in hardware security.
Prospective students need to have a baccalaureate degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or an equivalent program of study. All applicants are expected to have college-level proficiency in English (reading and writing), programming, and mathematics. See the Degree Requirements tab to view the full list of admissions requirements.
For individuals interested in pursuing a doctoral degree, the Internet of Things program provides a great foundation for application to UNM's Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering programs.
Possible Careers
The MS in Computer Engineering - Internet of Things (IoT) program was developed with industry input to provide graduates with the skills desired by the fast-growing computer industry. Students will learn how to develop the software and hardware systems that allow devices to collect and exchange data on a massive scale; that is, on the scale of the Internet with billions of connected devices. Students who successfully complete the curriculum will be prepared for entry into the computer industry or related fields of study such as autonomous and electric vehicles, smart grid, situational awareness for smart health, crowdsourcing-based services, and security for smart cities.
You can read about the experiences of two of the first graduates of the IoT program on our blog.
Graduates may successfully advance in their careers through:
- Technical competence in computing, data, and networking
- Demonstration of professional skills appropriate for the global Internet of Things marketplace
UNM’s Internet of Things program was recognized among the Top 10 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Computer Engineering by OnlineU.org
Disclosures
All online and distance education is protected by federal regulations and policies. For details on how, refer to the following resources: State Authorization, Disclosures, Accreditation and Complaint Resolution.
Admissions
Tuition and Fees
Total cost per credit hour is $533.38 and is comprised of: $428.12 base tuition + $105.26 college differential. There is a student technology fee charged each semester. It is $150 in the Fall, $150 in the Spring, and $20 in the Summer. There may be additional costs, depending on the class. Additional costs are often for textbooks, supplemental course materials, and proctoring fees.
Admissions Requirements
The Master of Science in Computer Engineering with a concentration in Internet of Things (IoT) is an accelerated online program that is designed to accommodate students with an interest in computing and the emerging problems associated with IoT. Prospective students need to have a baccalaureate degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or an equivalent program of study. All applicants are expected to have college-level proficiency in English (reading and writing), programming, and mathematics. Applicants must have:
- Completed a baccalaureate degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or an equivalent program of study, with a minimum GPA (grade point average) of 3.0 (or equivalent) for courses in the major field of study over the last two undergraduate years.
- College-level proficiency in English (reading and writing), programming, and mathematics.
- Three (3) letters of recommendation.
- Statement of Purpose/Letter of Intent.
- Language Skills for International Students: International students must meet all UNM Graduate Admissions Requirements including tests for English proficiency. For more information regarding international students, please see International Students and Online Education. For international students, the minimum Graduate TOEFL Scores (Paper/Computer) are: 550/213, minimum Graduate IELTS Score: 6.5, or a Duolingo minimum score of 105. Official test results must be sent directly from ETS to the University of New Mexico (code #4845). Please refer to the ETS website for TOEFL testing options and updates.
- The GRE is no longer required for admission to ECE graduate programs.
Application Deadlines: Accelerated Online Programs (AOPs), such as M.S. Computer Engineering-Internet of Things and M.S. Electrical Engineering-Space Systems are not subject to deadlines. AOP applications may be submitted at any time prior to the start of the term a student is applying for.
Degree Requirements
The degree is offered as a Masters Plan III Option (course work only) program which consists of:
- A minimum of 31 hours of coursework (including ECE 590), with a minimum of 18 hours in ECE.
- At least 13 credit hours must be ECE core courses. The remaining courses are free electives.
- A maximum of 6 hours of 400-level ECE courses, and no more than 6 hours of 400-level Non-ECE courses (400-level courses must be approved for graduate credit. ECE 495 cannot be used for graduate credit).
- A maximum of 6 hours in "problems" courses (ECE 551 or ECE 651).
- At least 50% of required coursework must be completed after admission to the graduate program.
- At least one credit hour, but not more than two credit hours, of graduate seminar (ECE 590).
- No more than half of the minimum required coursework hours may be taken with a single faculty member.
- No more than 6 credit hours of coursework can have a grade of C (2.0), C+ (2.33) or CR (grading option selected by student). ECE 590 is excluded from this limitation.
- The CR grading option is not allowed for ECE core courses.
- A student's cumulative GPA cannot be below 3.0. In addition, the GPA for courses presented in their program of studies cannot be below 3.0
To apply for the program, in the Program of Interest section within the UNM Graduate Admissions Application, select the following:
College/School: School of Engineering
Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering (Online only)
Program/Major: Computer Engineering (Online only)
Degree: MS Computer Engineering (Online only)
Interest: Internet of Things
About the Program
The MS degree consists of five required courses plus an additional six elective courses. The courses can be taken in any order and can be currently completed in as little as 18 months.
Look for the courses in the current schedule of classes with a course comment that reads "Limited to managed online program students only." For more information, contact the ECE Grad App Assistance team at eceadmissions@unm.edu or 505.277.2436.
Required Courses (10 credit hours):
(Syllabi links are presented for general reference and may contain some outdated material. Contact the ECE department for accurate information.)
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| ECE 517 | Machine Learning | 3 |
| ECE 531 | Introduction to Internet of Things | 3 |
| ECE 540 | Advanced Networking | 3 |
| ECE 590 | Graduate Seminar | 1 |
Additional Elective Courses (21 credit hours):
Select courses from the following list, in consultation with an advisor:
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| ECE 506 | Optimization Theory | 3 |
| ECE 522 | Hardware Software Codesign with FPGAs | 3 |
| ECE 529 | Introduction to Cybersecurity | 3 |
| ECE 530 | Introduction to Cloud Computing | 3 |
| ECE 535 | Satellite Communications | 3 |
| ECE 551 | Problems in Machine Learning | 3 to 6 |
| ECE 561 | Engineering Electrodynamics | 3 |
| ECE 595 | Cybersecurity II | 3 |
| ECE 595 (1h) | Probability Theory and Stochastic Processes | 3 |
| ECE 595 (2h) | Optimal Estimation and Filtering | 3 |
Learning Outcomes
Students receiving Masters degrees in Computer Engineering with an IoT specialization will:
- Exhibit knowledge of computing fundamentals
- Demonstrate the ability to develop software and hardware components with applications in the Internet of Things
