Program Overview

Network Engineering Master's Program

The Network Engineering Master's Program at the University of Colorado Boulder is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to design, build, and operate advanced communication systems and devices. This lab-intensive program prepares students to lead in a world where connectivity powers everything.

Program Overview

• The program is offered on-campus and requires 30 credits to graduate.
• It is a coursework-only program with no research requirement.
• All cohorts begin in the fall.
• The program features a Network Engineering Data Center Lab, the largest teaching lab in the world, with over 50 racks of equipment dedicated to enterprise/service provider, cloud, and software-defined networking.

Career Outcomes

• 99% of graduates gain employment as network engineers and typically earn over $130,000/year.
• Graduates work in a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, consulting, IT, government, and more.

Reputation

• CU Boulder is the #11 ranked public graduate engineering school in the nation.

Lab-Based Learning

• Practical, hands-on learning in state-of-the-art facilities.
• Students work with the same tools and challenges they will face in industry.

Location

• Access to the Denver-Boulder tech corridor, one of the nation's most entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Program Details

Core Courses

• Mastering the fundamentals of network engineering through core courses that blend networking, coding, systems, and software design.

Advanced Electives

• Network virtualization and orchestration
• Wireless and cellular systems
• Cloud technologies
• Advanced network automation
• Data center engineering
• Internet service provider operations

Faculty

• Levi Perigo, Scholar in Residence and co-director of the network engineering professional MS program.
• José Santos, Associate Teaching Professor and co-director of the network engineering professional MS program.
• Eric Lobato, Lecturer and alum of the network engineering program at CU Boulder.

Admissions Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
• Recommended experience in network engineering, system administration, or network programming.
• Statement of purpose outlining goals and interests.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• Official transcripts.
• Resume/CV highlighting relevant experience.

Application Deadlines

• Fall admission: December 15
• No spring admissions.

Costs and Financial Information

• Tuition structure: Engineering master's programs have different rate structures based on program type, delivery method, and course load.
• ROI consideration: Most graduates recoup their educational investment within 2.5 years of completing their degree.
• Flexible options: Many programs offer part-time enrollment, allowing students to distribute costs while maintaining employment.

Funding Resources

• Scholarships and fellowships: Program-specific opportunities are rare, and funding for master's students is not guaranteed.
• Assistantships: Professional master's students are not eligible for teaching or research assistantships but are eligible for on-campus hourly positions that do not include tuition remission.
• Employer benefits: Many companies provide tuition assistance for job-relevant graduate education.
• Military benefits: Veterans and active-duty military personnel can utilize GI Bill benefits for qualified programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a network engineer?
  • Network engineers build and maintain the networks that underlie just about everything in the Internet.
• What do network engineers do?
  • Design, build, and deploy complex network architectures using multi-vendor solutions.
  • Use network programming and automation to manage networks and systems.
• Who should become a network engineer?
  • Students from diverse academic paths, including computer science, telecommunications, or networking.
  • Professionals with relevant work experience in network administration or system support.

Related Programs

• MS in Computer Science
• Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's (BAM) in Computer Science
• MS in Computer Science from Coursera

The Rocky Mountain Advantage

• Build your future in a region rich with industry opportunities in aerospace, technology, renewable energies, defense, quantum computing, and more.
• Be part of a collaborative community while studying at one of the nation's preeminent engineering programs.
• Enjoy an amazing quality of life with easy access to the outdoors and a vibrant downtown.