Dartmouth Launches Online Master of Engineering in Computer Engineering

Professor Kofi Odame is one of several engineering faculty who helped develop and will teach courses for the new online master of engineering in computer engineering program.

The new online MEng: CE is aimed at providing engineers with expertise and skills essential for keeping pace with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies embedded in intelligent systems—from self-driving cars and autonomous robots to virtual assistants and augmented reality.

"With AI increasingly shaping many facets of our lives, it's critical that today's engineers not only build skills around the intricacies of technology and science, but also consider the profound human and societal implications of their work," said Alexis Abramson, dean of Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth. "Dartmouth's online program will support the development of human-centered leaders who are adept at both. In partnering with Coursera, we are excited that more people around the world will have access to education that can expand their skillset to address opportunities in this high-impact field."

The program enables students to take courses entirely off-campus from start to finish, from anywhere in the world, and expands Dartmouth Engineering's previous online offerings, which include the digital transformation certificate and C programming courses already offered through Coursera.

Developed and taught by Dartmouth Engineering faculty, the online MEng: CE will confer the same degree as the on-campus program, but at a lower overall cost due to its delivery format. The total cost of the online MEng is $44,000 and follows a "pay-as-you-go" model where students only pay for the classes in which they are enrolled per term.

Students in the program will learn to leverage the tools of AI—using machine learning, signal processing, computer vision, and more—to extract, analyze, and make sense of large amounts of data. They will also design, develop, and build computing components and sensors for intelligent systems, and engage in hands-on, collaborative learning with online peers engaged in real-world projects.

Asynchronous virtual lectures are coupled with group projects that model real-world work environments. Faculty will host live, online sessions across multiple time zones to offer real-time feedback and support. Online students can schedule one-on-one meeting with faculty during virtual office hours, as well as access online academic, student life, and career services support.

"Computer engineering, especially in the artificial intelligence realm, is accelerating rapidly and many working professionals are looking for a way to keep pace," said Professor Eugene Santos Jr., faculty director for the Master of Engineering program. "The flexibility of the online program can help attract a more diverse group of engineering leaders to pursue a master's degree in a field that is increasingly impacting many aspects of our world."

While Dartmouth currently offers two hybrid, low-residency master's degree programs—the Master of Health Care Delivery Science through The Dartmouth Institute (TDI) and Tuck School of Business's and TDI's Master of Public Health—the MEng: CE provides a fully online option in a fast-developing field.

"Online students will be able to experience the best of what happens everyday on the Dartmouth campus—collaborative, hands-on learning and easy access to faculty—with the flexibility of an online space," said Josh Kim, Dartmouth's director of online programs and strategy. "Part of what makes this program so exciting is that our faculty have been so vested in curating a curriculum for the online program, with coursework and activities that uniquely reflect Dartmouth."