Advising and course selection for Spring 2025 begins October 14 for ECE faculty advisors (Freshmen and transfer student advising may begin earlier). Online registration opens on Monday, October 21. Your registration eligibility date is based on earned credits and class standing.

Pre-registration for ALL ECE students must be completed by Friday, November 15, 2024.  Act now!

Who Is My Advisor?

The advisor for incoming freshmen and transfer students is

Shelli Spannring
614 Cobleigh Hall
(406) 994-2594
shelli.spannring@montana.edu
Shelli Spannring's scheduling link: https://montana.campus.eab.com/pal/IRvUe1aKkL

NOTE that if you have been placed into the introductory math level (M 063, M 090 or M121Q), your advisor is:

Katie Gahagan
katie.gahagan@montana.edu 
Katie Gahagan’s scheduling link:  https://montana.campus.eab.com/pal/UHI_7SMflN 

Continuing students who don't know who is your advisor? See the list on the Advisors bulletin board across from the ECE main office, 610 Cobleigh Hall.

ECE Advising Procedure

The ECE Department will be following the same advising procedure as in previous semesters. You will need to communicate with your advisor and schedule an individual appointment. Some advisors will have appointment time blocks posted outside their offices where you can sign up for the time that fits your schedule, while other advisors will use email, navMSU, or the online scheduler to make appointments.

BEFORE COMING TO YOUR ADVISING SESSION, PLEASE PREPARE THE FOLLOWING

  • The list of courses you are currently taking this semester (Fall 2024).
  • The tentative list of courses you plan to take next semester (Spring 2025).
  • The estimated semester in which you expect to graduate.

At the end of your advising session, your advisor will notify the ECE Department office, and you will then receive a DocuSign advisor evaluation form via email for you to complete electronically. Once you have completed that electronic form, you will be sent your Advisor PIN to equip you for online course registration.

Spring 2025 Updates and Information

  • Alternate year or annual electives for the Spring 2025 semester include:
    • EELE 408 Photovoltaic Systems
    • EELE 411 Advanced Analog Electronics
    • EELE 418/509 The Art of Biochips
    • EELE 432 Applied Electromagnetics
    • EELE 448/548 Optical Communications Systems
    • EELE 454 Power System Analysis & Design
    • EELE 481/582 Optical Design
    • EELE 577 Advanced Digital Signal Processing
  • ECE students need to take many credits of Professional Electives. Some students take 3-credit and 4-credit electives, and may end up needing one more credit to fulfill the EELE elective credit requirement.  If this is your situation, you might be interested in taking a 1-credit EELE course. The options include Independent Study (EELE 492), Undergraduate Research (EELE 490), or Internship (EELE 498).  These special courses require individual arrangements, so see your advisor.  Another option is the 1-credit Multidisciplinary Seminars (EELE 394) course, which requires you to attend 12 campus seminars on your own during the semester. Or you can, of course, take a 3 or 4 credit EELE class. See your advisor if you have questions.

Curricular Guides for Student Professional Interest Areas

General Undergraduate Program Information

Important forms from the Office of the Registrar

  • After the add/drop period using MyInfo, students follow the campus add/drop procedure.
  • Changing your major, updating the catalog year, adding a minor or second Major, etc., can now be initiated online with your advisor's assistance:  see your advisor for assistance.

Special Notes

  1. If you plan to graduate in Spring 2025, you should already have completed the Application for Baccalaureate Degree. If you have NOT done so, you are LATE, so please see your advisor immediately and get the application process completed!
  2. The application for Fall 2025 graduation will be taken care of early in the spring semester, with a deadline of March 1, 2025. Using DegreeWorks, create a "Plan" showing the courses you will need to complete your degree, and let your advisor know that you are nearing your graduation semester, then remember to see your advisor in February to finalize the degree application process. Refer to the 5-step BS Degree Application Instructions.
  3. Please be aware that if you plan to graduate Spring 2025, you are required to take the FE Exam before you graduate. You may take the FE Exam either the semester of graduation or the semester prior to graduation, but keep in mind that the FE Exam requires advance registration. You ALSO must be registered for EGEN 488 (zero credit placeholder) the semester you plan to take the FE Exam. The format of the exam is electronic using the MSU Testing Center. You must make your own exam appointment individually through the MSU Testing Center.

NOTE: If you are graduating in May 2025 and did not take the FE exam already, you must take the exam in the Spring of 2025.  If you are graduating in Fall 2025, you may take the exam in Spring 2025 or wait until Fall 2025 to take the exam. You must take the exam no more than one semester prior to the semester you will graduate; therefore, if you plan to graduate in Spring 2026 or later, the Spring 2025 exam opportunity does NOT apply to you.

Spring 2025 FE Exam: Registration for the Spring semester FE exam period (computer-based, six hour duration) is open year-round. Go to the website www.ncees.org, create a user account, and then select your desired exam site location and available appointment dates. Appointments will be made available in two-month windows (Jan-Feb, Apr-May, Jul-Aug, Oct-Nov), so Spring 2025 graduates need to schedule their exam appointment in the Jan-Feb or Apr-May windows. If the available appointment dates do not match your availability, you may consider taking the exam at another testing center (e.g., Helena, Billings, or Missoula). The exam fee is approximately $200.

You will not be able to graduate if you do not follow the proper FE and EGEN 488 procedures. Don't let this happen to you!!

Questions: ECE Department, 610 Cobleigh Hall, 994-2505. Office hours: 8AM-noon and 1PM-5PM.