Letter from the Dean

As Dean of the School of Engineering at Santa Clara University, I am excited to welcome you to our Graduate Programs. Santa Clara University has a long history in the South Bay. The institution was founded in 1851, and its College of Engineering was launched in 1912. In 1959, the School of Engineering was named, and the graduate “Early Bird” program started. Throughout the years, we have been educating engineers who have contributed to the formation of Silicon Valley and to building a more just world through their contributions to the engineering industry and practice around the globe, to building a more just world.

Santa Clara University provides a powerful learning environment, with its conveniently-located campus, new Sobrato Campus for Design and Innovation classrooms and facilities, and its history and tradition as a Jesuit University. We offer programs for Master’s, PhD, and Engineering degrees. In an M.S. program, you can delve deeper into an area of specialization to build your skills or transition from one engineering specialization to another. In a Ph.D. or an Engineer’s degree program, you will perform research with a faculty advisor, co-author papers, attend conferences, and join the larger professional community. For those interested in a quick introduction to graduate learning, the School of Engineering also offers 16-unit certificates or Open University options to take just one or a few classes. Many of our programs provide opportunities for directed or thesis research working directly with faculty, co-op, and practicum opportunities to work with the local Silicon Valley industry. Our graduate programs include professional development and courses on engineering impact.

In your graduate path at Santa Clara University, you will work together with a faculty advisor to develop an individual program of study. Our courses and programs are responsive to the ever-evolving engineering practice. Most of these courses are offered either in the early morning or late afternoon to allow working professionals to further their graduate education.  In addition, we have a range of labs where you have options to participate in directed or thesis research and build skills working with cutting-edge equipment. For specific program elements, please consult the individual program sections of this bulletin. We are also supported by the Engineering Computing Center, which has six local teaching labs and remote server access to a full range of professional engineering software tools.  

As the Jesuit University in Silicon Valley, Santa Clara University is proud to be a vital part of the innovative force that is the heart of the Valley. We benefit from many centers of distinction, including the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, and the Frugal Innovation Hub in the School of Engineering. At Santa Clara University, you will find a community of faculty and staff who will expand your knowledge and nurture your conscience and compassion so that you can take your place in a profession that can and will create a more just, humane, prosperous, and sustainable world.

In the School of Engineering, we are ready to help you with your graduate career, from where it started to where it will take you. A Santa Clara University graduate education will not only advance your technical knowledge and skills, but will also lead you to become a lifelong learner, giving you a critical advantage in today’s rapidly changing and competitive workplaces that drive engineering innovation. Your graduate education will empower you to truly use your intellect and creativity to their fullest expression as an engineer. I enthusiastically welcome you to our program and encourage you to take advantage of the opportunities here at Santa Clara University.

Sincerely,

Kendra Sharp, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Engineering