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College of Engineering - Curriculum Guide

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers two distinct Bachelor of Science programs: Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) and Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering (BSCompE). A double-major program has been proposed for students who complete the requirements of both degrees. Please inquire about the status of this option. In addition, a minor in electrical engineering and a minor in computer engineering are available to qualified students throughout the University, including majors within the department.

Successful engineers need to organize and adapt information to solve problems. They also must work effectively in teams and communicate well. The electrical engineering and computer engineering programs develop these skills and provide the appropriate technical background for a successful career. The objectives of the Bachelor of Science programs are that every student will develop: (1) and apply in an engineering context, mathematical, scientific, computational, and experiential knowledge and skills; (2) the technical skills necessary for engineering practice; (3) the communications and interpersonal skills necessary as engineering professionals; (4) a personal and professional ethic appropriate to the practice of engineering; and (5) an awareness of the social, cultural, and historical context of engineering solutions.

The curricula are continuously assessed to ensure that graduates can achieve these goals and go on to succeed as professional electrical or computer engineers. The Bachelor of Science programs allow students sufficient flexibility within the standard eleven academic quarters to earn a minor in nearly any department in the University. Typical minors might include electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, math, computer science, or business, but students might also organize their course of study to earn a minor in economics, English, or music.

The academic program is supported by extensive laboratory facilities for study and experimentation in computing, circuits analysis, electronics, digital systems, microwaves, control systems, semiconductor processing, VLSI design, and digital signal processing. Students have access to state-of-the-art computing facilities, including numerous UNIX-based Sun and Compaq workstations, and Windows-based personal computers, all connected to the Internet. Many courses are taught in one of the four computer-based teaching classrooms, where students work on-line and practice the theory presented in lecture while still in the classroom.

More than 90 percent of department undergraduates take advantage of the cooperative education program. During the cooperative work phase of the program, the students' levels of responsibility grow as they gain theoretical and technical knowledge through academic work. A sophomore might begin cooperative work experience as an engineering assistant and progress by the senior year to a position with responsibilities similar to those of entry-level engineers.

A senior-year design course caps the education by drawing on everything learned previously. Teams of students propose, design, and build a functioning electrical or computer engineering system--just as they might in actual practice.

Electrical Engineering

The components of the Information Age--global communication systems, computers and chips, and the software that runs them--exist due to the efforts of electrical engineers; likewise, pacemakers, magnetic resonance imaging, and interplanetary space missions. Today, electrical engineers are developing concepts and working to translate these ideas into the next generation of products, from computers and safe, energy-efficient vehicles, to radar that can detect unexploded land mines from the air, to microrobots that diagnose disease from inside the body.

Many electrical engineers work in the traditional areas of communications, computation and control, and components required to realize such systems. They are involved in design and product development, testing and quality control, sales and marketing, and manufacturing. Others use their problem-solving skills in diverse areas such as bioengineering, health care, electronic music, meteorology, and experimental psychology. Some graduates draw on their electrical engineering backgrounds to launch successful careers as physicians, financial analysts, attorneys, and entrepreneurs.

As specified below, the BSEE degree requires a sequence of core courses and advanced study in one or more technical elective areas: electronic circuits and devices; signals and systems; fields, waves, and optics; or computer engineering. Electives in historical perspective, social/cultural context, social science, and humanities are also required. The technical elective requirements for the BSEE differ slightly for students who are taking a formal minor in another field (including computer engineering). See published curriculum guide for details. See course descriptions for more information.

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Curriculum

Quarters 1Ð3	See intro.
Quarter 4	ECE 1215, Circuits 1 and ECE 1240, Introduction to Electrical Engineering Lab; MTH 1225, Differential Equations (Engineering); PHY 1224, Physics 4; and one elective or course in minor area.
Quarter 5	ECE 1382, Digital Logic Design and ECE 1229, Digital Systems Lab; ECE 1246, Circuits 2 and ECE 1241, Circuits Lab; MTH 1230, Linear Algebra for Engineers; and one elective or course in minor area. In Quarter 4 (Winter) or Quarter 5 (Spring) students also need to enroll in GE 1003, Reflection on Co-op.
Quarter 6	ECE 1341, Introduction to Electronics and ECE 1242, Electronics Lab; MTH 1223, Calculus for Engineering Majors 4; MIM 1245, Materials Science; and one elective or course in minor area.
Quarter 7	ECE 1333, Discrete Systems and ECE 1226, Discrete Systems Lab; ECE 1360, Electromagnetic Fields and Waves; ECE 1227, Electromagnetic Fields Lab; ENG 1125, Technical Writing; and one elective or course in minor area.
Quarter 8	ECE 1330, Noise and Stochastic Processes; GE 1004, Engineering Professional Issues; and three electives or courses in minor area.
Quarter 9	ECE 1355, Communication Systems 1; GE 1005, Career Management; and three electives or courses in minor area.
Quarter 10	ECE 1503, Capstone Design 1; and three electives or courses in minor area.
Quarter 11	ECE 1504, Capstone Design 2; and three electives or courses in minor area.

Minor in Electrical Engineering

A minor in electrical engineering is open to all students in the University with the prerequisite calculus and physics background. The minor is particularly designed for majors in math, science, computer engineering, or other engineering departments, students who would like a coherent background in the theory and laboratory practice of electrical engineering. The completion of a minor in electrical engineering will be recognized by a notation on the student's transcript.

Minor in Electrical Engineering Curriculum

A minimum of 24 quarter hours of ECE courses are required as follows: ECE 1240, Introduction to Electrical Engineering Laboratory (1 QH); ECE 1171, Electrical Engineering 1 or ECE 1215, Circuits 1 (4 QH); two elective core courses (10 QH); and elective courses (9 QH) distributed among the following sub-areas: electronics circuits and devices; signals and systems; and fields, waves, and optics. See published minor curriculum guide for specific course selections. A cumulative QPA of 2.0 or higher is required in the courses used to satisfy the minor.

Computer Engineering

The use of computer technology is exploding, driven by applications in wireless communications, multimedia, portable devices, and Internet computing. At the core of these technological advances are computer engineers, who research, design, and develop hardware and software. With a degree in computer engineering you might develop an e-business Web site, design the next-generation microprocessor, write an embedded real-time operating system, or start your own software company.

The computer engineering major acquires a strong foundation in engineering principles and the physical sciences in addition to a powerful mix of theory and practice in hardware and software design. The core of the computer engineering curriculum comprises courses in computer organization and architecture, operating systems, computer-aided design, programming languages, optimization theory, and software design.

As specified below, the BSCompE degree requires a sequence of core courses, five technical electives, and electives in historical perspective, social/cultural context, social science, and humanities. See course descriptions for more information.

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering Concentration Curriculum

Quarters 1Ð3	See intro.
Quarter 4	ECE 1215, Circuits 1 and ECE 1240, Introduction to Electrical Engineering Lab; MTH 1225, Differential Equations (Engineering) 1; COM 1101, Algorithms and Data Structures 1; and one elective or course in minor area.
Quarter 5	ECE 1246, Circuits 2 and ECE 1241, Circuits Lab; ECE 1382, Digital Logic Design and ECE 1229, Digital Systems Lab; MTH 1137, Discrete Mathematics; and one elective or course in minor area.
Quarter 6	ECE 1341, Introduction to Electronics and ECE 1242, Introduction to Electronics Lab; MTH 1223, Calculus for Engineering Majors 4; MTH 1230, Linear Algebra for Engineers; and one elective or course in minor area.
Quarter 7	ECE 1333, Discrete Systems and ECE 1226, Discrete Systems Lab; ECE 1381, Computer Organization and Design; ENG 1125, Technical Writing; and one elective or course in minor area.
Quarter 8	ECE 1320, Optimization Methods; ECE 1330, Noise and Stochastic Processes; ECE 1384, Computer Architecture; and one elective or course in minor area.
Quarter 9	COM 1330, Operating Systems; and three electives or courses in minor area.
Quarter 10	ECE 1503, Capstone Design 1; and three electives or courses in minor area.
Quarter 11	ECE 1504, Capstone Design 2; and three electives or courses in minor area.

Minor in Computer Engineering

The minor in computer engineering is open to all students in the University. The minor is designed for students who would like a coherent background in the theory and laboratory practice of computer engineering. The completion of a minor in computer engineering will be recognized by a notation on the student's transcript.

Minor in Computer Engineering Curriculum

A minimum of 24 quarter hours of ECE courses are required as follows: ECE 1381, Introduction to Computer Organization (4 QH); ECE 1382, Digital Logic Design, and ECE 1229, Digital Systems Laboratory (5 QH); and ECE elective courses (15 QH) from selected groupings. See published minor curriculum guide for specific course selections. A cumulative QPA of 2.0 or higher is required in the courses used to satisfy the minor.