Computer Engineering Curriculum (Prior to Fall 2021)

Introduction

Computer engineers design, implement, program, verify, and analyze computing systems. They work in all segments of the broad and thriving computer industry, as software engineers, programmers, computer system architects, microprocessor/hardware designers, among many other specialties. By understanding a computer system from top to bottom – from application software to operating systems to hardware and circuits – computer engineers are well prepared to create the wide array of computing systems and devices that we all use and depend upon every day.

CompE graduates work in every sector of the economy by:

• Designing mobile phone operating systems, applications, and hardware
• Designing scalable cloud service architectures, operating systems, and performance tools
• Developing game engines and massively parallel graphical libraries and hardware
• Creating massively parallel computing hardware, operating systems, and libraries for scientific discoveries
• Creating advanced embedded real time systems for all engineering sectors of the industry
• Developing computing hardware and software systems for all modalities of medical imaging

Our program provides a strong foundation coupled with advanced coursework in the area(s) of each student's choosing.

ABET accreditation: Program educational objectives and outcomes

The Importance of the First-Year ECE Experience

First-year students take ECE 110, Introduction to Electronics, and ECE 120, Introduction to Computing. These two introductory courses focusing on analog and digital design, as well as hardware and software strategies, provide hands-on laboratory experience from the outset substantiating classroom learning of fundamental concepts in tightly intertwined fields of computer engineering and electrical engineeing. Although these classes can be taken in either order, computer engineering students desiring to follow a fast-track in computing-related courses are advised to start with ECE 120 during their first semester. In these two introductory ECE courses, students gain a better appreciation for the basic science and mathematics courses that are also taken during the first two years of study. Students gain first-hand experience in the activities of professional computer and electrical engineers and are better able to make the important decision as to whether they have chosen the major best suited to them.

Intellectual Content of the Computer Engineering Curriculum

Student involvement in the computer engineering discipline increases during each year of the program. ECE 220, the follow-up course to ECE 120, can be taken during the second or third semester, while higher-level core CompE courses are typically taken in the fourth and fifth semesters. During the last three semesters, the student chooses electives to define a curriculum meeting individual educational and career needs.

The computer engineering core curriculum focuses on fundamental computer engineering knowledge: circuits (ECE 110), systems (ECE 210), computer engineering (ECE 120, ECE 220, ECE 385, ECE 391, ECE 411), and computer science (CS 173, CS 225, CS 473). The rich set of ECE elective courses permits students to concentrate in any sub-discipline of computer engineering including: computer systems; electronic circuits; networks; engineering applications; software, languages, and theory; and algorithms and mathematical tools.

Methods of Instruction and Design Experience

Instruction is given using a combination of lecture, discussion, laboratory, and project methodologies of the highest quality. The large number of laboratory courses and superb access to advanced computer facilities provide excellent practical experience in the field. Engineering design, communication, and teamwork are integrated throughout the curriculum. They're included in the beginning required courses, ECE 110, Introduction to Electronics, ECE 120, Introduction to Computing, and ECE 220, Computer Systems & Programming, as well as ECE 391, Computer Systems Engineering, ECE 385, Digital Systems Laboratory, and ECE 411, Computer Organization and Design, which are taken in the third year. Further design experiences occur in the elective courses.

Honors Activity

Students wishing to do honors work are encouraged to apply to the James Scholar Program administered jointly by the College of Engineering and the ECE Department. In consultation with departmental honors advisers, students create and carry out honors contracts. They must also participate in the ECE Honors Seminar and are encouraged to participate in the yearly Undergrad Research Symposium. The department offers thesis courses and project opportunities for students wishing to graduate with Highest Honors.

Grade Point Average Requirements

A student must have a grade-point average of at least 2.0 (A=4.0) in ECE courses in order to remain in good standing and to graduate.

Junior Eligibility Rule (2.25 Rule)

To qualify for registration for the ECE courses shown in the third year of the curriculum, a student must have completed, with a combined 2.25 grade point average, the mathematics, chemistry, physics, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering courses shown in the first two years.

Overview of Curriculum Requirements

The curriculum requires 128 hours for graduation and is organized as follows:

Required Courses

Required courses total 75 hours

Basic Sciences and Mathematics

These courses stress the scientific principles upon which the engineering discipline is based.

Computer Engineering Technical Core

These courses stress fundamental computer engineering concepts and basic laboratory techniques that comprise the common intellectual understanding of all computer engineering.

Technical Electives

These courses stress the rigorous analysis and design principles practiced in the major concentration areas of computer engineering.

Restrictions:

1. ECE/PHIL 316, Engineering Ethics, is a campus humanities course, which meets the Comp II requirement. It does not count as an ECE elective.
2. Some sections of ECE 198, 199, 298, 398, and 498 may not have technical content (for example, Professionalism and Ethics in Engineering). These sections will not count as ECE electives.
3. Courses for non-majors (e.g., ECE 205) do not count except by permission.
4. Independent study courses that count as ECE elective hours: ECE 397 (Electrical and Computer Engineering Problems), ECE 396 (Honors Project). If in a different department, for example, in CS or PHYS, they can be approved for non-ECE tech elective hours.

Non-ECE tech elective hours: ENG 491, Interdisciplinary Design Projects, approved sections. For ECE credit or senior design credit, please visit advising in 2120 ECE Building. However, no student may take more than four hours of special problems with the same instructor, nor count more than a total of six hours toward graduation as a technical elective or a required advanced ECE course or lab.

1. ECE 297 may be repeated once for a total of two hours of ECE tech electives, but does not count as part of the six hours of independent study allowed for tech electives.

Liberal Education

The liberal education courses develop students’ understanding of human culture and society, build skills of inquiry and critical thinking, and lay a foundation for civic engagement and lifelong learning.

Students must also complete the campus cultural studies requirement by completing (i) one western/comparative culture(s) course and (ii) one non-western culture course and (iii) one US Minority culture course from the general education cultural studies lists. Most students select liberal education courses that simultaneously satisfy these cultural studies requirements. Courses from the western and non-western lists that fall into free electives or other categories may also be used satisfy the cultural studies requirements.

Composition

These courses teach fundamentals of expository writing.

Free Electives

(12 hours) These electives give the student the opportunity to explore any intellectual area. This freedom plays a critical role in helping students to define minor concentrations in areas such as bioengineering, technology and management, languages, or research specialties. At least six hours must be taken for a letter grade. A few restrictions apply.

Suggested Course Sequence

Please review the catalog page for course suggestions.