Curriculum in Electrical Engineering
For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
A list of the twenty greatest engineering achievements of the twentieth century compiled by the National Academy of Engineering includes ten achievements primarily related to the field of electrical engineering: electrification, electronics, radio and television, computers, telephone, internet, imaging, household appliances, health technologies, and laser and fiber optics. The remaining achievements in the list – automobile, airplane, water supply and distribution, agricultural mechanization, air conditioning and refrigeration, highways, spacecraft, petroleum/petrochemical technologies, nuclear technologies, and high-performance materials – also require knowledge of electrical engineering to differing degrees. In the twenty-first century the discipline of electrical engineering continues to be one of the primary drivers of change and progress in technology and standards of living around the globe.
Educational Objectives and Outcomes
The Electrical Engineering (EE) curriculum is administered by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). There are four educational objectives of the EE curriculum:
- Depth . To provide students with an understanding of the fundamental knowledge prerequisite for the practice of or for advanced study in electrical engineering, including its scientific principles, rigorous analysis, and creative design.
- Breadth . To provide students with the broad education, including knowledge of important current issues in engineering, with emphasis on electrical engineering, necessary for productive careers in the public or private sectors or for the pursuit of graduate education.
- Professionalism. To develop skills for clear communication and responsible teamwork and to inculcate professional attitudes and ethics so that students are prepared for the complex modern work environment and for lifelong learning.
- Learning Environment. To provide an environment that enables students to pursue their goals in an innovative program that is rigorous and challenging, open and supportive.
The following educational outcomes are expected for each graduating student:
- Ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
- Ability to design and conduct experiments as well as analyze and interpret data
- Ability to design a system to meet desired needs
- Ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
- Ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
- Understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
- Ability to communicate effectively
- Broad education necessary to understand impact of engineering solutions in a global/societal context
- Recognition of the need for and ability to engage in lifelong learning
- Knowledge of contemporary issues
- Ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice
- Knowledge of probability and statistics, including applications to electrical engineering
- Knowledge of mathematics necessary to carry out analysis and design appropriate to electrical engineering
- Knowledge of advanced mathematics
The EE program objectives and outcomes detailed above are consistent with the Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2K) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
The Importance of the First-Year ECE Experience
First-year students take Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE 110), a four-credit-hour class combining theory, laboratory measurement, and design. Not only do beginning students get a substantive course in their major, they also gain a better appreciation for the basic science and mathematics courses that are taken during the first two years of study. Students gain first-hand experience in the activities of a professional electrical/computer engineer 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 Electrical Engineering (EE) Curriculum
Student involvement in the EE discipline increases during each year of the program. Most of the core electrical engineering courses are taken in the fourth and fifth semesters. During the last three semesters, the student chooses electives to define a curriculum to meet specific educational and career needs.
The electrical engineering core curriculum focuses on fundamental electrical engineering knowledge: circuits (ECE 110), systems (ECE 210), electromagnetics (ECE 329), solid state electronics (ECE 440), computer engineering (ECE 190, ECE 290, ECE 385), and design (ECE 445). The rich set of ECE elective courses permits students to select from collections of courses in the seven areas of electrical and computer engineering: bioengineering, acoustics, and magnetic resonance engineering; circuits and signal processing; communication and control; computer engineering; electromagnetics, optics, and remote sensing; microelectronics and quantum electronics; power and energy systems.
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 using state-of-the-art equipment and superb access to advanced computer facilities provide excellent practical experience in the field. Laboratory and design work are emphasized throughout the curriculum beginning with Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE 110). The sophomore year includes design experience in Computer Engineering (ECE 190 and ECE 290) and the Digital Systems Laboratory (ECE 385). During the junior and senior years, students gain further design experience in elective courses, including at least two laboratory courses, in their chosen sub-discipline. In the Senior Design Laboratory (ECE 445), students learn to combine all phases of an engineering project including design, analysis, construction, teamwork, and reporting.
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 advisors, students create and carry out honors activity contracts. They must also participate in the ECE Honors Seminar and are encouraged to participate in the yearly Undergraduate Honors 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 in ECE courses in order to remain in good standing and to graduate. 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, physics, 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 63 hours.
Basic Sciences and Mathematics
These courses stress the scientific principles upon which the engineering discipline is based.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 4 | MATH 221—Calculus I |
| 3 | MATH 231—Calculus II |
| 4 | MATH 241—Calculus III |
| 4 | MATH 386—Intro to Differential Eq Plus |
| 4 | PHYS 211—Univ Physics, Mechanics |
| 4 | PHYS 212—Univ Physics, Elec & Mag |
| 2 | PHYS 213—Univ Physics, Thermal Physics |
| 2 | PHYS 214—Univ Physics, Quantum Phys |
| 3 | CHEM 102—General Chemistry I |
| 1 | CHEM 103—General Chemistry Lab I |
| 31 | Total |
Electrical Engineering Core
These courses stress fundamental electrical engineering concepts and basic laboratory techniques that encompass the common intellectual understanding of all electrical engineering.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 4 | ECE 110—Intro Elec & Comp Engrg | 4 | ECE 190—Intro to Computing Systems |
| 4 | ECE 210—Analog Signal Processing |
| 3 | ECE 290—Computer Engineering, I |
| 3 | ECE 329—Intro Electromagnetic Fields |
| 2 | ECE 385—Digital Systems Laboratory |
| 3 | ECE 440—Solid State Electronic Devices |
| 2 | ECE 445—Senior Design Project Lab |
| 25 | Total |
Advanced Mathematics
This course lays the groundwork for understanding problems ranging from communications engineering to data analysis in diverse areas such as medicine and manufacturing.| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | ECE 413—Probability with Engrg
Applic or STAT 410—Statistics and Probability II |
Composition I
This course teaches fundamentals of expository writing.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 4 | RHET 105—Principles of Composition |
Technical Electives
These courses are chosen from the departmentally approved List of Technical Electives that includes courses in ECE, other engineering departments, and the basic sciences and mathematics departments. This elective requirement gives each student freedom to define a technical course of study in electrical engineering of considerable breadth and focus. The Advanced Core ECE Electives are introductory to major specialty areas of electrical engineering. Choices should be made with care, planning, and consultation with an advisor. Consult also the advising materials for all the subdisciplines of electrical engineering.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 36 to include at least: | Selected from the departmentally approved List of Technical Electives |
| (i) 6 hours |
|
| (ii) 3 courses |
|
| 3-4 hours |
|
| 4 hours |
|
| 3 hours |
|
| 4 hours |
|
| 3 hours |
|
| (iii) 2 courses | ECE labs identified in the List of Technical Electives |
| (iv) 22 hours | ECE courses |
Social Sciences and Humanities
The social science and humanities courses, as approved by the College of Engineering, ensure that students have exposure in breadth and depth to areas of intellectual activity that are essential to the general education of any college graduate.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 18 | Social sciences and humanities courses approved by the College of Engineering and satisfying the campus general education requirements for social sciences and humanities. |
Free Electives
These unrestricted electives give the student the opportunity to explore any intellectual area. This freedom plays a critical role in helping students to define research specialties or to complete minors such as bioengineering, technology and management, or languages. At least seven hours must be taken for a grade.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 11 | Free electives |
Campus General Education Requirements
Students must select courses that satisfy both the college social sciences and humanities requirement and the campus requirements in social and behavioral sciences and in humanities and the arts. Careful choices will assure that these courses also satisfy the campus requirements in the areas of Western and non-Western cultures. Many of these courses satisfy the campus General Education Advanced Composition requirement, which assures that the student has the advanced writing skills expected of all college graduates. The campus requirements in Composition I, natural sciences and technology, and quantitative reasoning are met by required courses. Beginning with the class that entered in fall 2000, students must complete a third-level college language course. Most students satisfy this requirement by completing three years of high school instruction in a single language.
Suggested Sequence
First Year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | CHEM 102—General Chemistry I |
| 1 | CHEM 103—General Chemistry Lab I |
| 0 | ENG 100—Engineering Lecture |
| 4 | MATH 221*—Calculus I1 |
| 4 | RHET 105—Principles of Composition
or ECE 110*—Intro Elec & Comp Engrg2 |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3 |
| 15 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 4 | ECE 110*—Intro
Elec & Comp Engrg or RHET 105—Principles of Composition2 |
| 3 | MATH 231*—Calculus II |
| 4 | PHYS 211*—Univ Physics, Mechanics |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3 |
| 3 | Free elective |
| 17 | Total |
Second Year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 4 | ECE 190—Intro to Computing Systems |
| 4 | MATH 241*—Calculus III |
| 4 | PHYS 212*—Univ Physics, Elec & Mag |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3 |
| 2 | Free elective |
| 17 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 4 | ECE 210*—Analog Signal Processing |
| 3 | ECE 290*—Computer Engineering, I |
| 4 | MATH 386*—Intro to Differential Eq Plus |
| 2 | PHYS 213*—Univ Physics, Thermal Physics |
| 2 | PHYS 214*—Univ Physics, Quantum Phys |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3 |
| 18 | Total |
Third Year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | ECE 329—Intro Electromagnetic Fields |
| 2 | ECE 385—Digital Systems Laboratory |
| 3 | ECE 413—Probability with
Engrg Applic or STAT 410—Statistics and Probability II |
| 4 | Technical elective4 |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3 |
| 15 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | ECE 440—Solid State Electronic Devices |
| 10 | Technical electives4 |
| 3 | Free elective |
| 16 | Total |
Fourth Year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 2 | ECE 445—Senior Design Project Lab |
| 10 | Technical electives4 |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3 |
| 15 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 12 | Technical electives4 |
| 3 | Free electives |
| 15 | Total |
* 2.25 GPA rule courses
1. MATH 220—Calculus may be substituted, with four of the five credit hours applying toward the degree. MATH 220 is appropriate for students with no background in calculus.
2. RHET 105 may be taken in the first or second semester of the first year as authorized. The alternative is ECE 110.
3. Each student must satisfy the 18-hour social sciences and humanities requirements of the College of Engineering and the campus general education requirements for social sciences and humanities.
4. A minimum of 36 hours chosen from the Departmentally Approved List of Technical Electives. Of these, at least three courses are to be chosen from the ECE advanced core electives and two courses from the list of ECE laboratory electives; 22 hours must be ECE coursework, six hours non-ECE coursework, and the remaining hours may be chosen from the entire List.