BS MAJOR
Electrical & computer engineering
Major Overview
Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is one of the most broad fields in engineering. At its core, the modern field of ECE is concerned with converting physical phenomena into useful information through the development of algorithms and efficient processing systems. Electrical and computer engineering interfaces, supports, and enables many other fields such as computer science, biomedical, physics, and mathematics. Electrical and computer engineers develop the circuits, chips, sensors, semiconductor materials, and networking technologies that are most typically associated with the field, but also develop technologies for biomedical imaging like MRI, algorithms for video processing and recognition, communication systems from WiFi and cellular to deep-space, embedded and robotic systems along with control algorithms, experiment with new materials to harness their electrical or other useful properties, and explore new underlying technologies like quantum information and processing systems. Grounded in math and physics, you will learn the formal processes and tools needed to explore, design and test information-based systems for the real world.
3 Program Emphases
Students are first exposed to the entire breadth of ECE. As they progress through our programs, they dive deeper into selected areas, with 3 emphasis options below:
Computer Engineering
Processor and GPU design, Energy-efficient ML and computing, Embedded Systems and Software, Networks and Security
Signals, Systems, and Learning
Communication, control, signal processing, and machine learning systems with applications including AI, robotics, healthcare, and quantum computing
Devices and Circuits
Electronic and photonic devices and circuits, materials and nanotechnology
Learning Objectives
Technical Competence
- Graduates will apply their technical skills in mathematics, science and engineering to the solution of complex problems encountered in modern electrical engineering practice.
- Graduates will model, analyze, design and experimentally evaluate components or systems that achieve desired technical specifications subject to the reality of economic constraints.
Professional Development
- Graduates will compete effectively in a world of rapid technological change and assume leadership roles within industrial, entrepreneurial, academic or governmental environments in the broad context of electrical engineering.
- Some graduates who choose to redirect their careers will be employed in diverse fields such as healthcare, business, law, computer science, multimedia and music through graduate-level studies and the process of lifelong learning.
Global Community Citizenship
- Graduates will have established the foundations for critical thinking that are needed to broaden or redirect their careers in diverse disciplines such as business, health care and the arts through graduate-level studies and/or the process of life-long leaning.
- Graduates will adhere to highly ethical practices, and they will make exemplary engineering decisions that balance economic, environmental and societal factors for the betterment of the global community.
Continuous Improvement
- The ECE Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UGCC) is responsible for reviewing, updating, and improving the BS program curriculum. Made up of faculty from across the department, the committee follows the process shown in this figure.
- The UGCC annually reviews relevant assessment data related to the achievement of student outcomes to determine improvements or curricular additions. In addition, it periodically reviews the program educational objectives by facilitating discussions with and soliciting input from the department's stakeholders.
Learning Outcomes
- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
- An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
- An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
- An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
- An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Student Data
The BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, http://www.abet.org The degree program has replaced the BS in Electrical Engineering, which has the same requirements and is accredited by ABET.
Graduation Data
YEAR
2022
2023
#
45
65
Enrollment Data
YEAR
2023
2022
2021
#
194
195
202