Home > Offices & Services > Academic Catalogs > 2012/2013 Undergraduate Catalog > College of Arts and Sciences > Engineering > Electrical Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering

Requirements for the BSE in Electrical Engineering

Students must satisfy course requirements in two broad areas:

  1. General Requirements of all engineering degrees (32 hours).
  2. Departmental Requirements (97 hours). These are further broken down into three basic categories:
  • Computer Science Requirement (4 hours)
  • Math and Basic Science Requirements (32 hours)
  • Engineering Requirements (65 hours)

A listing of the required courses is provided below. Within the engineering requirements a specific framework exists which provides both structure and flexibility. As students progress into the junior and senior year, they select an area of specialization. Normally, in their senior year students select, with the help of the Senior Project Committee, a capstone project that requires the application of their theoretical and practical knowledge.

All electrical engineering courses are accompanied by a laboratory. The analysis and design features of the laboratory exercises help to bridge the theoretical and practical aspects of electrical engineering. A competent engineer should be proficient in both areas.

Within the engineering curriculum are two major course groups. The ‘ECE xxx’ courses (electrical and computer engineering) have as their primary focus the electrical engineering field. The ‘ENS xxx’ courses (engineering in science) involve general topics.

Upper-level courses in engineering depend heavily on foundation courses; therefore, a grade of “C” is required in all prerequisite courses in order to enroll in ECE required courses to maximize a student’s chances of success in mastering the material.

Students are expected to take at least two elective courses in the EE field (either of ECE or ENS format).

The areas of specialization consist of a combination of foundation course(s) plus one or two electives. Advisors will help students map out a sequence starting in their third year of study. Possible areas of specialization are:

  1. Computer Engineering: ECE 311/L311, ECE 390/L390, and ECE 470/L470.
  2. Analog Circuits: ECE 206/L206, ECE 306/L306, and ECE 406/L406.
  3. Digital Systems: ECE 101/L101, ECE 311/L311, and ECE 430/L430.
  4. Communications: (choose 3 of 4) ECE 390/L390, ECE 410/L410, ECE 413/L413 and ECE 470/L470.
  5. Signal Processing: ECE 225/L225, ECE 335/L335, and ECE430/L430 

The Senior Project showcases the talents of each student. Students are encouraged to explore their strengths and interests early in their education. The Senior Project is administered and/or supervised by an engineering faculty member in consultation with an outside panel. The course is most often done one-on-one with the project advisor, although it is possible for two students to work together; groups larger than two require special permission. Students are encouraged to seek interdisciplinary projects involving other sciences.

General Requirements (32 credits)

English and Literature

ENG 101, ENG 102 – Freshman English I, II (8)
ENG 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, or 218 (4)

Ethics

PHIL 119, 123, or 127 – Ethics (4)

Humanities or History*

2 Humanities or History approved selections (8)

Social Sciences

EC 101 – Microeconomics (4)

Seminar for Freshmen (4)

*This choice includes all the humanities and history courses currently listed in the Academic Catalog 2012-2013 under humanities and history divisional requirements for the BS plus any Cultural Diversity courses offered by departments that are grouped under the Humanities or History titles.

In order to count toward the General Education requirement, at least one of the courses in humanities and history must consist of a Cultural Diversity course.

Departmental Requirements for the BSE in Electrical Engineering Degree

Mathematics and Basic Science (32 credits)

CMPSC F131 or ENS 333 – Computer Science I OR Programming for Engineers (4)

MATH 165, 166, 265 (12)

PHYS 151, 152, L151, L152 – Univ. Physics I, II and labs (8)

CHEM 111/L111 – General Chemistry (4) OR BIO 111/L111 – Majors Biology I (4)

ENS 225/L225 – Linear Systems, with lab (4)

Science and Technology Requirements (choose one, 4 credits):

  • SCI 184 
  • SCI 183/L183 
  • SF 101 
  • SF 197

Engineering Topics (65 Credits)

  • ENS 103/L103 Introduction to Engineering, with lab (4)
  • ECE 101/L101 Introduction to Digital Electronics, with lab (4)
  • ECE 105/L05 Circuit Theory I, with lab (4)
  • ENS L202 Technical Communication (4)
  • ECE 205/L205 Circuit Theory II, with lab (4)
  • ECE 206/L206 Solid State Circuits and Devices I, with lab (4)
  • ENS 220 Design and Design Tools (4)
  • ECE 306/L306 Solid State Circuits and Devices II, with lab (4)
  • ENS 325/L325 Statistics and Probability for Engineers and Scientists, with lab (4)
  • ECE 403/L403 Applied Electromagnetics, with lab (4)
  • ECE 410/L410 Communication Systems, with lab (4)
  • ECE 414/415 Engineering Senior Project Proposal (1), Engineering Senior Project (4)
  • ECE 430/L430 Digital Signal Processing, with lab (4)
  • ECE Electives* (8)

*Elective choices require departmental approval.