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Electrical Engineering -- Undergraduate Program Prior to Fall 2021

The below undergraduate program applies to students admitted prior to Fall 2021. See also the current undergraduate program.

Basic engineering courses along with core math, science and humanities courses are taken in the first and second years. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with a departmental faculty advisor as early as possible, preferably in the first year.

The foundation of electrical engineering in the curriculum is based on these three courses:

Gateway Courses: (9 credits)

ECE150 (F/S) Digital Logic Design 3 credits

ECE240 (F) Circuit Analysis 3 credits

ECE211 (S) Signal Processing & Systems Analysis 3 credits

In particular, students take ECE150 Digital Logic Design in their first year. It provides an introduction not only to the subject matter but also an early laboratory and design experience. Also, EE students take a C based programming course (ECE160) in their first year. Both ECE150 and ECE160 run in the fall and spring semesters.

From the second through the fourth year, students take a sequence of projects courses totaling 12 credits. Students following either track take these projects courses together, in order to foster interaction and multi-disciplinary work. The Electrical Engineering curriculum does not contain standard laboratory courses- these are project courses. That is, students do not perform prepackaged, rote experiments, but instead develop innovative designs, solve open-ended problems, and investigate topics not covered in required courses. The EE senior design courses are open only to students majoring in Electrical Engineering.  Students in other majors may work with electrical engineering students on interdisciplinary projects, but they register for the capstone design project courses in their major, or EID362/363 Interdisciplinary Projects.

Sophomore, Junior & Senior Projects Courses: (12 credits)

ECE291 (F) Electrical Engineering Sophomore Projects   1 credit.

ECE393 (F) Electrical Engineering Junior Projects I 2 credits.

ECE394 (S) Electrical Engineering Junior Projects II 3 credits

ECE395 (F) Electrical Engineering Senior Projects I 3 credits

ECE396 (S) Electrical Engineering Senior Projects II 3 credits

In addition to the courses listed above, the following courses are taken by all students, regardless of the chosen track. These courses (with the exception of the general studies electives noted below) should be completed during the first two years of study:

Basic Math, Science & Engineering Courses: (33.5 credits)

MA110 (F) Introduction to Linear Algebra 2 credits

MA111 (F) Calculus I 4 credits

MA113 (S) Calculus II 4 credits

MA223 (F/S) Vector Calculus 2 credits

MA224 (F/S) Probability 2 credits

MA240 (F/S) Ordinary & Partial Differential Equations 3 credits

CH110 (F) General Chemistry 3 credits

CH111 (S) Chemistry Laboratory 1.5 credits

PH112 (S) Physics I (Mechanics) 4 credits

PH213 (F) Physics II (Electromagnetic Phenomena) 4 credits

PH214 (S) Physics III (Optics & Modern Physics) 3 credits

PH291 (F) Introductory Physics Laboratory 1.5 credits

EID101 (F) Engineering Design & Problem Solving 3 credits

EID102 (F) Engineering Graphics 1 credit

General studies: (24 credits)

HSS1, HSS2, HSS3, HSS4 Core Humanities & Social Sciences 12 credits

Electives in Humanities and Social Sciences 6 credits

Non-technical electives: 6 credits

Courses that qualify as non-technical electives include those with H/SS/Hta (humanities, social sciences, history of art) designations, as well as courses offered by the schools of art and architecture, selected courses offered by the engineering school that are generally of a non-technical nature (e.g., business, law), and advanced foreign language courses. The EE Department regularly maintains and updates a list of courses that can be used to satisfy the non-technical elective requirements; students must obtain approval from their advisor. Specific information about these courses, including necessary prerequisites, can be obtained from the schools or faculty offering the courses.

Details about courses approved for “non-technical electives” can be found here: Technical and Non-Technical Electives

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