Undergraduate Program
Overview
Mission
The mission of the ECE Department in undergraduate education is to graduate electrical and computer engineers who have been well educated in the basics and also given the opportunity to experience realistic laboratory research and design problems. With this broad background they can be expected to enjoy successful careers in industry, government or academia. Our graduates will be well prepared to pursue graduate studies, should they choose.
The Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department offers Bachelor degrees in Electrical Engineering (BEE) and Computer Engineering (BCpE), both accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
- ELEG requirements - semester by semester
- CPEG requirements - semester by semester
The academic program consists of a series of required courses in science and engineering covering topics considered essential for the understanding of our profession as a whole and include engineering courses in Circuit theory, Electromagnetics, Nanoelectronics, Systems and Signal Processing, Software and Computer Architecture, and Digital Circuit Design.
Electives span a broader range, and include classes in
- Cybersecurity
- Bioengineering
- Power and Clean Energy
- Nanotechnology and MEM’s
- VLSI Design
- Computer Networking
- Imaging and Communications
- Control Theory
- and many others.
Program Educational Objectives
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers programs that lead to the degrees of Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and Bachelor of Computer Engineering, both with Honors Degree Options. The Electrical Engineering curriculum prepares graduates to enter the broad profession of modern electrical engineering. The Computer Engineering curriculum is more focused on the application of electrical engineering principles to the design of computers, networks of computers, or sometimes systems that include computers.
Both degrees strive to achieve three Program Educational Objectives:
1. Graduates who choose to follow a career path in industry or government will be successful in obtaining employment and will become productive and valued engineers within their companies.
2. Graduates who choose to obtain an advanced degree in engineering will be successful in gaining admission to a graduate program and obtaining their desired degree.
3. Graduates will have the professional skills required to advance into leadership positions within their chosen careers.
Coursework in electrical and computer engineering starts with the first term of the freshman year, with successive years building on prerequisite courses and including an unusually high number of courses with laboratories.
There are four basic parts to the Delaware curriculum in engineering: (1) a core group of courses, (2) a group of foundation electives, (3) an elective group of technical courses, and (4) a "breadth" component that includes six courses in the humanities and social sciences and two in written communications.
The core group consists of required courses in mathematics, chemistry, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering.
Technical electives are chosen from a set of approved courses in the fields of engineering, mathematics, natural science, and computer science. These electives provide the student with the opportunity to study a particular area of interest at a greater depth. The technical elective courses chosen by the student must follow the specific guidelines for the student's major and be approved by the departmental academic advisor. Students must take six credits in courses designated as "design."
The breadth component must include courses from the humanities and from the social sciences, including courses at an advanced level. Electrical and Computer Engineering students must include two writing courses (ENGL 110 and one from a list of four upper level English courses).
Any deviation from these requirements must be approved by the ECE Department Chair or his/her designee.
DEPARTMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for sophomore standing, students must have satisfactorily completed MATH 241, MATH 242, CISC 181, PHYS 207, and CPEG 202 by the end of the summer session of their freshman year. With few exceptions, students are expected to complete this program in eight regular semesters. Electrical and computer engineering courses are offered only once each year; therefore, it is imperative that students follow as closely as possible the course sequences.
For more information regarding Electrical and Computer Engineering, please visit the University of Delaware's Undergraduate Catalog.
Student Outcomes
"What attracted me to the ECE department was the diversity and expertise of the faculty. The curriculum is well-balanced and gives students a taste of several aspects of the field of computer and electrical engineering. Over the past four years I have been involved in several engineering organizations such as RISE and IEEE which support diversity and provide an outlet for students to connect and support each other. The University of Delaware has provided me with a wonderful education and with the several outreach programs -- I have had a fulfilling experience."
Cristina Ciappi,
Undergraduate Student
The program must have documented student outcomes that prepare graduates to attain the program educational objectives.
Student outcomes are outcomes (a) through (k) plus any additional outcomes that may be articulated by the program.
- an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
- an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
- an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
- an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
- an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
- an ability to communicate effectively
- the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
- a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
- a knowledge of contemporary issues
- an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
For more information regarding Electrical and Computer Engineering, please visit the University of Delaware's Undergraduate Catalog.