Technical Area Options for the 2002-2004 Catalog

April 29, 2004

Both electrical engineering (EE) and computer engineering (Comp. Eng.) majors must choose two different technical areas from the following list to satisfy their degree requirements. One of the technical areas must be associated with their major. For example, an electrical engineering major could choose one technical area under "Electrical Engineering Technical Areas" and one technical area under "Computer Engineering Technical Areas", or choose two technical areas under "Electrical Engineering Technical Areas".

Electrical Engineering Technical Areas

Computer Engineering Technical Areas

For each technical area chosen, a student must complete three of the courses listed in that technical area on a letter grade basis, with the only exception being the premedical technical area. A course may not be counted for more than one technical area. In the electrical engineering curriculum, the advanced laboratory course (EE 321, EE 321K, EE 440, EE 345L, EE 345S, or EE 374L) may be counted as a technical area elective.

The Biomedical/Premedical Engineering technical area in the 2000-2002 Catalog has been split into two technical areas: Biomedical Engineering and Premedical. The Computer Engineering technical area in the 2000-2002 Catalog has been split into three technical areas: Computer Design, Embedded Systems, and VLSI Design. The Software Engineering technical area in the 2000-2002 Catalog has been split into two technical areas: Software Development and System Software. The Electronic Materials, Devices, and Integrated Electronics technical area in the 2000-2002 Catalog has been split into two technical areas: Electronic Materials and Devices, and Electronics. The Information Systems Engineering technical area in the 2000-2002 Catalog has been renamed Robotics and Controls. The Telecommunications and Signal Processing technical area in the 2000-2002 Catalog has been split into two technical areas: Communications and Networking, and Signal and Image Processing.

Required core courses that will be offered each semester and in the Summer session are EE 302, 306, 411, 312, 313, 316, 319K, 322C, 333T, 438, 351K, 366, and 464H/I/K. Also likely in Summer are EE 321, 325, 339, 345L, 360N, 360P, 360R, and 362K. Technical Area Option Courses will be offered as scheduled below, subject to the availability of funding and faculty.

Semesters offered are in bold type. Prerequisites (grade of C or better required) are in italics.

Area I: BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

This technical area is designed for students interested in the application of engineering to medicine, and serves as a foundation for graduate study in biomedical engineering.

Students must complete both

F EE 374K  Biomedical Electronics. [EE 313 and 438] or [EE 331 and ME 344]
Sp EE 374L  Applications of Biomedical Engineering. EE 374K and credit or registration for EE 333T. 

and at least one course from the following list:

F EE 325K  Antennas and Wireless Propagation. EE 325.
F Sp Su EE 345L  Microprocessor Applications and Organization (EE majors only). EE 319K, 322C, and 438, and credit or registration for EE 333T.
Sp EE 347  Modern Optics. (Meets with PHY 433) EE 325.
Sp EE 351M Digital Signal Processing. Credit or registration for EE 351K, or BME 343 and credit or registration for BME 335. 
Sp ME 354  Biomedical Engineering. 

A related technical area is Premedical, which is described later in this document.

Area II: COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING (Take Three)

F Sp EE 345S Real-Time Digital Signal Processing Laboratory. EE 319K and 438, and credit or registration for EE 333T and [EE 351K or BME 335].
Sp EE 360K  Introduction to Digital Communications. Credit or registration for EE 351K, or BME 343 and credit or registration for BME 335. 
F EE 371M  Communication Systems. Credit or registration for EE 351K, or BME 343 and credit or registration for BME 335. 
F Sp EE 372N  Telecommunication Networks. EE 351K or BME 335. 
Sp EE 379K-18  Network Security. EE 351K and credit or registration for EE 372N. 
F EE 379K-19  Network Engineering Laboratory. EE 372N. 
** EE 379K-21  Information and Cryptography. [EE 351K or BME 335]. 
Sp EE 379K  Wireless Communications Laboratory EE 345S or EE 351M or EE 371M.
Sp ME 366L  Operations Research Models. M 408D and EE 312.

Area III: COMPUTER DESIGN

Students must complete the following two courses (neither course depends on the other)

F EE 345M Embedded and Real-Time Systems Laboratory. [EE 345L or 345S].
F Sp EE 360N Computer Architecture. EE 316 and 319K.

and at least one course from the following list:

F Sp Su EE 345L  Microprocessor Applications and Organization (EE majors only). EE 319K, 322C, and 438, and credit or registration for EE 333T.
F Sp EE 360M  Digital Systems Design Using VHDL.  EE 316 and 319K.
Sp CS 375 Compilers. EE 322C and [M 325K or PHL 313K]

It is not recommended that EE 379K-20 Computer Architecture: Personal Computer Design be considered as a course in this technical area. EE 379K-20 is instead under the Management and Production technical area.

Note that M 325K Discrete Mathematics (taught F, Sp, and Su) is not required in the electrical engineering curriculum.

Area IV: ELECTROMAGNETIC ENGINEERING (Take three)

F Sp EE 321K Mixed Signal and Circuits Laboratory. EE 438, and credit or registration for EE 333T.
F EE 325K  Antennas and Wireless Propagation. EE 325.
Sp EE 347  Modern Optics. (Meets with PHY 433) EE 325.
F EE 348  Laser and Optical Engineering. EE 339.
Sp EE 363M  Microwave and RF Engineering. EE 325.
F EE 363N  Engineering Acoustics. M 427K.
F** EE 379K  Radio Frequency Circuit Design EE 325 and 438.
F Sp PHY 355  Modern Physics for Engineers. PHY 303L, PHY 103N, and M 427K.

Note that M 340L Matrices and Matrix Computation (taught F, Sp, and Su) is not required in the computer engineering curriculum.

Area V: ELECTRONICS (Take three)

*** EE 321 Electronics Laboratory. EE 312 and credit or registration for EE 333T and 438
F Sp EE 321K Mixed Signal and Circuits Laboratory. EE 438, and credit or registration for EE 333T.
F EE 338K Electronic Circuits II. EE 438
F Sp EE 338L  Analog Integrated Circuit Design. EE 438 and 339.
F Sp EE 362L  Power Electronics. EE 438 or 331 or 331K.
F EE 374K  Biomedical Electronics. [EE 313 and 438] or [EE 331 and ME 344]
F** EE 379K  Radio Frequency Circuit Design EE 325 and 438.
*** M 346  Applied Linear Algebra. M 340L.

Note that M 340L Matrices and Matrix Computation (taught F, Sp, and Su) is not required in the computer engineering curriculum.

Area VI: ELECTRONIC MATERIALS AND DEVICES

Students must complete

F Sp EE 440  Microelectronics Fabrication Techniques. EE 438 and 339 and credit or registration for EE 333T.

and at least two courses from the following list:

*** EE 334K  Theory of Engineering Materials. EE 339.
Sp EE 347  Modern Optics. (Meets with PHY 433) EE 325.
F EE 348  Laser and Optical Engineering. EE 339.
F Sp PHY 355  Modern Physics for Engineers. PHY 303L, PHY 103N, and M 427K.

Area VII: EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

Take three courses from the following list, including at least one course from Group 1 and one course from Group 2.

Group 1: Embedded Hardware

F Sp EE 360M  Digital Systems Design Using VHDL.  EE 316 and 319K.
F Sp EE 360R  Computer Aided Integrated Circuit Design. EE 316, 438, and 339.

Group 2: Embedded Software

F Sp Su EE 345L  Microprocessor Applications and Organization (EE majors only). EE 319K, 322C, and 438, and credit or registration for EE 333T.
F EE 345M Embedded and Real-Time Systems Laboratory. [EE 345L or 345S].
F Sp EE 345S Real-Time Digital Signal Processing Laboratory. EE 319K and 438, and credit or registration for EE 333T and [EE 351K or BME 335].
Sp EE 360P Concurrent and Distributed Systems (CS 372 and EE 360P may not both be counted.) EE 345L.

At Large Courses in Embedded Systems

F Sp EE 360N Computer Architecture. EE 316 and 319K.

Area VIII: MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTION (Take three)

Sp EE 366K  Engineering Economics II. EE 366.
F Sp EE 366L Statistics for Manufacturing. [EE 351K or BME 335].
*** EE 379K-20 Computer Architecture: Personal Computer Design. EE 360N.
*** EE 379K-25 System Design Metrics. Admission to major sequence.
Sp ME 366L  Operations Research Models. M 408D and EE 312.

Area IX: POWER SYSTEMS AND ENERGY CONVERSION (Take Three)

Sp EE 341  Electric Drives and Machines. [EE 313 or BME 343] and EE 325.
F Sp EE 362L  Power Electronics. EE 438 or 331 or 331K.
Sp EE 368  Electrical Power Transmission and Distribution.  EE 438 or 331 or 331K.
F EE 369  Power Systems Engineering. EE 438 or 331 or 331K.
F* EE 379K-26  Power Quality and Harmonics. EE 368 or 369.
F ME 337C  Introduction to Nuclear Power Systems.  Physics 303L and 103N, ME 218 or 318, and admission to major sequence.
Sp ME 374S  Solar Energy Systems Design.  ME 320 or 326.

Notte that ME 218 Engineering Computational Methods, ME 320 Applied Thermodynamics, and ME 326 Thermodynamics are not required in the electrical engineering or computer engineering curriculums.

Area X: PREMEDICAL

This technical area is designed for premedical, pre-veterinary, and pre-dental students. Students pursuing this option must have a grade point average of at least 3.00 at the end of the sophomore year. The premed requirements exceed the BSEE requirements. Choosing Biomedical Engineering as the other technical area will help the premedical, pre-veterinary, and pre-dental student to complete the BSEE degree faster. A sample four-year program is available in ENS 143 that illustrates how electives can be used to fulfill many of the premedical requirements.

Students must complete

F EE 374K  Biomedical Electronics. [EE 313 and 438] or [EE 331 and ME 344]
Sp EE 374L  Applications of Biomedical Engineering. EE 374K and credit or registration for EE 333T. 

and all of the following courses:

Biology 206L  Lab Experimental Biology: Structure and Function of Organisms 
Biology 211  Introductory Biology: Cell Biology 
Biology 212  Introductory Biology: Genetics/Evolution 
Biology 214  Introductory Biology: Structure and Function of Organisms 
Biology 325  Genetics 
Biology 365R  Vertebrate Physiology I 
Chemistry 302  Principles of Chemistry II 
Chemistry 204  Introduction to Chemical Practice 
Chemistry 610  Organic Chemistry  
Chemistry 210C  Organic Chemistry Laboratory

For medical school, a total of fourteen semester hours of biological science (including two hours of laboratory) and seventeen semester hours of chemistry are required, including all of the above courses. Note that Biology 365S Vertebrate Physiology II is generally helpful in preparing for the MCAT exam.

Area XI: ROBOTICS AND CONTROLS (Take Three)

F Sp Su EE 345L  Microprocessor Applications and Organization (EE majors only). EE 319K, 322C, and 438, and credit or registration for EE 333T.
F Sp Su EE 362K  Introduction to Automatic Control (Comp. Eng. majors only). EE 438 and Mathematics 340L
Sp** EE 370  Automatic Control II. EE 362K. 
Sp* EE 370K  Computer Control Systems. EE 362K. 
F EE 370N  Introduction to Robotics and Mechatronics. EE 362K.
F EE 371D  Introduction to Neural Networks. [EE 351K or BME 335] and M 340L.
F M 374  Fourier and Laplace Transforms. M 427K. 

Note that M 340L Matrices and Matrix Computation (taught F, Sp, and Su) is not required in the computer engineering curriculum.

Note that M 325K Discrete Mathematics is not required in the electrical engineering curriculum.

Area XII: SIGNAL AND IMAGE PROCESSING (Take Three)

F Sp EE 345S Real-Time Digital Signal Processing Laboratory. EE 319K and 438, and credit or registration for EE 333T and [EE 351K or BME 335].
Sp EE 351M Digital Signal Processing. Credit or registration for EE 351K, or BME 343 and credit or registration for BME 335. 
F EE 371D  Introduction to Neural Networks. [EE 351K or BME 335] and M 340L.
Sp EE 371R Digital Image and Video Processing. Credit or registration for EE 351K, or BME 343 and credit or registration for BME 335. 
Sp EE 379K  Wireless Communications Laboratory EE 345S or EE 351M or EE 371M.
F Su M 374 Fourier and Laplace Transforms. M 427K. 

Note that M 340L Matrices and Matrix Computation (taught F, Sp, and Su) is not required in the computer engineering curriculum.

Area XIII: SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

Students must complete

F EE 360F  Software Engineering Processes. EE 322C. 

and at least two courses from the following list:

F EE 360C Algorithms. EE 322C and [PHL 313K or M 325K].
Sp EE 360P Concurrent and Distributed Systems (CS 372 and EE 360P may not both be counted). EE 345L.
Sp EE 379K Requirements Engineering EE 322C and 333T.
F Sp CS 345  Programming Languages. EE 322C and [M 325K or PHL 313K].
F Sp CS 373  Software Engineering-W. EE 322C and [M 325K or PHL 313K] (substantial writing component)

Note that M 325K Discrete Mathematics is not required in the electrical engineering curriculum.

Area XIV: SYSTEM SOFTWARE (Take three)

*** EE 332  Computer Graphics (CS 354 and EE 332 may not both be counted). EE 322C and [M 325K or 340L]
F Sp Su EE 345L  Microprocessor Applications and Organization (EE majors only). EE 319K, 322C, and 438, and credit or registration for EE 333T.
F EE 345M Embedded and Real-Time Systems Laboratory. [EE 345L or 345S].
F CS 347 Data Management. EE 322C and [M 325K or PHL 313K]
Sp CS 375 Compilers. EE 322C and [M 325K or PHL 313K]
Sp EE 360P Concurrent and Distributed Systems (CS 372 and EE 360P may not both be counted.) EE 345L.
F Sp EE 372N  Telecommunication Networks. EE 351K or BME 335. 
F Sp M 373K  Algebraic Structures I. M 340L and [M 325K or M 328K]

Note that M 325K Discrete Mathematics and PHL 313K Logic, Sets, and Functions are not required in the electrical engineering curriculum.

Note that M 340L Matrices and Matrix Computation is not required in the computer engineering curriculum.

Area XV: VLSI DESIGN (Take three)

Students must complete the following two courses (neither course depends on the other)

F Sp EE 360R  Computer Aided Integrated Circuit Design. EE 316, 438, and 339.
F EE 360S  Digital Integrated Circuit Design. EE 438 and 339.

and at least one course from the following list:

F Sp EE 338L  Analog Integrated Circuit Design. EE 438 and 339.
F Sp EE 440  Microelectronics Fabrication Techniques. EE 438 and 339 and credit or registration for EE 333T.


* only offered odd years
** only offered even years
*** subject to availability of funding and faculty (sometimes only offered once every three years)