Program Overview

Electrical and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)

The curriculum in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) provides a wide range of opportunities in undergraduate study in the electrical engineering areas of communications, signal processing and controls, electronics and integrated circuits, power electronics and energy systems, materials and devices, electromagnetism, microwaves and optics, and the computer engineering areas of computer architecture, digital hardware design, and computer networks.

Program Educational Objectives

The ECE undergraduate program has the following Program Educational Objectives (PEOs):

1. Graduates of the program will have successful careers.
2. Graduates of the program will continue to learn and adapt to a changing world.
3. Graduates of the program will practice ethical and inclusive principles that foster collaborative environments.

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Science and Honors Bachelor of Science degree programs in ECE are accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET. The ECE undergraduate degree program includes a common set of core courses that provides a solid foundation as well as 29-credits of restricted electives. The restricted electives allow students to prepare for industry, graduate study, or other career paths, specializing or broadening further their knowledge and skills.

Learning Outcomes

• Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
• 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.
• Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
• 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.
• Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
• Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
• Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Required Courses

The following courses are required for the ECE undergraduate program:

• ENGR 100: THE OREGON STATE ENGINEERING STUDENT
• ENGR 102: DESIGN ENGINEERING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
• ENGR 103: ENGINEERING COMPUTATION AND ALGORITHMIC THINKING
• ENGR 201: ELECTRICAL FUNDAMENTALS I
• ENGR 202: ELECTRICAL FUNDAMENTALS II
• ENGR 203: ELECTRICAL FUNDAMENTALS III
• CH 201: CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING MAJORS
• MTH 231: ELEMENTS OF DISCRETE MATHEMATICS
• MTH 251: DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS
• MTH 252: INTEGRAL CALCULUS
• MTH 254: VECTOR CALCULUS I
• MTH 255: VECTOR CALCULUS II
• MTH 256: APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
• MTH 264: INTRODUCTION TO MATRIX ALGEBRA
• MTH 265: INTRODUCTION TO SERIES
• PH 211: GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS
• PH 212: GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS
• PH 213: GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS
• CS 162: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II
• CS 261: DATA STRUCTURES
• CS 391: SOCIAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN COMPUTER SCIENCE
• ECE 271: DIGITAL LOGIC DESIGN
• ECE 272: DIGITAL LOGIC DESIGN LABORATORY
• ECE 322: ELECTRONICS I
• ECE 323: ELECTRONICS II
• ECE 341: JUNIOR DESIGN I
• ECE 342: JUNIOR DESIGN II
• ECE 351: SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS I
• ECE 352: SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS II
• ECE 353: INTRODUCTION TO PROBABILITY AND RANDOM SIGNALS
• ECE 372/CS 372: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER NETWORKS
• ECE 375: COMPUTER ORGANIZATION AND ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING
• ECE 391: TRANSMISSION LINES
• ECE 441: ENGINEERING DESIGN PROJECT
• ECE 442: ENGINEERING DESIGN PROJECT
• ECE 443: ENGINEERING DESIGN PROJECT
• COMM 111: PUBLIC SPEAKING
• WR 121: ENGLISH COMPOSITION
• WR 327: TECHNICAL WRITING
• HHS 231: LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH
• HHS 241: LIFETIME FITNESS
• Any PAC Course
• Difference, Power, and Discrimination
• Bacc Core: Biological Science
• Bacc Core: Synthesis
• Bacc Core: Perspectives
• Restricted Electives

Restricted Electives

Students must complete 29 credits of restricted electives to include:

• ECE 390 or CS 344 or CS 374
• Five 400- or 500-level ECE courses except ECE 410
  • A course from the following list may be substituted for one of the 400- or 500-level ECE courses:
    • CH 411: INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • CHE 444: THIN FILM MATERIALS PROCESSING
    • CHE 499: SPECIAL TOPICS (Conventional Alternative Energy Systems)
    • CS 325: ANALYSIS OF ALGORITHMS
    • CS 331: INTRODUCTION TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
    • CS 434: MACHINE LEARNING AND DATA MINING
    • CS 444: OPERATING SYSTEMS II
    • CS 450: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHICS
    • ME 311/NSE 311: INTRODUCTION TO THERMAL-FLUID SCIENCES
    • ME 317: INTERMEDIATE DYNAMICS
    • MTH 341: LINEAR ALGEBRA I
    • MTH 342: LINEAR ALGEBRA II
    • MTH 351: INTRODUCTION TO NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
    • PH 315: PHYSICS OF CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES
    • PH 481: PHYSICAL OPTICS
    • ROB 421: APPLIED ROBOTICS
    • ROB 456: INTELLIGENT ROBOTS

Course Waivers or Substitutions

The above course requirements may be waived, or substituted by equivalent courses, only under special circumstances, subject to approval by the School. The ECE curriculum has been designed to meet the following requirements, which must still be met even if specific courses are waived:

• Mathematics and basic sciences: 45 credits
• Engineering science and design: 68 credits
• Upper-division courses: 60 credits

Plan of Study

The following is an example of how students may complete their degree in four years:

First Year

• Fall:
  • ENGR 100: THE OREGON STATE ENGINEERING STUDENT
  • CH 201: CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING MAJORS
  • MTH 251: DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS
  • WR 121: ENGLISH COMPOSITION
  • HHS 231: LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH
  • HHS 241: LIFETIME FITNESS
• Winter:
  • ENGR 102: DESIGN ENGINEERING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
  • MTH 252: INTEGRAL CALCULUS
  • COMM 111: PUBLIC SPEAKING
  • Perspectives: Biological Science
  • Physical Activity Course
• Spring:
  • ENGR 103: ENGINEERING COMPUTATION AND ALGORITHMIC THINKING
  • MTH 231: ELEMENTS OF DISCRETE MATHEMATICS
  • MTH 254: VECTOR CALCULUS I
  • Perspectives: Western Culture

Second Year

• Fall:
  • ENGR 201: ELECTRICAL FUNDAMENTALS I
  • PH 211: GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS
  • MTH 256: APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
  • CS 162: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II
• Winter:
  • ENGR 202: ELECTRICAL FUNDAMENTALS II
  • PH 212: GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS
  • MTH 264: INTRODUCTION TO MATRIX ALGEBRA
  • MTH 265: INTRODUCTION TO SERIES
  • CS 261: DATA STRUCTURES
• Spring:
  • ENGR 203: ELECTRICAL FUNDAMENTALS III
  • PH 213: GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS
  • MTH 255: VECTOR CALCULUS II
  • ECE 271: DIGITAL LOGIC DESIGN
  • ECE 272: DIGITAL LOGIC DESIGN LABORATORY

Third Year

• Fall:
  • ECE 322: ELECTRONICS I
  • ECE 351: SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS I
  • ECE 375: COMPUTER ORGANIZATION AND ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING
  • ECE 341: JUNIOR DESIGN I
  • WR 327: TECHNICAL WRITING
• Winter:
  • ECE 323: ELECTRONICS II
  • ECE 352: SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS II
  • ECE 390 or CS 344 or CS 374
  • ECE 342: JUNIOR DESIGN II
  • Perspectives: Cultural Diversity
• Spring:
  • ECE 372: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER NETWORKS
  • ECE 353: INTRODUCTION TO PROBABILITY AND RANDOM SIGNALS
  • ECE 391: TRANSMISSION LINES
  • CS 391: SOCIAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN COMPUTER SCIENCE
  • Synthesis: Contemporary Global Issues

Fourth Year

• Fall:
  • ECE 441: ENGINEERING DESIGN PROJECT
  • ECE Electives
  • Perspectives: Difference, Power, and Discrimination
• Winter:
  • ECE 442: ENGINEERING DESIGN PROJECT
  • ECE Electives
  • Perspectives: Social Processes and Institutions
• Spring:
  • ECE 443: ENGINEERING DESIGN PROJECT
  • ECE Electives
  • Perspectives: Literature and Arts

Total Credits: 181