Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
The mission of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is to provide quality educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students through teaching, research, and professional service, and to provide specialized support to the greater community.
Departmental objectives:
- Prepare our students to become competent electrical and computer engineers.
- Promote life-long learning practice through continuous curriculum review, research, design, and other scholarly activities.
- Stimulate student and faculty professional development through publications, participation in professional meetings and societies, and research involvement.
- Maintain and enhance a positive departmental environment conducive to teamwork, discovery, and professional development.
- Promote public awareness, interest, and respect for science, engineering, and technology.
- Provide specialized services to the region, industrial partners, and the professional community.
The intended student outcomes of this major are to provide students with:
- 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
- an ability to grow in the knowledge of and make professional contributions to at least one specific area of ECE
Electrical and computer engineers create products and services for society out of materials that exist in nature by using principles of science and creativity. The profession is broad, encompassing products valued by society in many technical specialties from electric power and energy utilization to those for current and future information transmission. Career employment opportunities within the profession range over design, development, manufacturing, sales, management, teaching, and research for industry and government.
Selective Admission
Departmental admission requirements for freshmen are an ACT (or equivalent) math test score of 23. Transfer students from U.S. institutions must have a 2.3 GPA; transfer students from international institutions must have a 3.0 GPA.
Further, the department policy is that transfer credits with grades less than 'C' in biology, chemistry, computer science, any field of engineering class, mathematics and physics are not accepted for the Electrical and Computer Engineering curricula.
An institutional GPA of 2.0 or above is required prior to registration in junior- and senior-level courses. Majors must have a grade of 'C' or better in the following courses: all required mathematics courses through MATH 266; ECE 173, 275, and EE 206.
The Programs
Major components of the undergraduate programs are basic science and mathematics, humanities and social sciences, communication, engineering science, engineering design and ethics, and both breadth and depth in electrical and computer engineering. Graduate studies leading to Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees are offered in the department. For more complete details, see the Graduate Bulletin online.
Computer Engineering Major
The Computer Engineering program provides a background in three broad areas: computer hardware, software, and hardware-software integration. Fundamental computer topics included in the program are microprocessors, embedded systems, computer architecture, digital systems, data communications and other related computing material. In addition, the program includes core engineering subjects that are common to all engineering disciplines and basic university studies in humanities and social science. The Computer Engineering program at NDSU is accredited by the Engineering Accrediting Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
Electrical Engineering Major
The Electrical Engineering program at NDSU is accredited by the Engineering Accrediting Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
EE Specialization
The Electrical Engineering program is designed to reflect the broad nature of the field, and students may tailor their studies within broad parameters. Students are encouraged to develop an individual program of study in close consultation with their advisers. Examples are available to illustrate how specialization may be obtained in a number of different technical areas. Students may mix and match from the examples to suit their particular interests. Technical areas include the following:
- Biomedical Engineering: This area is firmly based in engineering and the life sciences. The integration of medicine and engineering serves to provide appropriate products, tools, and techniques for research diagnosis and treatment by health care professionals. Some important products are artificial hearts, medical imaging (MRI, ultrasound, CT scans), prosthetic devices, and computer aids for diagnosis. Biomedical engineers help identify the problems and needs that can be solved using engineering technology and systems methodology to provide high-quality health care at reasonable cost.
- Communication and Signal Processing: These are closely related fields within electrical engineering. Communication is the process of transferring information from one point in time and space to another point. Signal processing involves signal representation, as well as signal design and filtering. Students with this specialization find challenging opportunities worldwide to meet the need for more convenient, inexpensive, and reliable communication and signal processing.
- Computer Engineering: This area involves hardware and software for small and large computers and for all the products that have dedicated computers within the product, such as microwave ovens and automobiles.
- Control Engineering: This is the design and implementation of algorithms for controlling physical systems. Examples include active suspension for cars, auto pilots for aircraft, and robot motion control.
- Electromagnetics: This area includes electromagnetic compatibility, fiber optics, antennas, microwave devices, radar, sonar, satellite systems, power and communication transmission lines, grounding, shielding, and propagation.
- Electronics and Microelectronics: Examples are integrated circuits, VLSI, transistors, lasers, consumer electronics, defense electronics, power electronics, and electronic materials.
- Optical Engineering: The Optical Engineering area was developed jointly with the Department of Physics. The Optical Engineering area prepares future engineers in such areas as quantum theory; coherent/incoherent, polarized/non-polarized light; geometric, physical and Fourier optics; holography; and image processing and acquisition.
- Power Systems: This area includes the generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization of electric energy subject to safety, environmental, and economic concerns.
Note: For students interested in pursuing one of the areas of specialization, lists of recommendations for specific electives are available from the ECE Department.
