Undergraduate Course Catalog 2006-2007

College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

» http://www.ceps.unh.edu

Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)

Chairperson: John R. LaCourse
Professor: Kent A. Chamberlin, Christian P. De Moustier, L. Gordon Kraft, John R. LaCourse, W. Thomas Miller III, Andrzej Rucinski, Kondagunta U. Sivaprasad
Affiliate Professor: Ted Kochanski, Robert M. O'Donnell, Stuart M. Selikowitz
Associate Professor: Michael J. Carter, Allen D. Drake, Richard A. Messner
Research Associate Professor: William H. Lenharth
Affiliate Associate Professor: Charles H. Bianchi, Raymond J. Garbos, Paul W. Latham II
Assistant Professor: Andrew L. Kun, Jianqiu Zhang, Kuan Zhou
Research Assistant Professor: Brian P. Calder
Instructor: Francis C. Hludik Jr.
Senior Lecturer: Barbara Dziurla Rucinska
Lecturer: Neda M. Pekaric-Nad

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers a B.S. in electrical engineering degree program that is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012, telephone (401) 347-7700.

ECE Department Mission
The mission of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is fourfold:
• to provide educational programs in electrical engineering and computer engineering and related fields at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels of high quality and sufficient breadth and depth to serve industry, government and academic institutions of our state and nation;
• to conduct research and pursue scholarship to advance knowledge and apply that knowledge in areas relevant to our state and nation in order to meet the demands of the coming information age and global competition;
• to serve the state and nation by making available the accumulated expertise, knowledge and experience of the faculty to industry and government;
• to continually assess our programs to ensure market needs and to develop strategies to optimize student retention.

The EE and CE programs endeavor to provide a firm foundation in fundamentals, while also giving student exposure to current technologies for design and implementation. They strive for a balance between theory, laboratory and design experience. Furthermore, the programs foster teamwork and project management skills.

The graduate ECE program offers studies leading to the degrees of master of science in electrical engineering and the doctor of philosophy in engineering with an option in electrical engineering. All graduate students are expected to participate in research activities as an integral part of their graduate education. Creative research/scholarship is a vital component of the ECE department’s mission. The importance of research is equal and complementary to the function of teaching at the graduate level.

The department recognizes the need to conduct periodic reviews and adjustments to meet the current and projected needs of the state and nation according to its mission objectives.

Our mission was approved by the ECE faculty in March 2001, approved by the ECE Student Advisory Board in October 2001, and ratified by the ECE Industrial Advisory Board in April 2002.

Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering Program Educational Objectives
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has adopted a set of program educational objectives that consists of statements describing the expected accomplishments of graduates during the first several years following graduation from either program. The current electrical engineering educational program objectives and computer engineering educational program objectives are:

• graduates will function at a technically outstanding level in formulating and solving problems in electrical engineering;
• graduates will produce competent written and oral reports, and provide project management and leadership;
• through a thorough grounding in engineering fundamentals, graduates will be prepared for a successful engineering career amid future technological changes;
• through a well-rounded education, graduates are able respond to changing career paths as well as maintaining an interest in life-long learning together with the ability to advance professionally;
• graduates will be creative when dealing with contemporary issues facing society in the local, global, historical, social, economic, and political contexts as they relate to electrical engineering;
• graduates will be able to design, prototype, and test electrical and computer engineering designs using state of the art test equipment in the laboratory environment.*

The electrical and computer engineering educational program objectives were approved by the ECE faculty in March 2001, approved by the ECE Student Advisory Board in November 2001, and ratified by the ECE Industrial Advisory Board in March 2002.

Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering Program Educational Outcomes
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has adopted a set of program educational outcomes that consists of statements describing what students are expected to know and are able to do by the time of graduation, the achievement of which indicates that the student is equipped to achieve the program objectives. The current electrical engineering educational program outcomes and computer engineering program educational outcomes are:

• 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;
• an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams;
• an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
• an ability to communicate effectively;
• an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;
• the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context;
• a recognition of the need for, and ability to engage in, life-long learning;
• a knowledge of contemporary issues;
• an ability to use techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

Electrical and computer program educational outcomes were approved by the ECE faculty in March 2001, approved by the ECE Student Advisory Board in October 2001, and ratified by the ECE Industrial Advisory Board in March 2002.

Students contemplating a decision between the Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering degree programs should consider both the similarities and differences of the two programs. Both curricula require the same foundational courses in mathematics, physics, analog and digital electronic circuits, and a capstone senior design project of the student's choice. The Computer Engineering degree program requires additional fluency in software development and advanced computer system and hardware design. The Electrical Engineering degree program requires advanced study in analog and mixed-signal electronic circuit and system analysis and design. The University's general education requirements are identical for both degree programs.

Electrical Engineering Program

Electrical engineers design, develop, and produce the electrical and electronic systems upon which modern society has come to depend: basic infrastructure, such as the electric power grid and fiber optic communication lines; public conveniences, such as mag lev transporters and LED signs; consumer products, such as iPods and MP3 players; personal communication devices, such as cell phones and BlackBerries©; military systems, such as rail guns and laser weapons; instruments that can image the ocean floor or analyze the earth's atmosphere from satellites; medical diagnostic machines like CAT and MRI scanners. Almost every facet of modern life is touched by the work of electrical engineers.

At UNH, the cornerstone of the electrical engineering program is the involvement of students in the solution of real-world problems. Students electing this major gain knowledge of advanced electronic circuit and system design through the use of computer-aided design tools, hardware circuit prototyping, and hands-on laboratory testing.

In addition to general University requirements, the department has a number of grade-point average and credit requirements.

1. For an electrical engineering major to enter the junior year and take any of the first-term junior courses (ECE 603, ECE 617, ECE 633, or ECE 651), he or she must have taken, and achieved a cumulative grade point average of 2.10 in, all of the following freshman and sophomore courses: MATH 425, 426, 527; PHYS 407, 408; and ECE 541, 543, 544, 548, and 562.

2. Any electrical engineering major whose cumulative grade-point average in ECE courses is less than 2.00 during any three semesters will not be allowed to continue as an electrical engineering major.

3. Electrical engineering majors must achieve a 2.00 grade-point average in ECE courses as a requirement for graduation.

To make an exception to any of these departmental requirements based on extenuating circumstances, students must petition the department’s undergraduate committee. Mindful of these rules, students, with their advisers’ assistance, should plan their programs based on the distribution of courses in the chart below for a total of at least 132 credits.

Curriculum for B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Freshman Year

Abbreviation	Course Number	Title	Fall	Spring
MATH	425	Calculus I	4	-
CS	410	Introduction to Scientific Programming**	4	-
ECE	401	Perspectives in Electrical and Computer Engineerin	4	-
CHEM	405	General Chemistry	4	-
MATH	426	Calculus II	-	4
General Education Elective**			-	4
PHYS	407	Physics I	-	4
ENGL	401	First-Year Writing	-	4
Total			16	16

Sophomore Year

Abbreviation	Course Number	Title	Fall	Spring
PHYS	408	Physics II	4	-
MATH	527	Differential Equations with Linear Algebra	4	-
ECE	541	Electrical Circuits	4	-
ECE	543	Introduction to Digital Systems	4	-
ME	523	Introduction to Statics and Dynamics	-	3
ECE	544	Engineering Analysis	-	4
ECE	548	Electronic Design I	-	4
ECE	562	Computer Organization	-	4
Total			16	15

Junior Year

Abbreviation	Course Number	Title	Fall	Spring
EE	617	Junior Lab I	4	-
EE	651	Electronic Design II	4	-
EE	633	Signals and Systems I	3	-
ECE	603	Electromagnetic Fields and Waves	4	-
General Education Elective			4	-
ECE	618	Junior Laboratory II	-	4
ECE	634	Signals and Systems II	-	3
ECE	647	Random Processes and Signals in Engineering	-	3
EE	668	Fundamentals of Computer Engineering	-	4
General Education Elective			-	4
Total			19	18

Senior Year

Abbreviation	Course Number	Title	Fall	Spring
Professional Elective*			4	-
Professional Elective*			4	-
General Education Electfive			4	-
General Education Elective			4	-
ECE	791	Senior Project I	2	-
Professional Elective*			-	4
Professional Elective*			-	4
General Education Elective			-	4
ECE	792	Senior Project II	-	2
Total			18	14

*Professional electives normally consist of 700-level ECE courses. Each course must carry at least three credits, and no more than one can be an independent study, special topics, or project course. An alternative is a student-designed plan approved by the ECE undergraduate committee.

**Students who wish to preserve the option of transferring to the computer engineering major without incurring a delay in graduation should consult with their academic adviser before electing these courses. It is recommended that such students take CS 415, Introduction to Computer Science I in the fall semester and CS 416, Introduction to Computer Science II in the spring semester in place of the listed courses.

Computer Engineering Program

Computers have become embedded in virtually every engineering system. Computer engineering, traditionally a subset of electrical engineering, is a rapidly growing field that emphasizes the design, interfacing, hardware/software tradeoffs, and real-time applications of computers. Students who elect this major will gain a knowledge of both hardware and software concepts, and will learn to design, build and test systems containing digital computers.

In addition to general University requirements, the department has a number of grade-point average and credit requirements.

1.    For a computer engineering major to enter the junior year and take any of the first-term junior courses, he or she must have taken, and achieved a cumulative grade point average of 2.10 in all of the following freshman and sophomore courses: MATH 425, 426, 527; PHYS 407, 408; CS 415, 416, 515; and ECE 543, ECE 544, ECE 562, and ECE 583.

2.    Any computer engineering major whose cumulative grade-point average in ECE and CS courses is less than 2.0 during any three semesters will not be allowed to continue as a computer engineering major.

3.    Computer engineering majors must achieve a 2.00 grade-point average in ECE courses as a requirement for graduation.

To make an exception to any of these departmental requirements based on extenuating circumstances, students must petition the department’s undergraduate committee. Mindful of these rules, students, with their advisers’ assistance, should plan their programs based on the distribution of courses in the chart below for a total of at least 130 credits.

Curriculum for B.S. in Computer Engineering

Freshman Year

Abbreviation	Course Number	Title	Fall	Spring
MATH	425	Calculus I	4	-
CS	415	Intro to Computer Science I	4	-
ECE	401	Perspectives in Electrical and Computer Engineerin	4	-
General Education Elective			4	-
MATH	426	Calculus II	-	4
CS	416	Intro to Computer Science II	-	4
ECE	543	Intro to Digital Systems	-	4
ENGL	401	First-Year Writing	-	4
Total			16	16

Sophomore Year

Abbreviation	Course Number	Title	Fall	Spring
PHYS	407	Physics I	4	-
MATH	527	Differential Equations with Linear Algebra	4	-
CS	515	Data Structures	4	-
ECE	562	Computer Organization	4	-
PHYS	408	Physics II	-	4
ECE	544	Engineering Analysis	-	4
CS	620	Operating Systems Fundamentals	-	4
ECE	583	Design with Programmable Logic	-	4
Total			16	16

Junior Year

Abbreviation	Course Number	Title	Fall	Spring
ECE	541	Electrical Circuits	4	-
ECE	633	Signals and Systems I	3	-
ECE	649	Embedded Microcomputer Based Design	4	-
General Education Elective			4	-
ECE	548	Electronic Design I	-	4
ECE	603	Electromagnetic Fields and Waves	-	4
ECE	647	Random Processes and Signals in Engineering	-	3
General Education Elective			-	4
Total			15	15

Senior Year

Abbreviation	Course Number	Title	Fall	Spring
Professional Elective*			4	-
ECE	734	Network Data Communications	4	-
ECE	714	Intro to Digital Signal Processing	4	-
General Education Elective			4	-
ECE	791	Senior Project I	2	-
Professional Elective*			-	4
Professional Elective*			-	4
General Education Elective			-	4
General Education Elective			-	4
ECE	792	Senior Project II	-	2
Total			18	18

* Three professional electives must be selected from the following categories of courses:

At least one from: ECE 711, ECE 715, ECE 717
No more than one from: DS 630, ADMIN 640, DS 798C, DS 781, DS 765, ECE 634, ECE 651, ECE 7XX, CS 620, CS 658, CS 659, CS 671, CS 7XX

» Click to view course offerings

^ back to top