The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department's BSEE degree is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).  Having an accredited engineering degree is the first step to becoming a licensed professional engineer (PE).  Engineering licensure laws depend on the state, but, in general, a PE must have an ABET accredited degree, pass the Fundamentals of Engineering  exam, have four years of experience working under a PE, and pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam.  PEs take legal responsibility for their engineering designs and are bound by a code of ethics to protect the public health and safety.

Accreditation and professional licensing are important for many career paths, and most states (including Texas) require licensure for anyone providing engineering services directly to the public, for example as a consultant.  The Rice School of Engineering encourages engineering students to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam their senior year.  The exam is held at Rice in April, and exam fees are subsidized by the School.  For more information, contact the office of the Dean of Engineering.

For more information on professional engineers and licensing, see the Web sites of the National Society of Professional Engineers, http://www.nspe.org/home.asp, and the Texas Board of Professional Engineers, http://www.tbpe.state.tx.us/.

Program Objectives
The faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department strives to provide high quality degree programs that emphasize fundamental principles, that respond to the changing demands and opportunities of technology, that challenge the exceptional abilities of Rice students, and that prepare these students for roles of leadership in their chosen careers.  In support of this goal, the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department's objectives are to graduate students who:

1. Are qualified to practice as electrical and computer engineers;
2. Advance to positions of leadership and service in their profession and community;
3. Obtain advanced degrees, or who advance within their chosen career path;
4. Adapt to technical and scientific developments, and take advantage of the opportunites these changes present; and
5. Believe that the program benefited their professional and personal lives, inspiring them to recommend the program and to contribute actively to its development.
   

Program Outcomes
To achieve its objectives, the ECE department continuously evaluates its curriculum, course content, and student performance.  The department uses this information to develop its program so that each of its graduates will be able to:

1. Gain admission to a high-ranking graduate school, or obtain a position with a leading technology company;
2. Recognize the need to continue his or her learning after graduation;
3. Apply the principles of mathematics and science necessary to practice engineering;
4. Use the fundamental principles of the sub-fields of electrical engineering to solve problems that cross areas;
5. Practice at an advanced level in at least one of the major sub-fields of electrical engineering;
6. Function effectively on a design project team, integrating the knowledge gained from courses with independent study to solve real-world problems;
7. Give an oral presentation of the quality appropriate for a technical meeting, and produce a written project or research report conforming to the standards of industry or publication;
8. Draw from a broad knowledge of the liberal arts, contemporary issues, and professional ethics in making engineering decisions that consider societal needs and impacts.

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