UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

Advising

Declaring Your Major

  1. Login to Esther, download and fill out the "declaration form" - Go to Student Services & Account Information > Degrees, Majors, and Minors Declared > UG Declaration and Change of Major (or Minor or University Certificate) Form.
  2. Complete the Degree plan:
  3. Make an appointment to see your advisor with your declaration form, Degree Plan (BSEE or BA), and unofficial transcript. It is important to bring a paper copy of all the completed forms for the advisor signature.
  4. After your Advisor has 'signed off', please go to Norma Santamaria in Abercrombie Engineering Laboratory room B203 so she can make a copy of your "declaration form" and create a file for you.
  5. Take your original form and turn it into the Registrar's office.*

*PLEASE NOTE: Due to COVID-19 precautions, all appointments in 2020-2021 should be virtual if possible. Please confirm a time to meet with your advisor via email. All documents should be sent electronically to your advisor and Norma Santamaria.  Signed forms such as Declaration of Major Forms, Request for Transfer Credit Forms, etc., should be submitted ELECTRONICALLY, as PDF or JPGs (Photos). Forms can then be sent to the Registrar's office by emailing registrar@rice.edu.

Faculty Advisors

Members of the ECE Undergraduate Committee (UGC) advise undergraduate students who have declared or are interested in an ECE major. ECE majors should meet their advisor regularly to discuss their program courses and degree requirements.

Undergraduate Committee Chair

Joseph Cavallaro
Duncan Hall 3042
cavallar@rice.edu
(713) 348-4719

Academic Advisors

Guha Balakrishnan - Focus on Computer vision and graphics, generative image models, mid-level vision/perception, algorithmic fairness, medical applications.
Duncan Hall 3027
guha@rice.edu

John Seymour - Focus on Neuroengineering, Nano-devices, signal processing, engineering design and translation
BioScience Research Collaborative 867
john.seymour@rice.edu
(713) 500-5928

Ray Simar  - Focus in Digital signal processors; design methodology and programming tools 
Duncan Hall 2099
ray.simar@rice.edu
(713) 348-2257

Peter Varman  - Focus in Computer Systems, Storage and Memory Systems, Virtualization and Resource Management, Cloud Computing
Duncan Hall 2022
pjv@rice.edu
(713) 348-3990 

Gary Woods - Focus on optical probing of integrated circuits, and electrical engineering
Duncan Hall 2097
gary.woods@rice.edu
(713) 348-3598


FAQs

How can I make an advising appointment?

Contact a faculty member from the list. This ensures the best advising experience possible. ECE majors should meet their advisor regularly to discuss their program and to check for any possible changes in courses and degree requirements.

What should I bring to advising appointments?

  • You must bring a printed copy of the ECE Degree Planning Sheet for your program (see above).
  • You must bring a printed copy of your unofficial transcript.
  • If you are declaring, you must complete and bring a print copy of your declaration form (located in Esther).

I haven't declared, but I'm interested in ECE. What do I do?

Students interested in ECE but who have not yet declared are encouraged to contact a Faculty member in their area of interest or the UGC Chair for information. To declare an ECE major, email Norma Santamaria, coordinator for the UGC.

Who are my Peer Academic Advisors?

The ECE Peer Academic Advisors are upper-level students able to help their peers with academic issues related to Electrical and Computer Engineering. They are a resource that can provide advice on class scheduling, internships, resume preparation, etc. We encourage first and second year students to consult the peer advisors on matters concerning their academic careers. Keep in mind that some Peer Academic Advisors may not be on campus until after O-Week.

Learn more about Peer Academic Advisors.

Can I transfer credits?

Transfer credit for a particular course must be approved by the Faculty member teaching that course in that department. Consult the course database on this site to determine the current instructor. For general questions on transfer credit consult with the Chair of the UGC.

Learn more about Transfer Credit Advisors.