Program Objectives
(draft - September 22, 1998)
Identifiers beginning with C3 and in bold font , such as C3.a, refer
to specific outcomes in Criterion 3 of the ABET Engineering Criteria 2000.
They indicate the ABET outcome which the ECE outcome addresses. Text in
italics helps clarify or define an outcome.
Students receiving the Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree
will have:
1. An ability to solve electrical engineering problems, including the
ability to:
(a) Apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and computing to electrical
engineering problems (C3.a). This will include:
- Knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics, typically including topics
in differential and integral calculus, differential equations, multi-variable
calculus, probability and statistics, linear algebra, and complex variables;
- Knowledge of basic sciences, including calculus-based physics and general
chemistry, and others such as biology where appropriate; and
- Knowledge of computer programming and the use of computer-based tools for
solving engineering problems.
(b) Solve electrical engineering problems using analytic techniques and
computer simulation (C3.e, C3.k).
Graduates will be able to:
- Develop analytic and computer models based on the fundamental concepts of
mathematics and science;
- Understand the limitations of these modeling techniques; and
- Apply these modeling techniques to a wide range of electrical engineering problems.
(c) Use modern engineering tools necessary for electrical engineering practice.
(C3.k)
Examples include but are not limited to:
- measurement and testing apparatus such as meters, oscilloscopes, and logic
analyzers;
- computer-based analysis tools, such as Matlab, Maple, and Mathematica;
- computer simulation tools such as SPICE, RSIM, and ViewSim; and
- CAD tools such as Magic and ViewDraw.
2. An ability to design and conduct experiments, and analyze and interpret data
(C3.b), including the ability to:
- Identify the appropriate parameters to be measured in order to verify a
hypothesis or answer a question about a system, component, process, or
physical phenomenon;
- Develop methods to measure these parameters using experimental apparatus
or simulation;
- Interpret the collected data in order to evaluate the hypothesis or answer
the question; and
- Understand the limitations of the accuracy of measurement data.
3. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
(C3.c), including the ability to:
- Construct a precise description of the behavior to be synthesized and the
constraints on the design (e.g., cost, power, reliability);
- Choose an appropriate design approach, including identification of the
resources and tools needed to implement the desired behavior;
- Apply the resources and tools to develop a solution to the design problem;
- Evaluate the resulting design to verify if and how well it meets design
goals; and
- Use iteration of the design process, if necessary, to meet goals or
optimize the solution.
4. An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams. (C3.d)
A multi-disciplinary team consists of multiple students working on a
common problem whose solution requires knowledge and skills from more than one
discipline. Each student must make a significant contribution to the problem
solution, Teams might consist of students from different areas within ECE
(e.g., computer engineering, digital signal processing, and optics students
working on a communications system), students from different engineering
fields (e.g., electrical engineering and mechanical engineering students
building a robot), or students from ECE and non-engineering fields
(e.g. electrical engineering and economics students designing a manufacturing
process).
Graduates will be able to:
- Organize the team structure;
- Partition a multi-disciplinary problem into sub-problems and assign
responsibilities for solving sub-problems to team members;
- Establish milestones and a schedule for achieving them; and
- Implement a review process to evaluate the progress of the team and the
quality of the problem solution.
5. An ability to communicate engineering and related concepts effectively in
writing (e.g., in reports, papers, or proposals) and orally (e.g., in
technical presentations or project reports) (C3.g), including the
ability to:
- Express concepts and ideas in a coherent and correct way;
- Use correct grammar and style appropriate to the topic and audience; and
- Incorporate effective presentation aids (e.g., graphs, charts, diagrams).
6. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility. (C3.f)
Professional responsibility includes involvement in professional
organizations, maintaining currency in knowledge and skills, and
participation and leadership in various profession- related activities.
Ethical responsibility means responsibility for personal conduct in
engineering practice that protects clients, employers, users, and the public.
7. A broad-based education that extends beyond math, science, and engineering
and prepares the student with knowledge of contemporary global and societal
issues (e.g., in politics, the environment, economics, or international
affairs) that affect engineering practice and the
impact that engineering has on these issues. (C3.h, C3.j)
8. A recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in life-long
learning. (C3.i)
- Students will understand that technology is changing, and that the rate
of change is increasing, requiring engineers to continually acquire new
knowledge and skills.
- Each student will have an education that emphasizes fundamentals of
mathematics, science, and computing useful over a wide range of problems
and that prepares the student to tackle new problems as they arise.
9. An education that prepares them for successful graduate study in
professional masters degree or Ph.D. research programs, including:
- An in-depth study of the fundamentals and theoretical foundations of at
least one area of specialization within electrical engineering, and
- The mathematical and computer skills needed to develop and evaluate
abstract models.