The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers the following degrees:
Both the electrical engineering program and the computer engineering program are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
To prepare students for the innovative work required in these areas, students are provided an undergraduate preparation with a foundation in mathematics and science, proper development in communication skills, an understanding of the relevance and impact of engineering and technology on society, and a combination of classroom study and “hands on” laboratory experience.
In addition to academic activities, engineering experience has become a major factor in acquiring a desired position upon graduation. A Cooperative Educational Program (Co-op) is available to enhance the educational experience and provide necessary industrial experience; students are encouraged to participate in this optional program, and the department and Career Services offer help to any student seeking Co-op or summer employment in the majors.
Mission
The Mission in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is to provide students with the nurturing environment of a small school accompanied by academically rigorous programs that prepare graduates for either immediate employment or entry to graduate school.
Objectives
The computer, electrical and software engineering programs meet the needs of students, alumni, employers and the faculty by assuring that a few years after graduation:
- Graduates embrace problem solving and learning as a natural aspect of their work.
- Graduates value and are valued by their professional teammates.
- Graduate have broad and deep knowledge of the technical issues that they face.
Outcomes
As specified by the accrediting body, our engineering programs assure that graduates will be able to:
- Identify, formulate and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science and math
- Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety and welfare as well as global, cultural, social, environmental and economic factors.
- Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgements which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts.
- Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks and meet objectives.
- Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data and use engineering judgement to draw conclusions.
- Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Purposes
The Trine University Electrical and Computer Engineering Departments fulfills its Mission by providing a dedicated and enhanced learning environment featuring the following components:
- curriculum: rigorous, but carefully shaped to provide a path to success;
- faculty: committed to an excellent undergraduate learning experience;
- classrooms: sized and equipped to promote personal attention;
- laboratories: equipped to provide an excellent laboratory experience through many hands-on experiments with direct guidance from full-time faculty;
- mentoring: promoted at all levels – faculty to student and upperclassman to underclassman;
- peer interaction: fostered by team assignments in classes and membership in student organization.
Degree Requirements
The computer engineering degree program requires 129 semester hours of study comprising 41 hours of University general education, 9 additional hours of mathematics beyond the general education requirement and 79 hours of program-specific requirements. The program-specific requirements include 1 hour of general engineering courses, 33 hours of required electrical and computer engineering core courses, 11 hours of computer engineering concentration required courses, 14 hours of ECE-, CS-, or CO-prefixed elective courses, 5 hours of engineering science courses, 9 hours of restricted elective courses, and 6 hours of open electives.
This division of courses is planned to assure that computer engineering students complete lecture and laboratory courses in: circuits, analog electronics, digital electronics, embedded systems, software design or software engineering, an advanced computer engineering elective area, and a capstone design project. The format of laboratories and design projects is such that students will experience working as an individual, working with a same-discipline partner or small team, and finally working as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Degree requirements may be fulfilled with the Trine courses listed below or others at the department’s discretion. For curriculum-related details, see the Department Chair.
International Transfer Credit:
The computer engineering program will not accept international transfer credit toward required courses unless the institution granting the credit is either accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (e.g. Higher Learning Commission) or from a program that is ABET accredited. In all cases, the transcripts must be translated into English to the satisfaction of both the Director of Transfer Pathways and Evaluations and the computer engineering Program Chair. In addition, the transcript must be accompanied by supporting documentation in English that clearly indicates course content and prerequisites. Transfer credit evaluation will then be made based on the policy in the Trine University course catalog.
A student may appeal the denial of transfer credit by contacting the computer engineering Program Chair. The Program Chair will then direct the student to the Registrar’s office, so that the student may arrange to demonstrate course knowledge using the ‘University Credit by Exam’ as spelled out in the University catalog.
General Education Requirements - 41 hours
Communication – 9 hrs.
Humanities and Social Science – 9 hrs.
| | Social Science Elective (3) | 3 |
| | Humanities Elective (3) | 3 |
| | Humanities or Social Science Elective | 3 |
Mathematics and Science – 23 hrs.
Additional Requirements - 9 hours
Required
| MA 233 | Differential Equations | 3 |
| MA 393 | Probability & Statistics | 3 |
| MA 473 | Graph Theory & Combinatorics | 3 |
Core Requirements - 79 hours
Electrical and Computer Engineering Concentration Requirements – 33 hrs.
ECE 4503: Or cross-disciplinary project with an in-major oral examination
Computer Engineering Concentration – 11 hrs.
Major Electives – 14 hrs.
ECE 112: required only for first-time freshmen
Choose from – 12 hrs.
| | CO, CS, ECE, or SE prefixed courses; | |
| | Or | |
| MAE 4023 | System Dynamics & Controls | 3 |
Engineering Science – 5 hrs.
| ES | ES Elective (2) | 2 |
| ES | ES Elective (2) | 2 |
General Engineering – 1 hr.
| GE 101 | Introduction To Engineering | 1 |
Restricted Electives – 9 hrs.
Choose from approved courses: EGR 143; Calculus-based; 300-level or higher
Electives – 6 hrs.
Choose from approved courses to bring the total to 129 hours