Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering - B.S. Curriculum
| Faculty | Course DescriptionsMission Statement
The mission of the Electrical Engineering Department is to build and sustain a teaching and research program to provide undergraduate and graduate students with inspiration and quality education in the theory and practice of hardware- and information-processing-oriented electrical engineering; serving industry, science, and government; and bringing faculty and staff a rewarding career in teaching, research, and service. The electrical engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Committee of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
Summary of Objectives
The educational objectives that the Electrical Engineering Department strives to provide for students are focused in five areas: fundamental prerequisites in theory, design, and basic science for a career based on electrical engineering; a scope of application that provides theory and practical knowledge as well as specialized training in hardware- and information-oriented electrical engineering; a professional approach to engineering in terms of high quality work skills in communication, teamwork, responsibility, high ethical standards, and participation in lifelong learning and the professional engineering community; encouragement and motivation based on a milieu of readily available opportunities, mentoring, and advising; and the basis for a successful transition to an engineering career, including an ability to apply research to engineering and opportunities for experience in an industry setting.
Engineering is a profession that emphasizes analysis and design, and electrical engineers apply their knowledge to an expanding array of technical, scientific, and mathematical questions. A good engineering education has three parts: a sound foundation in mathematics and science, substantial design experience to develop skills and engineering aesthetics, and a focus in the humanities and social sciences to learn how and where to apply the skills developed. Electrical engineering is a very broad discipline; the program at UCSC complements existing campus programs, emphasizing three general areas: electronics/optics (including digital and analog circuits and devices); communications (including signal and image processing and control); and VLSI design, micro-technology, nanotechnology, and biomedical devices.
The undergraduate curriculum provides a balance of engineering science and design. For the first two years, all electrical engineering students are expected to take a basic set of lower-division mathematics, physical science, and engineering courses. After the first two years, electrical engineering students focus on topics within the discipline and specialize in one of two options: electronics/optics, including digital and analog circuits and devices, VLSI design, optoelectronics, electromagnetics, and biomedical device engineering; or communications, signals, systems, and control, including optical, wireless communication, signal and image processing, networks signal processing, instrumentation, and control. Students interested in admission to the electrical engineering major should contact the Baskin School of Engineering Undergraduate Advising office, (831) 459-5840 or advising@soe.ucsc.edu.
Electrical Engineering Policies
Admissions Policy
Admission to the electrical engineering major is selective. First-year applicants may receive direct admission at the time they apply to UCSC based on their high school record and test scores. Otherwise, students apply to the major based on performance in the foundation courses: Mathematics 19A-B, Applied Mathematics and Statistics 27, Physics 5A, 5B, and 5C. Please refer to the School of Engineering section of the catalog for the full admissions policy. Transfer students are evaluated on their equivalents of the foundation courses listed above.
Course Substitution
Please refer to the School of Engineering section of the catalog for the policy regarding course substitution.
Disqualification Policy
Please refer to the School of Engineering section of the catalog for the Major Disqualification Policy.
Letter Grade Policy
The Electrical Engineering Department requires letter grading for all courses applied toward the B.S. degree, with the exception of two lower-division courses, which students may elect to take Pass/No Pass. This exception does not include course 70/L, which must be taken for a letter grade.
Transfer Students
Please refer to the School of Engineering section of the catalog for the policy regarding transfer students and admission of transfer students to the electrical engineering major.
School of Engineering Policies
Please refer to the School of Engineering section of the catalog for additional policies that apply to all School of Engineering programs.
Major Requirements
In addition to completing UCSC's general education requirements, students must complete 15 lower-division science and engineering courses, plus associated laboratories; eight upper-division engineering courses, plus associated laboratories; four engineering electives; and a comprehensive senior design project course. To plan for completion of these requirements within the normative time, students should consult with an adviser at the Baskin School of Engineering Undergraduate Advising office as early as possible.
Lower-Division Requirements
Students gain a solid foundation in calculus, engineering mathematics, physics, computer science, and computer engineering during their first two years. Majors must complete the following 15 lower-division courses (including corresponding laboratories). These courses form part of the prerequisite sequence and should be completed during the first two years at UCSC. The requirements are rigorous; students must be prepared to begin these courses early in their studies.
Electrical Engineering
70/L, Introduction to Electronics/Laboratory
80T, Modern Electronic Technology and How It Works
Computer Engineering
16, Applied Discrete Mathematics; or 16H, Honors Applied Discrete Mathematics
12/L, Computing Systems and Assembly Language/ Laboratory
80E, Engineering Ethics
Computer Science
12A, Introduction to Programming; or 13H, Introduction to Programming and Data Structures (Honors)
Mathematics
19A-B, Calculus for Science, Engineering, and
23A-B, Multivariable Calculus
Applied Mathematics and Statistics
27/L, Mathematical Methods for Engineers/Laboratory (formerly Mathematics 27)
Physics
5A/L, 5B/M, 5C/N, Introduction to Physics
Laboratories
5D, Heat, Thermodynamics, and Kinetics
Ethics
Students must take one of the following courses:
Computer Engineering 80E, Engineering Ethics;
Philosophy 22, Introduction to Ethical Theory;
Philosophy 24, Introduction to Ethics: Contemporary Moral Issues;
Philosophy 28, Environmental Ethics;
Biomolecular Engineering 80G/Philosophy 80G/Chemistry 80G, Bioethics in the Twenty-First Century: Science, Business, and Society.
This course is required even for transfer students who have had their general education requirements waived.
Upper-Division Requirements
Thirteen upper-division courses along with associated 1- or 2-credit laboratories are required for the major. The course requirements include both depth and breadth, technical writing, and a comprehensive capstone design project.
All students are required to take the following eight upper-division courses, with associated laboratories:
Electrical Engineering
103, Signals and Systems
135/L, Electromagnetic Fields and Waves/Laboratory
145/L, Properties of Materials/Laboratory
151, Communications Systems
171/L, Analog Electronics/Laboratory
Computer Engineering
100/L, Logic Design/Laboratory
107, Mathematical Methods of Systems Analysis: Stochastic
185, Technical Writing for Computer Engineers
Required Electives. In addition to completing the above required courses, electrical engineering majors must complete four elective courses chosen from the list below. At least three must be from one of the depth-sequence tracks listed. Certain graduate-level courses as well as those courses taught in conjunction with graduate courses may also be used to fulfill an elective requirement as listed below. No course may be counted twice. See the electrical engineering web site for course descriptions: www.ee.ucsc.edu/academics.htm.
Electronics/Optics Track
Electrical Engineering
130/230, Introduction to Optoelectronics and Photonics, and Optical Fiber 136, Engineering Electromagnetics (strongly recommended)
154, Feedback Control Systems
172/221 Advanced Analog Electronics
178, Device Electronics
211, Introduction to Nanotechnology
231, Optical Electronics
Computer Engineering
121/L, Microprocessor System Design/Laboratory (strongly recommended)
172/L, Linear and Nonlinear Circuits/Laboratory
173/L, High Speed Digital Design/Laboratory
Applied Mathematics and Statistics
147, Computational Methods and Applications
Communications, Signals, Systems, and Controls Track
Electrical Engineering
136, Engineering Electromagnetics (strongly recommended)
153/250, Digital Signal Processing
154/241, Feedback Control Systems and Introduction to Feedback Control Systems
230, Optical Fiber Communication
250, Digital Signal Processing
262, Statistical Signal Processing
264, Image Processing and Reconstruction
Computer Engineering
150, Introduction to Computer Networks
251, Error-Control Coding
Applied Mathematics and Statistics
147, Computational Methods and Applications
The senior-year curriculum enables students to pursue independent study with a faculty member. Electrical engineering students are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to work within a faculty member's research group as part of their educational experience. Internship programs with local industry are available.
Comprehensive Requirement
The senior comprehensive requirement for electrical engineering majors is in two parts: a project course and assessment options.
Project Course
Students must complete one capstone design course that spans two quarters, Electrical Engineering 123A and 123B, or complete a senior thesis. These senior-level courses encompass an in-depth project, including analysis, design, testing, and documentation, requiring students to call upon knowledge acquired throughout their undergraduate studies. Current course choices include the following:
Electrical Engineering
123A and 123B, Engineering Design Project I and Engineering Design Project II (5 credits each)
195, Senior Thesis Project (10 credits over two quarters)
Outcomes Assessment Options
The Electrical Engineering Department requires an outcomes assessment. All students are required to complete an exit survey and meet with a faculty member for an exit interview. The specifics of the outcomes assessment may change from year to year; for this catalog year, students must complete one of the following options:
1. maintenance of a 2.5 grade point average in all required and elective courses for the major; or
2. senior thesis submission; or
3. portfolio review.
Portfolios must include the following:
The portfolios must be submitted electronically at least seven days before the end of the instruction in the quarter of graduation. Portfolios will not be returned.
Electrical Engineering Major Planners
The following are two sample academic plans for students to complete during their first two years as preparation for the electrical engineering major.
| Plan One | |||
| Year | Fall | Winter | Spring |
| 1st (frsh) |
Math 19A Phys 5A/L |
Math 19B Phys 5B/M |
Ams 27/L Phys 5C/N EE 80T |
| 2nd (soph) |
Phys 5D EE 70/L Cmpe 12/L |
Math 23A EE 171/L |
Math 23B CMPS 12A |
| Plan Two | |||
| Year | Fall | Winter | Spring |
| 1st (frsh) |
Ams 3 Cmpe 3 |
Math 19A Cmpe 12/L EE 80T |
Math 19B Cmps 12A |
| 2nd (soph) |
Phys 5A/L Cmpe 16 or 16H |
Phys 5B/M Ams 27/L Cmpe 100/L |
Phys 5C/N Math 23A Cmpe 80E |
Additional information about this program can be found on the department’s web site at www.soe.ucsc.edu/programs/undergraduate/.
Graduate Programs
The Department of Electrical Engineering (EE) at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) offers M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs and conducts research in:
EE enjoys a close relationship with the Departments of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Biomolecular Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, and Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology faculty. The Electrical Engineering faculty are affiliated with: 1) several federally funded and nationally recognized centers such as the Center for Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems, the Center for Adaptive Optics, and the Center for Biomolecular Science and Engineering; 2) state-funded centers such as the Institute for Quantitative Biology (QB3), the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS), and the Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM); and 3) many EE faculty participate in the University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) at NASA-Ames, which is managed by UCSC. The department also has ties to nearby industry, employing electrical engineering professionals as visiting and adjunct faculty and arranging for students to gain practical research experience through work in industrial labs. Indeed, the department strongly encourages students of all nationalities to seek practical training as part of their graduate education.
Students begin the program with the completion of courses in a core area of interest and then proceed to do research in their area of specialization. The M.S. degree can be completed in two years. M.S. students must complete a master's thesis. A Ph.D. degree is usually completed in four to six years. Ph.D. students are required to take a preliminary exam within their first two years of study. After completing the course requirements, students must pass an oral qualifying exam and write a dissertation. Part-time study is possible for students working in industry while attending school.
Requirements for the Master's Degree
Course Requirements
Each student is required to take 45 units which must consist of:
Total units required for the M.S. degree = 45
Note that each graduate course satisfying the above requirements typically covers 5 units.
Thesis
Completion of a master's thesis is required for the Master's degree. To fulfill this requirement, the student submits a written proposal to a faculty member, usually by the third academic quarter. By accepting the proposal, the faculty member becomes the thesis adviser. In consultation with the adviser, the student forms a Master's Thesis Reading Committee with at least two additional faculty members, each of whom is provided a copy of the proposal. Upon completion of the thesis work, the student presents an expository talk on the thesis research, and the final thesis must be accepted by the review committee before the award of the Master of Science degree.
MS students admitted to continue to the Ph.D. program must pass an oral preliminary exam covering fundamental undergraduate course work and a research topic (see below).
Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree
Course Requirements*
Each student is required to take 50 units which must consist of:
Total units required for the PhD. degree = 50
* For students already holding an MSEE or equivalent degree, at most 20 units of transfer credit may be granted for equivalent course work performed at the students' M.S. granting institution. Credit transfer is subject to approval by the adviser and the electrical engineering graduate committee.
Preliminary Examination
At the end of the first year, i.e., no later than the fall quarter in the following year after their entry, students admitted to the Ph.D. program must take an exam covering basic knowledge in electrical engineering. This examination covers material from the following technical areas:
The student chooses three areas from the above list in which to be examined. If the student does not pass the preliminary examination, the electrical engineering graduate committee may allow the student to repeat the preliminary examination once. If the student is to leave the Ph.D. program, and the student wishes to obtain an M.S. degree prior to departure, all requirements for the M.S. degree listed above (including an M.S. thesis) must still be satisfied.
After the student passes the preliminary examination, the student begins work on a thesis prospectus in preparation for the qualifying examination. During this period, the student finds an adviser willing to supervise the student's thesis research; works with the adviser to prepare for the qualifying examination; and assembles a dissertation reading committee, consisting of the student's research supervisor (chair of the committee) and three or four appropriate faculty members in Electrical Engineering and other relevant departments. The committee must consist of at least two electrical engineering faculty members in addition to the student's supervisor.
Qualifying Examination
This oral examination is a defense of the student's thesis prospectus and a test of the student's knowledge in advanced technical areas of relevance to the dissertation topic. This oral examination consists of a seminar-style talk before the examining committee, where the student describes the thesis prospectus, followed by questions from the committee on the substance of the talk or the areas of presumed expertise of the student. The exam, taken typically in the third year of Ph.D. study, is administered by a Ph.D. qualifying exam committee, consisting of at least four examiners. The composition of the committee is proposed by the department (in consultation with the student and his/her adviser) to the dean of graduate studies at least one month before the date of the exam. The composition of the committee must be approved by the dean of graduate studies, whereupon the student and the committee are notified.
If the student does not pass the qualifying exam, the student may be asked to complete additional course work, or other research-related work, before retaking the exam. The student may be allowed to retake the qualifying exam once, and the composition of the examining committee will remain the same for the second try. Students who fail the qualifying exam twice may be dismissed from the Ph.D. program.
Ph.D. students who have not advanced to candidacy by the end of the fourth year may be recommended for academic probation.
Dissertation and Advancement to Ph.D. Degree Candidacy
Advancement to candidacy requires that the student
(A) pass the preliminary exam;
(B) complete all course requirements prior to taking the qualifying exam;
(C) clear all Incompletes from the student's record;
(D) pass the qualifying exam; and
(E) have an appointed Ph.D. dissertation reading committee.
After advancement to candidacy, work on the thesis research progresses until the dissertation is completed. The Ph.D. dissertation must show the results of in-depth research, be an original contribution of significant knowledge to the student's field of study, and include material worthy of publication. The student is strongly advised to submit research work for publication in advance of completing the thesis so that the latter requirement is clearly satisfied. The Ph.D. thesis results are presented in both oral and written forms, the oral form being a dissertation defense (see below) and the written form being the Ph.D. dissertation. The student must submit his or her written Ph.D. dissertation to the dissertation reading committee at least one month before the defense.
Dissertation Defense
Each Ph.D. candidate submits the completed dissertation to a Ph.D. thesis reading committee at least one month prior to the dissertation defense. The appointment of the dissertation reading committee is made immediately after the qualifying exam and is necessary for advancing to candidacy. The candidate presents his or her research results in a public seminar sponsored by the dissertation supervisor. The seminar is followed by a defense of the dissertation to the reading committee (only), who will then decide whether the dissertation is acceptable or requires revision. Successful completion of the dissertation fulfills the final academic requirement for the Ph.D. degree.
Transfer Credit
For students already holding an MSEE or equivalent degree, at most 20 credits of transfer credit may be granted for equivalent course work performed at the student's M.S. granting institution. Credit transfer is subject to approval by the adviser and the electrical engineering graduate committee.
Students not already holding an MSEE degree, who are studying for the Ph.D. degree, may apply to be granted a M.S. degree when they have fulfilled all the M.S. degree requirements (including an M.S. thesis).
Review of Progress
Each year, the faculty reviews the progress of every student. Students not making adequate progress toward completion of degree requirements (see the Graduate Student Handbook for the policy on satisfactory academic progress) are subject to dismissal from the program. Students with academic deficiencies may be required to take additional courses. Full-time students with no academic deficiencies are normally expected to complete the degree course requirements at the rate of at least two courses each quarter. Full-time students must complete all course requirements within two years for the M.S. and three years for the Ph.D.
Students receiving two or more grades of U (unsatisfactory) or below B in the School of Engineering courses are not making adequate progress and will be placed on academic probation for the following three quarters of registered enrollment. Withdrawing or taking a leave of absence does not count as enrollment. Part-time enrollment is counted as a half-quarter of enrollment.
If an electrical engineering graduate student fails a School of Engineering course while on probation, the Electrical Engineering Department may request the graduate dean to dismiss that student from the graduate program. If after being removed from probation, the student again fails a School of Engineering course, he or she will return immediately to academic probation.
Graduate students experiencing circumstances or difficulties that impact their academic performance should contact their adviser and the graduate director immediately. Students may appeal their dismissal to the graduate committee.
Materials Fee
Please see the section on fees under School of Engineering.