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The Bachelor of Science in Electrical/Electronic Engineering

Electrical/electronic engineering graduates are qualified for professional practice or graduate work in several areas of specialization, including system, electronics, and digital design.  In addition to fundamentals of science and mathematics, the program provides a solid background in circuits, analog and digital electronics, microprocessors, and electromagnetics.  The senior-level classes offered for electrical/electronic engineers include control systems, communication systems, digital signal processing, electro-optics, and digital system design.

The Electrical/Electronic Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of http://www.abet.org.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Program Mission

The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department educates each student to be a responsible and productive electrical/electronic engineer who can effectively respond to future challenges.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Program Objective

The objective of the Electrical/Electronic Engineering program is to produce graduates able to:

  • Apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to identify, formulate, and solve electrical engineering problems.
  • Use industry standard tools to analyze, design, develop, and test electrical/electronic systems.
  • Achieve success in graduate programs in electrical engineering or a related field.
  • Continue to develop their knowledge and skills after graduation in order to succeed personally and professionally.
  • Communicate their thoughts, in both written and oral forms, so that others can comprehend and build on their work.
  • Work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary development team and undertake leadership roles when appropriate.
  • Appreciate the importance of ethics in the profession and the need to act in society's best interest.
  • Become active participants in professional societies and a contributor to the community.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Student Outcomes:

Electrical/Electronic Engineering program graduates should have an ability to:

  1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
  2. 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.
  3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  4. Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
  5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
  6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
  7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Design Experience

Design is a fundamental aspect of the electrical/electronic engineering curriculum, and it is integrated into the curriculum in the freshman year where students are introduced to both hardware and software design. As students expand their knowledge and analysis skills through the sophomore and junior years, the design problems they are assigned increase in complexity. Design problems are assigned in analog electronics, digital systems, control systems, and digital signal processing.

The design experience culminates in the senior year when all students are required to identify a design project, create testable requirements to the project, design the project, and construct the project to prove the design works. Descriptions of the recent student capstone projects can be found on the department's web site: http://www.csuchico.edu/eece/index.shtml.

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree: 127 units

See Bachelor's Degree Requirements in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

A suggested Major Academic Plan (MAP) has been prepared to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. You can view MAPs on the Major Academic Plans page or you can request a plan from your major advisor.

Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.

General Education Pathway Requirements: 48 units

See General Education in the University Catalog and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Pathway Requirements and course offerings.

This major has approved GE modification(s). See below for information on how to apply these modification(s).

  • Take CMST 131 for Oral Communication (Area A1).
  • Take ENGL 130W for Written Communication (Area A2).
  • Critical Thinking (Area A3) is waived.
  • Take only one course in either Arts (Area C1) or Humanities (Area C2). The other is waived.
  • EECE 490B is an approved major course substitution for Social Sciences (Area D).
  • EECE 490AW is an approved major course substitution for Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (Area E).
  • EECE 311 fulfills Upper-Division Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning (Area UD-B).

Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units

See Diversity Requirements in the University Catalog. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education .

Upper-Division Writing Requirement:

Writing Across the Curriculum (Executive Memorandum 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements in the University Catalog for more details on the four courses.  The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.

  • Any upper-division Writing (W) course.

The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (Executive Order 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.

Grading Requirement:

All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as Credit/No Credit grading only.

All students must attain a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) in all college courses attempted and for all courses attempted at Chico. Electrical/Electronic Engineering majors must also attain a 2.0 GPA in:

  1. All courses required for the major, and
  2. All Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) courses taken to meet major requirements at CSU, Chico.

Complete EECE 144, EECE 211, and EECE 237 with a grade of C- or higher.

Enrollment in any mathematics course requires a grade of C- or higher in all prerequisite courses or their transfer equivalents.

Course Requirements for the Major: 100 units

Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree.

Lower-Division Requirements: 46 units

12 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: MATH 109, MATH 119 (or high school equivalent), or MATH 120; or a passing score on the Math department administered calculus readiness exam.
A first-semester programming course, providing an overview of computer systems and an introduction to problem solving and software design using procedural object-oriented programming languages. Coverage includes the software life cycle, as well as algorithms and their role in software design. Students are expected to design, implement, and test a number of programs. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours activity. (002281)
Discussions of electrical and computer engineering and their roles in society and your contributions to creating our exciting future. Exploration of the fields of electrical and computer engineering through demonstrations and hands-on projects. Development of skills and resources to launch a successful professional engineering career. 2 hours lecture, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (022027)
Prerequisite: GE Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning Ready.
Definition and properties of switching algebra. Minimization of algebraic function. Use of Karnaugh maps for simplification. Design of combinational logic networks. Design of sequential logic devices including flip-flops, registers, and counters. Analysis and applications of digital devices. Analysis and design of synchronous and asynchronous sequential state machines, state table derivation and reduction. Use of such CAD tools for schematic capture and logic device simulations. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours activity. (002614)
Prerequisite: PHYS 204B (may be taken concurrently).
Corequisite: EECE 211L.
This course introduces students to core concepts related to analysis and applications of linear circuits. Topics include electrical quantities and components; Kirchhoff's Laws and circuits analysis methods; Thevenin and Norton theorems; operational amplifiers and applications; first-order transient response of RC and RL circuits; AC steady-state analysis including phasors and impedance; circuit simulation and analysis using SPICE. 3 hours discussion. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (002519)
Corequisites: EECE 211.
Experiments to reinforce the principles taught in EECE 211. 2 hours activity. (002520)
Prerequisite: CSCI 111.
This course presents the concepts and techniques associated with developing low level Embedded Systems Applications, using both Assembly Language and C. Topics include microprocessor architecture concepts, instruction set architectures, Assembly Language programming, data representations, interrupt handling and execution modes, low level C programming, and the use of on-chip and external peripherals. 3 hours lecture. (021437)
Prerequisites: GE Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning Ready; both MATH 118 and MATH 119 (or college equivalent); first-year freshmen who successfully completed trigonometry and precalculus in high school can meet this prerequisite by achieving a score that meets department guidelines on a department administered calculus readiness exam.
Limits and continuity. The derivative and applications to related rates, maxma and minima, and curve sketching. Transcendental functions. An introduction to the definite integral and area. 4 hours discussion. This is an approved General Education course. (005506)
Prerequisite: MATH 120.
The definite integral and applications to area, volume, work, differential equations, etc. Sequences and series, vectors and analytic geometry in 2 and 3-space, polar coordinates, and parametric equations. 4 hours discussion. (005507)
Prerequisites: MATH 121.
Vector functions and space curves. Functions of several variables, partial derivatives, and multiple integrals. Vector calculus line integrals, surface integrals, divergence/curl, Green's Theorem, Divergence Theorem, and Stokes' Theorem. 4 hours discussion. (005508)
Prerequisites: MATH 121.
First order separable, linear, and exact equations; second order linear equations, Laplace transforms, series solutions at an ordinary point, systems of first order linear equations, and applications. 4 hours discussion. (005509)
Prerequisites: High school physics or faculty permission. Concurrent enrollment in or prior completion of MATH 121 (second semester of calculus) or equivalent.
Vectors, kinematics, particle dynamics, friction, work, energy, power, momentum, dynamics and statics of rigid bodies, oscillations, gravitation, fluids. Calculus used. A grade of C- or higher is required before progressing to either PHYS 204B or PHYS 204C. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. This is an approved General Education course. (007401)
Prerequisites: MATH 121, PHYS 204A with a grade of C- or higher.
Charge and matter, electric field, Gauss' law, electric potential, capacitors and dielectrics, current and resistance, magnetic field, Ampere's law, Faraday's law of induction, magnetic properties of matter, electromagnetic oscillations and waves. Calculus used. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (007402)

4 units selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: GE Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning Ready; second-year high school algebra; one year high school chemistry. (One year of high school physics and one year of high school mathematics past Algebra II are recommended.)
Principles of chemistry for students in science and engineering programs. Topics include atoms, molecules and ions, reactions, stoichiometry, the periodic table, bonding, chemical energy, gases, and solution chemistry. The laboratory sequence supports the above topics including both qualitative and quantitative experiments, analysis of data, and error propagation. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. This is an approved General Education course. (001816)

Or the following group of courses may be selected:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: EECE 211 and EECE 211L, or EECE 215, or PHYS 327; PHYS 204A.
An introduction to recording and analyzing electronic data collected from biological systems. Topics include measurement methods, design principles of biomedical instruments, bioelectronics, sensors, transducers, interface electronics, and embedded data acquisition systems. Explores sources of biomedical signals, bioelectrical signal monitoring, acquisition, processing, analysis, and interpretation of results. 3 hours discussion. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (022130)
Prerequisites: CSCI 111 or MECH 208; EECE 314 (may be taken concurrently).
Experiments to reinforce the principles taught in EECE 314. 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (022131)

Upper-Division Requirements: 54 units

7 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: EECE 211 with a grade C- or higher; MATH 260 (may be taken concurrently).
This course introduces students to advanced concepts related to analysis and applications of linear circuits. Topics include circuit analysis techniques for networks with both independent and dependent sources; Fourier Series and circuits response; transfer functions, poles and zeros; frequency response of passive and active circuits, Bode plots; frequency-selective circuits and applications; circuits analysis with Laplace Transforms; introduction to MATLAB. 4 hours discussion. (002527)
Prerequisites: EECE 211, EECE 211L; EECE 311 and MATH 260 (may be taken concurrently).
Ideal diodes. Zener diodes and regulation. Photodiodes and solar cells. Biasing and DC behavior of bipolar transistors. JFETs and MOSFETS. Small-signal AC equivalent circuits. Single-state transistor amplifiers. Low-frequency response. Discrete feedback amplifiers. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (002530)
Prerequisites: EECE 144, EECE 237; EECE 110 or EECE 215 or EECE 211 and EECE 211L (All with a grade C- or higher).
Extends the study of digital circuits to LSI and VLSI devices. Microcontrollers, architecture, bus organization and address decoding. Design concepts for microcontroller systems, including A/D and D/A conversion, serial communications, bus interfacing, interrupt processing, power regulations, timers, pulse width modulation, programmable I/O ports, and error control coding. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (002102)
Prerequisites: EECE 211 (with a grade C- or higher), MATH 260.
Modeling and analysis of Signals and Systems both continuous and discrete, in the time and frequency domains. Topics include theorey and application of Fourier series, Fourier transforms, Parseval's Theorem and the Convolution, Laplace Transform Sampling Theorem, Z transform, discrete Fourier Transform and FFT. 4 hours discussion. (002528)
Prerequisites: GE Written Communication (A2) requirement; EECE 343, EECE 344 (either may be taken concurrently). EECE 315 for Electrical/Electronic Engineering students (may be taken concurrently).
Exploration of engineering as a profession over an entire career, including technical, sociological, physiological, and psychological aspects. Readings and discussions explore the importance of life-long learning to engineering professionals. Students prepare, plan, design, present, and document a senior project. Design requirements address human factors, safety, reliability, maintainability, and customer cost. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours activity. This is an approved Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement course; a grade of C- or higher certifies writing proficiency for majors. This is an approved Writing Course. (002569)
Prerequisites: EECE 343, EECE 344, EECE 490AW; EECE 316 for Electrical/Electronic Engineering students (may be taken concurrently).
Continuation of EECE 490A, where students implement, construct, test, and demonstrate their senior design projects. A survey of economic analysis and technology markets, including market organization and regulation, incumbent and startup actors, engineering costs and return on investment, entrepreneurship, patents, and investment and funding avenues. Contemporary issues provide a framework for discussion and analysis based on professional, ethical, and economic concerns. 2 hours discussion, 4 hours activity. (002570)
Prerequisites: MATH 121.
Basic concepts of probability theory, random variables and their distributions, limit theorems, sampling theory, topics in statistical inference, regression, and correlation. 3 hours discussion. (005534)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: EECE 211 (with a grade C- or higher).
Principles of electromechanical conversion, traditional and renewable energy sources, magnetic circuits and steady state performance of synchronous, dc and induction motors, state space models and dynamic performance of electric motors, linearized models and common control schemes for various motors. 4 hours lecture. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (020256)
Prerequisites: EECE 311 (may be taken concurrently).
Power system structure, components and single line diagrams, per unit calculations, transmission line modeling, network matrices and Y-bus, load flow, economic power dispatch, basic relays and system protection schemes. 4 hours lecture. (020499)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: MATH 260, PHYS 204B.
Transmission lines. Frequency-domain techniques. Fields and field operators. Electrostatic fields and capacitance. Magneto-static fields and inductance. Time-varying fields and Maxwell equations. Skin effect. Plane electromagnetic waves. Reflection and refraction. Waveguides and optical fibers. Radiation and antennas. 3 hours lecture. (002529)
Prerequisite: EECE 365 or MATH 350.
Introduction to the principles of functional communication systems, design and performance analysis. Analog and digital modulation techniques. Information measures. Application of probability theory to the analysis of communication systems performance. Transmission and encoding of information. Spread spectrum systems. 4 hours discussion. (002548)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: EECE 311, EECE 315.
Op Amp circuits, waveform generation and shaping, sinusoidal oscillators, high frequency amplifiers, active filters, power supply regulators, power electronics, advanced linear ICs. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (002534)
Prerequisite: EECE 365.
Modeling and simulation of dynamic system performance. Control system design for continuous systems using both analog and digital control techniques. 4 hours lecture. (002577)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: EECE 144, EECE 237 (both with a C- or higher).
Exploration of computer architecture fundamentals through analysis and implementation in a hardware description language. Coverage includes instruction set architecture, macro and micro architecture, the memory hierarchy, and performance techniques. Implementation and testing occurs through the introduction of modern digital design techniques using a hardware description language and commercial tools. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (002105)
Prerequisites: EECE 144, EECE 315.
This course provides an introduction to the design of CMOS digital integrated circuits. Topics include CMOS devices and integrated circuit fabrication, static CMOS inverters and gates, pass-transistor and dynamic-logic gates, propagation delay, power, scaling, and sequential circuits. CAD tools for simulation and layout are used for assignments and a course design project. 4 hours lecture. (021718)

2 courses selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: EECE 365.
Properties of continuous and discrete signals. Z-transform and Fast-Fourier Transform. Digital filtering techniques. Finite word length effects on digital signal processing elements. 4 hours discussion. (002580)
Prerequisites: PHYS 202A or PHYS 204A; EECE 314, and Senior Standing.
Fundamentals of bioimaging, signals and systems, tomography modalities, pattern recognition, and computer vision methods as applied to clinical diagnostics. Optics and photonics techniques, digital signal and imaging data processing, analysis, and characterization. Introduction to research methodologies and research on optical imaging systems and applications. Students presentations and written reports in cutting edge technologies. 4 hours lecture. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (022132)
Prerequisites: MATH 120; PHYS 202B or PHYS 204B.
This course covers image processing principles, techniques, and algorithms. Topics in image acquisition, representation, analysis, filtering, segmentation, and feature extraction. use of image processing software tools for assignments and projects. 4 hours lecture. (022109)

3-4 units selected from:

Any approved upper-division electrical and computer engineering courses not otherwise required for graduation. Select sufficient upper-division units to ensure 100 units in the major.

Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory for all majors in this degree program. Consult your undergraduate advisor for specific information.

A sample program for students who wish to complete their major in four years is available upon on the department website.

Honors in the Major:

Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires 6 units of honors course work completed over two semesters.

The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.

Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:

  • You must take 6 units of Honors in the Major course work. All 6 units are honors classes (marked by a suffix of H), and at least 3 of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each class with a minimum grade of B.
  • You must have completed 9 units of upper-division course work or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
  • Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
  • Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
  • Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the 6 units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year.
  • Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.

While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.

Catalog Cycle:21