May 16, 2024  
2023-2024 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 
    
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2023-2024 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

 

Brian Nutter, Ph.D., P.E., Interim Chairperson

John R. Bradford Chair: Bayne
Charles Bates Thornton Professor: J. Dickens
Ed and Linda Whitacre Fellow: R. He
Edward E. Whitacre Jr. Endowed Chair: Jiang
Whitacre Endowed Chair in Electrical Engineering: C. Li
Keh-Shew Lu Regents Chair: Lie
Linda F. Whitacre Endowed Chair: Lin
AT&T Distinguished Professor: Neuber
Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professors: Jiang, Lin, Neuber
Professors: Baker, Bayne, Bernussi, Dallas, J. Dickens, Giesselmann, R. He, Jiang, Joshi, C. Li, Lie, Lin, Mankowski, Neuber, Pal, Sari-Sarraf
Associate Professors: Chaoui, Chong, M. He, Karp, Nutter, Saed
Assistant Professors: Stephens, Wu
Lecturer: Johnston
Instructors: Agili, Bilbao, Clark, M. Dickens, Haustein, Hemmert, Kelley, McArthur, Parmar, Storrs
Research Professor: J. Li

CONTACT INFORMATION: 224 Electrical Engineering Building | Box 43102 | Lubbock, TX 79409-3102 | T 806.742.3533 | www.depts.ttu.edu/ece

About the Department

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering supervises the following degree programs:

Vision. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering will be the undergraduate electrical and computer engineering department of choice in Texas and will be recognized as one of the top research and graduate engineering departments in the nation.

Mission. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering educates, conducts research, and disseminates knowledge through nationally recognized programs in electrical and computer engineering for the benefit of society.

Bachelor of Science in Electrical / Computer Engineering Program Educational Objectives:

  • Demonstrate growth in careers related to Electrical/Computer Engineering and become productive engineers.

  • Some graduates will pursue advanced degrees.

  • Engage in professional development activities to adapt to evolving technical challenges and career opportunities and succeed in a wide range of specialties.

  • Understand and recognize the strengths of diversity.

Student Outcomes for Bachelor of Science in Electrical / Computer Engineering:

  1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
  2. An ability to 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. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  4. An ability to 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. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
  6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze, and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
  7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Program Overview. The fields of electrical and computer engineering are very broad and include many specialty areas. To allow students to become more familiar with these areas, the programs offer a wide range of technical specialties consistent with the breadth of electrical and computer engineering and inclusive of recent developments in the field.

Students pursuing a BS in Electrical Engineering may gain a concentration in the following areas:

An important contribution to accomplish these objectives is the four-course sequence of stand-alone project laboratories. In each of the project laboratory courses, students are given a brief description of a complex, open-ended project. The students, usually working in teams, are required to design, develop, construct, and evaluate a system to satisfy the requirements for the project. Faculty/corporate advisors evaluate the project on the basis of finished products, demonstrations, required written reports, and oral presentations. By its very structure the project laboratory sequence gives students considerable experience in dealing with open-ended design problems. Students also gain experience in working closely with others and in written and oral communication.

The material presented in the electrical and computer engineering lecture courses is incorporated into the project laboratory course sequence. The projects, however, are real-world problems that require students to go beyond the basic knowledge learned in the classroom. Through these experiences, students gain the technical maturity necessary to succeed in their chosen careers. In addition, the project laboratory courses address topics in engineering ethics and professionalism and help students develop the skills needed for life-long learning.

The result of the overall curriculum is to prepare graduates who are sensitive to the consequences of their work, both ethically and professionally, for a productive professional career. A broad educational background has been incorporated into these curricula and personalized advising plays an important role in its implementation.

Undergraduate Program

General Standards and Requirements. Admission requirements and academic standards for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering are consistent with the dynamic enrollment plan for the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering. Refer to the introduction to the Whitacre College of Engineering  section of this catalog for a description of the criteria for initial admission to the Whitacre College of Engineering and the lower-division foundational curriculum. The foundational curriculum for all engineering students consists of ENGL 1301 , ENGL 1302 ; MATH 1451 , MATH 1452 ; CHEM 1307 /CHEM 1107 ; PHYS 1408 ; ENGR 1110 , ENGR 1320 , ENGR 1330 , and ENGR 2392 . 

A student may apply for admission to the upper division of an engineering degree program upon completion of the foundational curriculum and a minimum of 12 credit hours of Texas Tech coursework. The acceptance criterion is based exclusively on a cumulative GPA for coursework completed at Texas Tech. The specific GPA standard varies among the degree programs and may change from one academic year to the next as necessary to align enrollments with the educational resources.

The academic standards required by the Whitacre College of Engineering and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering are given in the introduction to the Whitacre College section of the catalog and are summarized below. Exceptions to these standards are at the discretion of the dean of the Whitacre College of Engineering.

  • A grade of C or better is required for all courses in an engineering degree plan.
  • A grade of C or better must be achieved in all prerequisites before the subsequent course may be attempted.
  • A minimum 2.5 TTU GPA is required to maintain academic good standing and continued membership in the Whitacre College of Engineering.
  • A full-time student must achieve a C or better in 18 credit hours of coursework in the degree plan each year.
  • An engineering course may be repeated only one time after a course drop, withdrawal, or failure to achieve a C or higher. A maximum of three engineering courses may be repeated.
  • Courses for degree credit cannot be taken pass/fail.

The required undergraduate programs are contained in the curriculum tables shown in this section. The undergraduate curriculum gives students a broad education in electrical and computer engineering and enables them to pursue all career options in a fast-changing technical environment. In addition, students may select from a wide variety of elective courses in electrical and computer engineering and other related disciplines allowing them to specialize at the senior level. If a student wishes, specialization options are available, including analog VLSI, MEMS, power systems, signal processing, communication systems, digital systems, and electromagnetics.

The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and the Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org, which accelerates the additional exam and experience requirements that must be met later in the engineer’s career. Further information can be found at https://pels.texas.gov and https://www.ncees.org.

Licensing as a Professional Engineer (PE) allows an engineer to perform engineering services for the public and to supervise the design and construction of public works. Students who wish to eventually earn a PE license should pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam while seniors. The Electrical Engineering BS  offers interested students the opportunity to take up to two elective courses from other engineering departments that teach material tested by the FE. A list of these courses is maintained by the ECE department.

Success in engineering courses is highly dependent on knowledge and skills in mathematics. It is strongly recommended that students be prepared to take calculus classes when they arrive at Texas Tech. Students who are not adequately prepared for calculus, chemistry, and/or physics must take appropriate courses before enrolling in MATH 1451 , CHEM 1307 , CHEM 1107 , and/or PHYS 1408 . Students will be responsible for arranging a course of study with an advisor’s counsel and approval. Students whose high school courses include physics, chemistry, mathematics through analytical geometry, and at least two credits of a single foreign language are expected to follow the sequence of courses shown in the curriculum. Any students who lack credits in any of these areas of study in high school should consult with departmental advisors to determine a suitably adjusted first-year schedule. The exceptionally well-prepared student should consult the section of this catalog on credit by examination.

Students seeking an electrical engineering or computer engineering degree must take a minimum 18 hours at the 3000 level or above in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas Tech.

Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Programs. Accelerated programs are available for outstanding students wanting to earn both a BS and an M.S. degree. The possible combined BS / M.S. degrees awarded would include:

  1. BS in Electrical Engineering / M.S. in Electrical Engineering (non-thesis option)

  2. BS in Computer Engineering / M.S. in Electrical Engineering (non-thesis option)

  3. BS in Electrical Engineering / M.S. in Bioengineering

  4. BS in Computer Engineering / M.S. in Bioengineering

  5. BS in Computer Engineering / M.S. in Computer Science

This program is intended for our best undergraduates who wish to stay on for a master’s degree. Students in the program get an early start on master’s work by taking three graduate courses in their senior year, replacing three senior elective courses, to complete their BS degree. They then take the remaining graduate courses the following year and can carry out graduate research to complete their M.S. degree. Work on laboratory projects during the senior year often provides background for advanced study.

Students interested in these programs should inform their academic advisor during the first semester of the junior year and apply when they are within 15 hours of completing their undergraduate degree. Students admitted to a combined BS / M.S. program may apply up to 9 graduate credit hours toward the BS degree requirements, but only if they choose the non-thesis option.

Graduate Program

For information on graduate programs offered by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, visit the Graduate Programs  section of the catalog.

Undergraduate Program Offerings, Course Descriptions & Curricular Tables

(Click on program for curricular table.)

Programs

    Bachelor’sUndergraduate Minor

    Courses

      ECE - Electrical and Computer Engineering (Undergraduate Courses)