Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

About the Department
Program Offerings, Course Descriptions & Curricular Tables

Michael Giesselmann, Dr.-Ing., Chairperson

Horn Professors: Jiang, Lin, Mitra, Neuber
AT&T Distinguished Professor: Neuber
Edward E. Whitacre Jr. Endowed Chair: Jiang
Linda F. Whitacre Endowed Chair: Lin
Keh-Shew Lu Regents Chair: Lie
Thornton Professor: J. Dickens
Professors: Baker, Bayne, Dallas, Gale, Giesselmann, Joshi, Nikishin, Rao, Sari-Sarraf
Associate Professors: Bernussi, Fan, Karp, Li, Mankowski, Nutter, Pal, Saed
Assistant Professors: He
Instructors: M. Dickens, Helm, Storrs

CONTACT INFORMATION: 224 Electrical Engineering Building, Box 43102, Lubbock, TX 79409-3102, T 806.742.3533, F 806.742.1245, www.depts.ttu.edu/ece

About the Department

This department supervises the following degree programs:

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering

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 engineering and computer engineering for the benefit of society.

Electrical Engineering Program Educational Objectives:

Graduates will have careers in electrical engineering and related fields as productive engineers with potential for professional growth.
Some graduates will pursue advanced degrees.
Graduates will engage in professional activities to adapt to evolving challenges and career opportunities.

Computer Engineering Program Educational Objectives:

Graduates will be prepared to have careers as computer engineers in the diverse fields that computer engineering transcends.
Graduates will have the foundation to pursue advanced degrees and make important contributions to the field of computer engineering.
Graduates will engage in professional development activities to adapt to evolving challenges and opportunities in an evermore networked society.

Student Outcomes for Both Electrical and Computer Engineering:

An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering.
An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data.
An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.
An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams.
An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems.
An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility.
An ability to communicate effectively.
The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context.
A recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in life-long learning.
A knowledge of contemporary issues.
An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

Program Overview. The fields of electrical and computer engineering are very broad and include a number of specialty areas. To allow students to become more familiar with these areas, the programs will 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 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree may gain a concentration in the following areas:

Analog VLSI – ECE 4310 , ECE 4314 , ECE 4321
MEMS – ECE 4381 , ECE 4385 , ECE 4386
Power Systems – ECE 4316 , ECE 4343 , ECE 4345 , ECE 4391
Signal Processing – ECE 4363 , ECE 4364 , ECE 4367
Communication Systems – ECE 4323 , ECE 4325 , ECE 4344
Digital Systems – ECE 4375 , ECE 4380 , ECE 4382
Electromagnetics – ECE 4341 , ECE 4342 , ECE 4344

An important contribution to accomplish these objectives is the five-course sequence of stand-alone project laboratory courses. 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 advisors evaluate the project on the basis of finished products, 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. They 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 a graduate who is sensitive to the consequences of his or her work, both ethically and professionally, for a productive professional career. A broad educational background has been incorporated into these curriculums 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 recommended foundational curriculum for electrical engineering consists of ENGL 1301 , ENGL 1302 ; MATH 1451 , MATH 1452 ; PHYS 1408 ; ECE 1304 ; and CHEM 1307 /CHEM 1107 . The recommended foundational curriculum for computer engineering consists of ENGL 1301 , ENGL 1302 ; MATH 1451 , MATH 1452 ; PHYS 1408 , PHYS 2401 ; and ECE 1304 .

A student may apply for admission to the upper division of a 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. For students who entered Texas Tech prior to June 1, 2012, a minimum 2.0 GPA is required for admission to the electrical or computer engineering upper-division degree programs. Students entering Texas Tech after June 1, 2012, must have a minimum 2.5 GPA.

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 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 in each 10-month period.
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.

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, specific specialization options are available, including analog VLSI, MEMS, power systems, signal processing, communication systems, electromagnetics, and digital systems.

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 take IE 2324 and ENGR 2392 for core credit and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam while seniors. The accreditation of the department’s degree programs by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accelerates the additional exam and experience requirements that must be met later in the engineer’s career. Further information can be found at www.tbpe.state.tx.us and www.ncees.org.

The B.S. in Electrical Engineering offers interested students the opportunity to take up to four elective courses from other engineering departments that teach material tested by the FE. A list of these courses is maintained by the ECE department. The B.S. in Computer Engineering is not a recommended path to PE licensing. Passing the FE exam offers one means that satisfies the final comprehensive evaluation for students seeking a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering. Passing results on the FE exam are required for admission to candidacy for Ph.D. students.

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 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. However, 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. Two accelerated programs are available for outstanding students wanting to earn both a B.S. and an M.S. degree. The degrees awarded would include (1) the B.S. in Computer Engineering and the M.S. in Electrical Engineering (non-thesis option), or (2) the B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering (non-thesis option). 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 B.S./M.S. program may apply up to 6 graduate credit hours toward the B.S. degree requirements but only if they choose the non-thesis option. Each master’s degree must have at least 30 hours of graduate coursework after earning the B.S. degree.

Graduate Program

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

Program Offerings & Course Descriptions

Programs

Bachelor’s

Undergraduate Minor

Electrical Engineering, Undergraduate Minor

Courses

Electrical and Computer Engineering (Undergraduate Courses)