Computer Engineering

The following emphasis areas are offered at the bachelor of science level:  computational intelligence, computer architecture and embedded systems, integrated circuits and logic design, and networking, security and dependability.

The computer engineering program is designed to prepare an engineer to work with software and hardware of computers. In the software world, high level languages and complex programs are often the solution to a problem. In the hardware world, designs also include many aspects of the physical world, like temperature or noise, and often must include compromises between many opposing factors. The ability of a computer engineer to work in both worlds is what distinguishes them from a computer scientist or from an electrical engineer who specializes in computers. Computer scientists typically have little training with hardware. Electrical engineers typically have little training with software. Our students are trained to work with both, since many computer systems cannot be built well without a clear understanding of both.

Computer engineers can be found just about anywhere there are computers. Computer engineers might build the integrated circuits (ICs) that go into your home video game or your cell phone. They might develop the microprocessor that goes into your home computer, deciding what instructions it executes and how it interfaces with memory. Computer engineers also build computer systems that use these integrated circuits – for example, they might put together the ICs to build the motherboard for your home computer or the video card that goes into that computer. Computer engineers also help computers work together, for example developing computer networks or working with parallel processing. Computer engineers also help build embedded computer systems. These are devices with a computer inside them that work directly with their environment. They could be as complicated as a satellite or as everyday as your car, your phone, or even your microwave oven. Computer engineers also build software. They might be found at companies like Microsoft, working strictly with software or helping complex software systems interface better with hardware. They might make computers "smarter" using concepts of computational intelligence. Since computers are such an important part of our lives, the options for computer engineers are wide open.

Our ABET-accredited computer engineering program emphasizes both hands-on experience and training in fundamental concepts and theory. Students participate in many laboratories that include both hardware and software. Many lecture courses include one or more projects that require the student to build something "real" and make it work. All students take a 1-year design course for this reason in their final year in the program. While these projects are challenging, they are also fun and prepare a student to perform immediately on the job when they get out of school. Coursework also concentrates strongly on theory and fundamentals because this background is essential for our students to fully understand the systems they will work on to quickly learn new concepts as their job function changes and to adapt to the rapidly changing world of computers in the future.

Students complete the foundational engineering and computing program, thus obtaining basic science skills and an overview of the various degree programs at Missouri S&T, before entering the main program. This allows students time to consider different career options before they commit to a given degree program.The computer engineering program includes several courses in both electrical engineering and computer science. The program follows the electrical engineering program into the sophomore year, including courses like circuits and electronics, and then branches into computer science courses such as data structures and operating systems.

Students work closely with their advisors to carefully plan each semester class schedule in order to have the correct prerequisites for courses in the following semesters. Working with their advisor, they should also select electives in the program to provide the background in areas they wish to emphasize for their career path.

Double majors – particularly with electrical engineering and computer science – are a possibility. Students working with their advisor should be able to plan a program that allows them to quickly graduate with more than one degree by sharing some electives and carefully planning additional course work. Students considering taking several more classes should also consider the alternative of working towards an M.S. or Ph.D. degree in graduate school.

Educational Mission

The electrical and computer engineering department strives to contribute to the state, nation, and world through the education of outstanding professionals and leaders in engineering. Our educational focus is on a broad, rigorous education in all areas of electrical and computer engineering with significant hands-on experiences. The program will provide students with an understanding of engineering problem solving at all levels and an appreciation for engineering as a profession.

Objectives

The electrical and computer engineering degree programs seek to prepare its graduates to attain the following accomplishments a few years after graduation:

• Succeed in professional career placement and practice as ethical engineers, scholars and entrepreneurs;
• Grow their career through technical and professional activities and leadership roles;
• Contribute to society and the economy through technical products, services, communication and knowledge; and

• Adapt to an ever-changing world through continued education, through graduate study, professional development activities, independent learning, or pursuit of follow-on degrees

In order to attain these objectives, students graduating from the electrical and computer engineering degree programs should have the following attributes:

• Technical Competency. Graduates will have a sound knowledge of the fundamentals in electrical or computer engineering that allows them to analyze and solve technical problems, to apply hardware and software tools, to create and evaluate technical products, to learn independently, and to succeed in the workplace and in graduate school.
• An Engineering Perspective. Graduates will be capable of understanding complex projects and the creative process required to find innovative problem solutions, including project evolution and abstraction and the optimization of associated decisions and risk, both locally and globally.
• Professional Skills and Knowledge. Graduates will have the ability to communicate well in both oral and written form, to interact in teams, to manage and lead technical projects, to manage their career, and to conduct themselves with an understanding of ethics, economics, and intellectual property.

Objectives approved by the ECE faculty in October 2017 with update in November 2020.

Students graduating from the computer engineering program should have:

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