Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Electrical/Electronic Engineering program 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 ABET, 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
Program educational objectives describe the career and professional accomplishments that the program strives to prepare its graduates to achieve within five years. The Electrical/Electronic Engineering program prepares its graduates to
Contribute to solutions of engineering problems by applying their technical knowledge, their experience with modern industry tools, and their understanding of the impact that engineering can have on global, societal, and environmental issues.
Assume project/product management and team leadership roles in their organizations.
Engage in activities that sustain and promote their careers by securing professional licenses, completing graduate courses and/or degree programs, and/or pursuing informal learning opportunities.
Contribute to society through involvement in professional and/or service activities.
Electrical/Electronic Engineering program graduates should have the ability to
Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
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.
Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
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.
Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
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 recent student capstone projects can be found on the Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering Department website.
Grading Requirement
All courses taken to fulfill program 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 California State University, Chico. Electrical/Electronic Engineering majors must also attain a 2.0 GPA in:
All courses required for the major, and
All Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) courses taken to meet major requirements at Chico State.
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. Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.
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.
Total Units
100
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.
See Bachelor's Degree Requirements for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.
General Education Requirements: 48 units
See General Education and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Requirements and course offerings.
This major has approved GE modification(s). See below for information on how to apply these modification(s).
Take only one course in either Arts (C1) or Humanities (C2). The other is waived.
EECE 490B is an approved major course substitution for Social Sciences (D).
EECE 490AW is an approved major course substitution for Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (E).
EECE 311 fulfills Upper-Division Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning (UD-B).
Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units
You must complete a minimum of two courses that focus primarily on cultural diversity. At least one course must be in U.S. Diversity (USD) and at least one in Global Cultures (GC). See Diversity Requirements for a full list of courses. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education.
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Writing Across the Curriculum (EM 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 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) (EO 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.