Electrical and Computer Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is a broad field of diverse career potential.  At ISU, you will find faculty with real-world experience dedicated to the success of our students, and small class sizes allowing individual attention at a level not commonly encountered elsewhere.  ECE programs give you a strong theoretical foundation in engineering, science, and mathematics, along with practical hands-on laboratory experience.  This is to enable you to develop analytical, technical and engineering design skills needed to be a professional in today’s world.  Basic discipline-specific core courses introduce many of the various career paths open to you.  You can then choose electives that will allow you to specialize further, investigate new opportunities, or concentrate in a specific area.  In addition, your senior year culminates in a yearlong team design project where you will work with two or three fellow students to solve a real-world problem.

Why study ECE?

ECE is a rewarding field of study, because the analysis techniques developed can be applied to a variety of subjects in many other fields.  For example, in the study of heat flow, a resistor is used to represent thermal insulation.  Magnetic devices, such as transformers, are analogous to electrical circuits where the magnetic materials are treated as conductors of magnetic flux.  The workings of your brain can be modeled as electrical circuits with capacitors and resistors.  A simple circuit made up of a resistor and an inductor can be used to model a loudspeaker.  A modern computer can be analyzed as the combination of analog and digital electrical devices working in concert with firmware and software, following logical operations at the algorithmic level.  Modern technology – television, radio, cell phones, computers, automobiles, kitchen appliances, grooming aids, etc., fundamentally depends on electrical systems.

What does it take to become an ECE?

Electrical and computer engineers apply scientific and mathematical principles, experience, judgment, and common sense to design and build things that benefit people.  Therefore, a student investigating a career in ECE should enjoy problem solving, and should enhance his/her technological abilities and skills by taking mathematics and science courses as much and as early as possible.  You should take as many math courses as your school offers, including calculus and trigonometry.  Laboratory science courses such as biology, chemistry and physics are also helpful.  English and computer programming courses can help prepare you to begin taking required engineering courses early in your college career, and to ensure your success during the study.

What does ECE at ISU offer?

Depending on your career aspirations and needs, ECE offers degrees ranging from the Bachelor degree to the Doctoral degree.  These include B.S. in Electrical Engineering, B.S. in Computer Engineering, M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Ph.D. in Engineering and Applied Science.  To complement your academic experience, ECE also offers opportunities for you to work as Career Path Interns when you have completed introductory courses in circuits and digital systems.

The Bachelor of Science (BS) program in Electrical Engineering (EE) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.

 Program Educational Objectives

1. Depth and Breadth: Produce graduates who demonstrate broad and in-depth knowledge in the practice of, or advanced study of, electrical engineering.
2. Career Development: Produce graduates who will demonstrate and maintain the necessary knowledge and skills throughout their careers to solve problems in the complex modern work environment.
3. Professionalism: Produce graduates who demonstrate an ability to manage and uphold professional responsibilities.

 Student Outcomes

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 judgements, 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.

Annual Enrollment and Graduation Data

Facilities

The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department has access to several facilities and laboratories. Visit these at our website.