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College of Engineering and Applied Science

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at UC Denver
 

Electrical Engineering

Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

In electrical engineering at CU Denver, undergraduate students can choose to specialize in a particular area of study or in a broad spectrum of course work.

Throughout the entire course of study, students' understanding of theory will be reinforced through laboratory experiences and design projects. In lecture courses, design procedures will be enhanced through the use of computer-aided design and simulation programs. Integration between the lecture and laboratory projects will also enhance the design experience.

The required senior design project, or capstone course, provides the opportunity to address an important open-ended design problem posed by a national laboratory, industrial sponsor, or an interdisciplinary project team. In addition to meeting the technical specifications of a design problem, the projects are expected to address constraints such as manufacturability and production economics. Students are challenged to use the knowledge gained through earlier studies for use in real-world applications of engineering.

In circuits and electronics, students will study the application of basic electrical elements—energy sources, resistors, inductors, capacitors, diodes, transistors and integrated circuits—as they are found interconnected in operational electrical networks. The communication and signal processing area will include the study of generation, transmission and analysis of information-bearing signals, modulation systems, detection systems and imaging systems.

Students interested in computer engineering will study the design and application of microprocessor systems, digital logic devices, digital automation products, computer networks and systems involving robots and distributed processing.

The control systems area involves the analysis and design of complex systems whereby one seeks inputs to produce outputs that achieve certain performance objectives, subject to various constraints. Applications are found in disciplines, for example, as diverse as aerospace, biomedical, socioeconomic, manufacturing and processing, and many other areas in today's developing technological world.

The electromagnetic area includes the study of high-frequency waves, antennas and microwave systems for various types of propagation and transmission of encoded information through space and a variety of signal containment products.

Power and energy systems deals with the design and application of motors, generators, transformers, distribution systems and cost efficiency in the transmission of energy.

General Requirements for Undergraduate Admission

The student must meet the admission requirements described in the Information for Undergraduate Students and Information for Graduate Students chapters of the CU Denver campus catalog and of the College of Engineering and Applied Science in which the degree program selected by the student is offered.

Beginning undergraduate engineering students should be prepared to start analytic geometry-calculus. No credit toward any degree in engineering will be given for algebra, trigonometry or precalculus mathematics (MATH 1110, 1120 and 1130). (These courses are offered to allow a student to make up deficiencies.) Students who question the adequacy of their precollege background in mathematics should contact the Department of Mathematics office in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Placement tests covering precalculus mathematics are required of new freshmen to select the appropriate beginning mathematics course.

To be prepared for the type of mathematics courses that will be taught, the student must be competent in the basic ideas and skills of ordinary algebra, geometry and plane trigonometry. These include such topics as the fundamental operations with algebraic expressions, exponents and radicals, fractions, simple factoring, solution of linear and quadratic equations, graphical representation, simple systems of equations, complex numbers, the binomial theorem, arithmetic and geometric progressions, logarithms, the trigonometric functions and their use in triangle solving and simple applications and the standard theorems of geometry, including some solid geometry. It usually takes eight semesters to cover this material adequately in high school.

Refer to the “Minimum Academic Preparation Standards (MAPS)” and “Admission Requirements for Freshmen” sections in the Information for Undergraduate Students chapter of the campus catalog for a list of high school subjects required for admission to the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Electrical Engineering Requirements for BSEE Degree

The basic requirements for a degree in Electrical Engineering are listed below. The following two documents contain all information concerning the program.

See Electrical Engineering Advisement Guide for New Students for a concise list of program requirements.

See the college course catalog for College and Department Rules and Requirements.

Summary of basic Electrical Engineering Degree Requirements:

Hours—A minimum of 128 hours of course work is required for an electrical engineering degree.

Hours in Residence—At least 30 hours of course work applicable to a bachelor of science degree in engineering must be taken at the downtown Denver campus while a declared student in good standing at the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Students must be enrolled in the college for at least the final two semesters prior to graduation.

Transfer Credit—All requests for consideration of transfer credit and its application toward a degree in Engineering and Applied Science must be submitted prior to the student’s last two semesters at the downtown Denver campus.

Grade Average—A minimum grade point average of 2.0 (C) is required for all courses attempted, for all required courses, and for all courses taken from the student’s major department.

Faculty Recommendation—The recommendation of the faculty of the department offering the degree and the approval of the faculty of the College of Engineering and Applied Science is required.

Incompletes and Correspondence Courses—It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all incompletes and correspondence courses are officially completed before the tenth week of the student’s final semester in school.

Simultaneous Conferring of Degrees—For any double degree program, both bachelor’s degrees must be conferred at the same commencement.

Commencement Exercises—Commencement exercises are held in December and May. A student finishing in August is encouraged to attend commencement the following December, but may request that the diploma be mailed.