Program Director

Jean-Daniel Medjo
eecsugradadmit@syr.edu

Description

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering (BSCE) program at Syracuse was originally established in 1969 through the former Department of Electrical Engineering and was the second such program of its kind in the nation. This program has been accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) since 1973. Currently the BSCE program is housed in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) which is a department in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (E&CS).

Computer Engineering (CE) at Syracuse University has two primary foci: Computer Hardware Design: including an understanding of design methodologies for electronic circuits, digital systems, computer architecture and integrated circuits, and Computer Software Design: including an understanding of design methodologies for algorithms and data structures, operating systems, and a wide variety of software applications across various computer languages. In addition to design methodologies, test and verification principles are studied, as well as performance estimation and the underlying computation theory. There is an excellent opportunity in laboratories to put the theory and design methods into practice by using digital components, design simulators, and microcontrollers.

Part of the department’s mission is to enable CE graduates to use computer engineering and other knowledge to solve relevant societal problems as described by the BSCE Educational Objectives. This is accomplished by a rigorous curriculum that prepares students to achieve the BSCE Educational Outcomes prior to graduation and the BSCE Educational Objectives after graduation.

Educational Objectives for the BSCE Program

The educational objective of the Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering (BSCE) program in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at Syracuse University is to prepare well-rounded graduates that are ready for work and ready for change.

• Well-rounded graduates of the BSCE program are known by their professional competence, innovative thinking, willingness to further enhance their education, ability to work individually and in diverse teams, leadership abilities, communication skills, and integrity.
• Graduates of the BSCE program who are ready for work are engaged in applying the knowledge acquired in Computer Engineering, combined with their problem solving abilities, to produce feasible solutions to problems, in a timely manner, which are deemed important in industry, government, or academia.
• Graduates of the BSCE program who are ready for change exhibit the intellectual flexibility necessary to solve new problems in innovative ways by integrating multiple viewpoints from several disciplines in search of the best possible solutions or applying their knowledge to different professional disciplines.

This program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org

Student Learning 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 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

BSCE Requirements

Program Components

The BSCE program has four fundamental educational components: mathematics and sciences, engineering, liberal arts and science, and general education. A liberal number of courses have been set-aside as electives in order to allow students, with the guidance of their advisors, to customize their education according to their personal and career objectives. A summary of required and elective credits within each component is as follows:

Math and Science Education

29-30 required, 3 elective; for a total of 32-33 credits;

Engineering Education

51 required, 12 elective; for a total of 63 credits;

General Education

6 required, 6 elective; for a total of 12 credits;

Social Science and Humanities Education

4 required, 9 elective; for a total of 13 credits.

Total Credits 120-121

Elective Courses

Technical Electives

Students are required to take 12 credits of upper division electives with the ELE, CSE, or CIS prefix.  A minimum of 9 credits from courses with a prefix of CSE and a minimum of 6 credit hours must be 400 level or higher.

A Typical Program of Study Presented by Semester

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Fall		Credits
ECS 101	Introduction to Engineering and Computer Science	3
CIS 151	Fundamentals of Computing and Programming	3
MAT 295	Calculus I	4
WRT 105	Studio 1: Practices of Academic Writing	3
FYS 101	First Year Seminar	1
	Credits	14
Spring
CSE 283	Introduction to Object-Oriented Design	3
MAT 296	Calculus II	4
PHY 211	General Physics I	3
PHY 221	General Physics Laboratory I	1
ELE 231	Electrical Engineering Fundamentals	3
ELE 291	Electrical Engineering Laboratory I	1
	Credits	15
Year 2
Fall
CIS 351	Data Structures	3
ELE 251	Fundamentals of Linear Systems	3
ELE 292	Linear Systems Laboratory	1
PHI 251	Logic	3
PHY 212	General Physics II	3
PHY 222	General Physics Laboratory II	1
	Credits	14
Spring
CSE 261	Digital Logic Design	3
CSE 262	Digital Logic Design Laboratory	1
CSE 384	Systems and Network Programming	3
WRT 205	Studio 2: Critical Research and Writing	3
CIS 375	Introduction to Discrete Mathematics	3
Liberal Arts & Science Elective		3
	Credits	16
Year 3
Fall
CSE 381	Computer Architecture	3
CSE 397	Programmable Hardware Experimentation and Measurement	3
CSE 484	Introduction to Computer and Network Security	3
CSE 464	Introduction to VLSI Design	3
MAT 331 or MAT 397	First Course in Linear Algebra or Calculus III	3
	Credits	15
Spring
CIS 321	Introduction to Probability and Statistics	4
CSE 398	Embedded and Mobile Systems Laboratory	3
CSE 486	Design of Operating Systems	3
Advanced communication elective		3
Technical Elective		3
	Credits	16
Year 4
Fall
CSE 491	Senior Design Project I	3
ECS 392	Ethical Aspects of Engineering and Computer Science	3
Technical elective		3
Liberal Arts and Science Electives		3
Math/science elective		3
	Credits	15
Spring
CSE 492	Senior Design Project II	3
Technical electives		6
Liberal Arts and Science Electives		3
Free elective		3
	Credits	15
	Total Credits	120

Note: CIS 321 Introduction to Probability and Statistics can be waived if a student takes both MAT 521 Introduction to Probability and MAT 525 Mathematical Statistics.

General Information

Note that CPS courses cannot be taken to fulfill any of the requirements for the Computer Engineering undergraduate program. These courses are designed for non-majors in Computer Engineering or in Computer Science.

Minors

The Computer Engineering curriculum is flexible enough to allow a student to complete minors without taking additional credits or by taking only a few extra courses. Today’s computer engineers work in an environment where they are expected to know not only computer hardware and software, but also material from a collection of other subject areas-from device technology or computer science to management and how computers affect the world. The computer engineering curriculum responds to this need by providing students with a strong basis in the fundamentals of computer engineering coupled with additional courses drawn from mathematics, electrical engineering and computer science. With the core courses in MAT, BSCE students normally are no more than 9 credits away from completing a minor in Mathematics (MAT).