Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)

[ graduate program | courses | faculty ]

OFFICES:
Undergraduate Affairs, Room 2705
Graduate Affairs, Room 2718
Engineering Building Unit 1, Warren College
http://www.ece.ucsd.edu/

Program Mission Statement

To educate tomorrow’s technology leaders.

Program Educational Objectives

Program Outcomes and Assessment

Program outcomes have been established based on the Program Educational Objectives. Graduates of the ECE Program in Electrical Engineering are expected to have

  1. An understanding of the underlying principles of, and an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to electrical engineering problems
  2. An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
  3. A knowledge of electrical engineering safety issues
  4. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
    1. An ability to collaborate effectively with others
    2. An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
  6. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
  7. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice, including familiarity with computer programming and information technology
  8. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
    1. An ability to communicate effectively in writing
    2. An ability to communicate effectively in speech
    3. An ability to communicate effectively with visual means
  10. The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context
  11. A recognition of the need for, and the ability to engage in, lifelong learning
  12. A knowledge of contemporary issues

The Undergraduate Programs

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers undergraduate programs leading to the B.S. degree in electrical engineering, engineering physics, and computer engineering, and the B.A. degree in electrical engineering and society. Each of these programs can be tailored to provide preparation for graduate study or employment in a wide range of fields. The Electrical Engineering Program is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

The Electrical Engineering Program has a common lower-division and a very flexible structure in the upper-division. After the lower-division core, all students take six breadth courses during the junior year. They must then satisfy a depth requirement which can be met with five courses focused on some specialty, and a design requirement of at least one project course. The remainder of the program consists of seven electives, which may range as widely or as narrowly as needed.

The Engineering Physics Program is conducted in cooperation with the Department of Physics. Its structure is very similar to that of electrical engineering except the depth requirement includes seven courses and there are only five electives.

The Computer Engineering Program is conducted jointly with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. It has a more prescribed structure. The program encompasses the study of hardware design, data storage, computer architecture, assembly languages, and the design of computers for engineering, information retrieval, and scientific research.

The B.A.-Electrical Engineering and Society Program intends to better prepare engineering students in the areas of social sciences and the humanities, as a response to the globalization of engineering and technology. We recognize that “engineering only” training may not be sufficient when students seek alternate career paths besides engineering upon graduation, such as in the law, finance, and public policy sectors.

For information about the program and about academic advising, students are referred to the section on ECE departmental regulations. In order to complete the programs in a timely fashion, students must plan their courses carefully, starting in their freshman year. Students should have sufficient background in high school mathematics so that they can take freshman calculus in the first quarter.

For graduation, each student must also satisfy general-education requirements determined by the student’s college. The six colleges at UC San Diego require widely different numbers of general-education courses. Students should choose their college carefully, considering the special nature of the college and the breadth of education required. They should realize that some colleges require considerably more courses than others. Students wishing to transfer to another college should see their college advisor.

Graduates of community colleges may enter ECE programs in the junior year. However, transfer students should be particularly mindful of the freshman and sophomore course requirements when planning their programs.

These programs have strong components in laboratory experiments and in the use of computers throughout the curricula. In addition, the department is committed to exposing students to the nature of engineering design. This is accomplished throughout the curricula by use of design-oriented homework problems, by exposure to engineering problems in lectures, by courses which emphasize student-initiated projects in both laboratory and computer courses, and finally by senior design-project courses in which teams of students work to solve an engineering design problem, often brought in from industry.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT STUDENTS DISCUSS THEIR CURRICULUM WITH THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTAL ADVISOR IMMEDIATELY UPON ENTRANCE TO UCSD, AND THEN AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR UNTIL GRADUATION.

B.S. Electrical Engineering Program

Students must complete 180 units for graduation, including the general-education requirements (GER). Note that 144 units (excluding GER) are required.

Lower-Division Requirements
(total of seventy-two units)

Mathematics (twenty-four units)

Math. 20A-B-C-D-E-F.

Physics (sixteen units)

Phys. 2A-B-C-D or Phys. 4A-B-C-D-E. Math. 20A is a prerequisite for Phys. 2A. Students whose performance on the mathematics placement test permits them to start with Math. 20B or higher may take Phys. 2A in the fall quarter of the freshman year.

Chemistry (four units)

Chem. 6A.

Programming Course (four units)

ECE 15.

Electrical engineering (twenty-four units)

ECE 25, 30, 35, 45, 65, and 75.

Additional Notes
  1. Students with AP math credit are strongly advised to take Math. 20B in the fall quarter, leaving room for a GER in the winter quarter.
  2. The ECE undergraduate Web site shows several scheduling options. Please refer to the Web site and consult with the staff advisors in the undergraduate offices, rooms 2705 and 2707 in EBU1.

Upper-Division Requirements
(total of seventy-two units)

a. Electrical Engineering BREADTH Courses (twenty-four units)

Courses required of all electrical engineering majors:

The six courses, ECE 101, 102, 103, 107, 108, and 109 are required of all electrical engineering majors and they are an assumed prerequisite for senior-level courses, even if they are not explicitly required. Although the courses are largely independent, there are some prerequisites. ECE 102 is a prerequisite for ECE 108. Students who delay some of the breadth courses into the spring should be careful that it does not delay their depth sequence. For the ECE 109 requirement, credit will not be allowed for ECON 120A, Math. 180A-B, Math. 183, or Math. 186.

b. Electrical Engineering DESIGN Course (4 units)

Note: In order to fulfill the design requirement, students must complete one of the following courses with a grade C– or better. Graduation will not be approved until a written copy of the design project is submitted to the ECE undergraduate office. ECE 111, 118, 191 cannot be used to satisfy both the Design and Depth requirements.

The electrical engineering design requirement can be fulfilled in any of the following three ways:

  1. Take ECE 191: Engineering Group Design Project
  2. Take ECE 190: Engineering Design This course requires the department stamp. Specifications and enrollment forms are available in the undergraduate office.
  3. Take one of the following courses:
    • ECE 111: Advanced Digital Design Project
    • ECE 118: Computer Interfacing
    • ECE 155B or 155C: Digital Recording Projects

Students who wish to take one of these courses to satisfy the design requirement must fill out an enrollment form and have departmental approval for the design credit prior to taking the course. The project must meet the same specifications as ECE 190.

c. Electrical Engineering ELECTIVES (twenty-four units)

(For additional information, please refer to the section on “Elective Policy for Electrical Engineering and Engineering Physics Majors.”)

d. Electrical Engineering Depth Requirement (twenty units)

Students must complete a “depth requirement” of at least five quarter courses to provide a focus for their studies. This set must include a clear chain of study of at least three courses which depend on the “breadth” courses. Students may choose one of the approved depth sequences listed below, or propose another with the approval of their faculty advisor. Some of the approved sequences have lower-division prerequisites and thus list six courses. Students choosing one of these sequences will have to complete only two “professional” electives. Guidelines for meeting the depth requirement can be obtained from the undergraduate office. ECE 111, 118, 191 cannot be used to satisfy both the Design and Depth requirements.

Electronics Circuits and Systems

ECE 163, 164, 165, and any two of ECE 111, 118, 161A, 161B, 161C, and 166.

Electronic Devices and Materials

ECE 135A, ECE 135B, 136L, 139, and 183.

Controls and Systems Theory

ECE 171A, 171B, 174, 175, and 118 or 191.

Machine Intelligence

ECE 172A, 174, 175, and any two of ECE 161A, ECE 176A, 187, 253A, 285, and COGS 108F.

Photonics

ECE 181, 182, 183, 184, and 185.

Communications Systems

ECE 161A, 153, 154A-B-C.

Networks

ECE 153, 159A, 159B, 158A-B.

Queuing Systems

ECE 171A, 174, 159A-B, and Math. 181A.

Signal and Image Processing

ECE 161A, 161B, 161C, 153, and ECE 172A or 174.

Computer Design

CSE 12, 21, and 141, ECE 158A, 111 or 118, and 165.

Software Systems

CSE 12, 21, 100, 101, 141, and 120.

B.S. Engineering Physics

Students must complete a total of 180 units for graduation, including the general-education requirements. Note that 146 units (excluding GER) are required.

All students will initially be placed in pre-major status. Upon successful completion of the following courses (with a minimum 2.0 GPA by the end of the first three quarters if a transfer student, six quarters if an incoming freshman), students will be admitted into full Engineering-Physics major status.

  1. Math. 20A-B-C
  2. Phys. 2A-B
  3. ECE 15, 25, and 35

To initiate the change from pre-major status to full major status, transfer students must see the ECE undergraduate advisor by the end of their third quarter at UCSD; incoming freshmen by the end of their sixth quarter.

Please refer to the section “Undergraduate Regulations and Requirements” for important details.

Lower-Division Requirements
(total of seventy-four units)

Mathematics (twenty-four units)

Math. 20A-B-C-D-E-F.

Physics (sixteen units)

Phys. 2A-B-C-D or Phys. 4A-B-C-D-E. Math. 20A is a prerequisite for Phys. 2A. Students whose performance on the mathematics placement test permits them to start with Math. 20B or higher may take Phys. 2A in the fall quarter of the freshman year.

Physics Lab (two units)

Phys. 2DL is required.

Chemistry (four units)

Chem. 6A.

Programming Course (four units)

ECE 15.

Electrical engineering (twenty-four units)

ECE 25, 30, 35, 45, 65, and 75.

Additional Notes
  1. Students with AP math credit are strongly advised to take Math. 20B in the fall quarter, leaving room for a GER in the winter quarter.
  2. The ECE undergraduate Web site shows several scheduling options. Please refer to the Web site and consult with the staff advisors in the undergraduate offices, rooms 2705 and 2707 in EBU1.

Upper-Division Requirements
(seventy-two units)

a. Engineering Physics BREADTH Courses (twenty-four units)

The electrical engineering breadth courses ECE 101, 102, 103, 107, 108, and 109, are also required of engineering physics majors. However, because of the scheduling of Math. 110, Phys. 110A and 130A, they can only be taken in a specific order (please consult the ECE Web site). For the ECE 109 requirement, credit will not be allowed for ECON 120A, Math. 180A-B, Math. 183, or Math. 186.

b. Engineering Physics DESIGN Course (four units)

Note: In order to fulfill the design requirement, students must complete one of the following courses with a grade C– or better. Graduation will not be approved until a written copy of the design project is submitted to the ECE undergraduate office.

The engineering physics design requirement can be fulfilled in any of the following three ways:

  1. Take ECE 191: Engineering Group Design Project
  2. Take ECE 190: Engineering Design. This course requires the department stamp. Specifications and enrollment forms are available in the undergraduate office.
  3. Take one of the following courses:
    • ECE 111: Advanced Digital Design Project
    • ECE 118: Computer Interfacing
    • ECE 155B or 155C: Digital Recording Projects

Students who wish to take one of these courses to satisfy the design requirement must fill out an enrollment form and have departmental approval for the design credit prior to taking the course. The project must meet the same specifications as ECE 190.

c. Engineering Physics ELECTIVES (sixteen units)

(For additional information, please refer to the section on “Elective Policy for Electrical Engineering and Engineering Physics Majors.”)

d. Engineering Physics DEPTH Courses (twenty-eight Units)

All B.S. engineering physics students are required to take Phys. 110A, 130A-B, 140A, Math. 110, ECE 123 and 166; or ECE 135A and 135B; or ECE 182 and (181 or 183).

Elective Policy for Electrical Engineering and Engineering Physics Majors

1. Technical Electives

Technical electives must be upper-division engineering, math or physics courses (except for the bioengineering track). At most one lower-division course in engineering may be used but it must receive prior approval from the ECE department. Certain courses listed below are not allowed as electives because of overlap with ECE courses.

Physics

Students may not receive upper-division elective credit for any lower-division physics courses. Students may not receive credit for both Phys. 100A and ECE 107, Phys. 100B and ECE 107, Phys. 100C and ECE 123.

Mathematics

Math. 180A overlaps ECE 109 and 153, and therefore will not qualify for elective credit of either type. Math. 183 or Math. 186 will not be allowed as an elective. Math. 163 will only be allowed as a professional elective. All lower- division mathematics is excluded from elective credit of either type.

Bioengineering

The following series of courses will provide “core” preparation in bioengineering and will satisfy up to five courses of the ECE elective requirements:

BILD 1, BILD 2, BE 100, BE 140A-B.

The bioengineering department will guarantee admission to these courses for ECE students on a space available basis.

CSE

The following courses are excluded as electives: CSE 1, 2, 5A-B, 8A-B, 11, 123A (duplicates ECE 158A), 140 (duplicates ECE 25), 140L (duplicates ECE 36), 143 (duplicates ECE 165). CSE 12, 20, and 21 will count toward the three professional electives ONLY.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)

Credit will not be allowed for MAE 105, 139, 140, 143B, or 170.

Special Studies

Courses 195–199: At most four units of 195–199 may be used for elective credit.

2. Professional Electives

Normally these will be upper-division courses in engineering, mathematics, or physics. Students may also choose upper-division courses from other departments provided that they fit into a coherent professional program. In such cases, a lower-division prerequisite may be included in the electives. Courses other than upper-division engineering, mathematics, or physics must be justified in terms of such a program, and must be approved by a faculty advisor.

Biology and Chemistry

Of the three electives intended to allow for the professional diversity, one lower-division biology or chemistry course from BILD 1, 2, Chem. 6B-C may be counted for credit in combination with two upper-division biology or chemistry courses. Furthermore, this will count only if the student can demonstrate to a faculty advisor that they constitute part of a coherent plan for professional/career development.

Upper-division biology and chemistry courses will count toward the three professional electives but not the three math/physics/engineering electives.

Economics

Suitable electives would include

Econ. 1 and 3 followed by the courses in one of the following tracks:

Economics 1 and 2 followed by two courses in one of the following tracks:

Note: Econ. 100A can be substituted for Econ. 2

Econ. 1 and 100A followed by two courses in one of the following tracks:

Note: Econ. 120A, and 158A-B will not be allowed as professional electives. If Economics is chosen for professional electives, only three technical electives are required for electrical engineering majors; only one technical elective is required for engineering physics majors.

B.S. Computer Engineering

Students wishing to pursue the computer engineering curriculum may do so in either the ECE or CSE department. The set of required courses and allowed electives is the same in both departments; please note that the curriculum requires twenty upper-division courses. The Computer Engineering Program requires a total of 151 units (not including the general-education requirements).

The Computer Engineering Program offers a strong emphasis on engineering mathematics and other basic engineering science as well as a firm grounding in computer science. Students should have sufficient background in high school mathematics so that they can take freshman calculus in their first quarter. Courses in high school physics and computer programming, although helpful, are not required for admission to the program.

Lower-Division Requirements
(total of seventy-five units)

Mathematics (twenty units)

Math. 20A-B-C-D-F.

Physics (sixteen units)

Phys. 2A-B-C-D, or Phys. 4A-B-C-D. Math. 20A is a prerequisite for Phys. 2A. Students whose performance on the mathematics placement test permits them to start with Math. 20B or higher may take Phys. 2A in the fall quarter of the freshman year.

Computer Science (twenty-seven units)

CSE 11 or 8B*, 12, 15L, CSE 20 or Math. 15A, CSE 21 or Math. 15B, CSE 30, CSE 70, and CSE 91.

*CSE 8A and CSE 8B are not required if a student completes CSE 11. CSE 11 is a faster paced version of CSE 8A and CSE 8B. Students will self-select which course they wish to take. Students without programming experience in a compiled language are advised to take CSE 8A and then CSE 8B instead of CSE 11.

Electrical Engineering (twelve units)

ECE 35, ECE 45, ECE 65.

Upper-Division Requirements
(total of seventy-six units)

  1. All B.S. computer engineering students are required to take CSE 100 or Math. 176, CSE 101 or Math. 188, CSE 105 or Math. 166, CSE 120, 131, 139, 140, 140L (CSE 140 and 140L must be taken concurrently), 141, 141L (CSE 141 and 141L must be taken concurrently).
  2. In addition, all B.S. computer engineering students must fulfill the following upper-division ECE requirements:
    • Engineering Probability and Statistics ECE 109. This course can be taken in the sophomore year.
    • Electronic Circuits and Systems ECE 102 and 108. The department recommends that these courses be taken in the junior year.
    • Linear systems ECE 101.
  3. Technical electives: All B.S. computer engineering majors are required to take six technical electives.
    • One technical elective must be either ECE 111 or ECE 118.
    • Of the remaining five technical electives, four must be ECE or CSE upper-division or graduate courses.
    • The remaining course can be any upper-division course listed under the non-CSE/ECE electives. (See the section on electives below.)

Electives

The discipline of computer engineering interacts with a number of other disciplines in a mutually beneficial way. These disciplines include mathematics, computer science, and cognitive science. The following is a list of upper-division courses from these and other disciplines that can be counted as technical electives.

At most four units of 197, 198, or 199 may be used towards technical elective requirements. ECE/CSE 195 cannot be used towards course requirements. Undergraduate students must get instructor’s permission and departmental stamp to enroll in a graduate course.

Students may not get duplicate credit for equivalent courses. The UC San Diego General Catalog should be consulted for equivalency information and any restrictions placed on the courses. Additional restrictions are noted below. Any deviation from this list must be petitioned.

Mathematics

All upper-division courses except Math. 168A-B, 179A-B, 183, 184A-B, 189A-B, and 195–199. If a student has completed CSE 167, then he or she cannot get elective credit for Math. 155A. Students may receive elective credit for only one of the following courses: CSE 164A, Math. 174, Math. 173, Phys. 105A-B, MAE 107, CENG 100. No credit for any of these courses will be given if Math. 170A-B-C is taken. Students will receive credit for either Math. 166 or CSE 105 (but not both), either Math. 188 or CSE 101 (but not both), and either Math. 176 or CSE 100 (but not both).

Computer Science and Engineering

All CSE upper-division courses except CSE 195. Students will receive credit for either CSE 123A or ECE 158A (but not both).

Cognitive Science

Sensation and Perception 101A, Learning, Memory, and Attention 101B, Language 101C, Distributed Cognition 102A, Cognitive Ethnography 102B, Cognitive Engineering 102C, Neuroanatomy and Physiology 107A, Systems Neuroscience 107B, Cognitive Neuroscience 107C, Programming Methods for Cognitive Science 108D, Neural Networks Models of Cognitive I 108E, Advanced Programming Methods for Cognitive Science 108F, Human Computer Interaction 120, Human Computer Interaction Programming 121, Semantics 150, Language Comprehension 153, Natural and Artificial Symbolic Representational Systems 170, Neural Network Models of Cognition II 181, Artificial Intelligence Modeling II 182.

Students may not get credit for both CSE 150 and Advanced Programming Methods for Cognitive Science 108F or for both CSE 151 and Artificial Intelligence Modeling II 182.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)

All upper-division MAE courses except MAE 140, and MAE 195-199.

Students may receive elective credit for only one of the following courses: CSE 164A, Math. 174, Math. 173, Phys. 105A-B, CENG 100, MAE 107. Students may only get credit for one of the two courses, CSE 167 or MAE 152.

Economics

Microeconomics 100A-B, Game Theory 109, Macroeconomics 110A-B, Mathematical Economics 113, Econometrics 120B-C, Applied Econometrics 121, Management Science Microeconomics 170A-B, Decisions Under Uncertainty 171, Introduction to Operations Research 172A-B-C, Economic and Business Forecasting 178.

Students cannot take Economics 120A since it duplicates ECE 109.

Linguistics

Phonetics 110, Phonology I 111, Phonology II 115, Morphology 120, Syntax I 121, Syntax II 125, Semantics 130, Mathematical Analysis of Languages 160, Computers and Language 163, Computational Linguistics 165, Psycholinguistics 170, Language and the Brain 172, and Sociolinguistics 175.

Engineering

Team Engineering 101 (see course description under the Jacobs School of Engineering section).

Music

Computer Music II 172, Audio Production: Mixing and Editing 173.

Psychology

Engineering Psychology 161.

B.A. Electrical Engineering and Society

Students must complete a total of 180 units for graduation, including the general-education requirements (GER). Note that 144 units (excluding GER) are required.

Lower-Division Requirements
(total of eighty units)

Mathematics (twenty-four units)

Math. 20A-B-C-D-E-F.

Physics (sixteen units)

Phys. 2A-B-C-D or Phys. 4A-B-C-D-E. Math. 20A is a prerequisite for Phys. 2A. Students whose performance on the mathematics placement test permits them to start with Math. 20B or higher may take Phys. 2A in the fall quarter of the freshman year.

Chemistry (four units)

Chem. 6A.

Programming Course (four units)

ECE 15.

Electrical Engineering (twenty units)

ECE 25, 30, 35, 45, 65, and 75.

Elective Courses in Social Sciences and Humanities Studies (eight units)

These can be prerequisite courses for the upper-division depth sequence in social sciences/humanities. For instance, for history studies, this can be two history lower-division courses (HILD 2,7,10–12). Historically oriented HUM, MMW, and CAT courses would count as well. At least one lower-division course should have a writing component. For economics studies, this can be two lower-division courses (ECON 1, and ECON 4 for the finance track); or one lower-division course (ECON 1) plus one upper-division course for the data analysis track. For political science, the following courses may be utilized: PS10, PS11, PS12, PS13, PS30. For sociology studies, students will choose two lower-division courses from SOCL 1A, 1B, and 30, of which L30 is highly recommended.

Other courses in social sciences/humanities will be available after an agreement between ECE and the respective departments/programs are established and approved.

Additional Notes
  1. Students with AP math credit are strongly advised to take Math. 20B in the fall quarter, leaving room for a GER in the winter quarter.
  2. The ECE undergraduate Web site shows several scheduling options. Please refer to the Web site and consult with the staff advisors in the undergraduate offices, rooms 2705 and 2707 in EBU1.

Upper-Division Requirements
(total of sixty-four units)

a. Electrical Engineering BREADTH Courses (twenty-four units)

Courses required of all electrical engineering majors:

The six courses—ECE 101, 102, 103, 107, 108, and 109—are required of all electrical engineering majors and they are an assumed prerequisite for senior-level courses, even if they are not explicitly required. Although the courses are largely independent, ECE 102 is a prerequisite for ECE 108. Students who delay some of the BREADTH courses until the spring should be careful to not have delayed their depth sequence.

b. Electrical Engineering DESIGN Course (four units)

Note: In order to fulfill the design requirement, students must complete one of the following courses with a grade C– or better. When taking this course, the student has the option of having a portion of the project related to his/her social sciences/humanities study. Graduation will not be approved until a written copy of the design project is submitted to the ECE undergraduate office.

The electrical engineering design requirement can be fulfilled in any of the following three ways:

  1. Take ECE 191. Engineering Group Design Project
  2. Take ECE 190. Engineering Design. This course requires the department stamp. Specifications and enrollment forms are available in the undergraduate office.
  3. Take one of the following courses:
    • ECE 111. Advanced Digital Design Project
    • ECE 118. Computer Interfacing
    • ECE 155B or 155C. Digital Recording Projects

Students who wish to take one of these courses to satisfy the design requirement must fill out an enrollment form and have departmental approval for the design credit prior to taking the course. The project must meet the same specifications as ECE 190.

c. Electrical Engineering ELECTIVES (twelve units)

Three upper-division engineering, mathematics, or physics courses.

d. Social Sciences/Humanities Studies Depth Requirement (twenty-four units)

Students must complete a “depth requirement” of at least six quarter courses to provide a focus for their studies. Sample depth programs for history and economics students are discussed below. Students may choose this demonstrated sequence or they may propose another with the approval of their faculty co-advisor from the respective social sciences/humanities department.

History Studies (six courses, twenty-four units)

HISC 105. History of Environmentalism

HISC 106. The Scientific Revolution

HISC 107. The Emergence of Modern Science

HISC 108. Science and Technology in the Twentieth Century

HISC 109. Science in Western Civilization

HISC 111. The Atomic Bomb and the Atomic Age

HISC 115. Making Modern Medicine

HISC 131. Science Technology and Law

HISC 173/273. Darwin and Darwinism

HILD 2A. United States History

HILD 7A. Race and Ethnicity

HILD 10. East Asia: The Great Tradition

HILD 11. East Asia and the West

HILD 12. Twentieth-Century East Asia

HIUS 140. Economic History of the United States

HIUS 151. American Legal History 1865 to the Present

HIUS 187. Social Movements in the United States

HIUS 148. American Cities in the Twentieth Century

HIEU 143. European Intellectual History

HIGR 222. European History

HILA 102. Latin America in the Twentieth Century

Economics Studies

Track A: Finance (six courses, twenty-four units)

Track B: Data Analysis (seven courses, twenty-eight units, one of them can be taken during lower-division years)

Political Science Studies (six courses, twenty-four units)

Policy Analysis

At least four courses from

PS 160AA. Introduction to Policy Analysis

PS 160AB. Introduction to Policy Analysis

PS 162. Environmental Policy

PS 163. Analyzing Politics

PS 165. Special Topic: Policy Analysis

PS 168. Policy Assessment

PS 170A. Introductory Statistics for Political Science and Public Policy

and at least two courses from

PS 100H. Race and Ethnicity

PS 102J. Advanced Topics in Urban Politics

PS 103A. California Government and Politics

PS 103B. Politics and Policymaking in Los Angeles

PS 103C. Politics and Policymaking/San Diego

PS 125. Politics of Conservation

PS 125A. Communities and the Environment

PS 126AA. Modern Capitalism

PS 142A. United States Foreign Policy

PS 142B. U.S. Foreign Economic Policy

PS 142J. National Security Strategy

PS 142M. U. S. Foreign Policy/Regional Security

Sociology Studies (six courses, twenty-four units)

Students may specialize in one of four departmental concentrations or complete the “general sociology” track.

Students will choose eight courses, two lower-division and six upper-division courses from their choice of concentrations in Science and Medicine, Law and Society, Economy and Society, International Studies, or General Sociology. Note: SOCL 30 and SOCC 168T are highly recommended for all tracks.

Concentration in Science and Medicine (eight courses, thirty-two units)

Students will choose two lower division courses from SOCL 1A, 1B, and 30, of which L30 is highly recommended; and six upper division courses from the list below, in which SOCC 168T is highly recommended.

Lower-Division

L 1A. The Study of Society

L 1B. The Study of Society

L 30. Science, Technology, and Society (highly recommended)

Upper-Division

C 168T. Sociology of Technology (highly recommended)

B 113. Sociology of the AIDS Epidemic

C 134A. The Making of Modern Medicine

C 135. Medical Sociology

C 136A. Sociology of Mental Illness: An Historical Approach

C 136B. Sociology of Mental Illness in Contemporary Society

C 138. Genetics and Society

C 149. Sociology of the Environment

C 167. Science and War

C 168E. Sociology of Science

Concentration in Law and Society (eight courses, thirty-two units)

Students will choose two lower-division courses from SOCL 1A, 1B, and 30, of which L30 is highly recommended; and six upper-division courses from the list below, in which SOCC 168T is highly recommended.

Lower-Division

L 1A. The Study of Society

L 1B. The Study of Society

L 30. Science, Technology, and Society (highly recommended)

Upper-Division

C 168T. Sociology of Technology (highly recommended)

B 111. Human Rights

B 112. Social Psychology

B 142. Social Deviance

B 143. Suicide

B 146. Law Enforcement in America

B 160L. Law and Culture

B 173. Elite Crime

C 140. Sociology of Law

C 140F. Law and the Workplace

C 141. Crime and Society

C 147. Organizations, Society, and Social Justice

C 159. Special Topics in Social Organizations and Institutions

C 163. Migration and the Law

Concentration in Economy and Society (eight courses, thirty-two units)

Students will choose two lower-division courses from SOCL 1A, 1B, and 30, of which L30 is highly recommended; and six upper-division courses from the list below, in which SOCC 168T is highly recommended.

Lower-Division

L 1A. The Study of Society

L 1B. The Study of Society

L 30 . Science, Technology, and Society (highly recommended)

Upper-Division

C 168T. Sociology of Technology (highly recommended)

B 125. Sociology of Immigration

B 137. Sociology of Food

C 121. Economy and Society

C 132. Gender and Work

C 139. Social Inequality: Class, Race, and Gender

C 140F. Law and the Workplace

C 148L. Inequality and Jobs

C 152. Social Inequality and Public Policy

C 163. Migration and the Law

C 167. Science and War

D 185. Globalization and Social Development

Concentration in International Studies (eight courses, thirty-two units)

Students will choose two lower-division courses from SOCL 1A, 1B, and 30, of which L30 is highly recommended; and six upper-division courses from the list below, in which SOCC 168T is highly recommended.

Lower-Division

L 1A. The Study of Society

L 1B. The Study of Society

L 30 . Science, Technology, and Society (highly recommended)

Upper-Division

C 168T. Sociology of Technology (highly recommended)

B 111A. Human Rights: Principles and Problems

B 111B. Human Rights: Practices and Cases

B 130. Population and Society

B 145. Violence and Society

B 151. Comparative Race and Ethnic Relations

B 162R. Religion and Popular Culture in East Asia

C 148. Political Sociology

C 152. Urban Sociology

C 157. Religion in Contemporary Society

D 158. Islam in the Modern World

D 169, Citizenship, Community, and Culture

D 176. War and Society

D 177. International Terrorism

D 178. The Holocaust

D 179. Social Change

D 180. Social Movements and Social Protest

D 181. Modern Western Society

D 182. Ethnicity and Indigenous Peoples in Latin America

D 183. Minorities and Nations

D 185. Globalization and Social Development

D 187. African Societies Through Film

D 188A. Community and Social Change in Africa

D 188B. Chinese Society

D 188F. Modern Jewish Societies and Israeli Society

D 188D. Latin America: Society and Politics

D 188J. Change in Modern South Africa

D 189. Special Topics in Comparative-Historical Sociology

General Sociology (eight courses, thirty-two units)

Students will choose two lower-division courses from SOCL 1A, 1B, and 30, of which 30 is highly recommended; and six upper-division courses, including one from EACH of the following four concentrations:

Science and Medicine

Law and Society

Economy and Society

International Studies

Note: SOCL 30 and SOCC 168T are highly recommended as two of the eight total courses.

Sample of a four-year program for the B.A. in Engineering Majors

1. Lower-Division Requirements (total of seventy-six units excluding GERs)

FALL

WINTER

SPRING

FRESHMEN YEAR

  

Math. 20A

Math. 20B

Math. 20C

ECE 15 (Computer Programming)

Phys. 2A

Phys. 2B

Chem. 6A

ECE 25 (Intro to EE, Digital)

ECE 35 (Intro to EE, Analog)

GER

GER

GER

SOPHMORE YEAR

  

Math. 20F

Math. 20D

Math. 20E

Phys. 2C

Phys. 2D

GER

ECE 30 (Intro to CE)

ECE 45 (Circuits and Systems)

ECE 65 (Components and Circuit Lab)

GER

S/H Elective

S/H Elective

2.  Upper-Division Requirements (total of sixty-eight units excluding GERs)

FALL

WINTER

SPRING

JUNIOR YEAR

  

ECE 101 (Linear Systems)

ECE 107 (Electromagnetism)

GER

ECE 102 (Active Circuits)

ECE 108 (Digital Circuits)

Depth #1

ECE 109 (Prob. and Statistics)

ECE 103 (Devices and Materials)

Depth #2

GER

GER

GER

SENIOR YEAR

  

Depth #3

Depth #5

Depth #6

Depth #4

E. Elective

E. Elective

E. Elective

E. Elective

E. Elective

GER

GER

GER

Notes:

Minor Curricula

ECE offers three minors in accord with the general university policy that a minor requires five upper-division courses. Students must realize that these upper-division courses have extensive lower-division prerequisites (please consult the ECE undergraduate office). Students should also consult their college provost’s office concerning the rules governing minors and programs of concentration.

Electrical Engineering: Twenty units chosen from the breadth courses ECE 101, 102, 103, 107, 108, 109.

Engineering Physics: Twenty units chosen from the junior year courses Phys. 110A, 130A, Math. 110, ECE 101, 102, 103, 107, 108, 109.

Computer Engineering: Twenty units chosen from the junior year courses ECE 102, 108, CSE 100, 101, 105, 120, 140, 140L, 141, 141L.

The department will consider other mixtures of upper-division ECE, CSE, physics, and mathematics courses by petition.

Undergraduate Admissions, Policies, and Procedures

Freshman Eligibility

1. Computer Engineering

Freshmen students who have declared Computer Engineering on their application will be directly admitted into the major.

2. Electrical Engineering

Freshmen students who have declared Electrical Engineering on their application will be directly admitted into the major.

3. Engineering Physics

All students will initially be placed in pre-major status. Upon successful completion of the following courses (with a minimum 2.0 GPA by the end of the first three quarters if a transfer student, six quarters if an incoming freshman), students will be admitted into full Engineering-Physics major status.

  1. Math. 20A-B-C
  2. Phys. 2A-B
  3. ECE 15, 25, and 35

To initiate the change from pre-major status to full major status, transfer students must see the ECE undergraduate advisor by the end of their third quarter at UCSD; incoming freshmen by the end of their sixth quarter.

Please refer to the section “Undergraduate Regulations and Requirements” for important details.

Transfer Students Eligibility

It is strongly recommended that transfer students complete the following course preparation for engineering majors:

*Refer to the UC San Diego General Catalog to select major prerequisite requirement for computer language courses.

1. Computer Engineering

Applicants seeking admission as transfer students will be directly admitted into the Computer Engineering major.

2. Electrical Engineering

Applicants seeking admission as transfer students will be directly admitted into the electrical engineering major.

3. Engineering Physics

Students are accepted into the pre-major and must complete the following courses in order to be accepted into the engineering physics major: Math. 20A-B-C, Phys. 2A-B, ECE 15, 25, and 35. Students who wish to enter in the engineering physics major must contact the department before the beginning of the fall quarter, submitting course descriptions and transcripts for courses used to satisfy their lower-division requirements. Normally, admission will be for the fall quarter; students entering in the winter or spring quarter should be aware that scheduling difficulties may occur because upper-division sequences normally begin in the fall quarter.

Grade Requirement in the Major

Courses required for the major must be taken for a letter grade. All major courses must be completed with a grade of C– or better.

A GPA of 2.0 is required in all upper-division courses in the major, including technical electives. The grade of D will not be considered an adequate prerequisite for any ECE course and will not be allowed for graduation. The engineering design requirement must be completed with a grade of C– or better.

Advising

Students are required to complete an academic planning form and to discuss their curriculum with the appropriate departmental advisor immediately upon entrance to UCSD, and then every year until graduation. This is intended to help students in: a) their choice of depth sequence, b) their choice of electives, c) keeping up with changes in departmental requirements. A faculty advisor will be assigned by the ECE department undergraduate office.

New Transfer Students in Electrical Engineering and Engineering Physics

The entire curriculum is predicated on the idea of actively involving students in engineering from the time they enter as freshmen. The freshman courses have been carefully crafted to provide an overview of the engineering mindset with its interrelationships among physics, mathematics, problem solving, and computation. All later courses are specifically designed to build on this foundation. All transfer students should understand that the lower-division curriculum is demanding. Transfer students will be required to take all lower-division requirements or their equivalent. Transfer students are advised to consult the ECE Web site for sample recommended course schedules and for the ECE course requirement guide.

New Transfer Students in Computer Engineering

Transfer students are advised to consult the ECE Web site for sample recommended course schedules and for the ECE course requirement guide.

Students who do not have any programming experience are encouraged to take the CSE 8A-B sequence instead of CSE 11. Experience has shown that most students who are not familiar with programming and take CSE 11 have to retake the class because the accelerated pace makes it difficult to learn the new material.

Note: Transfer students are encouraged to consult with the ECE undergraduate office for academic planning upon entrance to UCSD.

ECE Honors Program

The ECE Undergraduate Honors Program is intended to give eligible students the opportunity to work closely with faculty in a project, and to honor the top graduating undergraduate students.

Eligibility for Admission to the Honors Program

  1. Students with a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major and 3.25 overall will be eligible to apply. Students may apply at the end of the winter quarter of their junior year and no later than the end of the second week of fall quarter of their senior year. No late applications will be accepted.
  2. Students must submit a project proposal (sponsored by an ECE faculty member) to the honors program committee at the time of application.
  3. The major GPA will include ALL lower-division required for the major and all upper-division required for the major that are completed at the time of application (a minimum of twenty-four units of upper-division course work).

Requirements for Award of Honors

  1. Completion of all ECE requirements with a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major based on grades through winter quarter of the senior year.
  2. Formal participation (i.e., registration and attendance) in the ECE 290 graduate seminar program in the winter quarter of their senior year.
  3. Completion of an eight-unit approved honors project (ECE 193H: Honors Project) and submission of a written report by the first day of spring quarter of the senior year. This project must contain enough design to satisfy the ECE B.S.four-unit design requirement.
  4. The ECE honors committee will review each project final report and certify the projects which have been successfully completed at the honors level.

Procedure for Application to the Honors Program

Between the end of the winter quarter of their junior year and the second week of the fall quarter of their senior year, interested students must advise the department of their intention to participate by submitting a proposal for the honors project sponsored by an ECE faculty member. Admission to the honors program will be formally approved by the ECE honors committee based on GPA and the proposal.

Unit Considerations

Except for the two-unit graduate seminar, this honors program does not increase a participant’s total unit requirements. The honors project will satisfy the departmental design requirement and students may use four units of their honors project course as a technical elective.