Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)

[ Undergrad Program] [ Graduate Program] [ Professors] [ Courses]

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
  5. a. An ability to collaborate effectively with others
    b. 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
  9. a. An ability to communicate effectively in writing
    b. An ability to communicate effectively in speech
    c. 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. 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 speciality, 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.

For information about admission to 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 UCSD 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 sixty-eight 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, and 65.

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-six 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:

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-eight units)

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, 173, 174, and 118 or 191.

Machine Intelligence: ECE 173, 174, 172A and any two of ECE 161A, ECE 175, 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 sections “Undergraduate Regulations and Requirements” and “Acceptance to the Jacobs School of Engineering” for important details.

Lower-Division Requirements

(total of seventy 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 units): ECE 25, 30, 35, 45, and 65.

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-six 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:

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 (twenty units)

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 must be admitted to 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)

a. 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).

b. In addition, all B.S. Computer engineering students must fulfill the following upper-division ECE requirements:

c. Technical electives: All B.S. Computer engineering majors are required to take six technical electives.

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 UCSD 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 seventy-six 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, and 65.

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.

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-eight 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:

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 (sixteen units)

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):

  • At least four of these should belong to the specific field the student is pursuing (e.g., History of: East Asia, United States, Europe, Science, etc.).
  • At least one course should be in the field of history of science and technology.
  • At least one course should be a colloquium (i.e., a small course, with an emphasis on essay writing).
    • 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)

    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:

    •Depth = Depth sequence courses

    •S/H Elective = Social sciences/humanities elective courses

    •E. Elective = Electrical engineering elective courses which can be engineering, mathematics, or
    physics courses. Three of these electives must be upper division. The fourth may be either lower
    or upper division

    •GER = General Education Requirements

    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:

      Admission to the computer engineering major is currently restricted as described in the section “Admission to the School of Engineering.” The only way to become a computer engineering (CE) major is to be directly admitted as an entering freshman or as an entering transfer (Transfer students, see TRANSFER STUDENTS section below).

      The electrical and computer engineering department may periodically grant admission to the computer engineering (CE) major to a small number of academically exceptional UCSD undergraduate students who were not admitted to this major as entering students. Exceptional admission will be considered for students having an overall UCSD GPA of 3.5 or better who have taken at least two CSE, math, or science courses demonstrating special aptitude for the CE curriculum. Applications for exceptional admission must include submission of a course plan demonstrating ability to satisfy graduation requirements and a personal statement addressing the applicant’s motivation to join the CE major, in addition to other criteria established by the department.

    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 sections “Undergraduate Regulations and Requirements” and “Acceptance to the Jacobs School of Engineering” for important details.

    Transfer Students Eligibility

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

    *Refer to the UCSD General Catalog to select major prerequisite requirement for computer language courses.

    1. Computer Engineering:

      The B.S. in Computer Engineering is an impacted major and admission is limited to applicants who have demonstrated a high level of achievement commensurate with the prospect of success in this major. Successful applicants must have completed substantial training at the community college and must have achieved a high level of academic performance there. For example, the required minimum of ninety quarter transfer units must include eighteen quarter units of calculus, twelve quarter units of calculus-based physics, and the highest level computer science course offered at their community college. Although the actual required GPA cutoff depends on the number of openings, at least a 3.2 GPA in the community college transfer courses, and a 3.4 GPA in math, physics and computer science courses, are likely to be needed to gain admission.

      When planning their programs, students should be mindful of lower-division prerequisites necessary for admission to upper-division courses.

      Effective fall 2004 applicants seeking admission as transfer students will be considered for direct admission into the Computer Engineering (CE) major in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). The only way to become a Computer Engineering (CE) major is to be directly admitted as an entering transfer student.

    2. Electrical Engineering:

      Applicants seeking admission as transfer students will be considered for direct admission into the electrical engineering major. Although the actual required GPA cutoff depends on the number of openings, at least a 3.2 GPA in the community college transfer courses, and a 3.4 GPA in mathematics, physics, and computer science courses, are likely to be needed to gain admission.

    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.

    Five-Year B.S./Master's Program

    Undergraduates in the ECE department who have maintained a good academic record in both departmental and overall course work are encouraged to participate in the five-year B.S./master's program offered by the department. Participation in the program will permit students to complete the requirements for the M.S. or M.Eng. degree within one year following receipt of the B.S. degree. Complete details regarding admission to and participation in the program are available from the ECE Undergraduate Affairs office.

    Admission to the Program

    Students should submit an application for the B.S./master’s program, including three letters of recommendation, by the program deadline during the spring quarter of their junior year. Applications are available from the ECE Undergraduate Affairs office. No GRE’s are required for application to the B.S./master’s program. A GPA of at least 3.0 both overall and in the major and strong letters of recommendation are required to be considered for program admission. Students should indicate at that time whether they wish to be considered for the M.S. or the M.Eng. degree program.

    In the winter quarter of the senior year, applications of students admitted to the program will be forwarded by the department to the UCSD Office of Graduate Studies and Research. Each student must submit the regular graduate application fee prior to the application deadline for their application to be processed. Students who have been accepted into the B.S./master’s program will automatically be admitted for graduate study beginning the following fall provided they maintain an overall GPA through the winter quarter of the senior year of at least 3.0. Upper-division (up to twelve units) or graduate courses taken during the senior year that are not used to satisfy undergraduate course requirements may be counted towards the forty-eight units required for the M.S. or M.Eng. degree.

    Continuation in the Program

    Once admitted to the B.S./master's program, students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all courses through the winter quarter of the senior year and in addition must at all times maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in their graduate course work. Students not satisfying these requirements may be re-evaluated for continuation in the program.

    Admission for graduate study through the B.S./master’s program will be for the M.S. or M.Eng. degree only. Undergraduate students wishing to continue toward the Ph.D. degree must apply and be evaluated according to the usual procedures and criteria for admission to the Ph.D. program.

    Curriculum

    Students in the five-year B.S./master’s program must complete the same requirements as those in the regular M.S. or M.Eng. program. Completion of the M.S. or M.Eng. degree requirements within one year following receipt of the B.S. degree will generally require that students begin graduate course work in their senior year. All requirements for the B.S. degree should be completed by the end of the senior (fourth) year, and the B.S. degree awarded prior to the start of the fifth year. Courses taken in the senior year may be counted toward the B.S. degree requirements or the M.S. or M.Eng. degree requirements, but not both. Students must have received their B.S. degree before they will be eligible to enroll as graduate students in the department.

    The Graduate Programs

    The department offers graduate programs leading to the M.Eng., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering. Students can be admitted into ECE graduate studies through either the M.Eng, M.S. or Ph.D. programs.

    The Ph.D. program is strongly research oriented and is for students whose final degree objective is the Ph.D. If a student with a B.S. is admitted to this program, he or she will be expected to complete the requirements for the M.S. degree (outlined below) before beginning doctoral research. The M.S. is a technically intensive, research-oriented degree intended as preparation for advanced technical work in the engineering profession, or subsequent pursuit of a Ph.D. By contrast, the M. Eng. is intended to be a terminal professional degree, for those not planning to pursue the Ph.D. The M. Eng. has only a course work requirement.

    In addition, the department offers M.S. and Ph.D. programs in computer engineering jointly with CSE, and a Ph.D. program in applied ocean science jointly with MAE and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

    Admission to an ECE graduate program is in accordance with the general requirements of the UCSD graduate division, and requires at least a B.S. Degree in engineering, physical sciences, or mathematics with a minimum upper division GPA of 3.0. Applicants must provide three letters of recommendation and recent GRE General Test scores. TOEFL or IELTS scores are required from international applicants whose native language is not English. Applicants should be aware that the University does not permit duplication of degrees.

    Support: The department makes every effort to provide financial support for Ph.D. students who are making satisfactory progress. Support may take the form of a fellowship, teaching assistantship, research assistantship, or some combination thereof. International students will not be admitted unless there is reasonable assurance that support can be provided for the duration of their Ph.D. Program Students in the M.Eng. and M.S. programs may also obtain support through teaching or research assistantships, but this is less certain.

    Advising: Students should seek advice on requirements and procedures from the departmental graduate office and/or the departmental Web site http://www.ece.ucsd.edu. All students will be assigned a faculty academic advisor upon admission and are strongly encouraged to discuss their academic program with their advisor immediately upon arrival and subsequently at least once per academic year.

    Master of Engineering

    The Master of Engineering (M. Eng.) program is intended primarily for engineers who desire master’s-level work but do not intend to continue with Ph.D.-level research. It differs from the M.S. program in that it is a terminal professional degree, whereas the M.S. may serve as an entry to a Ph.D. program. Salient features of the M. Eng. program include the following: It can be completed in four quarters at full-time or eight quarters at half time; it does not require a thesis, a research project, or a comprehensive exam; and it has an option of three courses in business, management, and finance.

    Course Requirements:

    The total course requirements are forty-eight units (twelve quarter courses). At least thirty-six units must be at the graduate level. The choice of courses is subject to general focus and breadth requirements. Students will be assigned a faculty advisor who will help select courses.

    1. The Focus Requirement: (five courses) The M.Eng. program should reflect, among other things, a continuity and focus in one subject area. The course selection must therefore include at least twenty units (five quarter courses) in closely related courses leading to the state of the art in that area. The requirement may be met by selecting five courses from within one of the focus areas listed below. In some cases it may be appropriate to select five closely related courses from two of the areas listed below. Such cases must be approved by a faculty advisor and the ECE Graduate Affairs Committee.
    2. The Breadth Requirement: (two courses) A graduate student often cannot be certain of his or her future professional career activities and may benefit from exposure to interesting opportunities in other subject areas. The breadth requirement is intended to provide protection against technical obsolescence, open up new areas of interest, and provide for future self-education and interaction with people from related and sometime disparate disciplines. The minimum breadth requirement is eight units (two quarter courses) of ECE/CSE graduate courses selected from among the courses listed below, in an area distinctly different from that of the focus requirement.
    3. Technical Electives: (two courses) Two technical electives may be any graduate courses in ECE, CSE, Physics, or Mathematics. Other technical courses may be selected with the approval of the faculty advisor and the ECE Graduate Affairs Committee. Technical electives may include a maximum of four units of ECE 298 (Independent Study), or ECE 299 (Research).
    4. Professional Electives: (three courses) The three professional electives may be used in several ways: for the IP/Core 401, 420, 421 series in business, management, and finance; for upper-division undergraduate technical courses specified as prerequisites for graduate-level focus, breadth, or technical elective courses taken to satisfy the M.Eng. Degree requirements; or for additional graduate technical electives. Use of other courses to satisfy the Professional Elective requirement must be approved by the faculty advisor.

    Scholarship Requirement: The forty-eight units of required course work must be taken for a letter grade (A-F), except for ECE 298 or 299, for which only S/U grades are allowed. Courses for which a D or F is received may not be counted. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 overall.

    Master of Engineering Program Focus Courses

    Please consult the ECE graduate office or the ECE Web site http://www.ece.ucsd.edu for the current list of focus areas and courses.

    1. Applied Physics
      Allied Ph.D. research areas: Applied Physics—Applied Optics, Applied Physics—Electronic Devices and Materials, Photonics, Radio Space Science, and Magnetic Recording.
      ECE 222A-B-C. Electromagnetic Theory
      ECE 230A-B-C. Solid State Electronics
      ECE 236A-B-C-D. Semiconductors
      ECE 238A-B. Materials Science
      MS 201A-B-C. Materials Science
      ECE 240A-B-C. Optics
      ECE 241A-B-C. Optics
    2. Communications and Signal Analysis
      Allied Ph.D. Research areas: Communication Theory and Systems, Intelligent Systems, Robotics, and Control, Magnetic Recording, Signal and Image Processing.
      ECE 250. Random Processes
      ECE 251AN-BN-CN-DN. Digital Signal Processing
      ECE 252A-B. Speech Compression and Recognition
      ECE 253A-B. Digital Image Analysis
      ECE 254. Detection Theory
      ECE 255AN. Information Theory
      ECE 255BN-CN. Source Coding
      ECE 256A-B. Time Series Analysis
      ECE 257A-B. Wireless Communications
      ECE 258A-B. Digital Communications
      ECE 259AN-BN-CN. Channel Coding
      ECE 275A-B. Statistical Parameter Estimation
      ECE 285. Special Topic: Computer Vision; Pattern Recognition (offerings vary annually)
    3. Electronic Circuits and Systems
      Allied Ph.D. Research areas: Computer Engineering, Electronic Circuits and Systems.
      ECE 222A-B-C. Applied Electromagnetic Theory
      ECE 230A-B-C. Solid State Electronics
      ECE 236A-B-C. Semiconductor Hetero-structure Materials
      ECE 250. Random Processes
      ECE 260A-B-C. VLSI Circuits
      ECE 264A-B-C-D. Analog IC Design
      ECE 265A-B. Wireless Circuit Design
      CSE 240A, 240B. Computer Architecture
      CSE 242A, 243A. Computer Aided Design
      ECE 251AN-BN-CN-DN. Digital Signal Processing

    Transferring to the Ph.D. Program

    Although the M. Eng. is intended as a terminal degree, the department recognizes that degree goals can change, including the possibility that a student admitted to the M. Eng. may wish to pursue a Ph.D. To this end, we outline below the procedure that must be followed to effect such a change. At the outset, however, we stress that this option should not be used in an attempt to circumvent the normal Ph.D. admissions process. Students who fail to meet the standards for the Ph.D. program at the time of admission have little chance of being allowed into the Ph.D. program at a later date.

    Students in the M.Eng. program wishing to be considered for admission to the Ph.D. program should consult their academic advisor as soon as possible. Transfer from M. Eng. to the Ph.D. program is possible provided that the student:

    A student who has fulfilled all of the above requirements should, after passing the departmental comprehensive exam, submit a petition to change their degree objective from M.Eng. to Ph.D.

    Master of Science

    The ECE department offers M.S. programs in electrical and computer engineering. The M.S. program in computer engineering is jointly administered with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. The M.S. programs are research oriented, are intended to provide the intensive technical preparation necessary for advanced technical work in the engineering profession or subsequent pursuit of a Ph.D. The M.S. degree may be earned either with a thesis (Plan 1) or with a research project followed by a comprehensive examination (Plan 2). However, continuation in the Ph.D. program requires a comprehensive examination so most students opt for Plan 2.

    Course Requirements:

    The total course requirements for the master of science degrees in electrical engineering and in computer engineering are forty-eight units (twelve quarter courses) and forty-nine units, respectively, of which at least thirty-six units must be in graduate courses. Note that this is greater than the minimum requirements of the university. The department maintains a list of core courses for each disciplinary area from which the thirty-six graduate course units must be selected. The current list may be obtained from the department graduate office or the official Web site of the department. Students in interdisciplinary programs may select other core courses with the approval of their academic advisor. The course requirements must be completed within two years of full-time study. Students will be assigned a faculty advisor who will help select courses and approve their overall academic curriculum.

    Scholarship Requirement: The forty-eight units of required course work must be taken for a letter grade (AF), except for graduate research (e.g. ECE 298, 299) for which only S/U grades are allowed. Courses for which a D or F is received may not be counted. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 overall.

    Thesis and Comprehensive Requirements: The department offers both M.S. Plan 1 (thesis) and M.S. Plan 2 (written comprehensive exam). Students in the M.S. program may elect either Plan 1 or Plan 2 any time. Students in the M.S. Plan 1 (thesis) must take twelve units of ECE 299 (Research) and must submit a thesis as described in the general requirements of the university. Students in the M.S. Plan 2 (written comprehensive exam) may count four units of ECE 299 (Research) toward the thirty-six graduate units required and must pass the departmental written comprehensive examination not later than the end of the fall quarter of their second year of study. Students who pass the written examination at the MS level will receive a terminal masters degree, if they do not already have one.

    Students in the computer engineering discipline may elect to take examinations in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, in accordance with the CSE guidelines, in place of the written comprehensive examination in ECE.

    Transfer to the Ph.D. Program: Students in the M.S. program wishing to be considered for admission to the Ph.D. program should consult their academic advisor as soon as possible. Transfer from the M.S. to the Ph.D. program is possible provided that the student:

    A student who has fulfilled all of the above requirements should, after passing the departmental comprehensive exam, submit a petition to change his or her degree objective from M.S. to Ph.D.

    The Doctoral Programs

    The ECE department offers graduate programs leading to the Ph.D. Degree in ten disciplines within electrical and computer engineering, as described in detail below. The Ph.D. Is a research degree requiring completion of the Ph.D. Program course requirements, satisfactory performance on the comprehensive (Ph.D. Preliminary) examination and University Qualifying Examination, and submission and defense of a doctoral thesis (as described under the “Graduate Studies” section of this catalog). Students in the Ph.D. Program must pass the comprehensive exam (Ph.D. Preliminary) before the beginning of the winter quarter of the second year of graduate study. To ensure timely progress in their research, students are strongly encouraged to identify a faculty member willing to supervise their doctoral research by the end of their first year of study.

    Students should begin defining and preparing for their thesis research as soon as they have passed the comprehensive exam (Ph.D. Preliminary). They should plan on taking the University Qualifying Examination about one year later. The University does not permit students to continue in graduate study for more than four years without passing this examination. At the Qualifying Examination the student will give an oral presentation on research accomplishments to date and the thesis proposal to a campus-wide committee. The committee will decide if the work and proposal has adequate content and reasonable chance for success. They may require that the student modify the proposal and may require a further review.

    The final Ph.D. Requirements are the submission of a dissertation and the dissertation defense (as described under the “Graduate Studies” section of this catalog).

    Course Requirements: The total course requirements for the Ph.D. Degree in electrical engineering are essentially the same as the M.S. degree and consists of forty-eight units (twelve quarter courses), of which at least thirty-six units must be in graduate courses. Note that this is greater than the minimum requirements of the university. The department maintains a list of core courses for each disciplinary area from which the thirty-six graduate course units must be selected. The current list may be obtained from the ECE department graduate office or the official Web site of the department. Students in the interdisciplinary programs may select other core courses with the approval of their academic advisor. The course requirements must be completed within two years of full-time study.

    Students in the Ph.D programs may count no more than eight units of ECE 299 towards their course requirements.

    Students who already hold an M.S. degree in electrical engineering must nevertheless satisfy the requirements for the core courses. However, graduate courses taken elsewhere can be substituted for specific courses with the approval of the academic advisor.

    Scholarship Requirement: The forty-eight units of required courses must be taken for a letter grade (AF), except for ECE 299 (Research) for which only S/U grades are allowed. Courses for which a D or F is received may not be counted. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 overall. In addition, a GPA of 3.4 in the core graduate courses is generally expected.

    Comprehensive Exam (Ph.D. Preliminary): Ph.D. students must find a faculty member who will agree to supervise their thesis research. This should be done during the first year of study. Students may complete at least four units of ECE 299 (Research) and must pass the departmental comprehensive exam not later than the end of the fall quarter of their second year of study*. The comprehensive examination consists of a written examination, possibly followed by an oral examination. Students that pass the written examination with sufficiently high score during the spring quarter of their first year will not be required to take the oral exam. Students not meeting this threshold but who still pass at the Ph.D. level will be required to take the oral exam and to have identified a thesis advisor. The oral examination must be taken not later than the end of the fall quarter of their second year of study. Students who pass the written part of the comprehensive examination at the M.S. level will receive a terminal masters degree, if they do not already have one. Successful completion of the comprehensive examination (Ph.D. Preliminary) at any of these levels will also satisfy the M.S. Plan 2 comprehensive exam requirement.

    *Students in the computer engineering discipline may elect to take examinations in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, in accordance with the CSE guidelines, in place of the ECE comprehensive examination as described above.

    University Qualifying Exam: Students who have passed the comprehensive exam (Ph.D. Preliminary) should plan to take the University Qualifying Examination approximately a year after passing the comprehensive exam (Ph.D. Preliminary). The University does not permit students to continue in graduate study for more than four years without passing this examination. The University Qualifying Examination is an oral exam in which the student presents his or her thesis proposal to a universitywide committee. After passing this exam the student is “advanced to candidacy.”

    Dissertation Defense: The final Ph.D. Requirements are the submission of a dissertation, and the dissertation defense (as described under the "Graduate Studies" section of this catalog). Students who are advanced to candidacy may register for any ECE course on an S/U basis.

    Departmental Time Limits: Students who enter the Ph.D. Program with an M.S. degree from another institution are expected to complete their Ph.D. Requirements a year earlier than B.S. entrants. They must discuss their program with an academic advisor in their first quarter of residence. If their Ph.D. Program overlaps significantly with their earlier M.S. work, the time limits for the comprehensive and qualifying exams will also be reduced by one year. Specific time limits for the Ph.D. Program, assuming entry with a B.S. Degree, are as follows:

    1. The Comprehensive Exam (Ph.D. Preliminary) must be completed before the start of the winter quarter of the second year of full-time study.
    2. The University Qualifying Exam must be completed before the start of the fifth year of full-time study.
    3. Support Limit: Students may not receive financial support through the university for more than seven years of full-time study (six years with an M.S. degree).
    4. Registered Time Limit: Students may not register as graduate students for more than eight years of full-time study (seven years with an M.S. degree).

    Half-Time Study: Time limits are extended by one quarter for every two quarters of approved half-time status. Students on half-time status may not take more than six units each quarter.

    Ph.D. Research Programs

    1. Applied Ocean Sciences: This program in applied science related to the oceans is interdepartmental with the Graduate Department of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE). It is administered by SIO. All aspects of man’s purposeful and unusual intervention into the sea are included.
    2. Applied Physics—Applied Optics and Photonics: These programs encompass a broad range of interdisciplinary activities involving optical science and engineering, optical and optoelectronic materials and device technology, communications, computer engineering, and photonic systems engineering. Specific topics of interest include ultrafast optical processes, nonlinear optics, quantum cryptography and communications, optical image science, multidimensional optoelectronic I/O devices, spatial light modulators and photodetectors, artificial dielectrics, multifunctional diffractive and micro-optics, volume and computer-generated holography, optoelectronic and micromechanical devices and packaging, wave modulators and detectors, semiconductor-based optoelectronics, injection lasers, and photodetectors. Current research projects are focused on applications such as optical interconnects in high-speed digital systems, optical multidimensional signal and image processing, ultrahigh-speed optical networks, 3D optical memories and memory interfaces, 3D imaging and displays, and biophotonic systems. Facilities available for research in these areas include electron-beam and optical lithography, material growth, microfabrication, assembly, and packaging facilities, cw and femtosecond pulse laser systems, detection systems, optical and electro-optic components and devices, and electronic and optical characterization and testing equipment.
    3. Communication Theory and Systems
      Communications theory and systems concerns the transmission, processing, and storage of information. Topics covered by the group include wireless and wireline communications, spread-spectrum communication, multi-user communication, network protocols, error-correcting codes for transmission and magnetic recording, data compression, time-series analysis, and image and voice processing.
    4. Computer Engineering consists of balanced programs of studies in both hardware and software, the premise being that knowledge and skill in both areas are essential both for the modern-day computer engineer to make the proper unbiased tradeoffs in design, and for researchers to consider all paths towards the solution of research questions and problems. Toward these ends, the programs emphasize studies (course work) and competency (comprehensive examinations, and dissertations or projects) in the areas of VLSI and logic design, and reliable computer and communication systems. Specific research areas include: computer systems, signal processing systems, multiprocessing and parallel and distributed computing, computer communications and networks, computer architecture, computer-aided design, fault-tolerance and reliability, and neurocomputing. The faculty is composed of interested members of the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), and related areas. The specialization is administered by both departments; the requirements are similar in both departments, with students taking the comprehensive exam, if necessary, given by the student’s respective department.
    5. Electronic Circuits and Systems: This program involves the study and design of analog, mixed-signal (combined analog and digital), and digital electronic circuits and systems. Emphasis is on the development, analysis, and implementation of integrated circuits that perform analog and digital signal processing for applications such as wireless and wireline communication systems, test and measurement systems, and interfaces between computers and sensors. Particular areas of study currently include radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers, RF low noise amplifiers, RF mixers, fractional-N phase-locked loops (PLLs) for modulated and continuous-wave frequency synthesis, pipelined analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), delta-sigma ADCs and digital-to-analog converters (DACs), PLLs for clock recovery, adaptive and fixed continuous-time, switched-capacitor, and digital filters, echo cancellation circuits, adaptive equalization circuits, wireless receiver and transmitter linearization circuits, mixed-signal baseband processing circuits for wireless transmitters and receivers, high-speed digital circuits, and high-speed clock distribution circuits.
    6. Applied Physics—Electronic Devices and Materials: This program addresses the synthesis and characterization of advanced electronic materials, including semiconductors, metals, and dielectrics, and their application in novel electronic, optoelectronic, and photonic devices. Emphasis is placed on exploration of techniques for high-quality epitaxial growth of semiconductors, including both molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) and metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD); fabrication and characterization of materials and devices at the nanoscale; development of novel materials processing and integration techniques; and high-performance electronic devices based on both Group IV (Si/SiGe) and III-V compound semiconductor materials. Areas of current interest include novel materials and high-speed devices for wireless communications; electronic and optoelectronic devices for high-speed optical networks; high-power microwave-frequency devices; nanoscale CMOS devices and circuits; heterogeneous materials integration; novel device structures for biological and chemical sensing; advanced tools for nanoscale characterization and metrology; and novel nanoscale electronic, optoelectronic, and photonic devices. Extensive facilities are available for research in this area, including several MBE and MOCVD systems; a complete microfabrication facility; electron-beam lithography and associated process tools for nanoscale fabrication; a Rutherford backscattering system; x-ray diffractometers; electron microscopy facilities; extensive scanning-probe instrumentation; cryogenic systems; and comprehensive facilities for DC to RF electrical device characterization and optical characterization of materials and devices.
    7. Intelligent Systems, Robotics, and Control: This information sciences-based field is concerned with the design of human-interactive intelligent systems that can sense the world (defined as some specified domain of interest); represent or model the world; detect and identify states and events in the world; reason about and make decisions about the world; and/or act on the world, perhaps all in real-time. A sense of the type of systems and applications encountered in this discipline can be obtained by viewing the projects shown at the Web site http://swiftlet.ucsd.edu.

      The development of such sophisticated systems is necessarily an interdiscipinary activity. To sense and succinctly represent events in the world requires knowledge of signal processing, computer vision, information theory, coding theory, and data-basing; to detect and reason about states of the world utilizes concepts from statistical detection theory, hypothesis testing, pattern recognition, time series analysis, and artificial intelligence; to make good decisions about highly complex systems requires knowledge of traditional mathematical optimization theory and contemporary near-optimal approaches such as evolutionary computation; and to act upon the world requires familiarity with concepts of control theory and robotics. Very often learning and adaptation are required as either critical aspects of the world are poorly known at the outset, and must be refined online, or the world is non-stationary and our system must constantly adapt to it as it evolves. In addition to the theoretical information and computer science aspects, many important hardware and software issues must be addressed in order to obtain an effective fusion of a complicated suite of sensors, computers, and problem dynamics into one integrated system.

      Faculty affiliated with the ISRC subarea are involved in virtually all aspects of the field, including applications to intelligent communications systems; advanced human-computer interfacing; statistical signal- and image-processing; intelligent tracking and guidance systems; biomedical system identification and control; and control of teleoperated and autonomous multiagent robotic systems.
    8. Magnetic Recording is an interdisciplinary field involving physics, material science, communications, and mechanical engineering. The physics of magnetic recording involves studying magnetic heads, recording media, and the process of transferring information between the heads and the medium. General areas of investigation include: nonlinear behavior of magnetic heads, very high frequency loss mechanisms in head materials, characterization of recording media by micromagnetic and many body interaction analysis, response of the medium to the application of spatially varying vectorial head fields, fundamental analysis of medium nonuniformities leading to media noise, and experimental studies of the channel transfer function emphasizing non-linearities, interferences, and noise. Current projects include numerical simulations of high density digital recording in metallic thin films, micromagnetic analysis of magnetic reversal in individual magnetic particles, theory of recorded transition phase noise and magnetization induced nonlinear bit shift in thin metallic films, and analysis of the thermal-temporal stability of interacting fine particles.

      Research laboratories are housed in the Center for Magnetic Recording Research, a national center devoted to multidisciplinary teaching and research in the field.
    9. Applied Physics—Radio and Space Science: The Radio Science Program focuses on the study of radio waves propagating through turbulent media. The primary objectives are probing of otherwise inaccessible media such as the solar wind and interstellar plasma. Techniques for removing the effects of the turbulent medium to restore the intrinsic signals are also studied.

      The Space Science Program is concerned with the nature of the sun, its ionized and supersonic outer atmosphere (the solar wind), and the interaction of the solar wind with various bodies in the solar system. Theoretical studies include: the interaction of the solar wind with the earth, planets, and comets; cosmic dusty-plasmas; waves in the ionosphere; and the physics of shocks. A major theoretical effort involves the use of supercomputers for modeling and simulation studies of both fluid and kinetic processes in space plasmas.

      Students in radio science will take measurements at various radio observatories in the U.S. And elsewhere. This work involves a great deal of digital signal processing and statistical analysis. All students will need to become familiar with electromagnetic theory, plasma physics, and numerical analysis.
    10. Signal and Image Processing: This program explores engineering issues related to the modeling of signals starting from the physics of the problem, developing and evaluating algorithms for extracting the necessary information from the signal, and the implementation of these algorithms on electronic and opto-electronic systems. Examples of research areas include filter design, fast transforms, adaptive filters, spectrum estimation and modeling, sensor array processing, image processing, image restoration, video processing, pattern recognition, and the implementation of signal processing algorithms using appropriate technologies. Signal and image processing techniques have found application in a number of areas such as sonar, radar, speech, geophysics, medical imaging, robotic vision, digital communications, and multimedia systems among others.

    11. Nanoscale Devices and Systems: This program area will address the science and engineering of materials and device structures at length scales of ~100nm and below, at which phenomena such as quantum confinement and single-electron effects in electronics, near-field behavior in optics and electromagnetics, single-domain effects in magnetics, and a host of other effects in mechanical, fluidic, and biological systems emerge and become dominant. Engineering activities such as scaling of transistors and other circuit elements in microelectronics, design of new, artificial materials with engineered optical properties and of photonic components and systems based on these materials, engineering of high-density magnetic storage media and systems, development of new technologies for renewable energy conversion and storage, advancement of sensor technology, and others now depend upon engineering both solid-state and “soft” materials and device structures at the nanoscale. Furthermore, the integration of such technologies into complex systems, as well as consideration of system drivers and constraints as guides for the development of new materials and devices, is emerging as a critical aspect of nanotechnology.

    Research Facilities

    Most of the research laboratories of the department are associated with individual faculty members or small informal groups of faculty. Larger instruments and facilities, such as those for electron microscopy and e-beam lithography are operated jointly. In addition the department operates several research centers and participates in various university wide organized research units.

    The department-operated research centers are the Center for Wireless Communications which is a university-industry partnership; the Institute for Neural Computation, and the Center for Information Theory and Application in conjunction with Calit2.

    Department research is also associated with the Center for Astronomy and Space Science, the Center for Magnetic Recording Research, the California Space Institute, the Institute for Nonlinear Science, and Calit2 (http://www.calit2.net). Departmental researchers also use various national and international laboratories, such as the National Nanofabrication Facility, the National Radio Astronomy Laboratory, and the Center for Networked Systems (CSE).

    The department emphasizes computational capability and maintains numerous computer laboratories for instruction and research. One of the NSF national supercomputer centers is located on the campus. This is particularly useful for those whose work requires high data bandwidths.