Department of Electrical
and Computer Engineering
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This department supervises the following degree programs:

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
• Master of Science in Electrical Engineering
• Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering

Mission. The mission of Texas Tech University is to provide the highest standard of excellence in higher education while pursuing continuous quality improvement, stimulating the greatest degree of meaningful research, and supporting faculty and staff in satisfying those we serve. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering supports the mission of the university through its undergraduate programs by providing students with appropriate curricula and educational experiences. The curricula remain current through continuing assessment by employers, alumni, faculty, and students. Students obtain a broad education necessary to understand the impact of electrical and computer engineering solutions in a global, societal, and environmental context. To accomplish the mission, the electrical and computer engineering faculty, with advice from students, alumni, and employers, endorse the following objectives:

Electrical Engineering Educational Objectives. In their first few years on the job, graduates of the electrical engineering program at Texas Tech should be able to utilize the knowledge gained from their academic program to:

• Solve important problems in a modern technological society as valuable, productive engineers.
• Enter and succeed in a graduate program.
• Function and communicate effectively, both individually and within multidisciplinary teams.
• Continue the process of lifelong learning.
• Be sensitive to the consequences of their work, both ethically and professionally, for productive professional careers.

Electrical Engineering Program Outcomes. To enable Texas Tech electrical engineering students to accomplish these objectives, the curriculum is designed to assure that students, at the time of graduation, are able to:

• Identify, analyze and solve electrical engineering problems by applying knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering with modern engineering tools in the specific areas of circuits and systems, electronics, communications, digital systems, microcontrollers, programming, control systems, electromagnetics, and a technical specialty chosen by the student.
• Design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints.
• Design and conduct scientific and engineering experiments, and to analyze and interpret the resulting data.
• Recognize the need for, and have the ability to engage in, perpetual learning by working on projects for which they have no prior experience.
• Have a fundamental capability in oral and written communication.
• Function effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
• Understand ethical and professional engineering practice in the context of global, economic, environmental, and societal realities as well as other contemporary issues.

Computer Engineering Educational Objectives. In their first few years on the job, graduates of the computer engineering program at Texas Tech should be able to utilize the knowledge gained from their academic program to:

• Solve important problems in a modern technological society as valuable, productive engineers.
• Enter and succeed in a graduate program.
• Function and communicate effectively, both individually and within multidisciplinary teams.
• Continue the process of lifelong learning.
• Be sensitive to the consequences of their work, both ethically and professionally, for productive professional careers.

Computer Engineering Program Outcomes. To enable Texas Tech computer engineering students to accomplish these objectives, the curriculum is designed to assure that students, at the time of graduation, are able to:

• Identify, analyze and solve computer engineering problems by applying knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering with modern engineering tools in the specific areas of circuits and systems, electronics, communications, digital systems, microcontrollers, programming, software engineering, design and analysis of algorithms, computer architecture, operating systems, a technical specialty chosen by the student, and electromagnetics.
• Design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints.
• Design and conduct scientific and engineering experiments, and to analyze and interpret the resulting data.
• Recognize the need for, and have the ability to engage in, perpetual learning by working on projects for which they have no prior experience.
• Have a fundamental capability in oral and written communication.
• Function effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
• Understand ethical and professional engineering practice in the context of global, economic, environmental, and societal realities as well as other contemporary issues.

The department continues to strive to provide the best educational environment for all students, regardless of ethnicity or gender, and to succeed in accomplishing these objectives in an appropriate time period.

Program Overview. The fields of electrical and computer engineering are very broad and include a number of specialty areas. To allow students to become more familiar with these areas, the programs will offer a wide range of technical specialties consistent with the breadth of electrical and computer engineering and inclusive of recent developments in the field. An important contribution to accomplish these objectives is our five-course sequence of stand-alone project laboratory courses.

In each of the project laboratory courses, students are given a brief description of a complex, open-ended project. The students, usually working in teams, are required to design, develop, construct, and evaluate a system to satisfy the requirements for the project. Faculty advisors evaluate the project on the basis of finished products, required written reports, and oral presentations. By its very structure the project laboratory sequence gives our students considerable experience in dealing with open-ended design problems. They also gain experience in working closely with others and in written and oral communication.

The material presented in the electrical and computer engineering lecture courses is incorporated in the project laboratory course sequence. The projects, however, are real-world problems that require students to go beyond the basic knowledge learned in the classroom. Through these experiences, students gain the technical maturity necessary to succeed in their chosen careers. In addition, the project laboratory courses address topics in engineering ethics and professionalism and help students develop the skills needed for lifelong learning.

The result of the overall curriculum is to prepare a graduate who is sensitive to the consequences of his or her work, both ethically and professionally, for a productive professional career. A broad educational background has been incorporated into these curriculums and personalized advising plays an important role in its implementation.