2025-2026 University Catalog
Computer Engineering
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OFFICE: Engineering 426
TELEPHONE: 619-594-7013
WEBSITE: http://electrical.sdsu.edu
The College of Engineering undergraduate programs in aerospace, civil, computer, construction, electrical, environmental, and mechanical engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
Undergraduate Information
Transfer Credit
No credit will be given for upper division engineering coursework taken at an institution having an engineering program which has not been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, unless the student successfully completes the first 12 units of engineering work attempted at this university. At that time, and upon recommendation of the department, credit will be given for the unaccredited work.
The Major
Computers are machines that store and process information. Desktop computers, portables, workstations, and mainframe computers are the most readily recognized examples of such devices. Equally important, however, are the millions of tiny computers (microprocessors) that are embedded in machines, instruments, and products of all sorts. For example, there are embedded computers in cameras, telephones, televisions, washing machines, ovens, robots, automobiles, airplanes, medical instruments, toys, and many other devices, both familiar and exotic.
Computer Engineers are involved in the design, development, manufacturing, installation, and operation of general purpose and embedded computers of all sorts. They are both concerned with hardware (i.e., the electronic circuits and devices that actually store and process information) and software (i.e., the programs that control the operation of the hardware). The B.S. degree program in Computer Engineering provides a solid foundation in the fundamentals of mathematics, science, computer hardware, computer software, and engineering design that are needed to practice the profession or to pursue a graduate degree in the field.
In addition to fundamentals, the curriculum also includes training in the areas of rapid growth that are important to modern practice of computer engineering. These include: Very Large Scale Integrated Circuits design (i.e., the design of electronic circuits implemented on silicon chips); Multimedia Systems (i.e., systems that process audio and visual information as well as text and numbers); Embedded Systems; Digital Signal Processing (DSP), which plays a vital role both in processing the continuous signals that are common in embedded system applications and in compressing and processing the large volumes of information that are common in multimedia systems; Computer Networks, which have become vital for connecting multiple computers in distributed control applications, and connecting users of general purpose computers who wish to share information and computing resources (e.g., Local Area Networks, the Internet); Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs), which are rapidly replacing text-based interfaces in nearly all applications; and Object Oriented Programming (OOP), a technique for designing more reliable and maintainable software.
The computer engineering curriculum provides a balance between theory and practice that prepares the graduate both for immediate employment and for continued study. The process of engineering design is emphasized throughout the curriculum by including open-ended problems with realistic design constraints. The design experience culminates in a year-long capstone design course required of all students. Creativity, consideration of economic and social factors, and the application of systematic design procedures are required in major design projects during the senior year.
Retention Policy
The engineering program expects all majors will make reasonable academic progress toward the degree. Engineering premajors who have either (1) completed major preparatory courses, earned 60 units, but have less than a 2.7 cumulative GPA or (2) earned 60 units but have not completed major preparatory courses and/or have less than a 2.7 cumulative GPA may be removed from the premajor.
Program Educational Objectives
The overall objective of the undergraduate program in computer engineering is to produce the best skilled, hands-on practicing computer engineer. More specifically the objectives are:
- Computer Engineering graduates will be successful in modern engineering practice and contribute to the economies of the State of California and the nation.
- Computer Engineering graduates will be productive citizens with high ethical and professional standards who can make engineering and management decisions.
- Computer Engineering graduates will have the intellectual skills necessary to assume leadership roles both in their profession and to future graduates.
Impacted Program
The computer engineering major is an impacted program. To be admitted to the computer engineering major, students must meet the following criteria:
- Complete with a grade of C (2.0) or better: COMPE 160 ; E E 210 ; MATH 150 , MATH 151 ; PHYS 195 , PHYS 196 . These courses cannot be taken for credit/no credit (Cr/NC);
- Have an overall cumulative GPA of 2.7.
To complete the major, students must fulfill the degree requirements for the major described in the catalog in effect at the time they are accepted into the premajor at SDSU (assuming continuous enrollment).
Master Plan
The master plan provides an individualized advising record and a roadmap toward graduation for computer engineering majors. The master plan must be filed with the major adviser (https://csse.sdsu.edu/advising/advising). All students must have an updated master plan on file. All students transferring from another institution are required to file the master plan at the time of transfer. Current SDSU students are required to file the master plan as part of their course requirements in the COMPE 160 course. If there is any change to the master plan that is already on file, it must be updated and refiled.
Change of Major
For students from another major, pre-major, or undeclared status, the following criteria must be met in order to switch into Computer Engineering:
- Minimum C grades in MATH 150 , MATH 151 , COMPE 160 , PHYS 195 and PHYS 196 , and E E 210
- Complete a minimum of 15 units at SDSU that count toward the COMPE BS degree
- Earned a minimum overall GPA of 2.7
- Have no more than 2 course repeats on your Degree Audit
Visit the Change of Major Criteria section of the Center for Student Success in Engineering (CSSE) Advising Page for more information and for the online Interest Form that should be submitted at the end of the semester in which criteria will be met.
Graduate Information
The Radio Frequency Communication Systems Industry Chair
The Radio Frequency (RF) Communication Systems Industry Chair was established in recognition of the pervasiveness and vital role of radio frequency and wireless communications in modern society, and the emergence of San Diego as the world’s leading center of research and development in the field of telecommunications and wireless engineering. The chair is sustained through generous contributions of Cubic Corporation and other corporations engaged in wireless communication technology, in appreciation of contributions of students trained in the field at SDSU. The RF Communication Systems Industry Chair is intended to promote excellence in education of RF and microwave engineers, and encourage significant professional activities in the field.
Chair: Engin, Arif Ege, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., Middle East Technical University, Turkey; Ph.D., University of Hannover, Germany)
Graduate Adviser: Nagaraj, Santosh V., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology, Madras; Ph.D., Purdue University)
Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty:
Alimohammad, Amirhossein, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., University of Isfahan; Ph.D., University of Alberta, Canada)
Engin, Arif Ege, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., Middle East Technical University, Turkey; Ph.D., University of Hannover, Germany)
Kumar, Sunil, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Thomas G. Pine Faculty Fellow (B.S., S.V. National Institute of Technology, India; Ph.D., Birla Institute of Tech & Science, India)
Mi, Chunting Chris, University Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., Northwestern Polytechnical University, China; Ph.D., University of Toronto, Canada)
Nagaraj, Santosh V., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology, Madras; Ph.D., Purdue University)
Ozturk, Yusuf, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, College of Engineering; Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., Middle East Technical University [METU]; Ph.D., Ege University)
Ratnarajah, Tharm, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and fred harris Endowed Chair Professor (Ph.D., University of Ottawa, Canada)
Sarkar, Mahasweta, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., San Diego State University; Ph.D., University of California San Diego)
Seshagiri, Sridhar, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.Tech, Indian Institute of Technology Madras [IITM]; Ph.D., Michigan State University)
Sharma, Satish Kumar, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., KNIT Sultanpur, Avadh University, India; Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology [IIT], Banaras Hindu University, India)
Aksanli, Baris, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., Bogazici University; Ph.D., University of California San Diego)
Ashrafi, Ashkan, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.Sc., M.Sc., K.N., University of Technology, Tehran, Iran; M.S.E., Ph.D., University of Alabama, Huntsville)
Huang, Ke, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., M.A., Joseph Fourier University, France; Ph.D., University of Grenoble Alpes, France)
Manshadi, Saeed, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., University of Tehran; Ph.D., Southern Methodist University)
Nguyen, Huu Ngoc Duy, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.E., Swinburne University of Technology, Australia; M.S., University of Saskatchewan, Canada; Ph.D., McGill University, Canada)
Sabzehgar, Reza, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (M.Sc., Amirkabir University of Technology [Tehran Polytechnic]; Ph.D., Simon Fraser University, Canada)
Töreyin, Hakan, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., Middle East Technical University, Turkey; Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology)
Xie, Junfei, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; Ph.D., University of North Texas)
Huang, Tong, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B. S., North China Electric Power University, Baoding, China, M.S, Ph. D., Texas A&M University, College Station, TX)
Paolini, Christopher, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S., San Diego State University; M.S., San Diego State University; Ph.D., San Diego State University)
Teh, Ying-Khai, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.Eng., MMU, Malaysia, M.Eng.Sc., MMU, Malaysia; Ph.D., HKUST, Hong Kong)
Lecturers:
Aguirre, Jerry, Ph.D., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Arnold, Ken D., B.S.E.E., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Balci, Murat, Ph.D., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Betancourt, Ramon, Ph.D., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Chung, Sanguoon, Ph.D., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Dogan, Ugur, B.S, M. S., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Dorr, Barry L., M.S.E.E., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Kaveh, Parisa, Ph.D., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Lukic, Zdravko, Ph.D., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Phillips, Dave B., Ph.D., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Sokolova, Alice, Ph.D., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Tutberidze, Mikheil, Ph.D., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Yamada, Hidenori, Ph.D., Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Emeritus Faculty:
Abut, Hüseyin, Ph.D., 1981-2001, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Bailey, Greg W., Ed.D., 1982-2002, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, College of Engineering; Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
Betancourt, Ramon, Ph.D., 1984-2021, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Chang, Ching-Ten, Ph.D., 1979-2004, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Gupta, Madhu S., Ph.D., 2000-2020, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Radio Frequency Communication Systems Industry Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Harris, Fredric J., Ph.D., 1968-2017, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Harris, Jay H., Ph.D., 1980-2009, Dean, College of Engineering; Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Iosupovici, Alexander, Ph.D., 1978-2001, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Kolen, Paul T., Ph.D., 1987-2016, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Lee, Long C., Ph.D., 1982-2012, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Lee, Gordon K.F., Ph.D., 2000-2015, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Lin, Mao-Shiu, Ph.D., 1966-2002, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Marino, Leonard R., Ph.D., 1973-2010, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Massey, Gail A., Ph.D., 1981-1997, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Panos, Nicholas, M.S.E.E., 1968-2001, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Skaar, Donald L., M.S., 1960-1981, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Stuart, Robert J., Ph.D., 1969-1987, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Szeto, Andrew Y.J., Ph.D., 1983-2020, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Thyagarajan, Kadayam S., Doctorate of Engineering, 1980-1999, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Tummala, R. Lal, Ph.D., 2002-2021, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Programs
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