Computer Engineering

Undergraduate Information
Graduate Information

OFFICE: Engineering 426
TELEPHONE: 619-594-7013
WEBSITE: http://electrical.sdsu.edu

The undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Undergraduate Information

Faculty

Emeritus: harris, f., Harris, J., Iosupovici, Lee, G., Marino, Panos, Tummala
Chair: Mi
Coordinator for Computer Engineering: Ozturk, Sarkar
Professors: Gupta, Kumar, Ozturk
Associate Professor: Alimohammad
Assistant Professors: Aksanli, Huang, Paolini, Teh, Xie

Research Laboratories

Embedded Systems Laboratory
Multimedia Communication Laboratory
Pervasive Computing and Smart Health Laboratory
VLSI Design and Test Laboratory
Wireless Networks Laboratory

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 VCRs, cameras, telephones, CD/DVD players, 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, manufacture, 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 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 and placed in undeclared.

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:

To provide students with the technical knowledge and skills that will enable them to have a successful career in the computer engineering profession;
To provide students with a general education that will enable them to appreciate the social, ethical, economic, and environmental dimensions of problems they may face;
To develop in students the communication skills and social skills that are necessary to work effectively with others;
To develop the ability of students to solve problems by learning what is already known, and then applying logic and creativity to find a solution;
To provide students with the intellectual skills necessary to continue learning and to stay current with the profession as it changes.

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).

Major Academic Plans (MAPs)

Visit http://www.sdsu.edu/mymap for the recommended courses needed to fulfill your major requirements. The MAPs website was created to help students navigate the course requirements for their majors and to identify which General Education course will also fulfill a major preparation course requirement.

Graduate Information

Faculty

Chunting C. Mi, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chair of Department
Arif E. Engin, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Madhu S. Gupta, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Radio Frequency Communication Systems Industry Chair
Sunil Kumar, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Yusuf Ozturk, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Interim Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, College of Engineering
Mahasweta Sarkar, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Satish Kumar Sharma, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Amirhossein Alimohammad, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ashkan Ashrafi, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (Graduate Adviser)
Santosh V. Nagaraj, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sridhar Seshagiri, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Baris Aksanli, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ke Huang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Huu Ngoc Duy Nguyen, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Reza Sabzehgar, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ying-Khai Teh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Junfei Xie, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

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. Dr. Madhu S. Gupta, the first occupant of the chair, maintains a major involvement in professional work in the discipline and has received international recognition from his professional peers as a distinguished educator and scholar in the field of RF and microwave engineering.

Programs

Computer Engineering, B.S.