OVERVIEW OF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Minimum number of credits required to graduate: 124
Minimum Cumulative GPA required to graduate: 2.0
Minimum Grade requirements for courses to count toward major: To repeat any ECE course for which a grade of F, L, or WF has been recorded, a grade of C- or better in the course’s prerequisites is required. Dismissal from the program will be recommended if any required course in the program is taken twice without achieving a passing grade. This includes courses where AU, L, or WF grades are received.
Other GPA requirements to graduate: Minimum of a cumulative 2.0 GPA for all courses taken. Minimum of a cumulative 2.0 GPA for all ECE courses taken.
Required Course(s) for fulfilling Capstone Experience: ECE 403
Contact Information: Yifeng Zhu, Professor and Chair, Electrical and Computer Engineering, 101 Barrows Hall, (207) 581-2499; yifeng.zhu@maine.edu
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering. For more comprehensive and detailed information about the Department, its programs, career opportunities, scholarships, and other resources, please visit our website at www.ece.umaine.edu.
The mission of the Computer Engineering program is to provide students with a strong foundation in computer engineering, enabling them to be nationally competitive and successful in their chosen careers and to be prepared for future graduate studies. To achieve this, within two to five years after graduation, graduates of the computer engineering program are expected to:
- Demonstrate a solid understanding of computer engineering principles by holding positions that utilize their engineering training, advancing in their job responsibilities, or pursuing postgraduate education.
- Exhibit the ability to work effectively in a professional setting through independent thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and effective communication.
- Work as engineering professionals, with a commitment to ethical conduct, adhering to standards, and ensuring well-being of employees and the general population.
- Engage in lifelong learning activities to continuously enhance their professional development.
Program Description
The Computer Engineering curriculum provides students with the technical skills as well as the mathematical and scientific background required to advance current technology and to contribute to future developments in the computer engineering profession. The curriculum strives to instill critical written and oral communication skills while also providing a diverse background in the humanities and social sciences. Our graduates acquire a sense of professionalism as they become aware of an engineer’s responsibility to help solve societal problems. They also develop the ability to contribute to team solutions and an appreciation for the importance of lifelong learning.
Furthermore, the curriculum adopts a practical hands-on approach that combines classroom theory and laboratory experience. This approach ensures that graduates are equipped to take a technical project from inception through to the successful implementation of a solution. The process begins in the first year of the program where students learn to prototype digital circuits and program microcontrollers. It continues through the senior year when they complete their capstone design projects. In this latter case, students typically collaborate in two-person teams over three semesters. Together, they propose, specify, create, present, and demonstrate a solution to a technical problem of their choosing.
To earn a BS degree in Computer Engineering, students must: (1) fulfill all University academic requirements, (2) meet all Computer Engineering curriculum requirements, (3) maintain a GPA of 2.0 or better in all ECE courses, and (4) have a GPA of 2.0 or better in all computer courses. Retaking any ECE course for which a grade of F, L, or WF has been recorded requires a grade of C- or better in the course’s prerequisites. Dismissal from the program will be recommended if any required course in the program is taken twice without receiving a passing grade. This includes courses where a grade of AU, L, or WF is received.
Students do have the option to petition the ECE faculty for exceptions to any program requirements. Lastly, it is important to note that the program in Computer Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, which can be found at http://www.abet.org.