Computer Engineering
Catalog pages 265-267
Subject abbreviation: CEN The Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering
CEN Undergraduate Faculty Hyoseung Kim, Ph.D., Chair Daniel Wong, Ph.D., Vice Chair Advising Office, 310 Skye Hall
- (951) 827-ENGR (3647);
student.engr.ucr.edu
Program Committee
Nael Abu-Ghazaleh, Ph.D. (Computer Science
and Engineering/Electrical and Computer Engineering) Philip Brisk, Ph.D. (Computer Science and
Engineering) Zizhong Chen, Ph.D. (Computer Science and
Engineering) Roman Chomko, Ph.D. (Computer Science
and Engineering) Rajiv Gupta, Ph.D. (Computer Science and
Engineering) Hyoseung Kim, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer
Engineering) Allan Knight, Ph.D. (Computer Science and
Engineering) Cong Liu, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer
Engineering) Walid Najjar, Ph.D. (Computer Science and
Engineering) Hang Qiu, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer
Engineering) Shaolei Ren, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer
Engineering) Elaheh Sadredini, Ph.D. (Computer Science
and Engineering) Sheldon Tan, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer
Engineering) Zhaowei Tan, Ph.D. (Computer Science and
Engineering) Hung-Wei Tseng, Ph.D. (Electrical and
Computer Engineering) Albert Wang, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer
Engineering) Neftali Watkinson, Ph.D. (Computer Science
and Engineering) Daniel Wong, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer
Engineering) Qian Zhang, Ph.D. (Computer Science
and Engineering)
Major
The Computer Engineering major stresses the study of core computer science and electrical engineering topics. It prepares students for careers in the design of complex systems involving computer hardware, computer software, electronics and electrical signals for communications, networking, desktop computing, and embedded computing.
The objective of the Computer Engineering program is to produce graduates who:
• have a mastery of the fundamental areas
required for designing and using computers and engineered systems that contain computers
• have an ability to apply principles of
engineering, mathematics, science, and statistics to the use, design, and interfacing of computers
• are able to apply modern design meth
odologies and state-of-the-art tools to design problems common to modern computer engineering practice
• have had extensive, relevant laboratory
and hands-on experience to strengthen their understanding of scientific, logical, statistical, and engineering principles
• have a well-rounded and balanced edu
cation through required studies in elected areas of the humanities and social sciences
• are adept at both oral and written
communication
• possess the high-quality undergraduate
education necessary to progress to the M.S. and Ph.D. level or succeed in a career in industry
• understand the social, cultural, ethical,
and environmental context of their work
The Computer Engineering B.S. degree program at UCR is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, abet.org. For more details, visit cen.ucr.edu.
The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) does not meet transfer requirements for Engineering.
All undergraduates in the College of Engineering must see an advisor at least annually. Visit student.engr.ucr.edu for details.
Change of Major Criteria
All students who request a change of major to Computer Engineering must meet the following requirements:
• Be in good academic standing
• Have no less than a C- in any Math,
Science and Engineering coursework
• Be able to complete major within
maximum allowable units
• Complete all the courses listed below,
based on the total number of units earned, prior to submitting the major change request
• UCR transfer students interested in
changing to a BCOE major must have been admissible to the major at point of entry, or must satisfy transfer admission and change of major requirements before earning 120 units • If changing in the 90-119 units category
student must have the ability to complete major within 5 years of entry as aFreshmen or 3 years after entry as a Transfer student
• Students who have earned 120 or more
units are not eligible for a change of major in BCOE. NOTE: AP/IB units are excluded from maximum unit calculation
Completed 0 to less than 45 units Completion of ENGL 001A with C or better, and a C or better in CS 010A, and completion of the following with at least 2.700 GPA:
• CS 010A
• Any additional Math/Science/Engineering/
CS courses
Completed 45 to less than 90 units Completion of ENGL 001A with C or better, and a C or better in CS 010A and CS 010B, and completion of the following with at least 2.700 GPA:
• CS 010A
• CS 010B
• CS 061
• PHYS 040A or PHYS 040HA
• Any additional Math/Science/Engineering/
CS courses:
Completed 90 to less than 120 units Completion of ENGL 001A and ENGL 001B with C or better, and a C or better in CS 010A and CS 010B, and completion of the following with at least 2.700 GPA:
• CS 010A
• CS 010B
• CS 061
• PHYS 040A or PHYS 040HA
• PHYS 040B or PHYS 040HB
• Any additional Math/Science/Engineering/
CS courses
University Requirements
See Undergraduate Studies section.
College Requirements
See The Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering, Colleges and Programs section.
The Computer Engineering major uses the following major requirements toward the satisfaction of some of the college’s Natural Science and Mathematics breadth requirements.
- 1. MATH 009A
Major Requirements
- 1. Lower-division requirements (72 units):
- a) ENGR 001G
- 2. Upper-division requirements
(77 units minimum)
- a) ENGR 101G
one course from CS 122A or EE 128
- d) CS 111
- f) ENGR 180W
- g) EE 100A
- h) EE 111
- i) EE 114
- j) Six courses (at least 24 units) as
technical electives from the following set of upper division courses:
CS 110, CS 122A, CS 122B, CS 130, CS 142, CS 144, CS 150, CS 152, CS 160, CS 162, CS 164, CS 165, CS 166, CS 169, CS 170, CS 171, CS 172, CS 175, CS 177, CS 178A, CS 178B, CS 179 (E-Z), CS 180, CS 181, CS 182, CS 183, CS 193 EE, 100B, EE 105, EE 106, EE 115, EE 123, EE 128 EE 132, EE 133, EE 135, EE 136, EE 137, EE 141, EE 144, EE 146, EE 147, EE 150, EE 151, EE 152, EE 162, EE 165, EE 175A, EE 175B, ENGR 160
The technical electives selected from j) must include a senior capstone project option selected from the following 3 options: (1) CS 179 (E-Z), (2) CS 178A and CS 178B (both need to be taken), or (3) EE 175A and EE 175B (both need to be taken). The technical electives must be distinct from those used to satisfy the upper-division requirements specified in items
- a) to i) above.
Students may petition for exceptions to the above degree requirements. Exceptions to Computer Science and Electrical Engineering course requirements must be approved by the Computer Engineering undergraduate faculty advisor or chair.
Visit the Student Affairs Office in the College of Engineering or student.engr.ucr.edu for a sample program.
Graduate Program
The Computer Engineering program offers the B.S. + M.S. program and the M.S. degree in Computer Engineering. Specific requirements or each degree are described below.
Master’s Degree
M.S. in Computer Engineering The college offers an M.S. program in Computer Engineering.
Admission All applicants to this program must have completed a bachelor’s degree or its approved equivalent from an accredited institution and to have attained undergraduate record that satisfies the standards established by the Graduate Division and University Graduate Council. Applicants should have at least an undergraduate major in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or a closely related field. Applicants who fail to meet this criterion may sometimes be admitted with course deficiencies. However, no more than three deficiencies will be allowed.
All applicants must submit scores from the Graduate Record Exam, General Test (GRE). The GRE subject test in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering is recommended but not required. Applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit acceptable scores from the TEST of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) unless they have a degree from an institution where English is the exclusive language of instruction. Additionally each applicant must submit three letters of recommendation, at least two of which must be academic references. All other application requirements are specified in the graduate application.
Prerequisite Material Competence in the areas defined by the following UCR courses is essential to graduate study in computer engineering:
EE 100A, CS 153, CS 161, CS 120A/EE 120A
A student who is deficient in any of these competency areas may be asked to pass the corresponding UCR course with a letter grade of at least B, a grade of S if S/NC is an option for the class with the instructors approval, or to pass a challenge examination based on that course’s final exam with a grade of at least B. All such remedial work should be completed within the first year of graduate study, and in all cases the deficiency must be corrected BEFORE a student can enroll in any graduate course from the same specialty area. The admission prerequisite courses listed above may not be taken for graduate credit.
Course Requirements Students must be in residence at least one year and complete a minimum of 44 quarters units of graduate and upper division undergraduate courses in or related to the major subject area. Students can enroll in maximum 15 units per quarter. Exceptions to this quarterly enrollment policy are only made for specific circumstances and are subject to evaluation and approval. Students who have completed similar courses elsewhere may petition for waiver of a required course or for substitution of an alternative course. For students interested in interdisciplinary research, individual study programs can be approved.
- 1. Core Requirement (12 units). Three cours
es from the list of core courses below, with no grade lower than B-.
CS 201, CS 202, CS 203, CS 220, EE 213, CS 217/EE 217, CS 251/EE 255
- 2. Technical Electives (16 units). Choose
four from Computer Science or Electrical Engineering 200-level courses. Seminar courses (CS 260 and CS 270-level courses, EE 260-level courses), as well as CS 290, CS 297, CS 299 and EE 290, EE 297 and EE 299 may not be used.
- 3. Additional Credits (16 units). This category
may be satisfied by a combination of the choices below:
• Additional graduate technical electives
as described under (2.) above;
• Up to three of the undergraduate courses
below to satisfy additional credits;
CS 105, CS 111, CS 120B, CS 122A, CS 122B, CS 130, CS/EE 131, CS 141, CS 150, CS 152, CS 160, CS 161L, CS 162, CS 164, CS 165, CS 166, CS 168, CS 169, CS 170, CS 171, CS 172, CS 177, CS 179 (E-Z), CS 180, CS 181, CS 183, CS 193, EE 100B, EE 105, EE 115, EE 120B, EE 123, EE 128, EE 132, EE 133, EE 135, EE 141, EE 144, EE 146, EE 150, EE 151, EE 152, EE 165, EE 175A, EE 175B, ENGR 160; or
• Up to two seminar classes (CS 260, EE 260
or similar classes);
• With the pre-approval of the graduate
advisor, any relevant 200-level courses from other departments in Engineering or outside. If pre-approval is not obtained, there is no guarantee that a class will be deemed relevant.
- 4. Professional Development Requirement,
Colloquium (1 unit).
M.S. students must satisfactorily complete one of the following courses: one quarter of CS 287, EE 259, GDIV 301, GDIV 403 or at least one unit of CS 298I or EE 298I. Other professional development courses may be used to satisfy this requirement if approved by the graduate advisor.
- 5. Capstone Experience
All students must complete a capstone experience that synthesizes and integrates the knowledge and skills obtained throughout the master’s program, by either passing a comprehensive exam, writing a thesis, or completing a project. The Comprehensive Examination is the default option. If a student chooses the alternative project or thesis option, it is their responsibility to find a faculty member willing to supervise the master’s project or thesis, to form the faculty examining committee, and to schedule the oral examination.
- a. Comprehensive Examination Option.
In addition to the course requirements above, students must pass a comprehensive examination administered by the Computer Engineering Program.
- b. Project Option. Students may replace
up to 4 units of courses listed under “Additional Credits” with 4 units of directed research (CS 297, EE 297) and/ or directed studies (CS 290, EE 290). Units obtained in graduate research for the thesis or dissertation (CS 299, EE 299) may not be used to satisfy any course requirements under this option. Students must complete a research project under the guidance of a faculty member. The project will be approved by a committee of at least two faculty members, at least one of whom is a faculty member in the Computer Engineering program, and requires a presentation and written report.
- c. Thesis Option. Students may replace
up to 8 units of courses listed under “Additional Credits” with 8 units of graduate research for the thesis or dissertation (CS 299, EE 299). Units obtained in directed research or directed studies (CS 290, CS 297, EE 290, EE 297) may not be used to satisfy any course requirements under this option. Students must submit a master’s thesis in accordance with the general requirements of the university. The thesis is original research work, and it should demonstrate the student’s ability to study a research area, identify an open problem and make a research contribution. The thesis requires a presentation and must be approved by a committee of at least three faculty members.
The final thesis defense presentation can be taken in one of the following modes: In- Person, Hybrid or Remote. The student and their advisor will discuss which mode best suits the subject matter, with the advisor making the final determination. Students taking the exam In-Person are expected to present on campus with all committee members physically present. If Hybrid is chosen, the student is expected to present the exam on campus in a video enabled room that supports some members physically present and others remote. The chair of the committee must be physically present for a Hybrid exam.
Combined B.S. + M.S. Five-Year Program. The college offers a combined five-year B.S. + M.S. program, designed to allow successful UCR Computer Engineering B.S. graduates to complete the Master of Science degree in Computer Engineering in one year, by allowing up to 12 credits of coursework taken as a UCR undergraduate to be counted towards the elective requirements of the M.S. (The courses that can be double counted are those that are used as technical electives in the B.S. requirements.) A student may apply at the start of their senior year by submitting an application to the Computer Engineering M.S. program, provided that at the end of junior year, the student was a UCR Computer Engineering B.S. student with cumulative GPA at least 3.4 and had completed the following courses with no grade less than a B- and average grade at least 3.2: CS 100, CS 061 or CS 120A, CS 111 or CS 141, CS 153. The application to the M.S. program must include at least two recommendation letters from UCR Academic Senate faculty members (at least one, and preferably both, CSE faculty). Submission of GRE scores with the application is recommended but not required. Matriculation into the combined program occurs in the Fall term following senior year, provided: (a) the M.S. application is accepted, (b) throughout senior year, the student is a Computer Engineering B.S. major with cumulative GPA 3.4 or higher, (c) by the end of senior year, the student completes the Computer Engineering B.S. degree requirements.
Incoming students who are applying to the Computer Engineering B.S. program may simultaneously apply for preliminary admission into the combined program provided their high school GPA is at least 3.6, their SAT-I combined score is at least 1950, they satisfy the Entry Level Writing requirement before matriculation, and they have sufficient math preparation to enroll in calculus upon arrival. Preliminary admission status is maintained as long as the student is a Computer Engineering or Computer Science B.S. student in good standing with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4. Preliminarily admitted students still need to apply for full admission in their senior year as described above.
Five-year programs leading to M.S. degrees in other programs (including Computer Science) are also available. They are described separately in the catalog sections for those programs.