School of Science & Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering illustration

BS Computer Engineering Program

ENGINEERING AT NEW PALT

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at SUNY New Paltz is committed to academic excellence. We offer high-quality undergraduate and master’s programs that prepare students to participate effectively as members of the engineering profession of today and tomorrow and to function as thoughtful and responsible members of modern society. We strive to create and maintain a challenging learning environment supportive of engineering study for a diverse student body. In addition, we provide engineering education and technical support to the campus community, regional industry and the community-at-large.

Mission

This mission follows closely those of our institution and is stated as:

1) Offering high-quality undergraduate programs in Electrical and Computer Engineering and a master’s program in Electrical Engineering to a diverse student body;

2) Providing engineering education and technical support to the campus community, regional industry and the community-at-large;

3) Admitting students who show promise of succeeding in the challenging field of engineering;

4) Having our students gain technical knowledge, social skills and confidence to contribute as productive and responsible members of the engineering profession and the society.


Objectives of the Computer Engineering Program:

The educational objectives of the ECE program are to produce graduates who:
1. Enter professional careers or pursue graduate studies in engineering or related fields.
2. Advance in their professional careers through completion of engineering projects that utilize teamwork and communication skills, lifelong learning, independent and creative thinking, and leadership;
or
advance in their careers by completing graduate coursework, earning graduate degrees, and by doing, presenting and publishing original research.
3. Work beyond their primary responsibilities to promote engineering to others, through active membership in professional societies or community outreach.

Outcomes of the Computer Engineering Program:

  • Fundamental Knowledge
    The graduating students of the Computer Engineering Program will possess knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering and have the capability of applying this knowledge to identify, solve engineering problems, and verify the results.
  • Experimental Skills
    The graduating students of the Computer Engineering Program will have significant experience in the practical aspect of their profession through laboratory courses, with an opportunity for co-op positions. The students will have developed the ability to verify theoretical expectations against simulation and experimental results.
  • Design Competence
    The graduating Students of the Computer Engineering Program will have learned the trial-and-error design process, consisting of preliminary design, verification assisted by computer simulation, improved design, etc. Students will have acquired the personal skills of group interaction through a variety of progressive experiences integrated in the curriculum, initiated by course and laboratory teamwork design, and culminating in the comprehensive senior-year design project.
  • Social Awareness
    The graduating students of the Computer Engineering Program will have benefited from our departmental setting within a liberal arts college by having access to a wide selection of courses on contemporary world’s issues, languages and cultures. Consequently, the students will have developed the capability to recognize the impact of their engineering decisions within the global and societal context.
  • Professional Aptitude
    The graduating students of the Computer Engineering Program will have the ability to function effectively, professionally and ethically, both as an individual and as a member of a team. The graduating students will be able to clearly and effectively communicate their ideas in both written and oral forms. In addition, the students will be instilled with the need for life-long learning.

Learning Environment
Engineering students at New Paltz have the opportunity to study in an environment supportive of their academic needs. Engineering courses are taught by research-oriented engineering faculty; small class and laboratory sizes encourage faculty/student interaction. Students have access to a well-equipped infrastructure including state-of-the-art facilities, industry-standard laboratories and modern computer facilities.

Student with eye protection in lab

Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed to provide students with a solid knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering concepts and the ability to apply them to engineering problems. Design is emphasized throughout the engineering program. Students also complete a series of courses in general education that complement their engineering education and encourages them to understand engineering roles in a broader context. The flexibility of the engineering curriculum serves full- and part-time students, traditional and non-traditional students, and students new to engineering as well as those who have had some experience in technical areas.

Graduates
Our students graduate with an understanding of the roles, responsibilities and professional ethics expected of engineers; with the communication and teamwork skills needed to function effectively in a range of work environments, and with the ability to think critically and adapt to a changing world. Our graduates are well prepared to be successful in entry-level positions in industry and research, and to pursue further study and advancement in their chosen fields.

Engineering Advisory Board (EAB)
The Engineering Department has a very active external advisory board with participants contributing from the many high tech engineering and related companies located in the Hudson Valley. The EAB's mission is to provide information and guidance to the SUNY New Paltz Engineering Department in regards to their curriculum, their graduates and the quality of things being done at SUNY New Paltz and to help steer the direction of the engineering board to create the best quality students they can to provide superior professionals for local industries. Some of the specific functions of the EAB are: to assist in providing co-op or intern positions for our students; to provide information and opportunities for full time employment for the graduating students; help identify speakers for the engineering seminar program; and provide feedback for the engineering curriculum through an evaluation of our students' performance during several years of professional activity within these companies.

Advisory Curriculum Committee (ACC)
In order to assess that the specific objectives and expected outcomes of the engineering programs are satisfied, the Engineering Department has established the Advisory Curriculum Committee (ACC).  The constituencies of this committee include: alumni (2), students (2), faculty (2), EAB (2), Department Chair and Director of College Institutional Research.  The ACC meets every semester to provide specific course and program assessment, as well as evaluate assessment methodology as related to the engineering program objectives and outcomes.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Opportunities are available for undergraduate students through the C-STEP Program (for woman and minority students) and the School of Engineering and Science (for all students) to conduct research during the summer.  Students receive a generous stipend.  Undergraduate research enhances student’s chance in finding a suitable engineering job.

Transfer Students: Application and Transfer Credit Procedure
Students wanting to complete their engineering education at SUNY New Paltz must complete the application form and forward it directly to the Admission Office. The Admission Office is responsible for evaluating the student's transcript and making an acceptance decision. This office will also evaluate the transfer credits requested by the student. If the student is transferring in from a local community college, transfer of credit will be in accordance with the agreed upon transfer credit articulation policies. Under certain circumstances, if the Admission Office is unable to evaluate specific courses and is unable to make a decision on transferability of credits, the Chair of the Engineering Department will consider the matter and render a decision after evaluating the course description and pre-requisites. Additional information is available in departmental brochures: "Electrical Engineering,""Computer Engineering," and "What Do I Need To Get In?"

The Program Requirements Checklist
Each program requirements are listed in the program course checklist and are included in every student file. At the end of each semester, student grades are transferred into the program course checklist. When the course checklist is completed, and the student has satisfied all program requirements, he/she is then eligible to graduate. The program course checklist is used for advising and planning purposes as well.

Seminars
The Engineering Department offers several seminars each semester that cover a variety of subjects. To partially satisfy the life-long requirement of ABET (The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), engineering students are required to attend at least five engineering seminars and write a brief report on each one (that is to be included in their file). Only two reports per semester are accepted.

Engineering Design
ABET requires that each student complete one and one half years of engineering topics to include engineering sciences and engineering design appropriate to the student's field of study. At New Paltz, the design experience is developed and integrated throughout the engineering curriculum.

The experience begins in Introduction to Engineering with an introduction to basic engineering design. As engineering majors progress through the major they gain engineering design experience at increasing levels of complexity within many of the engineering core and technical elective courses. Open-ended problems are assigned and students must complete design projects in many of their courses. Advanced elective courses afford students the opportunity to complete more substantial design projects in their areas of interest.

To assist students in choosing courses with appropriate design content, each course is assigned a number of design credits. Our engineering programs require sixteen or more engineering design credits to be completed by the time of graduation. Each student is required to maintain a design folder on file with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. By the time of graduation, the folder must contain at least 5 increasingly complex design projects, for which two projects must be from an elective and/or senior level courses. (This is a strict graduation requirement.)

In the senior year, the design experience culminates in a major design project completed in the courses Senior Design I and II. Under the guidance of the engineering faculty, students draw on the technical knowledge and skills that they have developed throughout the undergraduate experience in order to select and complete a substantial design project. The project grade is based on a formal report, an oral presentation (attended by engineering faculty, students, and constituents), and the project's overall performance. Senior design projects may be chosen from any of the areas of specialization in which the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers technical elective courses.

COMPUTER ENGINEERING

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers a comprehensive program in computer engineering. Students may choose electives in computer hardware, software engineering, computer and information engineering and communication and networking. The Computer Engineering program was accredited in 2000. The computer revolution has changed the way in which we live, work and play. Computer engineers are at the heart of this rapid development. Career opportunities for computer engineering graduates continue to be plentiful. The program at New Paltz is designed to meet these needs generally and those of the Mid-Hudson Valley specifically.

The curriculum consists of general education component, a pre-engineering phase (pre-engineering major code 516) and upper division engineering coursework (computer engineering major code 518). Computer engineering students must meet a modified General Education requirement. The pre-engineering and general education requirements are similar for the electrical engineering and the computer engineering programs.

COMPUTER ENGINEERING CURRICULUM

131-132 credits
General Education 18 credits
Pre-Engineering Requirement 40 credits
Computer Engineering Core 60-61 credits
Technical Electives 13 credits

Although it is possible for a dedicated student who begins the math sequence with Calculus I to complete all degree requirements in four years, our students, like those at most engineering schools in the United States, typically require an additional semester to complete the program.

GENERAL EDUCATION (18 credits)

Choose one (1) course from each of the following six categories:

1. American History
2. Art
3. Humanities
4. Social Science
5. Western Civilization
6. World Civilization

For the list of courses in each category, please refer to the "GE III Requirements for Electrical and Computer Engineering" brochure.

PRE-ENGINEERING REQUIREMENT (40 credits)
The pre-engineering course of study consists of 40 credits in mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, introductory engineering, and English. The required courses are:

Mathematics Credits
64251 Calculus I 4
64252 Calculus II 4
64353 Calculus III 4

Computer Science

25210 Computer Science I: Foundations 4

Physics
75201 General Physics I 4
75202 General Physics II 4

Chemistry
22201 General Chemistry I 4

Engineering

47101 Introduction to Engineering Science 3
40193 Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering 3

English
41160 Freshman Composition I 3
41180 Freshman Composition II 3
or
41205 General Honors English I 3
41206 General Honors English II 3

ADMISSION TO THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING MAJOR

Students completing the pre-engineering sequence with a grade point average of 2.50 or above are eligible for admission to the electrical engineering program (major code 517). Note that the general education and pre-engineering requirements are identical for both electrical and computer engineering majors. Therefore, a student who has successfully completed the pre-engineering requirement may declare either the electrical engineering (major code 517) or the computer engineering (major code 518) upper division major. Students are strongly advised to complete at least six credits of general education courses before applying for admission to an engineering major. The admission of transfer students will be based on a detailed comparison of their transcript with the New Paltz pre-engineering requirements and consultation with an advisor from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

DEPARTMENTAL ACADEMIC POLICIES
Pre-engineering students may not enroll in engineering or engineering related courses other than Introduction to Engineering (47101), Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering (40193), and Technical Communications (47309). Exceptions are sometimes granted for Circuits Laboratory (40209), Circuit Analysis (40293), Digital Logic Laboratory (45208), Digital Logic Fundamentals (45230), Ordinary Differential Equations [ODE] (64359), Discrete Mathematics (64320), and Computer Science 2A (25393). Permission to register in any of these courses must be obtained from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering before registration.

Students are required to receive grades no less than a C- in any course that is used to staisfy the Engineering major requirements. Courses taken on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis cannot be applied toward the engineering degree requirements.

UPPER-DIVISION COMPUTER ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS
The upper-division engineering course work, which leads to the Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering, consists of the computer engineering core and a series of technical electives.

COMPUTER ENGINEERING CORE CURRICULUM (60-61 engineering credits)

The following courses constitute the computer engineering core:

 Total Credits Design Credits Engr/Sci Credits
40209Circuits Laboratory 1 0.5 0.5
40293Circuit Analysis 3 0.5 2.5
40311Signals and Systems 30.52.5
40320Electronics I3 1 2
40321Electronics II3 1 2
40322Electronics I Lab110
40323Electronics II Lab110
40340Engineering Electromagnetics I30.52.5
40408Senior Design Project I1330
40409Senior Design Project II13 30
45208Digital Logic Laboratory10.50.5
45230Digital Logic Fundamentals312
45308Microprocessor Laboratory10.50.5
45331Microprocessor System Design31.51.5
45432Intro to Computer Architecture312
45493Digital Systems Design321
47309Technical Communications300
25393Computer Science 2A413
25353Software Engineering321
64359Ordinary Differential Equations300
40394Engineering Statistics300
64320 Discrete Mathematics300
75315Mechanical Engineering2 3 or 412
  60-61  

COMPUTER ENGINEERING TECHNICAL ELECTIVES (13 Credits)

Thirteen credits of technical electives are required which must include at least one electrical and/or computer engineering (40xxx and/or 45xxx) lecture course (3 credits) and one electrical engineering (40xxx) laboratory (1 credit). Students must obtain the advice of their advisor about their choice of electives before registering. (Engineering Graduate Courses can be used as undergraduate Technical Electives.)

Lecture Group

  Total Credits Design CreditsEngr/Sci Credits
25340Operating Systems I312
25341Operating Systems II31 2
25353Software Engineering321
25410Design and Analysis of Algorithms301
25420Languages and Machines 3 1 1
25450Design of Programming Languages301
40312Communication Systems312
40316Control Systems I312
40317Digital Control Systems312
40342Microwave Fundamentals312
40394Engineering Statistics 300
40436Microelectronic Technology312
40451Electromechanical Energy Conversion312
40452Electric Power Systems312
40493Solid State Devices312
45493Embedded Systems31.51.5
45493Computer Communication312
45423Digital Integrated Circuits312
45435VLSI Design31.51.5
45494Co-op/fieldwork31.51.5
64375Numerical Methods301
64488Partial Differential Equations301
75309Modern Physics I300

Laboratory Group

  Total Credits Design CreditsEngr/Sci Credits
40302Antennas101
40303Microwave Fundamentals10.50.5
40304Control101
40305Communication101
40306Microwaves Circuits10.50.5
40493Microelectronics Technology101
40493Electromechanical Energy Conversion101
40493Electric Power Systems 1 0.5 0.5
45401VLSI Design110

Footnotes
1Senior Design Project I and II (40408 and 40409 - 6 cr).
Seniors must register during each of the last two semesters preceding their graduation for Senior Design Project I and II. A single project under the direction of a single faculty member will be spread over two semesters. This project should provide a meaningful engineering design experience and should draw on the cumulative technical background of the student.

2Choose one of the following two courses.

75315 Engineering Mechanics (4)
75422 Thermodynamics (3)

Course Descriptions

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