Programs - Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineering (EE) is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. Common EE tasks include designing communication systems, energy conversion and power delivery, control systems applications, design of analog and digital systems, and others. Below is a recommended plan of study for EE

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

The mission statement for the ECE (Electrical & Computer Engineering) Department: To provide students in ECE a rigorous learning experience that prepares them for professional careers.

EE Student Learning Outcomes: EE student learning outcomes are designed to instill in our graduates the skills appropriate to their professions and life-long learning. The EE program uses the term “student learning outcomes” to describe knowledge and skills at the time of graduation that are derived from the objectives.

Holistic Education: Electrical Engineering graduates shall be prepared to practice the profession of engineering using a systems perspective broad enough to encompass technological, economic, ethical, environmental, social, and human issues, shall have demonstrated a facility for independent learning, and shall be prepared for continued professional development.

H1:    Demonstrate a facility for independent learning
H2:    Be prepared for continued professional development
H3:    Effective communications skills
H4:    Contemporary Issues
H5:    Role of professional in global society

Technical Preparation: Electrical and Computer Engineering graduates shall demonstrate technical depth and breadth in their discipline.

T1:    General engineering science core plus a discipline-specific technical core
T2:    Effective use of contemporary tools of the engineering profession

Design & Professional Practice: Electrical Engineering graduates shall have participated in design experiences including a comprehensive, industrially-oriented design project, oral presentations, and written communications.

D&P:   Client sponsored team design experience

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Core Courses

SECOND MAJOR IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

The ECE Department will not allow the following second major combinations: 

1. Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Second Major in Computer Engineering.
2. Degree in Computer Engineering and a Second Major in Electrical Engineering.

Other students outside of ECE can get a second major in EE by completing all of the courses in a required plan.

AREA MINOR IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING (ECE)

The Area Minor in ECE is designed to allow students to add another dimension to their Rose-Hulman degree.

Advisor Dr. Fred Berry

Requirements for Area Minor in ECE

• ECE203
• ECE204
• Plus four additional ECE courses, except EC160, ECE361, ECE362, ECE460, ECE461, ECE462, ECE466, ECE206, and ECE207

Example Area Minor for Physics and Optical Engineering

Example Area Minor for Computer Science and Software Engineering

Example Area Minor for Mechanical Engineering

Areas of Concentration

Concentration In Energy Production, Utilization, And Forecasting
Rising energy costs, air pollution, climate change, petrochemical production, environmental friendly and green processes and machines, alternative power sources and renewable energy are some of the topics topping local, national and international news. Rose-Hulman offers a series of courses, across several disciplines that broadens, educates and addresses solutions to these relevant contemporary issues.

Students who complete any five of the recommended courses in Energy Production, Utilization, and Forecasting area of concentration may receive, upon request, a letter from their Department Head, a certificate and transcript annotation attesting to the fact that the student has completed the requirements in this area of concentration in the Energy Production, Utilization, and Forecasting. With proper planning, students should be able to take these course offerings without overload.

Recommended Energy Production, Utilization, and Forecasting Concentration Courses.

• CE 561 Air Pollution
• CE 590 Climate Change Assessment
• CHE 490 Energy and the Environment
• CHE 512 Petrochemical Processes
• ECE 370 Power & Energy Systems
• ECE 371 Sustainable Energy Systems
• ME 407 Power Plants
• ME 408 Renewable Energy

ENHANCED STUDY IN COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

Communications Concentration (intended for students majoring in EE or CPE)

ECE 310 Communication Systems plus any three courses from the list

• ECE 410  Communication Networks

• ECE 412  Software Defined Radio

• ECE 414  Wireless Systems

• ECE 415  Wireless Electronics

• ECE 418  Fiber Optic Systems

• ECE 510  Error Correcting Codes

• ECE 511  Data Communication

• ECE 553  Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuit Design

Communications Certificate  (intended for students majoring in EE or CPE)

• ECE 300 Signals and Systems
• ECE 380 Discrete-Time Signals and Systems
• ECE 310 Communication Systems
• MA 381 Introduction to Probability with Applications to Statistics

plus any four courses from the above Communications Concentration list.

Area Minor in Communications (Area Minor in ECE with a Communications Focus) (intended for students not majoring in EE or CPE)

• ECE203 DC Circuits
• ECE204 AC Circuits
• ECE205 Dynamical Systems
• ECE300 Signals and Systems
• ECE310 Communication Systems

plus one additional course from the above Communications Concentration list.

ENHANCED STUDY IN POWER SYSTEMS

Power Certificate
Take all of the following courses:

• ECE 571 Control of Power Systems, Pre: ECE 470
• ECE 472 Power Systems II, Pre: ECE 470
• ECE 471 Industrial Power Systems, Pre: ECE 370
• ECE 470 Power Systems I, Pre: ECE 370
• ECE 371 Sustainable Energy Systems ,Pre: ECE 204
• ECE 370 Power & Energy Systems, Pre: ECE 204
• ECE 204 AC Circuits, Pre: ECE203 with a grade of C or better and PH113
• ECE 203 DC Circuits, Pre: MA111 and PH112

Optical Communications Certificate

Faculty advisors: B. Black and S. Granieri

Rose-Hulman has become a leader in providing opportunities for students to choose a great mainstream degree program with flexibility to specialize in other areas of interest. This leadership is in no way limited to only traditional areas of study. One of these new areas that had a high impact in technology is optical communications. It is a rapidly growing field requiring investment beyond the traditional program structure, and is well suited to the students at Rose-Hulman All these topics are closely related to well established disciplines as optics and electronics. Considerable R&D efforts are allocated in both university and industrial laboratories enhancing the demand for both researchers and engineers with expertise in the field.

We propose the creation of a new certificate program in Optical Communications to enhance the programs currently offered. Combining expertise in Optical and Electrical Engineering, this program requires an interdisciplinary emphasis that is beyond the traditional content of either of its parent programs. This program is more than just the creation of the certificate program Optical Communications. This program will be critical to help developing a more interdisciplinary interaction for students and faculty. The creation of a workgroup within the faculty of both departments will coordinate current courses and resources, create new courses of interest for the field, and develop a showcase testbed education and research laboratory. Primary objectives include the removal of redundancy from existing courses, increasing interaction between the PHOE and ECE departments, and improving opportunities for students in the field.

This certificate is designed to give the student a firm theoretical and practical working knowledge in the area of fiber optic devices, optical communications, networks and its applications. The main purpose is to couch these fundamentals in a context that serves as the backbone for device, components and sub-system development for use in high-speed optical data and information links and networks. At the end of the program the student will be expected to:

1. Understand the fundamental operation characteristics of high speed optoelectronic components, such as laser transmitters, light modulators and receivers and passive fiber optic components as connectors, couplers, filters, and switches.
2. Understand the technology and performance of analog and digital fiber optic links, optical amplification and optical wavelength division multiplexing and optical time division multiplexing networks.
3. Have a hands-on working knowledge of the use of fiber optic test equipment and techniques used by industry and telecommunication companies to test the performance of optical fiber links and components, such as, optical time domain reflectometry, optical spectrum analyzers and optical bit error testing equipment.

The Certificate will consist of 20 credit hours of which 12 credit hours will be required courses. Students interested in pursuing this Certificate should contact an ECE/PHOE certificate advisor (Professors Black, Bunch, and Granieri)

Required Courses

ECE 310 Communication Systems
OE 393 Fiber Optics and Applications
OE 493 Fundamentals of Optical Fiber Communications

Elective Courses (two from the list)
Only courses not required for the student’s major will count for electives in the certificate.

ECE 380 Discrete Time & Continuous Systems
ECE 410 Communication Networks
ECE 414 Wireless Systems
OE 360 Optical Materials and Opto-mechanics
OE 435 Biomedical Optics
OE 450 Laser Systems and Applications
OE 485 Electro-Optics and Applications