Overview
Specialty Area Requirement
General Technical Electives
New Programming Sequence
Engineering Ethics & Social Dimension of Technology
Timetable
Special Note for Students who Matriculated Prior to Fall 2008

Overview of the Changes

The Electrical Engineering degree requirements are changing effective with the Fall 2008 semester. Students who matriculated prior to Fall 2008 will have the choice of either satisfying the old requirements or the new requirements (see the "Special Note" below for restrictions and exceptions). Freshman who matriculate in Fall 2008 or after must satisfy the new requirements.

There are four components to the curriculum change:

1. Introduction of a Specialization Requirement for Upper-level ENEE Technical Electives
2. Relaxation of Constraints on the General Technical Electives
3. New Programming Course Sequence to Replace the Current Required Course ENEE114.
4. Introduction of a New Engineering Ethics Course ENEE200 (only required freshman matriculating in fall 2008 or after).

Each requirement is explained in detail below.

Specialty Area Requirement

All Electrical Engineering majors must complete 13 credits of 400-level ENEE technical electives. This total must include at least three credits of theory/application, one advanced laboratory, and one capstone design course. This is the same under both the old and new rules. However, under the new Specialty Area Requirement students must complete at least two 400-level ENEE elective courses from a single area of specialization. The ECE Department has six formal areas of specialization.

• Communications and Signal Processing
• Computer Engineering
• Controls
• Electrophysics
• Microelectronics
• Power Systems

This requirement is intended to ensure that students receive sufficient depth in their senior-level EE elective courses. Currently, most students already satisfy this requirement.

General Technical Electives

Under both the old and new requirements, all EE majors are expected to complete 12 credits of general technical electives (referred to as non-EE technical electives under the old curriculum) beyond the 13 credits of required 400-level ENEE coursework. As part of these general technical electives, EE students must successfully complete one 400-level mathematics course. This 400-level MATH requirement remains unchanged under the new curriculum.

The remaining 9 credits (beyond the 400-level MATH) of general technical electives have traditionally been selected from a list of approved non-electrical engineering (non-EE) technical electives. The new requirement, referred to as the General Technical Electives, allows these 9 credits to be taken from a range of departments unless a course appears on a list of classes which are specifically prohibited from being counted towards the degree.

Any 300 or 400-level course which uses the following prefixes and is not on the list of prohibited classes can be used to fulfill this 9-credit requirement:

This means ENEE classes can be used to fulfill this requirement. However, only ENEE courses not being used to satisfy other major requirements can be used to fulfill the remaining 9 credits of General Technical Electives.

Upper level courses which do not begin with the prefixes in the list above may be approved, on a case-by-case basis, by the ECE Associate Chair for Undergraduate Education, to fulfill this requirement if such courses are determined to be connected by a theme which is consistent with the student's stated professional goals. However, under no circumstances will exceptions be granted for courses on the proscribed listed.

New Programming Sequence

Previously, the programming requirement for electrical engineering majors was ENEE114. This has changed, and freshman matriculating for and after Fall 2008 must now complete ENEE150: "Intermediate Programming Concepts for Engineers" (3 credits) with a 'C' or higher. The pre-requisites for ENEE150 can be satisfied in one of four ways:

1. Earn a grade of 'C' or higher in ENEE140: "Introduction to Programming Concepts for Engineers" (2 credits). ENEE140 does not itself satisfy any requirements for the EE major.
2. Earn a grade of 'C' or higher in CMSC131.
3. A grade of '4' or '5' on the Advanced Placement Computer Science Exam.
4. OR Earn a passing score on the ENEE150 placement exam. Visit the ENEE150 Placement Exam Website for details on how to signed-up, guidance on preparation, and the dates and location.

If you have already completed ENEE114, either at UMCP or another institution, then you do not have to take ENEE150. However, if you matriculated prior to Fall 2008 and have not yet successfully completed ENEE114, then you will have until the end of the Fall 2008 semester to do so. If ENEE114 is not completed by this time then you will have to satisfy the ENEE150 requirement.

New Course in Engineering Ethics and Societal Dimensions of Technology

Because of the strong symbiotic relationship between engineering and society as well as the important role ethics plays in engineering practice, ECE is introducing a course on the social and ethical dimension of engineering. The course, ENEE200: "Social and Ethical Dimensions of Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology" (3 credits), will be required of all freshman entering in or after Fall 2008. ENEE200 falls under the CORE area "Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues" (IE). Thus, students will be able to use ENEE200 to satisfy one of their CORE distributive studies requirements.

Students who matriculated prior to fall 2008 will not be required to take this course. However, it is strongly recommended they do so if they can fit it into their current graduation plan.

Timetable for Introduction/Elimination of Courses

The timetable for the introduction of the new courses and the phasing-out of the existing programming course 114 appears below. An 'X' indicates the course will be offered during that term.

Special Note for Students who Matriculated Prior to Fall 2008

If you matriculated prior to Fall 2008, the new curriculum changes will not affect your graduation requirements unless you decide the satisfy them. The following restrictions and exceptions apply:

• ENEE114:If you have not already successfully completed ENEE114 you will need to complete it by the end of the Fall 2008 semester since this is the last time the course will be offered. If you do not complete ENEE114 with a 'C' or higher by the end of the fall semester then you will be required to complete the new programming courses ENEE150. If you have already successfully completed ENEE114 then you do not have to complete ENEE150.
• Non-EE Electives: Instead of the of Non-EE Electives, you can choose to satisfy the less restrictive General Technical Electives. However, if you do, you must also satisfy the specialty area requirement which requires that you take at least two courses in one area of specialization.
• ENEE200: You are NOT required to complete ENEE200 even if you choose to satisfy the new general technical requirement. Nevertheless, all students who matriculated prior to Fall 2008 are strongly urged to complete this course.

If you have questions please contact the ECE Undergraduate Office to speak with an advisor.

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