DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING (ECE)

Professor Lloyd A. Morley, Department Head
Office: 317 Houser Hall

Electrical engineering, the largest of the engineering fields, is the application of mathematics, sciences, and electrical and electronic technologies to the needs of society. This broad and diverse discipline touches almost every aspect of people's lives and occupations, from communication systems such as cellular phones, radio, television, and the Internet to computer systems, including personal computers, and the hidden processors that control automobiles and household appliances.

Electrical and computer engineering at The University of Alabama offers programs in "traditional" electrical engineering and in computer engineering. Electrical engineering students get deeply involved with at least two of the following areas: communication systems, computers, control systems, electromagnetics, electronics and microelectronics, power systems, and signal processing. Students in the computer engineering option specialize in the software and hardware components of modern computing systems. The programs provide a sound foundation for entry into the engineering profession, and opportunities for graduates are extensive, often depending only on the interests of the individual. Graduates work in most industries, including the computer, telecommunications, power, aerospace, manufacturing, defense, and electronics industries. They design high-tech devices ranging from tiny microelectronic chips to powerful computers that utilize those chips to efficient telecommunication systems that interconnect those computers. They design and operate a wide array of complex technological systems, such as power generation and distribution systems and modern computer-controlled manufacturing plants. They are also involved in sales, marketing, testing, quality control, and research. With additional training, they may even contribute in other professions, including education, medicine, and law.

Program Objectives

The mission of the undergraduate electrical engineering and computer engineering programs is to provide high-quality and broad-based education in electrical engineering or computer engineering that emphasizes critical thinking and communication skills and prepares graduates for professional careers and a lifetime of learning. The faculty has adopted the educational objectives listed below for the electrical and computer engineering undergraduate programs. The department has included a process to provide continual improvement of the curricula. Students are expected to

• obtain an ability to identify, formulate, and solve electrical engineering or computer engineering problems, using processes that include the planning, specification, design, implementation, and testing of a system, component, and process with performance, economic, time, safety, and quality requirements
• obtain an ability to understand, analyze, and solve electrical engineering or computer engineering problems in practice of applying fundamental knowledge of mathematics, science, computer science, and engineering and using modern engineering techniques, skills, and tools will be used, particularly computer-based approaches
• obtain an ability to design and conduct experiments in an effective, safe manner, as well as to analyze and interpret data
• obtain a knowledge of contemporary issues in electrical engineering or computer engineering
• obtain a broad education necessary to understand the impact of electrical engineering or computer engineering solutions in a global, societal, and environmental context consistent with the principles of sustainable development
• obtain an ability to communicate effectively in oral, written, and graphic forms
• obtain an ability to work effectively as a contributing member of a multi-disciplinary team
• understand the ethical and professional responsibility of engineers and act ethically and responsibly
• obtain an ability to engage in, and recognize the need for, life-long learning

Laboratories. Coursework in basic and advanced subjects in electrical and computer engineering is supported by specialized laboratories and continuously updated computer facilities. The laboratories are located in the East Engineering Building, Houser Hall, and the Houser Hall Annex.

Control Systems Laboratory. The Control Systems Laboratory is equipped for the experimental study of electrical and electromechanical systems. Direct-current motors and servo-amplifiers are available to implement position and velocity control systems. Analog computer equipment is available for use in simulating systems and as components of control systems. Sufficient equipment is available for students to experimentally determine system models and develop and test original control-system configurations.

Circuits Laboratory. The Circuits Laboratory, which is used in ECE 225, affords the student an opportunity to study both circuit phenomena and the proper use of instruments in measuring circuit parameters and circuit variables.

Computer Architecture Laboratory. Advanced computer architecture, design, and parallel processing form the focus of this laboratory, which is equipped with current systems from IBM, SUN, and Intel for students' use. Several parallel computer systems, facilities of the Alabama Supercomputer network, and multiple networks of Unix-based systems are used for the study of fundamentals in parallel computer architecture. Students may use this equipment for instructional laboratory work or special projects.

Computer Engineering Laboratory. The Computer Engineering Laboratory uses a network of up-to-date computers, state-of-the-art CAD software, and FPGA development systems to give students hands-on hardware design experience. Students design digital circuits ranging from simple shift registers to pipelined and microcoded microprocessors.

Computer Graphics Laboratory. This laboratory provides equipment for teaching and research in the areas of computer graphics, real-time video simulation, image processing, pattern recognition, vision, and graphics algorithm development. The facilities support C, Unix, assembler, high-resolution color video, scene digitization, and hardware and software development.

Digital Logic Laboratory. The Digital Logic Laboratory is used in ECE 380. Students design and test various combinational and sequential network configurations.

Electric Power and Machines Laboratory. This facility houses many types of AC and DC motors and generators, transformers, and other devices typically found in the electric-power industry. In addition, suitable instrumentation is available for steady-state and transient monitoring of individual experiments. The laboratory provides an excellent environment for research and studies of fundamental and advanced power-system and electric-machinery concepts.

Electromagnetics Laboratory. The Electromagnetics Laboratory has experimental capabilities for the generation, transmission, radiation, and measurement of radio frequency (rf) and microwave energy and signals. There are facilities for antenna impedance characterization studies, and an indoor anechoic chamber for microwave radiation pattern measurements. The laboratory has a complement of equipment that includes solid-state signal generators, TWT amplifiers, spectrum and network analyzers, and an extensive holding of passive components.

Electronics Laboratories. The Electronics Laboratories are well equipped with modern digital and analog electronic instruments. Students study the theory of electronic instruments and make practical use of instruments in measuring the electrical characteristics of discrete and integrated solid-state electronic circuits, which they design and assemble.

Instrumentation Laboratory. Students use this laboratory to study DC and AC circuit phenomena and the proper use of instruments such as oscilloscopes, voltmeters, ammeters, wattmeters, power supplies, and function generators.

Laser and Fiber Optics Laboratories. These laboratories are equipped for experimental studies of laser principles, optical electronics, and optical communications. One laboratory has an air-suspended stable table, many high-quality mirrors, spatial filters, beam splitters, and an argon ion laser. Another laboratory has an air-suspended stable table, numerous He-Ne lasers, diode lasers, fiber optic devices and equipment, acousto-optic and electro-optic modulators, and many other high-quality optical components.

Microprocessor Laboratory. The Microprocessor Laboratory is equipped with a network of Pentium-based computers, 80386 and 8051 microprocessor development systems, FPGA development systems, video terminals, ROM programmers, and additional electronic instrumentation needed for designing and testing microprocessor systems. Software used in the laboratory includes code assemblers and debuggers, C/C++ compilers and integrated development systems, and electronic design automation software.

Communications Laboratory. The Communications Laboratory is an undergraduate laboratory in which students are introduced to amplitude, frequency, and pulse modulation; spectral analysis; frequency and time-division multiplexing; and noise analysis. Special laboratory equipment includes a storage scope, spectrum analyzer, recording wave analyzer, digital noise generator, and A/D interfaces to a dedicated IBM-PC system with signal-processing software packages.

Graduate programs. The department offers programs leading to the degrees of master of science in electrical engineering, master of science in engineering, and doctor of philosophy. Please refer to the University of Alabama graduate catalog for details of these programs.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING CURRICULUM

The overall goal of the electrical engineering program is to prepare students for engineering careers within the discipline. The first year and a half of the electrical engineering curriculum includes basic courses in mathematics and physical science, broadening courses in humanities and social science, and foundation courses in engineering. The next three semesters provide the core education in electrical engineering, with courses in computers, electronics, circuits, systems, and electromagnetics. The last year of study includes technical electives to allow students to concentrate in selected areas of the discipline. For seniors, the department offers advanced courses in computers, communication, control, electromagnetics, microelectronics, materials, and power.

Students must select two electrical engineering electives with labs. The elective areas are computers, microelectronics, electromagnetics, power systems, communication systems, and control systems. Materials that describe each area are available in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering office.

FRESHMAN YEAR
First Semester	Hours
GES 131 Foundations Engineering I	3
EN 101 English Composition I (FC)	3
MATH 131 Calculus I for Integrated Curriculum (MA)	4
CH 131 General Chemistry for Engineering Students I (N)	4
History (HI) or social and behavioral sciences (SB) elective	3
	--
	17
Second Semester
GES 132 Foundations Engineering II	2
EN 102 English Composition II (FC)	3
MATH 132 Calculus II for Integrated Curriculum (MA)	4
PH 131 Integrated Physics I (N)	4
Humanities (HU), literature (L), or fine arts (FA) elective	3
	--
	16
SOPHOMORE YEAR
First Semester
CS 114 Introduction to Computer Programming	3
CS 116 Introduction to Computer Programming Laboratory	1
MATH 231 Math III for Integrated Curriculum (MA)	4
MATH 237 Applied Matrix Theory	3
PH 132 Integrated Physics II (N)	4
Humanities (HU), literature (L), or fine arts (FA) elective	3
	--
	18
Second Semester
CS 124 Introduction to Computer Science (C)	3
ECE 225 Electric Circuits	3
ECE 380 Digital Computer Fundamentals	3
MATH 238 Applied Differential Equations I	3
PH 253 Introduction to Modern Physics	3
	--
	15
JUNIOR YEAR
First Semester
GES 255 Engineering Statistics	3
ECE 332 Electronics I (W)	4
ECE 340 Electromagnetics	4
ECE 370 Signals and Systems	3
ECE 383 Microcomputers (C)	4
	--
	18
Second Semester
ECE 326 Electric Networks	3
ECE 333 Electronics II (W)	4
ECE 350 Electromechanics	3
ESM 361 Mechanics of Engineering Systems	3
Humanities (HU), literature (L), or fine arts (FA) elective or history (HI) or social and behavioral sciences (SB) elective1	3
	--
	16
SENIOR YEAR
First Semester
IE 203 Engineering Economics	3
Electrical engineering elective with laboratory2	4
Electrical engineering elective with laboratory2	4
History (HI) or social and behavioral sciences (SB) elective	3
	--
	14
Second Semester
ECE 494 Capstone Design	3
Electrical engineering elective2	3
Electrical engineering elective2	3
Professional elective3	3
Humanities (HU), literature (L), or fine arts (FA) elective or history (HI) or social and behavioral sciences (SB) elective4	3
	--
	15
Total: 129 hours

¹This elective must help satisfy the College of Engineering in-depth requirement.
²Students must complete ECE elective courses in at least four of the following areas: communication, computers, control, electromagnetics, electronics, optics, and power.
³The professional elective must be chosen from the list of professional electives approved by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
⁴This elective must help satisfy the College of Engineering second-pair requirement.

COMPUTER ENGINEERING OPTION IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

The computer engineering option is offered within the electrical engineering department in order to give students a broad knowledge of the software and hardware components of modern computing systems, detailed computer-systems design, and the role of computer systems in various engineering disciplines. A primary goal of the program is to prepare the student for a computer-oriented engineering career with emphasis on computer applications within various subdisciplines of electrical engineering. The computer engineering option includes a broad spectrum of electrical engineering and computer science courses, as well as electives to allow the student to study a specific area in depth and to gain design experience. Areas of specialization may include computer architecture, digital and analog integrated circuit design, microprocessor-based systems, computer graphics, and applications-oriented study in other disciplines of electrical engineering.

FRESHMAN YEAR
First Semester	Hours
GES 131 Foundations Engineering I	3
EN 101 English Composition I (FC)	3
MATH 131 Calculus I for Integrated Curriculum (MA)	4
CH 131 General Chemistry for Engineering Students I (N)	4
History (HI) or social and behavioral sciences (SB) elective	3
	--
	17
Second Semester
GES 132 Foundations Engineering II	2
EN 102 English Composition II (FC)	3
MATH 132 Calculus II for Integrated Curriculum (MA)	4
PH 131 Integrated Physics I (N)	4
Humanities (HU), literature (L), or fine arts (FA) elective	3
	--
	16
SOPHOMORE YEAR
First Semester
CS 114 Introduction to Computer Programming	3
CS 116 Introduction to Computer Programming Laboratory	1
MATH 231 Math III for Integrated Curriculum (MA)	4
MATH 237 Applied Matrix Theory	3
PH 132 Integrated Physics II (N)	4
Humanities (HU), literature (L), or fine arts (FA) elective	3
	--
	18
Second Semester
CS 124 Introduction to Computer Science (C)	3
ECE 225 Electric Circuits	3
ECE 380 Digital Computer Fundamentals	3
GES 255 Engineering Statistics I	3
MATH 238 Applied Differential Equations I	3
	--
	15
JUNIOR YEAR
First Semester
ECE 332 Electronics I (W)	4
ECE 370 Signals and Systems	3
ECE 383 Microcomputers (C)	4
ESM 361 Mechanics of Engineering Systems	3
MATH 301 Discrete Mathematics	3
	--
	17
Second Semester
CS 325 Software Development and Systems	3
CS 357 Data Structures	3
ECE 326 Electric Networks	3
ECE 333 Electronics II (W)	4
Humanities (HU), literature (L), or fine arts (FA) elective or history (HI) or social and behavioral sciences (SB) elective1	3
	--
	16
SENIOR YEAR
First Semester
CS 415 Software Design and Development	3
ECE 480 Introduction to Computer Engineering (W)	3
ECE 481 Introduction to Computer Engineering Laboratory	1
IE 203 Engineering Economics	3
Electrical engineering elective with laboratory	4
	--
	14
Second Semester
ECE 494 Capstone Design	3
Restricted Area elective2	3
Professional elective3	3
History (HI) or social and behavioral sciences (SB) elective	3
Humanities (HU), literature (L), or fine arts (FA) elective or history (HI) or social and behavioral sciences (SB) elective4	3
	--
	15
Total: 128 hours

¹This elective must help satisfy the College of Engineering in-depth requirement.
²The restricted-area elective must be selected from a list approved by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
³The professional elective must be chosen from the list of professional electives approved by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
⁴This elective must help satisfy the College of Engineering second-pair requirement.