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2007-08 Undergraduate Catalog

Majors

Computer Engineering
College: Engineering
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
Hours for Degree: 126
Specializations : Hardware, Software
Minor: Yes
Combined-Degree Program: Yes
Website: www.cise.ufl.edu/student_services/undergrad/cen/

The Department of Computer and Information Science and Engineering is concerned with theory, design, development and application of computer systems and information processing techniques.

The computer engineering curriculum provides a balance among computer systems, hardware and software as well as theory and applications. Graduates can pursue graduate studies in computer science and engineering or they can choose from many different careers related to computers and their applications in high technology environments.

Opportunities for cooperative education provide students a better understanding of the industrial applications of computer and information technologies. By properly choosing electives, students can specialize in computer systems, computer communications, networking, computer vision, pattern recognition, expert systems and multi-media systems, or other areas.

Mission
  • To educate undergraduate and graduate majors as well as the broader campus community in the fundamental concepts of the computing discipline,
  • To create and disseminate computing knowledge and technology, and
  • To use our expertise in computing to help society solve problems.

Educational Objectives

The objective of the program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering is to provide students with a strong theoretical and practical background in computer hardware and software, along with the engineering analysis, design and implementation skills necessary to work between the two.

A computer engineer is someone with the ability to design a complete computer system from its circuits to its operating system to the algorithms that run on it. Although one can consider software and hardware separately, a computer engineer must take a more holistic approach.

If an electronic device is to be called a computer, it must produce mathematically meaningful results. Similarly, any useful theory of computing must be physically realizable. The synthesis of the theory and algorithm that must take place before any useful computing can be achieved is the job of the computer engineer, and to produce such engineers is the mission of this program.

Three to five years after graduating with this degree, a computer engineering graduate will:
  • Excel in a career utilizing their education in computer engineering;
  • Continue to enhance their knowledge;
  • Be effective in multidisciplinary and diverse professional environments; and
  • Provide leadership and demonstrate good citizenship.

Department Requirements

A minimum grade of C or higher is required in ENC 2210 and CIS 3020 or 3023. In addition, CISE requires all computer engineering students to maintain a cumulative, upper-division and department grade point average of 2.0 or higher.

Students who do not meet these requirements will be placed on academic probation and be required to prepare a probation contract with a CISE adviser. Students normally are given two terms in which to remove their deficit points; however, students who do not satisfy the conditions of the first term of probation may be dismissed from the department.

Hardware
Software

Specialization: Hardware

The area of computer engineering has become a major part of electrical engineering, so much so that a separate degree is offered.

Computer engineering, in a broad sense, deals with the body of knowledge that forms the theoretical and practical basis for the storage, retrieval, processing, analysis, recognition and display of information. It also includes the design and implementation of computer systems and peripheral devices for information handling and engineering applications.

The computer engineering degree provides an academic program and research environment to obtain knowledge and skills in digital hardware, microprocessors, software systems and computer applications. In the hardware courses, students study the functional behavior of integrated circuit components and the design of complex digital systems. In the software system courses, students receive hands-on operating experience in different aspects of system software and their relations to hardware facilities. Courses in computer engineering also deal with pattern processing, machine intelligence and information system design and evaluation.

Electives are taken according to individual interest to permit a student to delve more deeply into subject matter previously introduced. Students can specialize in the areas of computer system architecture, computer communications, computer network architecture, computer systems and controls, machine learning, man-machine interaction, robotics and machine intelligence. Technical electives must be taken from an approved list.

Students who want to take their technical electives in hardware would pursue the computer degree through the ECE department. Students who want to take their technical electives in software would pursue the computer degree through the CISE department.

Computer engineering students in the hardware emphasis should refer to the department requirements listed under electrical engineering.

Critical Tracking and Semester Plan

Semester 1:

  • 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
  • 2.5 GPA on all critical-tracking course work for semesters 1-5
  • Complete 1 of 8 tracking courses with a minimum grade of C+ within two attempts: CHM 2045, CHM 2046 or approved biological science course, MAC 2311, MAC 2312, MAC 2313, MAP 2302, PHY 2048, PHY 2049

Semester 2:

  • Complete 1 additional course with a minimum grade of C within two attempts

Semester 3:

  • Complete 2 additional courses with a minimum grade of C within two attempts

Semester 4:

  • Complete 2 additional courses with a minimum grade of C within two attempts

Semester 5:

  • Complete all 8 critical-tracking courses with a minimum grade of C in each course within two attempts

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold.

Suggested semester-by-semester plan

Semester 1Credits
MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (GE-M)4
CHM 2045 General Chemistry 1 (GE-P)3
CHM 2045L General Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GE-P)1
Humanities (GE-H)3
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S)3
Total 14
Semester 2Credits
MAC 2312 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 2 (GE-M)4
PHY 2048 Physics with Calculus 1 (GE-P)3
Biological Science (GE-B) or
CHM 2046 General Chemistry 2
3
PHY 2048L Laboratory for PHY 2048 (GE-P)1
ENC 2210 Technical Writing (GE-C) or ENC 3254 Professional Writing in the Discipline (GE-C)3
Total 14
Semester 3Credits
MAC 2313 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 3 (GE-M)4
PHY 2049 Physics with Calculus 2 (GE-P)3
PHY 2049L Laboratory for PHY 20491
CIS 3020 Advanced Programming Fundamentals for CIS majors or CIS 3022 and 3023 for students with no Java programming experience3
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S)3
Total 14
Semester 4Credits
MAP 2302 Elementary Differential Equations3
EEL 3111C Circuits 14
EEL 3105 Analytical Methods in Electrical Engineering3
COT 3100 Applications of Discrete Structures3
Total 13
Semester 5Credits
EEL 3396 Solid-State Electronic Devices3
EEL 3135 Introduction to Systems and Signals3
EEL 3701C Digital Logic and Computer Systems4
EEL 3304C Electronic Circuits 14
Total 14
Semester 6Credits
EEL 3112 Circuits, Systems and Signals4
CDA 3101 Introduction to Computer Organization3
COP 3530 Data Structures and Algorithm4
Humanities (GE-H)3
Total 14
Semester 7Credits
EEL 4744 Microprocessor Applications4
STA 3032 Engineering Statistics3
Humanities (GE-H) or Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S)3
Electrical engineering technical elective (any EEL-prefixed course except EEL 3003)3
Total 13
Semester 8Credits
COP 4600 Operating Systems3
CEN 3031 Introduction to Software Engineering3
EGN 4034 Professional Ethics1
College breadth, from an approved list2
Technical elective, from an approved list3
Total 12
Semester 9Credits
EEL 4712C Digital Design or EEL 4713C Digital Computer Architecture4
Electrical engineering technical electives (any EEL-prefixed course except EEL 3003)9
Total 13
Semester 10Credits
EEL 4914C Electrical Engineering Design3
Technical elective, from an approved list2
Total 5

Specialization: Software

Semester 1:

  • 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
  • 2.5 GPA on all critical-tracking course work for semesters 1-5
  • Complete 1 of 8 tracking courses with a minimum grade of C within two attempts: CHM 2045, CHM 2046 or approved biological science course, MAC 2311, MAC 2312, MAC 2313, MAP 2302, PHY 2048, PHY 2049

Semester 2:

  • Complete 1 additional course with a minimum grade of C within two attempts

Semester 3:

  • Complete 2 additional courses with a minimum grade of C within two attempts

Semester 4:

  • Complete 2 additional courses with a minimum grade of C within two attempts

Semester 5:

  • Complete all 8 critical-tracking courses with a minimum grade of C in each course within two attempts

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold.

Suggested semester-by-semester plan

Semester 1Credits
If you do not place out of ENC 1101, take it in the fall.
CHM 2045 General Chemistry 1 (GE-P)3
MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (GE-M)4
CHM 2045L General Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GE-P)1
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S)3
Humanities (GE-H)3
Total 14
Semester 2Credits
CHM 2046 General Chemistry 2 (GE-P) or
CHM 2051, PHY 2464, a 3000+ level PHY course or a 2000+ level non-CHM or non-PHY course with a GE-P or GE-B designation
3
MAC 2312 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 2 (GE-M)4
Humanities (GE-H)3
ENC 2210 Technical Writing (GE-C) or ENC 3254 Professional Writing in the Discipline (GE-C)3
Total 13
Semester 3Credits
MAC 2313 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 3 (GE-M)4
PHY 2048 and 2048L Physics with Calculus 1 (3) and Laboratory (1) (GE-P)4
CIS 3020 Advanced Programming Fundamentals for CIS Majors (GE-M) or
CIS 3022 Programming for CIS Majors 1 (will need to take CIS 3023 Programming for CIS Majors 2 the following semester)
3
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S)3
Total 14
Semester 4Credits
MAP 2302 Elementary Differential Equations (GE-M)3
PHY 2049 Physics with Calculus 2 3
PHY 2049L Laboratory for PHY 20491
EEL 3701C Digital Logic and Computer Systems4
Humanities (GE-H)3
Total 14
Semester 5Credits
COT 3100 Applications of Discrete Structures3
CDA 3101 Introduction to Computer Organization3
EEL 3111C Circuits 14
MAS 3114 Computational Linear Algebra or
MAS 4105 Linear Algebra 1
3
Engineering core, from approved list2
Total 15
Semester 6Credits
EEL 4712C Digital Design or
EEL 4713C Digital Computer Architecture
4
COP 3530 Data Structures and Algorithms4
COT 4501 Numerical Analysis - A Computational Approach3
EEL 3135 Discrete-Time Signals and Systems or
EEL 3304C Electronic Circuits 1
3
Total 14
Semester 7Credits
COP 4600 Operating Systems3
STA 3032 Engineering Statistics3
CISE technical elective3
Total 9
Semester 8Credits
CEN 4500C Computer Network Fundamentals4
CEN 3031 Introduction to Software Engineering3
EEL 4744C Microprocessor Applications4
Engineering core, from an approved list3
Technical elective3
Total 17
Semester 9Credits
CIS 4914 Senior Project (see adviser)3
EGN 4034 Professional Ethics1
Technical electives, from an approved list of CISE courses12
Total 16