Electrical & Computer Engineering

Technology developed by electrical and computer engineers has revolutionized every facet of modern life. These developments have applications in multidisciplinary settings — medicine, communications, entertainment, business, transportation, and education— and represent enormous promise for society.

Computer engineers specialize in the design and analysis of computer hardware and software systems, including computer processors, circuit boards, and network systems. As a student, you will gain the skills to design, analyze, and build technology to improve and modernize daily life.

Cybersecurity engineers are in demand in organizations throughout society. Non-profits, hospitals, companies, government agencies and intergovernmental organizations are all seeking knowledgeable professionals to keep their organization’s operations and data safe from attackers.

You will learn to help shape the design and manufacturing processes of microlectronics, control systems, signal processing systems, and other technologies that impact our daily lives. 

Electrical engineering technology curriculum has electronic technology, and computer technology tracks. As a student in this field, you're introduced to computer hardware and software, automatic control programming and implementation, robotic control, and modern instrumentation and sensors. This program will prepare you to design, program, and install all types of electrical instrumentation as well as computers and their networks.

There are many professional career paths in the fields of electrical engineering and computer science.

• Computer Engineers specialize in the design and analysis of computer hardware and software. Working with operating systems, computer architecture, computer networks, robotics, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and computer-aided design tools, they develop advancements in radio, television, radar, transistors, computers, and robotics.
• Cybersecurity Engineers focus on defending security in all facets including careers as a threat intelligence analyst, penetration tester, incident response manager, application security engineer, and more.
• Electrical Engineers develop electrical equipment, shaping the design and manufacturing processes for all kinds of devices, from microelectronics to supercomputers. Their work—in control systems, signal processing, space systems, lasers and photonics, and more—is at the forefront of advances in biomedicine, renewable energy, intelligent systems, and nanotechnologies.

• 06/2023: ECE received a second-year $1.15 million funding from Intel to enhance workforce development for Intel’s new facilities near Columbus, OH.
• 06/2023: Former ECE student and three-time Mantei Award recipient Yue Zhao to join the University of Southern California as a tenure-track Assistant Professor. 
• 04/2023: ECE faculty Dr. John Franco selected as recipient of the Distinguished Service Award at SAT 2023 due to contributions and services in satisfiability.
• 04/2023: ECE faculty Dr. Zach Fuchs presented to students at Wilson Elementary’s Spark Day.
• 03/2023: ECE undergraduate student James Hart and graduate student Nathan Hernandez were selected as AFRL (Air Force Research Lab) scholars for Summer 2023 and will be working with ECE faculty Dr. Marc Cahay. 
• 03/2023: ECE graduate student Brooke Campbell selected as a 2022-2023 Engineer of the Month. 
• 03/2023: ECE undergraduate student Greg Muha receives Goldwater Scholarship – the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship in natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. 
• 03/2023: ECE faculty Dr. Rui (April) Dai received $250,000 from National Science Foundation to conduct research in video quality assessment.
• 03/2023: ECE faculty Drs. Nan Niu, Vesna Novak, and Tao Li received funding from UC Office of Research. 
• 02/2023: ECE faculty Dr. Zach Fuchs received the University Honors Excellence in Teaching Award for outstanding work in Pinball Design and Programming Honors seminar. 
• 02/2023: National Science Foundation highlighted ECE faculty Dr. Jason Heikenfeld’s research in wearable sensing technology for monitoring health and wellness. 
• 02/2023: Article published by ECE faculty Dr. Andrew Steckl listed as the most accessed article in ChemPlusChem journal in 2021 and 2022. 
• 02/2023: ECE faculty Dr. Nan Niu nominated for the Darwin T. Turner Scholars 2023 Breakfast of Champions at UC. 
• 02/2023: ECE faculty and students attended TechOlympics 2023 and interacted with more than 200 high school students. 
• 02/2023: ECE faculty Dr. Boyang Wang received $294,684 from National Science Foundation to conduct research in wireless network security.