Engineering

Faculty

Christine A. Zakzewski, Ph.D., Chair
W. Andrew Berger, Ph.D.
Joseph W. Connolly, Ph.D.
Declan Mulhall, Ph.D.
Jeremy Sepinsky, Ph.D.
Robert A. Spalletta, Ph.D.
Argyrios C. Varonides, Ph.D.

Overview

Engineering is the profession in which a knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences gained by study, experience, and practice is judiciously applied to develop ways to utilize, economically, the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of mankind. A number of majors are available.

The undergraduate Computer Engineering curriculum is broad-based with continually updated content in computers, engineering science, and engineering design. The objectives of this program are to prepare our students for a professional career in computer engineering and to prepare them for advanced study in computer engineering, computer science, or electrical engineering. The technical core of the program emphasizes theoretical and laboratory skills, hardware and software skills, simulation and design.

Students in the Computer Engineering program study basic science, mathematics, computer science, electrical engineering, design, writing, public speaking, and the liberal arts in order to prepare for a professional career or advanced studies. The program includes courses from the programs of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, providing balanced coverage and integration of the hardware and software aspects of computer systems. The design process is emphasized throughout all four years, and design projects are included in all laboratory courses. The sophomore and junior years include core courses in computer algorithms, digital system design, computer architectures, microprocessor systems, computer interfacing, and programming. These courses provide a foundation for the senior year, which includes electives and an in-depth two-semester design project.

Career opportunities in computer engineering range from computer applications such as computational medicine, oceanic engineering, and office automation to robotics, software engineering systems design, graduate study, reliability and other applications such as neural networks.

We live in a hi-tech society, and Electrical Engineers are among the largest, most diverse and dynamic contributors to our technological advancements. Electrical Engineering encompasses the basic physics of semiconductors and advanced knowledge of analog and digital electronic circuit design, optical devices, image and signal processing, communications, control systems, photonics, computer architecture, computer-aided design (CAD), and computer interfacing. The electrical engineering program culminates in a two-term capstone senior project where each student must design, construct, program, and debug a self-guided, artificially intelligent robot. Graduates of our electrical engineering program have challenging and rewarding careers in such diverse fields as biomedical instrumentation, semiconductor fabrication, pharmaceutical manufacturing, secondary education-mathematics, patent law, defense, and national space programs.

The state of the business world today is such that a major portion of its administrative effort must be geared to the supervision of persons engaged in complex technological processes often involving applications of electronics. As a consequence, the ideal administrator is now one who is conversant with both good business practice and technological know-how. The Electronics-Business major provides a student with a program of carefully selected business and economics courses coupled with a series of coordinated physics and electrical engineering courses so as to provide preparation for an administrative career in an electronically oriented business enterprise. The program also provides sufficient preparation for further studies leading to the Master of Business Administration.

The University provides a pre-engineering program which introduces the student to the highly technical training necessary for all phases of the engineering profession. This is a two-year course of study which enables the student to transfer to another school to complete his or her degree work. Transfer schools have included: Lehigh, Bucknell, Penn State and Drexel.

Generally, different engineering programs have slightly different requirements which must be completed before starting the junior year. These will vary from school to school. Therefore, students should, before beginning the sophomore year, consult with an advisor at the institution at which they plan to complete their studies.