Electrical and Computer Engineering

Consider these questions:

Are you interested in learning how technology improves our quality of life?
Are you intrigued by high-tech gadgets?
Do you enjoy working with computers?

Now, what are you seeking from your VMI Academic Experience?

Are small class sizes and readily-available professors important to you?
Do you prefer an interactive, “hands-on” education with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment?
Are you looking for a flexible curriculum that offers many elective course options?
Are you interested in opportunities to enhance your education through undergraduate research activities and professional conference participation?

Finally, what are your career aspirations?

Are you interested in working in industry or with the government?
Do you want to serve in the military?
Are you considering graduate school and higher education opportunities?

If so, you should consider majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering!!

Our philosophy is to provide the highest quality undergraduate education available, balancing a solid theoretical foundation with an equally strong practical training in the electrical and computer engineering discipline. We stress the importance of high-tech design and problem solving skills coupled with integrity and professionalism. Our wide diversity of course and laboratory offerings is complemented by opportunities to personalize your education through the selection of electives and independent studies.

The Electrical and Computer Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Program Educational Objectives:

The department seeks to prepare graduates who, in a few years after graduation, have:

Established themselves in, and made contributions to, a professional career in industry, government, or the military, and/or are continuing their education in graduate school.
Remained current in their profession through continuing education, via the completion of graduate coursework, attainment of certifications, or maintenance of active professional licensure, or through personal self-study and/or on-the-job training as part of their career advancement.

In order to prepare students to meet these educational objectives, the Student Outcomes of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department are listed below.

Student Outcomes:

The department seeks to prepare students who, by the time of graduation, possess:

an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Electrical and Computer Engineering Program of Study

In order to meet these goals, the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department has designed a program of study to prepare you for a rewarding and successful career. To give you the most flexibility after you graduate from our program, our courses provide a broad foundation in many areas of electrical and computer engineering. For those students seeking additional specialization in a particular area, the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department offers a variety of elective courses, as well as customized independent research courses that are tailored to the specific interests of the students and faculty. The program of study culminates with a capstone design experience.

ECE Mathematics Preparation Policy

VMI ECE majors must take Calculus I (MA 123 ) or higher in the first semester by:

Passing the VMI math placement test or retest (given in the summer before matriculation)
Passing MA 114 (Precalculus) in STP (before matriculation)
Achieving a score of 3 or higher on the AP Calculus test (either AB or BC)
Passing an equivalent precalculus course at another school before matriculation (requires VMI math department head approval)

Professional Licensure

The ECE Department encourages all electrical and computer engineering (ECE) cadets to take and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Examination as an early step toward licensure as a professional engineer.

ECE cadets who pass the FE Examination may present documentation to the ECE Secretary for reimbursement for one exam fee.

Math/Science Electives

ECE cadets should consult with their academic advisor or department head concerning approved math/science electives. X- and W- designated math/science courses are not acceptable, nor are math/science courses already required within the ECE program of study. In addition, math/science courses deemed to be equivalent to, or at a lower level than, math/science content already included in the ECE program of study are not acceptable.

ECE Electives

All ECE majors are required to take a minimum of eight ECE Electives. At least two of these electives must be from a pool of Electrical Engineering Electives, and at least two must be from a pool of Computer Engineering Electives. The remaining four electives may be taken from any pool. Current lists of available ECE Electives and associated pools are available from the ECE Department.

Honors in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Eligibility:

Students may apply to the ECE Honors Program no earlier than the beginning of their third class year. The application form must be completed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office through the ECE Department Head.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 and a minimum ECE GPA of 3.30.

Requirements:

Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 and a minimum ECE GPA of 3.30 in order to remain in the ECE Honors Program and be eligible for ECE Honors upon graduation.
Students must submit an honors thesis proposal to the ECE Department Head no later than the end of the second class year. The honors thesis proposal must include the following:
- A description of the project
- Approval of the project advisor(s)
Students must complete (with no grades below B) a minimum of 3 hours of Undergraduate Research in ECE (EE 491-496 ) or ECE Internship for Credit (EE 469 ).
Students must present the results of their work in an external professional forum, such as IEEE, NCUR, ASEE, etc.
At the conclusion of their project, but no later than one week before the end of classes that semester, students must submit their final honors thesis to their project advisor(s) and the ECE Department Head for approval.

Scholarship and Internship Opportunities in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Numerous Scholarship and Internship Opportunities are available to cadets majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering! Contact the ECE Department Head, or visit the departmental web site: www.vmi.edu/elen, for up-to-date information.

Transfer Policies

Electrical and computer engineering courses, including online courses, may be transferred to VMI pending an evaluation of equivalency and approval by the ECE Department Head.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Enrollment and Graduation Data

Electrical & Computer Engineering	Academic Year
	‘13-14	‘14-15	‘15-16	‘16-17	‘17-18	‘18-19	‘19-20	‘20-21	‘21-22	‘22-‘23	‘23-‘24
Undergraduate Cadets in ECE*	47	51	62	64	78	83	72	82	53	50	55
BS Degrees Awarded**	7	13	7	7	14	18	11	17	15	11	12

*Fall Census
**July 1 - June 30

Major in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering, B.S.

Minor in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Computer Engineering Minor

Courses

ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department Head: Colonel Addington

Requirements for a major in electrical and computer engineering are specified in Electrical and Computer Engineering .