BSEE Degree Plans & Requirements

Degree Plans | Plan Selection | Technical Electives | Substitutions | Signed Plans | Minimum Grade Requirements

Degree Plans (.pdf format)

2010-2011 Plan
2009-2010 Plan
2008-2009 Plan
2007-2008 Plan
2005-2006 Plan, Version 2
2005-2006 Plan, Version 1
2004-2006 Plan
2003-2004 Plan

2010-2011 Degree Plan - 125 credit hours

Core Requirements - 43 credit hours

3 hours Composition (ENG 1301 or ENG 1387)
3 hours Rhetoric (ENG 1302 or ENG 1388)
3 hours Literature (ENG 2300, 2303, 2305, 2307, 2308, 2313, 2387, or 2388)
6 hours US History (HIST 2313 and 2314, or HIST 2387 and 2388)
6 hours US & Texas Government (POLS 2313 and POLS 2314, or POLS 2387 and POLS 2388)
3 hours Math (MATH 1460)(See Note 1)
2 hours Computer Science (CSCI 1380*)(See Note 2)
8 hours Science (PHYS 2401 and PHYS 2402)
3 hours Social Science (ECON 2301)
3 hours Arts (ART 1301, ART 3381, COMM 2312, DANC 2323, MUS 1307, MUS 1308, MUS 2301, MUS 2302, or MUS 3311)
3 hours Philosophy (PHIL 2393).  We are accepting PHIL 2390 as a substitute.

Note 1: MATH 1460 is a 4 hour course. 3 hours satisfy the Core Requirement and 1 hour satisfies Other Requirements below.
Note 2: CSCI 1380 is a 3 hour course. 2 hours satisfy the Core Requirement and 1 hour satisfies Other Requirements below.

Major Requirements - 60 credit hours

1 hour  Introduction to EE (ELEE 1101)
3 hours Digital Systems I (ELEE 2330)
1 hour  Digital Systems I Lab (ELEE 2130)
3 hours Digital Systems II (ELEE 4303)
4 hours Microprocessors (ELEE 3435)
3 hours Numerical Computation (ELEE 2319)
3 hours Electric Circuits I (ELEE 2320)
1 hour  Electric Circuits I Lab (ELEE 2120)
3 hours Signals and Systems (ELEE 2321) (formerly called Electric Circuits II)
3 hours Electromagnetics (ELEE 3315)
3 hours Electronics I (ELEE 3301)
3 hours Electronics II (ELEE 3302)
3 hours Solid State (ELEE 4328)
3 hours Communication Theory (ELEE 4351)
3 hours Automatic Controls (ELEE 4321)
2 hours EE Lab I (ELEE 3225)
3 hours EE Lab II (ELEE 3330)
3 hours Senior Design I (ELEE 4361)
3 hours Senior Design II (ELEE 4362)
9 hours EE Technical Electives 

Other Requirements - 22 hours

1 hour  Calculus I (MATH 1460)(see Note 1)
3 hours Math for EE (MATH 2346)
4 hours Calculus II (MATH 1470)
4 hours Calculus III (MATH 2401)
3 hours Differential Equations (MATH 3349)
3 hours Probability & Stats (ELEE 3340 or MATH 4339)
1 hour  Computer Science (CSCI 1380)(see Note 2)
3 hours Science/Engineering Elective - Mechanics (MECE 2305) or Chemistry I (CHEM 1301) or Chemistry for Engineers (CHEM 1307)

Note 1: MATH 1460 is a 4 hour course. 3 hours satisfy the Core Requirement above and 1 hour satisfies Other Requirements.
Note 2: CSCI 1380 is a 3 hour course. 2 hours satisfy the Core Requirement above and 1 hour satisfies Other Requirements.

Selecting a Degree Plan

• Entering Freshmen should use the most recent version of the degree plan, and may follow that plan until graduation.
• Entering Transfer Students generally should use the most recent version of the degree plan; however, transfer students who arranged their courses at their previous institution based on an earlier degree plan may usually select that plan.
• Current Students may remain on the plan under which they entered UTPA; however, they have the option of changing to newer degree plans. The department will recommend a transition plan to avoid loss or repetition coursework.

Technical Electives

EE Technical Electives must be upper division ELEE courses that are (a) not otherwise required for the BSEE degree, or equivalent to a required course for the BSEE degree, and (b) are not courses intended for non-majors, such as ELEE 3305, 3306, or 3307. The current list includes:

• ELEE 3331 Embedded Systems Lab
• ELEE 3371 Power System Design
• ELEE 4323 Rapid Control Prototyping
• ELEE 4325 Intro to Robotics
• ELEE 4360 Microwave Systems
• ELEE 4365 Digital Signal Processing
• ELEE 4366 Image Processing
• ELEE 4367 Fiber Optics
• ELEE 4372 Power Systems & Electric Machines
• ELEE 4375 VLSI
• ELEE 4378 Signal Integrity & EMC
• ELEE 4380 Computer Architecture
• ELEE 4390 Computer Networks
• ELEE 4333 Topics in Electrical Engineering

Many electives are offered as Topics in EE (ELEE 4333). Generally, topics are offered based on student demand and faculty availability. Consult with your faculty advisor and/or the department office for a list of electives to be offered in the near future.

Substitutions

The following substitutions are considered routine, and students may take the substitute courses without prior authorization:

1. MATH4339 in place of ELEE3340.
2. MECE2303 and MECE2304 together in place of MECE 2405 or MECE 2305.
3. Honors versions of English, Calculus, History, or Political Science in place of the regular courses.
4. Older course numbers in place of newer courses, and vice versa, including:
   1. PHIL2393 in place of PHIL2390.
   2. CHEM1401 in place of CHEM1301 and CHEM 1101.
   3. CHEM1307 in place of CHEM1301.
   4. PHYS2301 and PHYS2101 in place of PHYS2401.
   5. PHYS2302 and PHYS2102 in place of PHYS2402.
   6. MATH1401 in place of MATH1460.
   7. MATH1402 in place of MATH1470.
   8. ELEE2420 in place of ELEE2320 and ELEE2120.
   9. ELEE1221 in place of ELEE2319.
   10. ELEE4461 in place of ELEE4361.
   11. ELEE4462 in place of ELEE4362.
   12. MECE2305 in place of MECE2405.
   13. MECE2405 in palce of MECE2305.

The following substitutions were part of degree plan transitions and are no longer allowed. Students should not expect to be able to make these substitutions unless they entered the University under degree plans requiring the substitute courses.

1. CHEM1402 or CHEM1302/1102 in place of MATH2346.
2. ENGR1221 or MECE1221 in place of ELEE2319.
3. ENGR4461, ENGR4462, ENGR4161, ENGR4361 for Senior Design, unless in special sections for electrical engineers.

Students who took an introduction to engineering course in another department:

1. ENGR 1101 Introduction to Engineering
2. MECE 1101 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

may substitute these courses for ENGR 1101, but only if taken before changing majors to electrical engineering, or if transferring ENGR 1101 from another institution. Current EE students at UTPA must select ELEE 1101, Introduction to Electrical Engineering.

Students who transferred from another institution, or changed majors to Electrical Engineering, may possibly be allowed to substitute different social science courses for ECON2301, or substitute different philosophy courses for PHIL2390, if the courses were taken prior to transferring to UTPA or changing majors to Electrical Engineering. Please consult with an advisor before assuming that a course can substitute.

Getting a Signed Degree Plan

If you need a signed degree plan for VA, financial aid, athletics, or your own records, the following procedure is suggested:

1. Print out the appropriate degree plan from above, or pick up a hard copy at the department office.
2. Neatly and legibly fill out your name, ID number, and the semester and grades for any courses you have already taken. If you are unsure about a course or are requesting a substitution leave that line blank.
3. Bring or mail the plan to the Electrical Engineering Department Office. If there are no questions about courses you can leave the plan for signature and pick it up later. If there are substitutions or other issues, please arrange for a meeting with the department chair.
4. Some agencies also require a Dean's signature, which can be obtained through the Dean's Office after being signed at the EE Department.

Minimum Grade Requirements

1. Your overall GPA must be 2.0 or higher to graduate.
2. Your major GPA must be 2.0 or higher to graduate.
3. You must make a grade of C or higher in ENG 1301 and ENG 1302.
4. You must make a grade of C or higher in any course that is directly, or indirectly, a prerequisite for an engineering course.
5. In other courses, you must make a grade of D or higher.